Method for secure delivery of configuration data for a programmable logic device

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(12) United States Patent

Irving et al.

(io) Patent No.: (45) Date of Patent:

US 7,581,117 Bl Aug. 25, 2009

(54) METHOD FOR SECURE DELIVERY OF CONFIGURATION DATA FOR A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE

(75) Inventors: Kenneth Irving, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Jonathan Greene, Palo Alto, CA (US)

(73) Assignee: Actel Corporation, Mountain View, CA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 847 days.

(21) Appl.No.: 11/185,427

(22) Filed: Jul. 19, 2005

(51) Int. CI.

H04L 9/32 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 713/189; 713/181; 713/168;

726/8

(58) Field of Classification Search None

See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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5,970,142 A 10/1999 Erickson 380/21

Secure delivery of configuration data of an intellectual property (IP) core includes the steps of loading configuration data for the IP core into IP core space by an IP core provider, masking portions of the IP core space not loaded with configuration data in the loading configuration data step with the value 0 or 1 by the IP core provider, encrypting data in the IP core space by the IP core provider, loading configuration data for system design other than for the IP core into a remainder space and any unused portions of the IP core space by a system designer, masking portions of the IP core space loaded in the loading configuration data step with the value 0 or 1 used by the IP core provider in the masking portions of the IP core space not loaded step, and encrypting data in a configuration space by the system designer.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets