Patent ID: 7287169

Claim:
An electronic timer comprising; a clock reference signal generator for generating a clock reference signal; a real time clock (RTC) circuit for generating real time data based upon the clock reference signal, said RTC circuit comprising a plurality of registers each for storing respective bits of the real time data, each register comprising a master latch for initially storing a real time data bit, a slave latch for subsequently storing the real time data bit, and a user latch for storing the real time data bit from said slave latch, and a controller for causing at least some of said registers to increment based upon the clock reference signal; and a tamper circuit for receiving a tamper event signal and causing said user latches to hold current real time data bits based thereon until said tamper circuit is reset by a user; said user latches thus providing user accessible real time data when the tamper event signal does not indicate the tamper event has occurred, and providing a user accessible time stamp when the tamper event signal does indicate the tamper event has occurred.