Electronic component
View Patent ↗An electronic component is provided having a plurality of functionalities. The electronic component comprises a control logic, and a non-volatile storage element. The control logic is coupled to the non-volatile storage element and is adapted for storing values in the non-volatile storage element based on an external input signal to the electronic component, each value being indicative for one or more functionalities of the plurality of functionalities. The control logic is adapted for controlling the availability of the plurality of functionalities based on one or more values stored in the non-volatile storage element and for outputting a confirmation signal being indicative for the availability of the plurality of functionalities.
1. An electronic component having a plurality of functionalities, the electronic component being a chip and comprising:
a control logic, and
a non-volatile storage element, wherein the control logic is coupled to the non-volatile storage element and is adapted for storing values in the non-volatile storage element based on an external input signal to the electronic component, each value being indicative for one or more functionalities of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the control logic is adapted for controlling the availability of the plurality of functionalities based on one or more values stored in the non-volatile storage element and for outputting a confirmation signal being indicative for the availability of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the control logic comprises a first control logic unit and a second control logic unit, the first control logic unit adapted for receiving the external input signal and for storing one or more values in the non-volatile storage element based on the input signal, and the second control logic unit adapted for controlling the availability of the plurality of functionalities based on the one or more stored values.
2. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile storage element is a processor register.
3. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile storage element comprises at least one of a memory-mapped register and a write-once register.
4. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the second control logic unit is adapted for disabling the availability of specific functionalities of the plurality of functionalities based on the one or more stored values.
5. The electronic component according to claim 4 , further comprising electronic elements being adapted to be activated for disabling the availability of specific functionalities of the plurality of functionalities based on an output signal of the second control logic unit.
6. The electronic component according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the electronic elements is a fuse.
7. The electronic component according to claim 4 , wherein the control logic comprises a third control logic unit coupled to the non-volatile storage element and being adapted for receiving a signal being indicative for the stored values.
8. The electronic component according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a memory, wherein a plurality of predetermined keys is stored in the memory, each key being indicative for one or more functionalities of the plurality of functionalities, and wherein the third control logic unit is coupled to the memory and is adapted for retrieving one key of the plurality of predetermined keys being indicative for the specific functionalities and for outputting the key as the confirmation signal out of the component.
9. The electronic component according to claim 7 , wherein the third control logic unit is adapted for generating a key based on the specific functionalities and for outputting the key as the confirmation signal out of the component.
10. The electronic component according to claim 9 , wherein the key is further based on at least one of an ID of the electronic component, a predetermined key stored in the electronic component, and the one or more values stored in the non-volatile storage element.
11. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the second control logic is adapted for enabling the availability of specific functionalities of the plurality of functionalities based on the one or more stored values.
12. The electronic component defined in claim 1 , wherein the control logic comprises:
a first control logic unit adapted for enabling the availability of specific functionalities of the plurality of functionalities based on the one or more stored values; and
a second control logic unit adapted for generating a key based on the specific functionalities and for outputting the key as the confirmation signal from the electronic component.
13. The electronic component defined in claim 1 , wherein the control logic comprises:
a first control logic unit adapted for disabling the availability of specific functionalities of the plurality of functionalities based on the one or more stored values; and
a second control logic unit adapted for generating a key based on the specific functionalities and for outputting the key as the confirmation signal from the component, wherein the electronic component further comprises:
memory coupled to the second control logic unit, wherein a plurality of predetermined keys is stored at the memory, wherein each of the predetermined keys is indicative of one or more functionalities of the plurality of functionalities, and wherein the second control logic unit is adapted for retrieving a given key of the plurality of predetermined keys that is indicative of the specific functionalities and for outputting that key as the confirmation signal from the electronic component.
14. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the control logic and the non-volatile storage element are each formed on a common integrated circuit.
15. An electronic component having a plurality of functionalities, the electronic component being a chip and comprising:
a control logic, and
a non-volatile storage element, wherein the control logic is coupled to the non-volatile storage element and is adapted for storing values in the non-volatile storage element based on an external input signal to the electronic component, each value being indicative for one or more functionalities of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the control logic is adapted for controlling the availability of the plurality of functionalities based on one or more values stored in the non-volatile storage element and for outputting a confirmation signal being indicative for the availability of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the control logic comprises:
a first control logic unit adapted for performing at least one of disabling and enabling the availability of specific functionalities of the plurality of functionalities based on the one or more stored values; and
a second control logic unit adapted for generating a key based on the specific functionalities and for outputting the key as the confirmation signal from the electronic component.
16. A method of controlling the availability of a plurality of functionalities provided by an electronic component, the electronic component being a chip, and the method comprising:
storing, by a control logic, of one or more values in a non-volatile storage element coupled to the control logic based on an external input signal, each value being indicative for one or more functionalities of the plurality of functionalities,
controlling, by the control logic, of the availability of the plurality of functionalities based on one or more values stored in the non-volatile storage element, and
outputting a confirmation signal being indicative for the availability of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the plurality of functionalities comprises a plurality of processor speeds associated with the electronic component and controlling the availability of the plurality of functionalities comprises controlling which processor speed of the plurality of processor speeds is available for the electronic component.
17. A program element of controlling the availability of a plurality of functionalities provided by an electronic component, the electronic component being a chip, wherein the program element, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to carry out or control a method according to claim 16 .
18. The method defined in claim 16 , wherein the confirmation signal output by the control logic is indicative of which of the plurality of functionalities are available to the electronic component after the values have been stored in the non-volatile storage element by the control logic.