Selectively disabled output
AssigneeAltera Corporation
InventorLaura Reese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Circuits, methods, and apparatus are directed to an integrated circuit having a disabling element that can disable a reading of data from the circuit. Once the disabling element is set to not allow a reading of the data, the disabling element cannot be changed to allow a reading of the data. The data may be configuration data or internal data stored within the integrated circuit. Examples of the disabling element include a memory element, a break in a circuit line, and an input pad configuration.
Claims22
An integrated circuit device comprising:
- a field programmable gate array (FPGA) fabric that is programmable based at least in part on configuration data stored in configuration memory;
- a controller configured to program the FPGA fabric by writing the configuration data to the configuration memory, wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive encrypted data;
- and
- determine the configuration data by decrypting the encrypted data based on an encryption key;
- and
- a nonvolatile memory communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein a portion of the nonvolatile memory contains the encryption key;
- and
- one-time programmable memory configured to selectably permanently write-protect the encryption key.
A method for operating a programmable logic device that has a field programmable gate array (FPGA) fabric, comprising:
- storing an encryption key into the programmable logic device, thereby enabling a controller in the programmable logic device to decrypt an encrypted bitstream of configuration data and program the configuration data into configuration memory that controls functionality of the field programmable gate array (FPGA) fabric;
- and
- programming a one-time programmable memory to permanently disable external access to the encryption key.
An electronic device comprising memory that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to control a programmable logic device post-manufacturing, wherein the instructions include instructions to:
- inject a user encryption key into a programmable logic device communicatively coupled to the electronic device;
- instruct the programmable logic device communicatively coupled to the electronic device to permanently disable erasure of the user encryption key;
- and
- communicate encrypted data from the electronic device to the programmable logic device to enable a controller in the programmable logic device to decrypt the encrypted data to obtain configuration data for a field programmable gate array (FPGA) fabric of the programmable logic device.
An integrated circuit device comprising:
- a field programmable gate array (FPGA) fabric that is programmable based at least in part on configuration data stored in configuration memory;
- a controller configured to program the FPGA fabric by writing the configuration data to the configuration memory, wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive encrypted data;
- and
- determine the configuration data by decrypting the encrypted data based on an encryption key;
- and
- a nonvolatile memory communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein a portion of the nonvolatile memory contains the encryption key;
- and
- one-time programmable memory configured to selectably permanently disable debugging of the programmable logic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.