Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Particular communication authentication technique
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-01
2004-08-31
Jung, David (Department: 2134)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Particular communication authentication technique
C713S150000, C713S151000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785816
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to programmable logic devices, and more specifically to secured configuration data for programmable logic devices.
2. Background Information
Programmable devices, e.g., Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), are used in many commercial digital devices. When a device such as this is turned on, the FPGA must be configured with a configuration bit stream. This bit stream is initially stored into an external memory, in most cases, before being loaded into the FPGA. This creates a security risk, since the design data (configuration bit stream) can be read from a data bus attached to the memory during the configuration. A person who knows the structure of the bit stream can interrupt the whole design inside the FPGA.
FIG. 1
shows the block diagram of an example system for loading a configuration bit stream into a programmable device. As shown in
FIG. 1
, a memory containing the bit stream
4
may reside on a card or other electronic device
2
. The bit stream is read by programmable device
6
, and used to configure the programmable array
8
of programmable device
6
.
If embedded programmable device cores (e.g., programmable arrays) are used inside an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the problem of the configuration design data being read may be prevented if the configuration data fits in the internal memory of the application specific integrated circuit. Most often the internal memory space of the application specific integrated circuit is too limited to store all of the configuration data. As the use of dynamically reconfigurable logic increases, this problem becomes even worse. Dynamically reconfigurable designs may have many configuration bit streams, which just increases the amount of configuration data. Therefore, it is even more unlikely that all the configuration data will fit into the internal memory of an application specific integrated circuit. Dynamically reconfigurable logic allows hardware designs to be updated externally. Therefore, designs must somehow be protected in order to allow transmission of configuration data through unsecure systems. Without protection, competitors or hostile persons may access, interpret, and modify configuration bit streams that define valuable designs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5457408 (1995-10-01), Leung
patent: 5970142 (1999-10-01), Erickson
patent: 6598164 (2003-07-01), Shepard
patent: 6640304 (2003-10-01), Ginter et al.
patent: 6640305 (2003-10-01), Kocher et al.
patent: 9914652 (1999-03-01), None
patent: 9946774 (1999-09-01), None
Komninos et al., Security enhancements for A5/1 without losing hardware efficiency in future mobile systems, 3G Mobile Communication Technologies, 2002, Third International Conference on (Cof. Publ. No. 489), May 8-10, 2002, pp. 324-328.*
Trinidad, Programmable encryption for wireless and network applications, MILCOM 2002, Proceedings, vol. 2, Oct. 8-10, 2002, pp. 1374-1377, vol. 2.*
Hasan et al., Smart telephone design-caller identification and answering machine, Semiconductor Electronic, 1998, Proceedings, ICSE '98, 1998, IEEE International Conference on, Nov. 24-26, 1998, pp. 217-222.
Karkkainen Tero
Kivimaki Tommi
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Jung David
Nokia Corporation
LandOfFree
System and method for secured configuration data for... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for secured configuration data for..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for secured configuration data for... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3324258