# US 8,543,798 B2 · Electronic device board level security > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,798 B2 - Document ID: US8543798B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/584,953 - Filed: 2012-08-14 - Published: 2012-12-06 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-26 - Assignees: Broadcom Corporation - Applicants: Nanfang Hu; Xuezhang Dong; Yan Wang - Inventors: Nanfang Hu; Xuezhang Dong; Yan Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543798B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/73: by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system may include a printed circuit board, a first component located on the printed circuit board, the first component having a first unique identifier and a processor located on the printed circuit board, the processor including a one time programming section. The processor may acquire the first unique identifier from the first component and store the first unique identifier in the one time programming section during the first time initialization. Upon subsequent initializations, the processor may acquire the first unique identifier from the first component and compare the first unique identifier to the stored first unique identifier. The processor may allow the subsequent initializations to proceed if the first unique identifier matches the stored first unique. The processor may disallow the subsequent initializations from proceeding if the first unique identifier does not match the stored first unique identifier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a processor disposed on a circuit board of an electronic device, the method comprising: processing an attempt to initialize the electronic device, the processing comprising: reading, by the processor, multiple unique identifiers permanently stored on the processor, wherein the unique identifiers are associated with corresponding components on the circuit board; reading, by the processor, a permanently stored range of values of a characteristic of the circuit board associated with a sensor on the circuit board; comparing, by the processor, a unique identifier read from each of the components on the circuit board with a respective stored unique identifier and comparing, by the processor, a value of the characteristic of the circuit board read from the sensor with the stored range of values; and responsive to the comparing of the unique identifiers and the comparing of the value of the characteristic of the circuit board, allowing the attempt to initialize the electronic device to proceed when the unique identifier from each component matches the respective stored unique identifier and the value from the sensor is within the stored range of values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 wherein the components on the circuit board comprise: a first component that includes a flash memory device; and a second component that includes a random access memory device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a voltage sensor, the stored range of values includes a stored range of voltages and the value from the voltage sensor includes a voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor, the stored range of values includes a stored range of temperatures and the value from the temperature sensor includes a temperature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a current sensor, the stored range of values includes a stored range of currents and the value from the current sensor includes a current. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 wherein the stored range of values is permanently stored in a one time programming section on the processor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 wherein the multiple unique identifiers are permanently stored in a one time programming section on the processor. ### Claim 8 An electronic device, comprising: a circuit board; multiple components disposed on the circuit board; a sensor disposed on the circuit board configured to sense a characteristic of the circuit board; and a processor disposed on the circuit board and in communication with the components, the processor configured to: store multiple unique identifiers, wherein each of the unique identifiers is associated with one of the components on the circuit board; store a range of values of the characteristic of the circuit board associated with the sensor; responsive to an attempt to initialize the electronic device, compare a unique identifier from each component with a respective stored unique identifier and compare a value of the characteristic of the circuit board from the sensor with the stored range of values; and allow the attempt to initialize to proceed responsive to the comparison that matches the unique identifier from each component with the respective stored unique identifier and responsive to the comparison that matches the value from the sensor is within the stored ranges of values. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the components comprise: a first component that includes a flash memory device; and a second component that includes a random access memory device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the processor includes a baseband processor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the sensor includes a voltage sensor, the stored range of values includes a stored range of voltages and the value from the voltage sensor includes a voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor, the stored range of values includes a stored range of temperatures and the value from the temperature sensor includes a temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the sensor includes a current sensor, the stored range of values includes a stored range of currents and the value from the current sensor includes a current. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the stored range of values is permanently stored in a one time programming section on the processor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the multiple unique identifiers are permanently stored in a one time programming section on the processor. ### Claim 16 An electronic device, comprising: a circuit board; multiple components disposed on the circuit board; a sensor disposed on the circuit board configured to sense a characteristic of the circuit board; and a processor disposed on the circuit board, the processor including a one time programming section and configured to: store multiple unique identifiers in the one time programming section, wherein each of the unique identifiers is associated with one of the components on the circuit board, store a range of values of the characteristic of the circuit board associated with the sensor, the range of values being stored in the one time programming section, responsive to an attempt to initialize the electronic device, compare a unique identifier from each component with a respective stored unique identifier and compare a value of the characteristic of the circuit board from the sensor with the stored range of values, and allow the initialization to proceed responsive to the comparison that matches the unique identifier from each component with the respective stored unique identifier and responsive to the comparison that matches the value from the sensor is within the stored range of values. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the components comprise: a first component that includes a flash memory device; and a second component that includes a random access memory device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the processor includes a baseband processor.