1 files changed, 43 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-imxdi.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-imxdi.c
index 056ef6c951ae..63ca52b2029b 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-imxdi.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-imxdi.c
@@ -129,6 +129,49 @@ struct imxdi_dev {
 	struct work_struct work;
 };
 
+/* Some background:
+ *
+ * The DryIce unit is a complex security/tamper monitor device. To be able do
+ * its job in a useful manner it runs a bigger statemachine to bring it into
+ * security/tamper failure state and once again to bring it out of this state.
+ *
+ * This unit can be in one of three states:
+ *
+ * - "NON-VALID STATE"
+ *   always after the battery power was removed
+ * - "FAILURE STATE"
+ *   if one of the enabled security events has happened
+ * - "VALID STATE"
+ *   if the unit works as expected
+ *
+ * Everything stops when the unit enters the failure state including the RTC
+ * counter (to be able to detect the time the security event happened).
+ *
+ * The following events (when enabled) let the DryIce unit enter the failure
+ * state:
+ *
+ * - wire-mesh-tamper detect
+ * - external tamper B detect
+ * - external tamper A detect
+ * - temperature tamper detect
+ * - clock tamper detect
+ * - voltage tamper detect
+ * - RTC counter overflow
+ * - monotonic counter overflow
+ * - external boot
+ *
+ * If we find the DryIce unit in "FAILURE STATE" and the TDCHL cleared, we
+ * can only detect this state. In this case the unit is completely locked and
+ * must force a second "SYSTEM POR" to bring the DryIce into the
+ * "NON-VALID STATE" + "FAILURE STATE" where a recovery is possible.
+ * If the TDCHL is set in the "FAILURE STATE" we are out of luck. In this case
+ * a battery power cycle is required.
+ *
+ * In the "NON-VALID STATE" + "FAILURE STATE" we can clear the "FAILURE STATE"
+ * and recover the DryIce unit. By clearing the "NON-VALID STATE" as the last
+ * task, we bring back this unit into life.
+ */
+
 /*
  * enable a dryice interrupt
  */