Chip customization techniques
AssigneeIntel Mobile Communications GmbH
InventorKlaus Heinz Goebel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some aspects of the present disclosure provide flexible techniques by which a customer may selectively disable unwanted features, and subsequently apply for a refund corresponding to the disabled feature. In some embodiments, these techniques are value-added for a customer because they allow a customer to flexibly change inventory or individual products to account for market shifts or changes in personal preferences. In addition, these techniques may also be value-added for the manufacturer because the refund request may give the manufacturer some real-time data regarding market conditions and customer preferences in an efficient manner.
Claims23
An electronic device, comprising:
- a feature associated with a hardware module, wherein the hardware module has an enable terminal to control whether the feature is enabled or disabled;
- an enabling element coupled to the enable terminal, the enabling element having a state;
- a trusted element configured to store a secret value;
- and
- a security circuit configured to, based on the state of the enabling element, selectively prevent or allow reading of the secret value from the trusted element.
The electronic device 1, wherein the secret value corresponds to a deactivation code for the feature.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a first feature associated with a first hardware module having a first enable terminal;
- a first enabling one-time-programmable (OTP) element coupled to the first enable terminal, wherein a state of the first enabling OTP element determines whether the first feature is enabled or disabled;
- a first trusted OTP element that stores a first secret value;
- and
- a first security circuit having first and second input terminals coupled to the first enabling OTP element and first trusted OTP element, respectively, wherein the first security circuit prevents reading of the first secret value when the first feature is enabled and wherein the first security circuit allows reading of the first secret value when the first feature is disabled.
A method, comprising:
- providing an electronic device having a security circuit and one or more enabled features;
- where, so long as a feature remains enabled, the security circuit prevents or limits reading of a secret number associated with the feature;
- receiving a refund request for disablement of the feature after the feature has been allegedly disabled, wherein the refund request identifies the electronic device and an alleged secret number associated with the feature;
- and
- verifying the alleged secret number corresponds to the secret number prior to issuing a refund for disablement of the feature.
A mobile handset, comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory;
- a hardware module associated with a feature, wherein the hardware module has an enable terminal;
- an enabling one-time-programmable (OTP) element coupled to the enable terminal, the enabling OTP element having a state that controls whether the feature is enabled or disabled;
- a trusted OTP element configured to store a secret value;
- and
- a security circuit configured to, based on the state of the enabling OTP element, selectively prevent or allow reading of the secret value.
A method, comprising:
- receiving an electronic device having a security circuit and one or more enabled features;
- disabling the feature;
- reading a first secret number from the electronic device after the feature has been disabled;
- and
- submitting a refund request that includes the first secret number.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.