The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
May. 11, 2010

Filed:

Jan. 10, 2005
Applicants:

Michael J. Schaffstein, Waltham, MA (US);

Brendan P. Mullaly, Nashua, NH (US);

John J. Koger, Newton, MA (US);

Inventors:

Michael J. Schaffstein, Waltham, MA (US);

Brendan P. Mullaly, Nashua, NH (US);

John J. Koger, Newton, MA (US);

Assignee:

Conexant Systems, Inc., Newport Beach, CA (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 9/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

Disclosed is a method of validating the contents of a real-time clock in a digital circuit. A plurality of memory elements create a first random signature value when power is newly applied to a circuit. The plurality of memory elements maintain the first random signature value while power to the circuit is maintained. The first random signature value is stored as a reference value such that the reference value is not altered by a power interruption. When power to the circuit is lost and then regained, a second random signature value is created. The second random signature value likely will no longer match the reference value because both the reference value and the second signature are random. When the reference value does not match the signature value, the real-time clock value is considered invalid. User input may be employed to correct the real-time clock value.


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