IC Access ID Control for Secure Master-Slave Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity and integration density of data processing devices necessitate effective mechanisms to regulate access operations between processors (master units) and other system components (slave units) to prevent insecure processors from accessing security-critical data.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit with a configuration memory and identification control device that manages access rights by allowing only permitted identifications for processors to access slave units, based on a predefined set of identifications stored in a writable configuration memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access control mechanisms are implemented to prevent insecure processors from accessing security-critical data, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an identification control device as an intermediary component between master units and slave units. This device mediates access by verifying identifications against a configuration memory, thereby implementing security control without requiring complex access control logic in each slave unit. The intermediary handles the complexity centrally while keeping individual components simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The access control mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: an identification control device for verification, a configuration memory for storing access rights, and slave units with simplified access logic. This segmentation distributes complexity across separate modules rather than concentrating it in one complex structure.
2Reliability
If multiple access control mechanisms are implemented for different processors, then security is improved, but chip surface area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The identification control device serves as a universal access control mechanism that handles authentication for multiple different master units through a single centralized structure. Rather than implementing separate access control logic in each slave unit, the universal controller manages all access requests, reducing the total chip area required for access control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the access control functionality of multiple slave units into a single centralized identification control device. By combining what would otherwise be distributed access control logic into one shared resource, the total chip surface area is reduced while maintaining security for multiple processors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible access rights are assigned to different processors, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration memory is designed as a writable storage structure that allows access rights to be dynamically configured and modified. This enables flexible assignment of identifications to different master units without requiring changes to the hardware architecture. The dynamic configurability provides adaptability while keeping the control logic relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, what is described is an integrated circuit, including multiple system components that include multiple master units and multiple slave units. Each slave unit is configured to allow each of the multiple master units access to one or more functions of the slave unit depending on which identification, from a predefined set of identifications, the master unit communicates to the slave unit. The integrated circuit includes a writable configuration memory that stores, for each of the master units and each identification, whether the master unit is permitted to communicate the identification to the slave units, and an identification control device that is configured to restrict the identification communicated by the master unit for accessing the respective slave unit to identifications for which the configuration memory indicates that the master unit is permitted to communicate the identification to the slave units.