Secure Boot Mechanism for Electronic Apparatus Power Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computer systems, peripheral electronic apparatuses face inefficiencies in power saving and quick restoration to normal operation mode due to time-consuming and power-consuming firmware storage and verification processes.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a secure boot mechanism that stores operation-related data in a host terminal and calculates a first hash value, which is stored in a non-power-off area, allowing the power-off area to be turned off during low power mode, and retrieves and calculates a second hash value upon restoration to normal mode for verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If firmware is stored in internal memory for quick restoration, then restoration speed is improved, but power consumption increases due to maintaining memory power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the firmware from the peripheral electronic apparatus's internal memory and stores it in the host terminal's memory instead. Only essential verification data (first hash value) is retained in the peripheral's non-power-off area, while the bulk firmware data is externalized to the host system, reducing the peripheral's power requirements during low-power mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The firmware is pre-stored in the host terminal before the peripheral needs to restore operation. The first hash value is pre-calculated and stored in the non-power-off area during normal operation, enabling quick verification during restoration without requiring the peripheral to maintain firmware in its own memory.
2Reliability
If firmware verification is performed during restoration, then system security is improved, but restoration time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of verifying the entire firmware during restoration, the patent uses a copied representation (first hash value) that was pre-calculated during normal operation. This hash value serves as a compact verification token that can be quickly compared against the firmware loaded during restoration, maintaining security while dramatically reducing verification time.
3Productivity
If firmware is stored in internal memory, then quick operation restoration is enabled, but memory size requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bulk firmware data from the peripheral's internal memory storage and relocates it to the host terminal's memory. The peripheral only maintains a small first hash value in its non-power-off area, significantly reducing the memory size requirements while preserving the ability to quickly restore operations by retrieving firmware from the host.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses an electronic apparatus having secure boot mechanism. The processing circuit executes steps outlined below. Operation-related data is stored in the storage circuit under a normal operation mode. The operation related data is stored in a host terminal. A first hash value is calculated according to the operation related data and is stored in a non-power-off area. A power of the non-power-off area is maintained to be turned on and a power of a power-off area is turned off under a lower power operation mode. The power is restored when the normal operation mode is restored and the operation related data is retrieved from the host terminal to calculate a second hash value. The first and the second hash values are compared such that the operation related data is determined to be valid and the electronic apparatus operates according to the operation related data when the first and the second hash values are matched. The operation related data is determined to be invalid and the electronic apparatus stops to operate when the first and the second hash values are not matched.