Allow setting RTC clock backwards and fix elapsed-time underflow

Remove the "clock cannot go backwards" restriction from all set-time
paths (CLI `time`, `clock sync`, companion radio CMD_SET_DEVICE_TIME,
and simple_secure_chat). The ESP32-S3 RTC drifts 5-10% during deep
sleep, making backwards correction necessary after even a few days.

Add safeElapsedSecs() helper in ArduinoHelpers.h that clamps elapsed
time to 0 when a stored timestamp appears to be in the future after a
clock correction. Applied to:
- Neighbor "heard X ago" displays in simple_repeater
- UI time displays in companion_radio
- TimeSeriesData calculations in simple_sensor

Switch BaseChatMesh connection expiry from RTC timestamps to monotonic
millis(), making it immune to RTC adjustments from GPS, NTP, or manual
sync. Rename last_activity to last_activity_ms to reflect the change.

Author: weebl2000

examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp

@@ -1065,13 +1065,8 @@ void MyMesh::handleCmdFrame(size_t len) {
   } else if (cmd_frame[0] == CMD_SET_DEVICE_TIME && len >= 5) {
     uint32_t secs;
     memcpy(&secs, &cmd_frame[1], 4);
-    uint32_t curr = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-    if (secs >= curr) {
-      getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(secs);
-      writeOKFrame();
-    } else {
-      writeErrFrame(ERR_CODE_ILLEGAL_ARG);
-    }
+    getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(secs);
+    writeOKFrame();
   } else if (cmd_frame[0] == CMD_SEND_SELF_ADVERT) {
     mesh::Packet* pkt;
     if (_prefs.advert_loc_policy == ADVERT_LOC_NONE) {

examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp

@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ class HomeScreen : public UIScreen {
       for (int i = 0; i < UI_RECENT_LIST_SIZE; i++, y += 11) {
         auto a = &recent[i];
         if (a->name[0] == 0) continue;  // empty slot
-        int secs = _rtc->getCurrentTime() - a->recv_timestamp;
+        uint32_t secs = safeElapsedSecs(_rtc->getCurrentTime(), a->recv_timestamp);
         if (secs < 60) {
           sprintf(tmp, "%ds", secs);
         } else if (secs < 60*60) {
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ class MsgPreviewScreen : public UIScreen {
 
     auto p = &unread[head];
 
-    int secs = _rtc->getCurrentTime() - p->timestamp;
+    uint32_t secs = safeElapsedSecs(_rtc->getCurrentTime(), p->timestamp);
     if (secs < 60) {
       sprintf(tmp, "%ds", secs);
     } else if (secs < 60*60) {

examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp

@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ int MyMesh::handleRequest(ClientInfo *sender, uint32_t sender_timestamp, uint8_t
 
         // add next neighbour to results
         auto neighbour = sorted_neighbours[index + offset];
-        uint32_t heard_seconds_ago = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime() - neighbour->heard_timestamp;
+        uint32_t heard_seconds_ago = safeElapsedSecs(getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime(), neighbour->heard_timestamp);
         memcpy(&results_buffer[results_offset], neighbour->id.pub_key, pubkey_prefix_length); results_offset += pubkey_prefix_length;
         memcpy(&results_buffer[results_offset], &heard_seconds_ago, 4); results_offset += 4;
         memcpy(&results_buffer[results_offset], &neighbour->snr, 1); results_offset += 1;
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ void MyMesh::formatNeighborsReply(char *reply) {
     mesh::Utils::toHex(hex, neighbour->id.pub_key, 4);
 
     // add next neighbour
-    uint32_t secs_ago = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime() - neighbour->heard_timestamp;
+    uint32_t secs_ago = safeElapsedSecs(getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime(), neighbour->heard_timestamp);
     sprintf(dp, "%s:%d:%d", hex, secs_ago, neighbour->snr);
     while (*dp)
       dp++; // find end of string

examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp

@@ -158,13 +158,8 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh, ContactVisitor {
   }
 
   void setClock(uint32_t timestamp) {
-    uint32_t curr = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-    if (timestamp > curr) {
-      getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(timestamp);
-      Serial.println("   (OK - clock set!)");
-    } else {
-      Serial.println("   (ERR: clock cannot go backwards)");
-    }
+    getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(timestamp);
+    Serial.println("   (OK - clock set!)");
   }
 
   void importCard(const char* command) {

examples/simple_sensor/TimeSeriesData.cpp

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "TimeSeriesData.h"
+#include <helpers/ArduinoHelpers.h>
 
 void TimeSeriesData::recordData(mesh::RTCClock* clock, float value) {
   uint32_t now = clock->getCurrentTime();
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ void TimeSeriesData::recordData(mesh::RTCClock* clock, float value) {
 
 void TimeSeriesData::calcMinMaxAvg(mesh::RTCClock* clock, uint32_t start_secs_ago, uint32_t end_secs_ago, MinMaxAvg* dest, uint8_t channel, uint8_t lpp_type) const {
   int i = next, n = num_slots;
-  uint32_t ago = clock->getCurrentTime() - last_timestamp;
+  uint32_t ago = safeElapsedSecs(clock->getCurrentTime(), last_timestamp);
   int num_values = 0;
   float total = 0.0f;
 

src/helpers/ArduinoHelpers.h

@@ -3,6 +3,15 @@
 #include <Mesh.h>
 #include <Arduino.h>
 
+// Safe elapsed time calculation that handles clock corrections (when RTC is set backwards).
+// Returns 0 if recorded_timestamp is in the "future" relative to current_time.
+inline uint32_t safeElapsedSecs(uint32_t current_time, uint32_t recorded_timestamp) {
+  if (recorded_timestamp > current_time) {
+    return 0;  // Clock was corrected backwards; treat as "just now"
+  }
+  return current_time - recorded_timestamp;
+}
+
 class VolatileRTCClock : public mesh::RTCClock {
   uint32_t base_time;
   uint64_t accumulator;

src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp

@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ bool BaseChatMesh::startConnection(const ContactInfo& contact, uint16_t keep_ali
   uint32_t interval = connections[use_idx].keep_alive_millis = ((uint32_t)keep_alive_secs)*1000;
   connections[use_idx].next_ping = futureMillis(interval);
   connections[use_idx].expected_ack = 0;
-  connections[use_idx].last_activity = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
+  connections[use_idx].last_activity_ms = _ms->getMillis();
   return true;  // success
 }
 
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ void BaseChatMesh::stopConnection(const uint8_t* pub_key) {
       connections[i].keep_alive_millis = 0;  // mark slot as now free
       connections[i].next_ping = 0;
       connections[i].expected_ack = 0;
-      connections[i].last_activity = 0;
+      connections[i].last_activity_ms = 0;
       break;
     }
   }
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ bool BaseChatMesh::hasConnectionTo(const uint8_t* pub_key) {
 void BaseChatMesh::markConnectionActive(const ContactInfo& contact) {
   for (int i = 0; i < MAX_CONNECTIONS; i++) {
     if (connections[i].keep_alive_millis > 0 && connections[i].server_id.matches(contact.id)) {
-      connections[i].last_activity = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
+      connections[i].last_activity_ms = _ms->getMillis();
 
       // re-schedule next KEEP_ALIVE, now that we have heard from server
       connections[i].next_ping = futureMillis(connections[i].keep_alive_millis);
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ ContactInfo* BaseChatMesh::checkConnectionsAck(const uint8_t* data) {
     if (connections[i].keep_alive_millis > 0 && memcmp(&connections[i].expected_ack, data, 4) == 0) {
       // yes, got an ack for our keep_alive request!
       connections[i].expected_ack = 0;
-      connections[i].last_activity = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
+      connections[i].last_activity_ms = _ms->getMillis();
 
       // re-schedule next KEEP_ALIVE, now that we have heard from server
       connections[i].next_ping = futureMillis(connections[i].keep_alive_millis);
@@ -666,14 +666,17 @@ void BaseChatMesh::checkConnections() {
   for (int i = 0; i < MAX_CONNECTIONS; i++) {
     if (connections[i].keep_alive_millis == 0) continue;  // unused slot
 
-    uint32_t now = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-    uint32_t expire_secs = (connections[i].keep_alive_millis / 1000) * 5 / 2;   // 2.5 x keep_alive interval
-    if (now >= connections[i].last_activity + expire_secs) {
+    // Monotonic time is immune to RTC clock changes (GPS, NTP, manual sync).
+    // Assumes light sleep (millis() keeps incrementing). Deep sleep resets millis(),
+    // but BaseChatMesh is only used by companion_radio which uses light sleep.
+    unsigned long now = _ms->getMillis();
+    unsigned long expire_millis = (connections[i].keep_alive_millis * 5UL) / 2;   // 2.5 x keep_alive interval
+    if ((now - connections[i].last_activity_ms) >= expire_millis) {
       // connection now lost
       connections[i].keep_alive_millis = 0;
       connections[i].next_ping = 0;
       connections[i].expected_ack = 0;
-      connections[i].last_activity = 0;
+      connections[i].last_activity_ms = 0;
       continue;
     }
 

src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.h

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class ContactsIterator {
 struct ConnectionInfo {
   mesh::Identity server_id;
   unsigned long next_ping;
-  uint32_t last_activity;
+  unsigned long last_activity_ms;  // monotonic millis() for connection expiry
   uint32_t keep_alive_millis;
   uint32_t expected_ack;
 };

src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp

@@ -205,15 +205,10 @@ void CommonCLI::handleCommand(uint32_t sender_timestamp, const char* command, ch
       _callbacks->sendSelfAdvertisement(1500, true);  // longer delay, give CLI response time to be sent first
       strcpy(reply, "OK - Advert sent");
     } else if (memcmp(command, "clock sync", 10) == 0) {
-      uint32_t curr = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-      if (sender_timestamp > curr) {
-        getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(sender_timestamp + 1);
-        uint32_t now = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-        DateTime dt = DateTime(now);
-        sprintf(reply, "OK - clock set: %02d:%02d - %d/%d/%d UTC", dt.hour(), dt.minute(), dt.day(), dt.month(), dt.year());
-      } else {
-        strcpy(reply, "ERR: clock cannot go backwards");
-      }
+      getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(sender_timestamp + 1);
+      uint32_t now = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
+      DateTime dt = DateTime(now);
+      sprintf(reply, "OK - clock set: %02d:%02d - %d/%d/%d UTC", dt.hour(), dt.minute(), dt.day(), dt.month(), dt.year());
     } else if (memcmp(command, "start ota", 9) == 0) {
       if (!_board->startOTAUpdate(_prefs->node_name, reply)) {
         strcpy(reply, "Error");
@@ -224,15 +219,10 @@ void CommonCLI::handleCommand(uint32_t sender_timestamp, const char* command, ch
       sprintf(reply, "%02d:%02d - %d/%d/%d UTC", dt.hour(), dt.minute(), dt.day(), dt.month(), dt.year());
     } else if (memcmp(command, "time ", 5) == 0) {  // set time (to epoch seconds)
       uint32_t secs = _atoi(&command[5]);
-      uint32_t curr = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-      if (secs > curr) {
-        getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(secs);
-        uint32_t now = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
-        DateTime dt = DateTime(now);
-        sprintf(reply, "OK - clock set: %02d:%02d - %d/%d/%d UTC", dt.hour(), dt.minute(), dt.day(), dt.month(), dt.year());
-      } else {
-        strcpy(reply, "(ERR: clock cannot go backwards)");
-      }
+      getRTCClock()->setCurrentTime(secs);
+      uint32_t now = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
+      DateTime dt = DateTime(now);
+      sprintf(reply, "OK - clock set: %02d:%02d - %d/%d/%d UTC", dt.hour(), dt.minute(), dt.day(), dt.month(), dt.year());
     } else if (memcmp(command, "neighbors", 9) == 0) {
       _callbacks->formatNeighborsReply(reply);
     } else if (memcmp(command, "neighbor.remove ", 16) == 0) {