Method for providing trusted time in a computing platform
US7962752B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 23, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 14, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 10, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/725
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Providing trusted time in a computing platform, while still supporting privacy, may be accomplished by having a trusted time device provide the trusted time to an application executing on the computing platform. The trusted time device may be reset by determining if a value in a trusted time random number register has been set, and if not, waiting a period of time, generating a new random number, and storing the new random number in the trusted time random number register. The trusted time random number register is set to zero whenever electrical power is first applied to the trusted time device upon power up of the computing platform, and whenever a battery powering the trusted time device is removed and reconnected. By keeping the size of the trusted time random number register relatively small, and waiting the specified period of time, attacks on the computing platform to determine the trusted time may be minimized, while deterring the computing platform from being uniquely identified.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.