Version-programmable circuit module

A processor integrated circuit comprising:

• a write-protected memory;
• operating circuits arranged to provide a performance dependent on a version number that is stored in the write-protected memory;
• an external bus input;
• a communication bus output, a watchdog circuit coupled between the external bus input and the communication bus output, the watchdog circuit being arranged to pass commands from the external bus input to the communication bus output conditionally, the watchdog circuit detecting whether an update command to update the version number is received and if so to pass said update command, replacing a version number in the update command by a version number from the write-protected memory.

A signal processing circuit comprising:

• a version number memory for storing a version number;
• operating circuits arrange to provide a signal processing with a performance dependent on a version number that is stored in a write-protected memory;
• an input and/or output for receiving and/or transmitting input signal to be processed or results of signal processing by said operating circuits;
• a control circuit arranged to detect multiplexed data in a predetermined format of the input signal or result and to cause data from the input and/or output that is received during a time slot to be copied to the version memory.