Patent ID: 11947675
Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 15:
16. A computing device comprising:
a main processor;
a hardware-initialization firmware subsystem, wherein the hardware-initialization firmware subsystem includes:
hardware-initialization instructions executable by the main processor, and
a manufacturing mode of the computing device, wherein the manufacturing mode is enabled when the computing device is under manufacture or maintenance, and wherein the manufacturing mode is disabled when the computing device is under normal operation;

a management firmware subsystem distinct from the hardware-initialization firmware subsystem, wherein the management firmware subsystem includes:
a firmware controller; and
a memory region accessible to the management firmware subsystem and inaccessible to the main processor, wherein the memory region is to store:
management firmware subsystem instructions executable by the firmware controller,
management firmware subsystem data of the management firmware subsystem, and
a manufacturing state of the management firmware subsystem, wherein the manufacturing state is complete when installation of the management firmware subsystem instructions and the management firmware subsystem data in the memory region is complete, and wherein the manufacturing state is incomplete when the management firmware subsystem is allowing installation of the management firmware subsystem instructions and the management firmware subsystem data to the memory region; and

a security controller to:
determine the manufacturing mode of the computing device,

determine the manufacturing state of the management firmware subsystem,
in response to a request to access the management firmware subsystem, determine whether there is a contradiction between the manufacturing mode of the computing device and the manufacturing state of the management firmware sub system,
if there is a contradiction between the manufacturing mode of the computing device and the manufacturing state of the management firmware subsystem, initiate a restoration of a backup of the management firmware subsystem, and
if there is not a contraction between the manufacturing mode of the computing device and the manufacturing state of the management firmware subsystem, confirm availability of the backup of the management firmware subsystem.