Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/70—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
  • G06F21/71—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure computing or processing of information
  • G06F21/74—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure computing or processing of information operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F12/00—Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures
  • G06F12/14—Protection against unauthorised use of memory or access to memory
  • G06F12/1416—Protection against unauthorised use of memory or access to memory by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights
  • G06F12/1425—Protection against unauthorised use of memory or access to memory by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights the protection being physical, e.g. cell, word, block
  • G06F12/1433—Protection against unauthorised use of memory or access to memory by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights the protection being physical, e.g. cell, word, block for a module or a part of a module
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/70—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
  • G06F21/71—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure computing or processing of information
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/70—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
  • G06F21/78—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure storage of data
  • G06F21/79—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure storage of data in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
  • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
  • G06F9/30—Arrangements for executing machine instructions, e.g. instruction decode
  • G06F9/30098—Register arrangements
  • G06F9/3012—Organisation of register space, e.g. banked or distributed register file
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
  • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
  • G06F9/30—Arrangements for executing machine instructions, e.g. instruction decode
  • G06F9/30098—Register arrangements
  • G06F9/3012—Organisation of register space, e.g. banked or distributed register file
  • G06F9/30123—Organisation of register space, e.g. banked or distributed register file according to context, e.g. thread buffers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
  • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
  • G06F9/30—Arrangements for executing machine instructions, e.g. instruction decode
  • G06F9/30181—Instruction operation extension or modification
  • G06F9/30189—Instruction operation extension or modification according to execution mode, e.g. mode flag
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
  • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
  • G06F9/30—Arrangements for executing machine instructions, e.g. instruction decode
  • G06F9/38—Concurrent instruction execution, e.g. pipeline or look ahead
  • G06F9/3836—Instruction issuing, e.g. dynamic instruction scheduling or out of order instruction execution
  • G06F9/3851—Instruction issuing, e.g. dynamic instruction scheduling or out of order instruction execution from multiple instruction streams, e.g. multistreaming
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F2221/00—Indexing scheme relating to security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F2221/21—Indexing scheme relating to G06F21/00 and subgroups addressing additional information or applications relating to security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F2221/2105—Dual mode as a secondary aspect

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a circuit having a multi-mode processor, such as a dual-mode processor.
• the processor is particularly suitable for providing secure access control in a digital terminal for a subscriber television network.
• Integrated Receiver-Decoder or subscriber terminal, which receive and decode television signals for presentation by a television.
• the signals can be delivered over a satellite, through a cable plant, or by means of terrestrial broadcast, for example.
• One driver of the overall cost is the number of components that make up the product.
• One way to reduce the number of components is to combine functions that were normally performed by two or more Integrated Circuits (ICs) into one IC. This applies to dies which have embedded processors. For example, dies having both a memory and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) are now available.
• ICs Integrated Circuits
• CPU Central Processing Unit
• Operating systems have developed protection mechanisms to prevent programs which operate in a user application mode from overwriting privileged system information. These systems often use a logical circuit known as a Memory Management Unit (MMU) to prevent the host program executing in memory from being overwritten by a rogue application running in user mode. In such systems, there is no protection between applications executing simultaneously. Also, global space is shared by all tasks to avoid unnecessary replication of system service routines and to facilitate shared data and interrupt handling. Also, structures such as the stack may be accessible no matter what mode a program is running in. Application code might have access to some of the low-level general purpose and dedicated registers that the host program is using. And, such application programs may have access to stored system files .
• MMU Memory Management Unit
• the system should provide a dual -mode processor with secure and non- secure processing modes.
• the system should be implementable in a subscriber terminal in a television network.
• the present invention provides a system having the above and other advantages .
• a multiple-mode processing circuit such as a dual -mode processor, operates in at least first and second modes according to a switch.
• a mode When a mode is active, data transfer between the processor and a respective memory occurs.
• instructions from the memory can be executed at the processor, and the results can be stored in the respective memory.
• first and second memories may be provided for the first and second modes, respectively.
• the memories are separate, and no data transfer can occur between the memories directly or via the processor.
• the first mode may be a secure mode for secure processing operations, such as providing conditional access for television programming services at a set-top subscriber terminal .
• the second mode may be a non- secure mode, such as for providing any other application at the terminal, e.g., program guide, shop at home service, etc.
• a data bus is provided for time-multiplexed transfer of data between the processor and the respective memories.
• switching of individual internal registers and external elements such as address and data latches, is provided.
• the processor may be switched between modes based on different schemes, including a fixed ratio of clock cycles, a fixed ratio of instructions executed at the processor, and respective priorities of the modes.
• the first and second modes may have different respective operating systems.
• FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of a dual-mode processing circuit in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a dual-mode processor with a bus muxing circuit in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a dual-mode processor with switching for individually controlling external components in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a switch for selecting first and second modes of a dual-mode processor in accordance with the present invention.
• the present invention relates to a multiple-mode processor, such as a dual-mode processor.
• FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of a dual-mode processor in accordance with the present invention.
• the dual -mode processor 5 includes a secure system portion 10 and a non-secure system portion 50.
• the secure system 10 includes registers 12, a Random Access Memory (RAM) 14, a CPU 16, a Read-Only Memory (ROM) 18 and a program control function 20.
• the RAM 14 may store secure code and cryptographic keys, for example, for providing conditional access at a set-top terminal.
• the non- secure system 50 includes a register 52 and a RAM 54.
• the processor 5 provides two functions (e.g., secure and non- secure functions) with absolute isolation between the functions.
• each system 10, 50 has its own RAM 14, 54, so not a single bit of the secure system 10 is passed (e.g., leaks) to the RAM 54, and not a single bit of the non-secure system 50 is passed to the RAM 14.
• the data in the RAM 14 of the secure system 10 remains secure since data cannot be retrieved from it, or provided to it, by the non- secure system 50, either directly or via the CPU 16.
• a hardware time slicer 70 is a switching means that can provide a 50% duty cycle by allocating half the time at the CPU 16 for processing data from the RAM 14 of the secure system 10, and the other half of the time for data from the RAM 54 of the non- secure system 50. With a 50% duty cycle, a 50 MHz processor would look like two 25 -MHz processors. Note that a commutator may alternatively be used.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a dual-mode processor with a bus muxing circuit in accordance with the present invention.
• the dual -mode processor 100 includes an internal data bus 105, an instruction queue 110, an instruction decoder and machine cycle encoder 115, and a timing and logic control function 120, which includes a program mode data bus, hold, interrupt, wait, write sync, control clocks and other control functions .
• a data buffer 125 Also provided are a data buffer 125, a program model selector 130, and interrupt control 135, and a mode timing function 140.
• the invention duplicates certain context registers so that the reset of the processor may be used in two independent modes of operation.
• the program mode selector 130 allows switching between the modes .
• a register bank multiplexer 150 includes two banks of registers.
• a register bank for a first mode (mode "A") of the dual-mode processor 100 includes general purpose registers 160, an index register 162, a stack pointer/return address register 164, a program counter 166, a memory management register 168, a cache controller register 170, and an interrupt control register 172.
• a register bank for a second mode (mode "B") of the dual-mode processor 100 includes general purpose registers 180, an index register 182, a stack pointer/return address register 184, a program counter 186, a memory management register 188, a cache controller register 190, and an interrupt control register 192.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a dual-mode processor controlling external components in accordance with the present invention.
• the figure shows an example of using mode A/B switching internally and externally to an IC, such as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) on which the dual-mode processor is provided.
• ASIC Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
• the address space can be split using modes A/B.
• each individual internal register is switched, whereas in the embodiment of FIG 2, a bus muxing circuit is used.
• a circuit, shown generally at 300 includes the dual -mode processor 305 and a number of external components, including address latches A (350) and B (352) , and data latches A (354) and B (356) .
• Processor mode A has example Port 1 (358) , . . . , Port N (362)
• processor mode B has example Port 1 (360) , . . . , Port N (364)
• Memory A (197) and memory B (198) are also provided.
• the dual -mode processor 305 includes the instruction decode and machine cycle encoder 115, a mode A/B time switcher 310 (see detail of switch in FIG. 4), address generators 315, 317, instruction pipelines 320, 322, data buffers 325, 327, registers 160, 180, caches 170, 190, and Memory Management Units (MMUs) 168, 188.
• the MMUs 168, 188 provide virtual - to-physical address translation.
• Data and Instruction sections of memory may be defined.
• control registers which allow the privileged user to selectively grant access to various memory blocks to an application running in User Mode.
• a path 380 carries a Mode A/B selection signal that is provided by the mode A/B timer switcher 310 to indicate which mode is currently running.
• the address generators 315, 317 provide memory addresses to the respective address latches 350, 352, which latch addresses for reading/writing operations at the memories 197, 198, respectively.
• the data buffers 325, 327 send and receive data to and from the data latches 354, 365 and the ports 358, 360, . . . , 362, 364.
• the present invention allows two or more disparate sets of programs to be run by a single microprocessor with complete independence and 100% isolation between them.
• independent sets of programs "A" and "B", respectively, but the concept can easily be extended to additional independent sets of programs.
• Programs from one set cannot access programs from the other set nor influence the execution of programs from the other set .
• Each set of programs can be considered to have its own operating system with various application programs running concurrently. The operating system and application programs from one set cannot interfere with the other set.
• Timing and Control Logic circuitry 120 more efficient use is made of the area of an IC chip, such as a Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit (VLSI) chip.
• VLSI Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit
• the invention allows two (or more) sets of programs that previously may have ran on separate processors to work together on a single processor with little or no changes to either of the original sets of programs. This results in a significant savings in code development time and expense. Moreover, even if both programs were combined to form one larger program with the combined functionality, and this program was executed out of the same type of processor, the new larger program would still need to be completely checked out and debugged.
• the present invention avoids this problem by allowing the two smaller program to exist as before.
• one set of programs can be considered "secure code" executing cryptographic routines that perform access control functions in a set-top box. This set of programs is not interfered with by programs executing in the other "non-secure" set of programs. In a set-top box, this allows the main microprocessors to be combined into one device.
• Access control refers to algorithms running in a "secure” processor used to determine whether or not a decoder is authorized to view a particular program. The program may be given away, needing a subscription, or needing the user to make a purchase.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a switch for selecting Mode A or B of the dual-mode processor in accordance with the present invention.
• the switch 400 is a negative edge-triggered D-type flip-flop.
• the flip-flop 405 receives a master clock signal via a line 410, and outputs either a Mode A select signal on a line 420, or a Mode B select signal on a line 430.
• the master clock signal may be used for other purposes via line 440.
• the processor requires a switch means for switching between the running of one set of programs to running the other set of programs .
• Time can be a means for switching between sets of applications. The following are some options: 1. A fixed ratio of clock cycles. If set to 50 - 50 %, then every other clock cycle would be used for Set A (Mode A) , and every other cycle for Set B (Mode B) programs. If set to 80 - 20 %, then Set A would execute for four clock cycles, and then Set B for one cycle .
• Dynamic clock or instruction allocation is possible while guaranteeing minimum clock or instruction execution. It is possible for a process that is executing a low priority routine to give up a certain number of clock or instruction cycles to the other process. When a high-priority process is invoked, e.g., an interrupt, then the pre-empted process can get back the clock or instruction cycles it gave up .
• a high-priority process e.g., an interrupt
• Both Set A and Set B circuits can be clocked at the same time.
• the clock and instruction cycle guarantees are for gaining access to any shared resource.
• the shared resources are: Instruction Decoder and Machine Cycle Encoder 115, and the Timing and Control Circuitry 120. They would follow a strict clock and instruction allocation scheme.
• Memory Space can be completely separate between Set A and Set B programs .
• a requirement can be placed on the CPU that the minimum timing can never be violated. This may necessitate additional duplication of hardware. Or, it may simply allow completion of a lengthy instruction, giving priority of the next instruction to the other set of programs.
• a consequence of the invention is that any data dealing with the context or state of what and where the microprocessor system was executing in its memory must be duplicated for each independent set of programs executing in the microprocessor system.
• the processor of the present invention has the following structures, which provide memory and, therefore, context to a system: a stack and a stack pointer 164, 184 or at least a register containing a return address, general purpose registers 160, 180, program counter 166, 186, CPU status register, MMU control registers 168, 188, Cache control registers 170, 190, various I/O registers, and interrupt controller.
• a stack and a stack pointer 164, 184 or at least a register containing a return address general purpose registers 160, 180, program counter 166, 186, CPU status register, MMU control registers 168, 188, Cache control registers 170, 190, various I/O registers, and interrupt controller.
• both the internal and external RAM and ROM of the system may be switched. This is conceptually similar to switching banks of memory.
• the most significant bit of the address is a function of the mode of which set of programs was executing (A or B) , then, when high, the upper memory bank 197 can be used for set of program A, and when low, the lower memory bank 198 can be used for set of programs B .
• the microprocessor system may or may not be required to duplicate this structure depending on whether or not this memory can be read out discretely by the CPU. Any cache control registers would need to be duplicated. More efficient use of the cache structure can be achieved by duplicating it because each set of programs will be operating in different memory spaces. A higher cache hit rate will be achieved with a duplicate cache since two sets of independent programs will be executing.
• Each program set has its own boot program. The boot program can set the parameters which, for example, identify which blocks of code are low priority and which ones are high priority and might require the full allocated number of clock cycles.
• the invention is useful in television set-top terminals (e.g., decoders) in eliminating the need for a separate processor to handle Access Control and Cryptography.
• the processor that is used to run the decoders can run this function as well using the dual mode feature .
• the Internet allows many small Java application routines or "applets" of unknown quality and origin to be downloaded from various Web sites.
• the dual -processor system of the present invention e.g., as implemented in a Web- compatible set-top box, can provide protection while running this code. This may be a way to keep applications from interfering with each other.
• the invention can be used to implement a type of firewall, e.g., to isolate data processing spaces.
• the invention can be used to implement a fault tolerant computer, e.g., a personal computer system that does not fail (crash) when the primary processor crashes .
• the present invention provides a dual or other multiple-mode processor.
• the processor time-shares among different processes by allocating its time for executing instructions.
• the processor includes secure and non-secure systems that store data, and retrieve data from, separate memories.
• the processor may be used, e.g., to provide conditional access to television programming services .
• the invention is suitable for use with virtually any type of network, including cable or satellite television broadband communication networks, local area networks (LANs) , metropolitan area networks (MANs) , wide area networks (WANs), internets, intranets, and the Internet, or combinations thereof.
• LANs local area networks
• MANs metropolitan area networks
• WANs wide area networks
• internets intranets
• intranets and the Internet, or combinations thereof.

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• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Mathematical Physics (AREA)
• Storage Device Security (AREA)
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• Information Transfer Systems (AREA)

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• 2000
  • 2000-12-19 CN CN00818611A patent/CN1425157A/zh active Pending
  • 2000-12-19 AU AU22786/01A patent/AU2278601A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-12-19 WO PCT/US2000/034458 patent/WO2001046800A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-12-19 JP JP2001547248A patent/JP2003518287A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-12-19 EP EP00986569A patent/EP1240583A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-12-19 MX MXPA02006214A patent/MXPA02006214A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-12-19 KR KR1020027007955A patent/KR20020091061A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-12-19 CA CA002395645A patent/CA2395645A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-12-22 TW TW089127713A patent/TW541466B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

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