Secure integrated circuit for smart haptics

A button for a portable electronic device, the button comprising:

• a force input sensor;
• a master control unit coupled to an immutable logic core, defining a first threshold and a second threshold, and configured to:
• generate a first signal indicating a start of a user input in response to the force input sensor providing output satisfying the first threshold;
• and
• generate a second signal indicating an end of the user input in response to the force input sensor providing output satisfying the second threshold;
• and
• the immutable logic core coupled to an output of the force input sensor and the master control unit, the immutable logic core configured to:
• receive the first signal from the master control unit and, in response, verify output from the force input sensor was received, prior to generating output indicating a user input is provided to the button;
• and
• receive the second signal from the master control unit and, in response, verify output from the force input sensor was received, prior to generating output indicating the user input provided to the button has terminated.

A method of operating a software defined button, the method comprising:

• receiving, at an immutable logic core of the software defined button from a mutable logic core of the software defined button, output indicating a user input has occurred;
• verifying, by the immutable logic core, that a force input was received at a force input sensor of the software defined button;
• causing, by the immutable logic core of the software defined button, a haptic output to be provided in response to the user input;
• and
• in response to verifying that the force input was received, signaling by the immutable logic core a user input event has been received, and verified.