SoC Access Control via Segmented Protection Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern System on Chips (SoCs) face challenges in maintaining the integrity and stability of original software and hardware functionalities when additional customer-specific functions are added, potentially leading to side effects or unintended impacts on safety-critical systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an access control unit and protection mechanism within the SoC that utilizes an authorization list and protection units to selectively grant or refuse access to responder elements based on predefined protection information, ensuring that original functions remain immune to adverse effects from added functionalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional customer-specific functions are added to the SoC, then the adaptability and versatility of the system is improved, but the reliability and stability of the original system may deteriorate due to potential side effects and unintended impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the SoC memory space into protected regions and non-protected regions. Protected regions contain original system functions and are shielded from customer additions, while non-protected regions allow customer-specific functions. This segmentation is achieved through protection units associated with responder elements that can identify and block access to protected regions, thereby maintaining system reliability while allowing adaptability in non-protected areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces protection units as intermediary components between requestor units and responder elements. These protection units intercept access requests, check authorization lists, and determine whether to grant or block access based on protection information. This intermediary mechanism prevents customer-added functions from directly impacting original system functions, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
2Reliability
If protection mechanisms are implemented to shield original functions, then the reliability of the original system is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional access control units and protection logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protection unit functionality directly into the responder elements or integrates them closely within the existing SoC architecture. Rather than adding completely separate access control units, the protection logic is combined with the existing memory interface and controller structures. This merging approach reduces the overall device complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of protection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection units operate autonomously by maintaining local authorization lists and making independent access decisions without requiring complex external control logic. Each protection unit self-manages its associated responder elements, checking protection information and granting or blocking access based on predefined rules. This self-service capability reduces the need for additional complex control infrastructure.
3Reliability
If access control checks are performed for every request, then the reliability of protected functions is improved, but the productivity of the system deteriorates due to increased processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring protection information and authorization lists before runtime operations. Protection units are pre-loaded with knowledge of which responder elements are protected and which requestor units have access rights. This preliminary setup allows for faster runtime decision-making, as the protection units can quickly compare incoming requests against pre-established rules rather than performing complex analysis for each transaction, thus maintaining both reliability and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
In a system on chip responder units comprise one or more responder elements and is associated with one or more protection units. A request analysis unit is arranged to receive from a requesting requestor unit a request for access to one or more target responder elements among responder elements within a target responder unit among the responder units. The request analysis unit determines relevant protection data based on the request and an authorization list, which comprises one or more entries For each entry of the authorization list: taking access requirements specified by the respective entry into account if one or more of the target responder elements are part of the group of responder elements specified by the respective entry. The request analysis unit provides the relevant protection data to one or more target protection unit(s) associated with the responder unit(s), and located in a hierarchical path between the requesting requestor unit requestor unit and the target responder unit. The target protection unit(s) are arranged to perform a protective action for the target responder elements based on relevant protection data.