US 7,406,716 B2Granted

Software IP providing system and method, software IP obtaining method, and IP core designing and manufacturing method

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

InventorsTakeshi Kanamori, Yoshiko Hase

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Abstract

A system and method enables controlled distribution of processor IPinformation to users for evaluation, customization and/or production. One aspect of the system and method is a web site that helps coordinate the IP distribution of the processor IP information between a administrator and end-users, and affiliates of the end-users, namely design houses, tool providers and/or foundries. The processor IP information has a configuration specification including a definable portion of the user. By controlling the distribution of the processor IPinformation, while still allowing for convenient access, the system and method enable many users to customize the processor IPinformation for a variety of applications, with license condition being granted to the user to manufacture the customized units.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for providing IP core information through a Web network configured to interconnect a plurality of users, the method comprising:

(1) accessing a predetermined Web site by a user;
(2) inputting a user information to the predetermined Web site by the user;
(3) registering and managing the user information including at least one password for the user through the Web network;
(4) providing an ID and a first password to the user as a first level user through the Web network in response to the user information transmitted to the Web site;
(5) providing a license condition to the first level user through the Web network in response to the ID and the first password transmitted to the Web site by the first level user;
(6) receiving an agreement to license terms from the first level user so as to become a second level user having access rights to the IP core information through the Web site;
(7) providing a second password and a certification number of the IP core information to the second level user through the Web network;
(8) providing an IP core information in RTL format to the second level user in response to the ID and the second password transmitted to the Web site;
(9) selecting, by the second level user, at least one design house that is registered in the Web site as an authorized design house, and requesting the design house selected in the selecting at least one design house to design an extension for an IP core identified by the IP core information through the Web site;
(10) designing a module comprising the IP core and the extension in accordance with the IP core information in RTL format obtained through the Web network and the extension designed by the design house;
(11) selecting, by the second level user, at least one manufacturer which is registered in the Web site as an authorized manufacturer, and requesting the authorized manufacturer to make the module in accordance with the module designed in the designing the module and the certification number through the Web site;
and
(12) manufacturing the module by the authorized manufacturer, wherein
the IP core is a processor core, and the module is a processor module.

11 more elements

A method for providing a processor core information through a Web network configured to interconnect a plurality of users, the method comprising:

(1) accessing a predetermined Web site by a user;
(2) inputting a user information to the predetermined Web site by the user;
(3) registering and managing the user information including at least one password for the user through the Web network;
(4) providing, by a provider, an ID and a first password to the user as a first level user through the Web network in response to the user information transmitted to the Web site;
(5) providing, by the provider, a manufacturing license condition to the first level user through the Web network;
(6) providing, by the provider, a second password and a certification number of processor core to the first level user as a second level user who transmits an acknowledgement to agree the manufacturing license condition to the predetermined Web site;
(7) providing, by the provider, a processor core RTL to the second level user in response to the ID and the second password transmitted to the predetermined Web site;
(8) selecting, by the second level user, at least one design house registered in the predetermined Web site as an authorized design house, and requesting the design house selected in the selecting step to design the processor core identified the processor core RTL and an extension for the processor core through the Web site;
(9) designing, by the design house selected in the selecting the authorized design house, a processor module comprising the processor core and the extension in accordance with the processor core RTL and the extension through the Web site;
(10) selecting, by the second level user, at least one manufacturer which is registered in the predetermined Web site as an authorized manufacturer, and requesting the authorized manufacturer make the processor module in accordance with the processor module designed in the designing the processor module and the certification number of the processor core through the Web site;
and
(11) manufacturing the processor module by the authorized manufacturer.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/457,545Filed 10 Jun 2003
Published: US 2004/0255152 A116 Dec 2004
Granted: 29 Jul 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G06F 21/76
To assure secure computing or processing of information: in application-specific integrated circuits [ASIC] or field-programmable devices, e.g.…
G06F 21/10
Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity: protecting distributed…
G06F
Computing and data processing