System and method for secure real time clocks
View Patent ↗A secure real time clock (RTC) system is provided, comprising a secure RTC, a frequency signal generator, and a frequency adjuster connected between the secure RTC and the frequency signal generator to receive a signal having a first frequency from the frequency signal generator. On receipt of a first control signal the frequency adjuster outputs the signal having the first frequency to the secure RTC, and on receipt of a second control signal the frequency adjuster adjusts the signal having the first frequency to generate a signal having a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency, and outputs the signal having the second frequency to the secure RTC. A clock line transmits the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency from the frequency adjuster to the secure RTC, and has a first power consumption when transmitting the signal having the first frequency and a second power consumption when transmitting the signal having the second frequency, the first power consumption being greater than the second power consumption.
1. A secure real time clock (RTC) system comprising:
a secure RTC;
a frequency adjuster connected between the secure RTC and the frequency signal generator, for receiving a signal having a first frequency from the frequency signal generator, and on receipt of a first control signal outputting the signal having the first frequency to the secure RTC, and on receipt of a second control signal adjusting the signal having the first frequency to generate a signal having a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency, the first and second control signals indicative of a power mode of the system,
wherein the frequency adjuster comprising:
a frequency divider and
a multiplexer for respectively receiving the first and second control signals, and respectively causing output of either the signal having the first frequency in response to receiving the first control signal or the signal having the second frequency in response to receiving the second control signal.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frequency divider is arranged for adjusting the signal having the first frequency to generate the signal having the second frequency by frequency dividing the signal having the first frequency.
3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the frequency divider frequency is arranged to divide the signal having the first frequency by 2n.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the multiplexer receives the first control signal in response to the system operating in a normal power mode.
5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the multiplexer receives the second control signal in response to the system operating in a low power mode.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a clock line for transmitting the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency from the frequency adjuster to the secure RTC, the clock line having a first power consumption when transmitting the signal having the first frequency and having a second power consumption when transmitting the signal having the second frequency, the first power consumption being greater than the second power consumption.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the frequency adjuster outputs the signal having the first frequency to the secure RTC, the RTC operates with a first accuracy, and when the frequency adjuster outputs the signal having the second frequency to the secure RTC, the RTC operates with a second accuracy, the first and second accuracies being substantially the same.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frequency generator is implemented on a power management integrated circuit of the system.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frequency adjustor is implemented on a power management integrated circuit of the system.
10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the secure RTC is implemented on a microprocessor of the system.
11. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the multiplexer receives the first control signal when the system is operating in a normal power mode.
12. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the multiplexer receives the first control signal when the system is operating in a normal power mode.
13. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the multiplexer receives the second control signal when the system is operating in a low power mode.
14. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the multiplexer receives the second control signal when the system is operating in a low power mode.
15. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the multiplexer receives the second control signal when the system is operating in a low power mode.
16. The system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a clock line for transmitting the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency from the frequency adjustor to the secure RTC, the clock line having a first power consumption when transmitting the signal having the second frequency, the first power consumption being greater than the second power consumption.
17. The system as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a clock line for transmitting the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency from the frequency adjuster to the secure RTC, the clock line having a first power consumption when transmitting the signal having the first frequency, and having a second power consumption when transmitting the signal having the second frequency, the first power consumption being greater than the second power consumption.
18. The system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a clock line for transmitting the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency from the frequency adjuster to the secure RTC, the clock line having a first power consumption when transmitting the signal having the first frequency and having a second power consumption when transmitting the signal having the second frequency, the first power consumption being greater than the second power consumption.
19. The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a clock line for transmitting the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency from the frequency adjuster to the secure RTC, the clock line having a first power consumption when transmitting the signal having the first frequency and having a second power consumption when transmitting the signal having the second frequency, the first power consumption being greater than the second power consumption.
20. A method of operating a secure real time clock(RTC) system, the method comprising:
supplying a secure RTC of the system with a signal having a first frequency in response to the system operating in a first power mode;
supplying the secure RTC with a signal having a second frequency instead of supplying the signal having the first frequency in response to the system operating in a second, lower, power mode, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency.