How can I calculate the overlapping time on a timetable?

I have a dataset with the information: Sensor number, Start Time, End Time (Start Time and End Time are the start and end of access to a certain ground station, so basically start is when the ground station start seeing a sensor, and end time is the last time the ground station see the same sensor). See the attached timetable.

I need to calculate what is the longest duration of time that a ground station can see 2 sensors at the same time, the same for 3 sensors and the same for 4 sensors.

I'm thinking I can run through Start Time and check if the time is between the start and stop time of the previous sensor. For example, I would start at the first row and compare each of the following rows to the first one, go to the second row and do the same... Every tme I get a coincidence, I can have a counter, and I can record the start time and the end time of the coincidence, and calculate the elapsed time.

That will involve for loops, and I'm trying to avoid using them. Also, I kind of have the idea on my mind, but I have been unable to implement it, so obviously I'm not quite there yet.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

[Peter Perkins]

This might get you started:

>> load('T3.mat')
>> T3.Next1 = [(T3.LOS(1:end-1) > T3.AOS(2:end)); false];
>> T3.Next2 = [(T3.LOS(1:end-2) > T3.AOS(3:end)); false; false]
T3 =
  127×4 timetable
            AOS             SID            LOS             Next1    Next2
    ____________________    ___    ____________________    _____    _____
    20-Mar-2023 16:00:00    29     20-Mar-2023 16:01:10    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 16:07:10    25     20-Mar-2023 16:20:54    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 16:27:05    24     20-Mar-2023 16:40:02    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 16:30:31     6     20-Mar-2023 16:43:18    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 16:41:58    22     20-Mar-2023 16:48:06    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 16:48:30    21     20-Mar-2023 16:58:56    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 16:50:51     4     20-Mar-2023 16:53:08    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 17:00:53    16     20-Mar-2023 17:07:07    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 17:09:17    11     20-Mar-2023 17:17:31    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 17:10:47     8     20-Mar-2023 17:21:35    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 17:19:04    17     20-Mar-2023 17:30:30    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 17:30:05    18     20-Mar-2023 17:36:34    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 17:38:11    20     20-Mar-2023 17:51:01    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 17:57:17    31     20-Mar-2023 18:10:53    true     false
    20-Mar-2023 18:01:24     2     20-Mar-2023 18:14:29    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 18:17:18    19     20-Mar-2023 18:32:07    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 18:37:21    22     20-Mar-2023 18:52:02    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 18:56:19    16     20-Mar-2023 19:10:59    false    false
    20-Mar-2023 19:17:32    17     20-Mar-2023 19:31:06    false    false
             :               :              :                :        :  
    21-Mar-2023 12:42:38    23     21-Mar-2023 12:56:06    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 12:58:00     5     21-Mar-2023 13:06:43    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 13:01:18    10     21-Mar-2023 13:15:25    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 13:21:29    14     21-Mar-2023 13:33:29    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 13:31:47     4     21-Mar-2023 13:43:56    true     true 
    21-Mar-2023 13:35:44    21     21-Mar-2023 13:43:34    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 13:43:00    12     21-Mar-2023 13:54:13    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 13:54:14    11     21-Mar-2023 14:04:26    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 13:58:32     8     21-Mar-2023 14:05:41    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 14:13:40    18     21-Mar-2023 14:24:49    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 14:26:54    15     21-Mar-2023 14:28:53    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 14:32:37    29     21-Mar-2023 14:46:15    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 14:52:19    25     21-Mar-2023 15:07:01    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 15:11:46    24     21-Mar-2023 15:26:35    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 15:15:07     6     21-Mar-2023 15:29:55    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 15:30:50     4     21-Mar-2023 15:43:57    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 15:32:00    21     21-Mar-2023 15:46:32    false    false
    21-Mar-2023 15:51:52    11     21-Mar-2023 16:00:00    true     false
    21-Mar-2023 15:54:27     8     21-Mar-2023 16:00:00    false    false
	Display all 127 rows.

[Maria]

Hi @Peter Perkins, sorry for the delay. I'll check your suggesion. Thanks.