Authenticated Trim Value Updates for Field-Deployed Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices lack mechanisms for updating trim values after deployment in the field, leading to performance degradation due to environmental changes, and OEMs are unable to modify trim values without replacing the device.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a data structure integrator circuitry that enables over-the-air updates of trim values with authentication and verification processes, ensuring secure and reliable updates to device peripherals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If trim values are fixed during manufacturing, then device reliability is improved, but device adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory storage into multiple sectors, with each sector capable of storing trim values. This allows the system to maintain multiple versions of trim values simultaneously, enabling secure updates while preserving original values for reliability. The segmentation of storage space facilitates both reliability (through backup) and adaptability (through updates).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and verification actions before committing trim value updates. The system authenticates update requests, performs verification checks, and only then commits the new trim values. This preliminary action ensures reliability by preventing unauthorized or erroneous updates, while still allowing legitimate adaptability improvements.
2Reliability
If authentication mechanisms are implemented for trim value updates, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism that mediates between the trim value update request and the actual update process. The authentication system acts as a intermediary layer that verifies requests without requiring complex changes to the core trim value storage and retrieval mechanisms. This intermediary approach improves security while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple trim value versions are stored in memory, then adaptability is improved, but memory usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory into multiple sectors, each capable of storing trim values. This segmentation allows efficient organization of multiple trim value versions without requiring excessive memory resources. By dividing the storage space into manageable sectors, the system can store multiple versions while optimizing memory utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a mechanism where older or superseded trim value versions can be discarded from memory after successful updates. The system recovers memory space by removing unnecessary previous versions while maintaining the ability to restore them if needed. This discarding and recovering approach allows the system to maintain adaptability through multiple versions while managing memory usage efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
An example apparatus includes instructions and programmable circuitry configurable to at least one of instantiate or execute the instructions to authenticate a request to update a first trim value to a second trim value, wherein the first trim value is stored in a memory. The example apparatus also includes instructions to, in response to authentication of the request, store the second trim value to the memory while the first trim value remains stored in the memory.