[xcbf] Question about X9.84

[Alessandro Triglia <sandro@oss.com>]

Phil,

I have a question about X9.84.

In X9.84, relative OID fields are used to carry dates/times.

However, it is not clear to me how the "z" component (the seventh 
component) of the relative OID is to be used.

This component corresponds to the "zone designator" of GeneralizedTime, 
which indicates:

   a) that the time value is a UTC time (when the zone designator is set to 
"Z");

   b) that the time value is a local time, with no indication of how local 
time relates to UTC (when the zone designator is absent);

   c) that the time value is a local time, with an indication of the 
difference between local time and UTC (when the zone designator is set to 
hours, or hours + minutes).

Can you please clarify how this component is to be used?  What is the 
implication of its absence, what information does it carry when present, 
and how is this information represented?

Alessandro