Processor having electronic fuses for storing secret data
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsWieland Fischer, Jean-Pierre Seifert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A processor means includes calculating means, a plurality of electronic fuses for storing secret data and means for reading out the plurality of electronic fuses to determine the secret data. By storing the secret data, like for example a secret key for the identification of the processor means or a chip card, respectively, in which the processor means is arranged, in electronic fuses, a secure and efficient and simultaneously flexible way for introducing sensitive information into an integrated circuit is achieved.
Claims13
A processor, comprising:
- a calculator for processing payload data considering secret data presentable by binary information units;
- a plurality of electronic fuses for storing the secret data, wherein one fuse is implemented to store, in an integer state, a first binary value for a binary information unit, and to store, in a non-integer state, a second binary value for a binary information unit, wherein the first binary value is different from the second binary value;
- and
- a reader for reading out the plurality of electronic fuses in order to determine the secret data.
A method for manufacturing a processor, comprising the steps of:
- providing a calculator, a plurality of electronic fuses, and a reader for reading out the electronic fuses, wherein the plurality of electronic fuses is provided to store secret data that may be represented by binary information units;
- providing the binary information units representing the secret data;
- and
- burning certain fuses of the plurality of electronic fuses so that the certain fuses are brought into a non-integer state based on binary data of the binary information units including a certain binary value.
A method for reading out non-encoded/simply encoded secret data from an array of electronic fuses, comprising the steps of:
- reading out from the array of electronic fuses the non-encoded/simply encoded secret data;
- reading out checking data;
- determining, using the checking data, whether the read-out non-encoded/simply encoded secret data is erroneous;
- if it is determined that the read-out non-encoded/simply encoded secret data is erroneous, then reading out comparatively complicatedly encoded secret data;
- and
- error correcting the comparatively complicatedly encoded secret data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.