Chassis-Open Detection for Electronic Device Boot Security

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulty in determining if an electronic device has been disassembled and tampered with, leading to potential data breaches.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device equipped with a chassis open detector, security chip, and controller that generates a warning signal upon chassis opening, modifies authentication data, and verifies it during the boot process to prevent unauthorized access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the device uses traditional security measures without chassis monitoring, then the device structure remains simple and easy to manufacture, but the security against tampering is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity against tamperingVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chassis open detector is pre-configured to monitor chassis integrity before tampering occurs. The detector continuously checks the physical state of the chassis and is ready to trigger security responses immediately upon detecting opening events, preventing data breaches before they can happen.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a chassis open detector as an intermediary component between the physical chassis and the security system. This detector acts as a mediator that translates physical chassis states into electrical signals that can be processed by the controller, enabling security monitoring without significantly complicating the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the device implements authentication verification during boot process, then data security is improved, but the boot process time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidboot process time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication data is pre-loaded into the controller before the boot process begins. The controller retrieves this authentication data during the early boot phase and performs verification against the first code stored in memory. By preparing authentication data in advance and integrating verification into the existing boot sequence, the patent minimizes additional time overhead while ensuring data security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the security chip modifies authentication data upon chassis opening detection, then security response capability is enhanced, but the complexity of the security chip increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity response capabilityVSAvoidsecurity chip structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The security chip is designed to autonomously modify authentication data when it receives the second code from the controller indicating chassis opening. The chip independently performs the modification operation without requiring external intervention or complex control circuits, thereby enhancing security response capability while keeping the chip structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4617931A1Electronic device, method for protecting electronic device, and non-transitory computer readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 GETAC TECH CORP
  • EP4617931A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4617931A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4617931A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device includes a chassis, a chassis open detector, a security chip and a controller. The chassis open detector is disposed in the chassis and is configured to generate a warning signal in response to the chassis being opened. The security chip is configured to store authentication data, which includes a first code in an initial state, and is configured to modify the content of the authentication data in response to receiving the warning signal from the chassis opening detector. During a boot process of the electronic device, the controller is configured to receive the authentication data and determine whether the authentication data is consistent with the first code. When the authentication data is consistent with the first code, the controller allows the boot process to proceed. Otherwise, the controller causes the boot process to pause or terminate.