18452608. TIMESTAMPING TAMPERING EVENTS THAT OCCUR DURING PRIMARY POWER OUTAGES simplified abstract (HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP)

TIMESTAMPING TAMPERING EVENTS THAT OCCUR DURING PRIMARY POWER OUTAGES

Organization Name

HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP

Inventor(s)

Christopher M. Wesneski of The Colony TX (US)

Theodore F. Emerson of Spring TX (US)

TIMESTAMPING TAMPERING EVENTS THAT OCCUR DURING PRIMARY POWER OUTAGES - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18452608 titled 'TIMESTAMPING TAMPERING EVENTS THAT OCCUR DURING PRIMARY POWER OUTAGES

Simplified Explanation

The abstract of the patent application describes a process for managing power in a computer platform when primary power is unavailable. This process involves using secondary power to perform certain actions, such as detecting tampering with the platform and reading a timer output to determine the time of detection. When primary power becomes available again, data is read from a non-volatile storage to synchronize the time domains and ensure accurate timekeeping.

• Timer output provided by a timer of the computer platform associated with accumulated time of primary power unavailability
• Use of secondary power to detect tampering with the computer platform
• Reading timer output to determine time of tampering detection
• Reading data from non-volatile storage to synchronize time domains
• Transforming timestamps to ensure accurate timekeeping

Potential Applications

The technology described in this patent application could be applied in various industries where accurate timekeeping and power management are crucial, such as:

• Aerospace
• Defense
• Telecommunications
• Industrial automation

Problems Solved

This technology addresses the following issues:

• Ensuring accurate timekeeping in the absence of primary power
• Detecting tampering with computer platforms
• Synchronizing time domains for accurate data recording

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Improved security through tamper detection
• Reliable timekeeping even during power outages
• Seamless transition between power sources

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology could be commercially applied in:

• Security systems
• Data centers
• Critical infrastructure
• IoT devices

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art related to this technology is the use of backup power sources in computer systems to ensure continuous operation during power outages. Additionally, tamper detection mechanisms in electronic devices have been previously developed to enhance security measures.

How does this technology impact energy efficiency in computer platforms?

This technology focuses on power management and timekeeping, but it would be interesting to explore how it affects the overall energy efficiency of computer platforms. By optimizing power usage and ensuring accurate timekeeping, there may be potential energy savings in the long run.

What are the potential challenges in implementing this technology on a large scale?

While the benefits of this technology are clear, there may be challenges in implementing it on a large scale across different industries and applications. Factors such as compatibility with existing systems, cost of implementation, and scalability could pose challenges that need to be addressed.

Original Abstract Submitted

A process includes performing actions responsive to secondary power when primary power for a computer platform is unavailable. The actions include providing, by a timer of a computer platform, a timer output that is associated with a first time domain and corresponds to an accumulated time that primary power is unavailable. Moreover, these actions include using secondary power to detect tampering with the computer platform, and responsive to detecting the tampering, reading the timer output to provide a first timestamp that represents a time of detection of the tampering. The process further includes actions which are performed responsive to primary power being subsequently available. These actions include reading data from a non-volatile storage of the computer platform. The data represents a snapshot of a real time clock (RTC) device time that is provided by an RTC device that is powered by the primary power and corresponds to a second time domain. The actions further include transforming the first timestamp into a second timestamp associated with the second time domain based on the snapshot.