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Method to securely initialize, protect and recover system date/time

  • US 8,190,923 B2
  • Filed: 12/20/2005
  • Issued: 05/29/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of protecting a timer on a pay for use computer system from being improperly adjusted, the method comprising:

  • establishing a baseline value for at least one timer on the pay for use computer system wherein a user pays for a time period of use of the computer system;

    determining threshold frequency differences;

    monitoring the pay for use computer system for a timer anomaly that indicates a possible improper timer adjustment by;

    determining a set of timers in the computer system;

    including the at least one timer;

    periodically obtaining current operating frequencies of each of the timers, respectively;

    repeatedly computing a current set of frequency differences by computing a difference between each of the current operating frequencies of the respective timers such that the current set of frequency differences includes a frequency difference between each timer and every other timer;

    detecting a timer anomaly by repeatedly comparing the frequency differences in the current set of frequency differences against the threshold frequency differences, respectively, and determining that a timer anomaly has occurred when one of the threshold frequency differences is exceeded by a corresponding current frequency difference;

    imposing a sanction if the timer anomaly is detected wherein the sanction comprises limiting functionality of the computer system and leaving the computer system in a reduced functioning operating state.

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