Utilizing fuses to store control parameters for external system components
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKarl Erickson, John Fifield, Chandrasekharan Kothandaraman, Phil Paone, William Tonti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques and systems whereby operation of and/or access to particular features of an electronic device may be controlled after the device has left the control of the manufacturer are provided. The operation and/or access may be provided based on values stored in non-volatile storage elements, such as electrically programmable fused (eFUSES).
Claims23
A method for insitu modification of integrated circuit based system parameters, comprising:
- determining if a system parameter is outside of a predetermined range;
- blowing at least one electrically programmable fuse corresponding to the system parameter if the system parameter is determined to be outside of the predetermined range;
- reading the at least one electrically programmable fuse on startup of the system;
- and
- configuring the system parameter in accordance with a state of the at least one electrically programmable fuse.
A method for insitu diagnosis and correction of system parameters in integrated circuit based devices, comprising:
- monitoring a system parameter;
- determining if the monitored system parameter is outside of a predetermined range;
- and
- blowing an electrically programmable fuses that controls the monitored system parameter if the monitored system parameter is determined to be outside of the predetermined range.
An apparatus for diagnosing and correcting integrated circuit operating parameters insitu, comprising:
- a system controller;
- at least one parameter sensor in communication with the system controller;
- and
- an electrically programmable fuse bank in communication with the system controller, wherein the system controller is configured to burn a parameter sequence into the electrically programmable fuse bank in accordance with information received from the at least one parameter sensor.
A system, comprising:
- one or more peripheral devices;
- and
- an integrated circuit (IC) device having a bank of electrically programmable fuses storing operating information about the one or more peripheral devices, wherein the IC device is configured, on power up, to read the operating information and configure the one or more peripheral devices based on the operating information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.