Dialog Semiconductor B.v.

Dimitrios Papadopoulos

Nikolaos Moschopoulos

Konstantinos Ninos

Jakobus Johannes Verhallen

Ioannis Sifnaios

Jakko Verhallen

Tobias Mueller

Dimitris Chanos

A computer system, especially but not exclusively an embedded system, is provided with a CPU and an external FLASH or other memory which is used for storing code to be executed by the CPU in operation of the system. The system can be initialized without requiring a secondary boot sequence which means it can be used in preference to embedded or serial FLASH solutions. There is provided a computer system comprising: a processor; an external memory, being external to the processor; a memory controller for the external memory; and a power management unit which is arranged to receive a wake up signal, then to first wake up the memory controller; and secondly at a later time to wake up the processor.

Initialization of memory in a computer system

A method and apparatus for executing an application program stored in an one-time-programmable, OTP, memory in a system on chip (SoC) is described. The SoC has RAM, a CPU and an OTP controller. The OTP memory stores an application program. The method includes, by the processor unit at power-up, instructing the OTP controller to copy the application program from the OTP memory to RAM, executing the application program from RAM, and setting the system on chip (SoC) in sleep mode. By the OTP controller after a wake-up, copying the application program from the OTP memory to the RAM and after the copying, waking up the CPU and transferring control back to the CPU. By the CPU after being woken up by the OTP controller, executing the application program from RAM.

Electronic circuit for and method of executing an application program stored in a one-time-programmable (OTP) memory in a system on chip (SoC)

An integrated circuit with a patching function comprises a one-time programmable memory (OTP), a random access memory (RAM), and a control unit. The control unit copies data stored on the OTP into the RAM to obtain a copied image mirroring said data. It checks for presence of one or more patch instructions in the OTP, and, if a patch instruction is found in the OTP, modifies a portion of the copied image based on the patch instruction, to obtain a patched image stored in the RAM. The integrated circuit further comprises a processing unit configured to access the patched image in the RAM. The patch can be provided wirelessly.

Integrated circuit with a patching function

Growing community of inventors

Patras, Greece

Dimitrios Papadopoulos