Set the system timer resolution to the minimum value for higher precision on Windows

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ All notable changes to this project are documented in this file.
 
 ### Changed
 - Change device jtcvc to use motor velocity and joint velocity in input to PINN models (https://github.com/ami-iit/bipedal-locomotion-framework/pull/903)
+- Set the system timer resolution to the minimum value for higher precision on `Windows` (https://github.com/ami-iit/bipedal-locomotion-framework/pull/907)
 
 ### Fixed
 - Bug fix of `JointTorqueControlDevice` device (https://github.com/ami-iit/bipedal-locomotion-framework/pull/890)

cmake/AddBipedalLocomotionLibrary.cmake

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ function(add_bipedal_locomotion_library)
     PRIVATE_HEADERS
     PUBLIC_LINK_LIBRARIES
     PRIVATE_LINK_LIBRARIES
+    PRIVATE_WINDOWS_LINK_LIBRARIES
     SUBDIRECTORIES)
 
   set(prefix "bipedal_component")
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ function(add_bipedal_locomotion_library)
   set(private_headers ${${prefix}_PRIVATE_HEADERS})
   set(public_link_libraries ${${prefix}_PUBLIC_LINK_LIBRARIES})
   set(private_link_libraries ${${prefix}_PRIVATE_LINK_LIBRARIES})
+  set(private_windows_link_libraries ${${prefix}_PRIVATE_WINDOWS_LINK_LIBRARIES})
   set(subdirectories ${${prefix}_SUBDIRECTORIES})
 
   if(NOT installation_folder)
@@ -76,6 +78,10 @@ function(add_bipedal_locomotion_library)
     target_link_libraries(${name} PUBLIC ${public_link_libraries})
     target_link_libraries(${name} PRIVATE ${private_link_libraries})
 
+    if(WIN32)
+      target_link_libraries(${name} PRIVATE ${private_windows_link_libraries})
+    endif()
+
     set_target_properties(${name} PROPERTIES
       OUTPUT_NAME "${PROJECT_NAME}${name}"
       VERSION ${BipedalLocomotionFramework_VERSION}

src/System/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -9,21 +9,22 @@ if(FRAMEWORK_COMPILE_System)
 
   # set target name
   add_bipedal_locomotion_library(
-    NAME                   System
-    PUBLIC_HEADERS         ${H_PREFIX}/InputPort.h ${H_PREFIX}/OutputPort.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/Advanceable.h ${H_PREFIX}/Source.h ${H_PREFIX}/Sink.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/Factory.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/VariablesHandler.h ${H_PREFIX}/LinearTask.h ${H_PREFIX}/ILinearTaskSolver.h ${H_PREFIX}/ILinearTaskFactory.h ${H_PREFIX}/ITaskControllerManager.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/IClock.h ${H_PREFIX}/StdClock.h ${H_PREFIX}/Clock.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/SharedResource.h ${H_PREFIX}/AdvanceableRunner.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/QuitHandler.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/Barrier.h ${H_PREFIX}/TimeProfiler.h
-                           ${H_PREFIX}/WeightProvider.h ${H_PREFIX}/ConstantWeightProvider.h
-    SOURCES                src/VariablesHandler.cpp src/LinearTask.cpp
-                           src/StdClock.cpp src/Clock.cpp src/QuitHandler.cpp src/Barrier.cpp
-                           src/ConstantWeightProvider.cpp src/TimeProfiler.cpp
-    PUBLIC_LINK_LIBRARIES  BipedalLocomotion::ParametersHandler Eigen3::Eigen
-    SUBDIRECTORIES         tests YarpImplementation RosImplementation
+    NAME                              System
+    PUBLIC_HEADERS                    ${H_PREFIX}/InputPort.h ${H_PREFIX}/OutputPort.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/Advanceable.h ${H_PREFIX}/Source.h ${H_PREFIX}/Sink.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/Factory.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/VariablesHandler.h ${H_PREFIX}/LinearTask.h ${H_PREFIX}/ILinearTaskSolver.h ${H_PREFIX}/ILinearTaskFactory.h ${H_PREFIX}/ITaskControllerManager.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/IClock.h ${H_PREFIX}/StdClock.h ${H_PREFIX}/Clock.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/SharedResource.h ${H_PREFIX}/AdvanceableRunner.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/QuitHandler.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/Barrier.h ${H_PREFIX}/TimeProfiler.h
+                                      ${H_PREFIX}/WeightProvider.h ${H_PREFIX}/ConstantWeightProvider.h
+    SOURCES                           src/VariablesHandler.cpp src/LinearTask.cpp
+                                      src/StdClock.cpp src/Clock.cpp src/QuitHandler.cpp src/Barrier.cpp
+                                      src/ConstantWeightProvider.cpp src/TimeProfiler.cpp
+    PUBLIC_LINK_LIBRARIES             BipedalLocomotion::ParametersHandler Eigen3::Eigen
+    PRIVATE_WINDOWS_LINK_LIBRARIES    Winmm
+    SUBDIRECTORIES                    tests YarpImplementation RosImplementation
     )
 
 endif()

src/System/include/BipedalLocomotion/System/StdClock.h

@@ -60,6 +60,33 @@ class StdClock final : public IClock
      * threads to run.
      */
     void yield() final;
+
+private:
+
+    /**
+     * PrecisionScheduler is a class that allows to set the system timer resolution to the minimum
+     * value for higher precision. This class is used only on Windows systems.
+     */
+    struct PrecisionScheduler
+    {
+        /**
+         * Constructor.
+         * It sets the system timer resolution to the minimum value for higher precision.
+         * @note Only affects Windows systems.
+         */
+        PrecisionScheduler();
+
+        /**
+         * Destructor.
+         * It restores the system timer resolution to the default value.
+         * @note Only affects Windows systems.
+         */
+        ~PrecisionScheduler();
+    };
+
+    PrecisionScheduler m_precisionScheduler; /**< PrecisionScheduler object.
+                                                  It is used only on Windows systems. */
+
 };
 
 class StdClockFactory final : public ClockFactory

src/System/src/StdClock.cpp

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 #include <chrono>
 #include <thread>
 
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+#include <Windows.h>
+#endif
+
 #include <BipedalLocomotion/System/StdClock.h>
 
 using namespace BipedalLocomotion::System;
@@ -32,6 +36,30 @@ void StdClock::yield()
     std::this_thread::yield();
 }
 
+StdClock::PrecisionScheduler::PrecisionScheduler()
+{
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+    // Only affects Windows systems.
+    TIMECAPS tm; // Stores system timer capabilities.
+    // Get the minimum timer resolution supported by the system.
+    timeGetDevCaps(&tm, sizeof(TIMECAPS));
+    // Set the system timer resolution to the minimum value for higher precision.
+    timeBeginPeriod(tm.wPeriodMin);
+#endif
+}
+
+StdClock::PrecisionScheduler::~PrecisionScheduler()
+{
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+    // Only affects Windows systems.
+    TIMECAPS tm; // Stores system timer capabilities.
+    // Get the minimum timer resolution supported by the system.
+    timeGetDevCaps(&tm, sizeof(TIMECAPS));
+    // Restore the system timer resolution to the default value.
+    timeEndPeriod(tm.wPeriodMin);
+#endif
+}
+
 IClock& StdClockFactory::createClock()
 {
     // Create the singleton. Meyers' implementation. It is automatically threadsafe