Integration of python's time.time() and work() calls

Hi

I’m writing a custom block in python. The application goes like this:

I specify the minimum number of samples I need by using the forecast
function. This ensures that I have that many samples available in the
in-buffer of the block every time work is called. Once I have as many
samples as I need, I slide a window over the samples. In each window
slide
I measure signal power. If power less than a pre-set threshold (I assume
only noise is being received), do nothing. Keep sliding.

The moment power exceeds the threshold for the first time, I have to
start
measuring time. I need to see how many windows I’m able to slide in the
next let’s say, 10 milliseconds (because I expect that the actual signal
transmission is to last for that long). As a hypothetical example, let’s
say by 7 milliseconds I’ve reached the end of the buffer. If my
understanding is correct, once I reach the end, the next set of samples
come in (as per forecast) and work is called again. My question is how
do I
make this next work call aware of this concept of time and that 3
milliseconds were unaccounted for in the last call?

Or is there a way to make sure that the in-buffer gets updated multiple
times within the same work call?

Thanks
Anil