Verification Circuit for Fine-Grained Peripheral Access Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional isolation methods based on MPU/MMU in integrated circuit systems are limited in isolation granularity, number of isolation regions, and time consumption for configuration switches, compromising safety and reliability in systems with multiple applications.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a verification circuit between the processor and peripherals to intercept access requests, verifying processor identity and permission levels, allowing access only when both are trustworthy and authorized.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional isolation method based on MPU/MMU is used, then access permission control is implemented, but isolation granularity is limited and number of isolation regions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the address space into multiple isolation regions using a verification circuit that checks processor identity information against predefined permission levels. This segmentation approach allows fine-grained control over which applications can access which peripherals, overcoming the limited isolation granularity of conventional MPU/MMU methods while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured verification rules
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a verification circuit as an intermediary component between the processor and peripherals. This verification circuit intercepts access requests, verifies processor identity information, and determines whether to allow access based on permission levels. This intermediary mechanism enables fine-grained isolation without requiring complex reconfiguration of traditional MPU/MMU structures
2Reliability
If conventional isolation method based on MPU/MMU is used, then access permission control is implemented, but time consumption in configuration switch is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs access permission verification in advance by checking processor identity information against predefined permission levels before allowing access to peripherals. This preliminary verification action ensures safety and reliability by preventing unauthorized access attempts, while avoiding time-consuming configuration switches that would be needed in conventional MPU/MMU approaches to change isolation settings
3Ease of operation
If all applications have highest permission to peripheral, then access control is simplified, but safety and reliability of peripheral is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different permission levels to different applications based on their specific needs and security requirements. Instead of giving all applications the highest permission, the verification circuit checks processor identity information against predefined permission levels, allowing each application to access only the peripherals it needs with the appropriate level of access. This local quality approach maintains simplicity by using standardized verification procedures while significantly improving safety and reliability through differentiated access control
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to field of safety technologies, and provide a method for verifying access permission, an integrated circuit system, and an electronic device. The integrated circuit system includes at least a processor and a verification circuit, the verification circuit being coupled between the processor and a peripheral, the method being applied to the integrated circuit system, and including: in response to that a to-be-verified application requests to access the peripheral through the processor, generating, by the processor, a target access request including processor identity information, and sending the target access request to the peripheral, wherein the processor identity information is configured for calling the processor to access the peripheral by the to-be-verified application; and intercepting, by the verification circuit, the target access request, and performing access permission verification on the to-be-verified application based on the processor identity information included in the target access request.