Analog parameter monitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12566196-B2
Application number	US-202018256410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2020
Priority date	Dec 11, 2020
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

An example computing device comprises a memory storing software, and a processor to, identify an expected parameter value range of a plurality of expected parameter value ranges of a hardware component of the computing device, the expected parameter value range corresponding to a set operating mode of the hardware component; compare an analog parameter value of the hardware component to the identified expected parameter value range; and determine whether the analog parameter value is within or outside the expected parameter value range.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A computing device, comprising:
a memory storing software; and a processor to:
identify an expected parameter value range of a plurality of expected parameter value ranges of a hardware component of the computing device, the expected parameter value range corresponding to a set operating mode of a plurality of available operating modes of the hardware component;
compare an analog parameter value of the hardware component to the identified expected parameter value range;
determine whether the analog parameter value is within or outside the expected parameter value range; and
in response to a determination that the analog parameter is outside the expected parameter value range, generate a response signal to cause the analog parameter value to change to be within the expected parameter value range.

2 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to, in response to a determination that the analog parameter is outside the expected parameter value range:
determine a parameter value range in which the analog parameter falls; and identify the corresponding operating mode of the hardware component associated with the determined parameter value range as the present operating mode of the hardware device.

3 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to, in response to the determination that the analog parameter value is outside the expected parameter value range, one or more of:
limit permitted activity of the hardware component until the parameter value is determined to within the expected parameter value range; or perform a recovery procedure to change the parameter value to be within the expected parameter value range.

4 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to compare the analog parameter value of the hardware component to the expected parameter value range of the component within a secure trusted software platform isolated from the hardware component.

5 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to:
compare a second analog parameter value of a second hardware component of the computing device to a second expected parameter value range of a second plurality of expected parameter value ranges of the second hardware component, wherein each of the second plurality of expected parameter value ranges is associated with a corresponding operating mode of the second hardware component, and wherein there is a relationship between the expected parameter value range and the second expected parameter value range; determine whether the second analog parameter value is within or outside the second expected parameter value range; and determine whether the analog parameter value and the second analog parameter value meet the relationship.

6 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the analog parameter is at least one of a power consumption of the hardware component, a current flow of the hardware component, a temperature of the hardware component, a voltage of the hardware component, a frequency of the hardware component, and electromagnetic property of the hardware component, an acoustic parameter of the hardware component, or a photonic property of the hardware component.

7 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of available operating modes are respectively correlated with a corresponding plurality of power consumption values for the hardware component.

8 . A computing device, comprising:
a memory storing software; and a processor to:
determine a power consumption value of an electrical component based on an analog parameter value of an electrical component;
determine a mode of operation, of a plurality of available modes of operation, of the electrical component, based on the power consumption value of the electrical component being within a power consumption value range of the mode of operation;
determine an expected mode of operation of the plurality of available modes of operation, wherein the expected mode of operation is associated with an expected power consumption value range;
compare the determined mode of operation to the expected mode of operation; and
in response to a determination that the determined mode of operation is not the expected mode of operation:
provide an indication that there is a mode mismatch of the electrical component, and
change the mode of operation of the electrical component to be the expected mode of operation.

9 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of available modes of operation respectively correspond to one or more of:
a plurality of discrete power modes of the electrical component, each discrete power mode associated with a corresponding level of electrical component functionality; or a plurality of privilege modes of the electrical component, each privilege mode associated with a corresponding level of functionality of the electrical component.

10 . The computing device of claim 8 , comprising an analog current monitoring module connected to the electrical component,
the analog current monitoring module to receive a current characteristic of the electrical component and provide an indication of the current characteristic for use in the determination of the mode of operation of the electrical component based on the determined power consumption value.

11 . The computing device of claim 10 , comprising an analog comparator module connected to the analog current monitoring module,
the analog comparator module to compare the determined mode of operation of the electrical component to the expected mode of operation, and provide an indication of whether or not the mode of operation and expected mode of operation match.

12 . The computing device of claim 8 , comprising an analog switching module to set an operating mode of the electrical component, wherein the expected power consumption value range is dependent on the set operating mode.

13 . The computing device of claim 8 , comprising a digital logic mode module to set the expected mode of operation of the electrical component.

14 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to receive the analog parameter value of the hardware component from an analog instrumentation that monitors a characteristic of the electrical component.

15 . The computing device of claim 14 , further comprising the electrical component.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a computing device to:
determine whether a measured power consumption of a component operating in an operation mode of the component is within an expected range of values of power consumption of the operating mode, wherein the operating mode is one of a plurality of available operating modes; and in response to a determination that the measured power consumption is outside the expected range of values, output an error indicator and one or more of:
limit permitted activity of the component until the measured power consumption is determined to within the expected range of values; or
perform a recovery procedure to change the measured power consumption to be within the expected range of values.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein one or more of:
the expected range of values of power consumption of the operating mode is either zero or non-zero; and the expected range of values of power consumption of the operating mode is a discrete non-zero finite range of values of a plurality of discrete non-zero finite ranges of values.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Belgarric Pierre Louis Robert
• Plaquin David Julien
• Dalton Christopher Ian

Classifications

• G06F2221/2135

  Metering · CPC title

• G06F2221/034

  Test or assess a computer or a system · CPC title

• G06F21/57

  Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities · CPC title

• G06F21/70

  Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer · CPC title

• G01R21/06 Primary

  by measuring current and voltage (G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence) · CPC title