Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Thomas Hirsch

Stephen Victor Kosonocky

Michael A Nix

Emerson S Fang

Sebastien Nussbaum

Carlin D Cabler

Dennis J Herrell

Leonard Disanza

A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring performance of an processor to detect tampering and place the processor in a safe operating state that prevents unauthorized access to contents of the processor. In one example, the method and apparatus compares a measured value of an operating parameter (i.e., a temperature, supply voltage or clock signal) to predefined limits to identify an out of limits measured value. If an out of limits measured value is detected during a normal operating mode, the processor enters a reset mode, and if an out of limits measured value is detected during power up or reset, the processor in retained a reset mode.

Method and apparatus for monitoring performance for secure chip operation

A differential receiver circuit. In one embodiment, the circuit includes first and second input transistors, each having a first terminal coupled to a bias node (a first and second bias node, respectively), as well as first and second bias transistors, each having a first terminal coupled to the first and second bias nodes, respectively. The circuit further includes a first current source coupled to provide current to the first bias node and a second current source coupled to the second bias node. The differential receiver circuit is coupled to first and second, which receive first and second voltages, respectively. The first and second current sources provide current to the first and second bias nodes, respectively, such that the voltage present on the first and second bias nodes remains with approximately a threshold voltage of a midpoint between the voltages present on the first and second voltage nodes.

Differential input receiver having over-voltage protection

In an integrated circuit carrier having a large number of power pins allocated to an internal power plane, the current flowing through the power pins may divide very unevenly, and result in current flow through some of the power pins which exceeds the maximum specification for either the package pin or for the socket into which the package may be inserted. In such a package, the magnitude of the current flowing through the highest current power pin may be reduced by configuring the resistance of the power plane(s) and vias to provide approximately the same total resistance to every power pin location. Slots may be cut in a package power plane to alter the current path and raise the impedance of the conduction path between some of the package power pins and the internal contact pads otherwise having the lowest impedance. If the package, such as a pin-grid-array package, includes more than one row of pins along an edge of the package, the internal package vias may be arranged to provide an impedance from die footprint to the outer row of pins which is not substantially higher than that of the inner row of pins. In this fashion the aggregate current carrying capacity of the carrier may be increased by reducing the difference in current flow between power pins having the highest current flow and power pins having the lowest current flow. The current flow through all the power pins may then be operated nearer to the design maximum of the particular connector used, or the design maximum of the carrier itself.

Integrated circuit carrier arrangement for reducing non-uniformity in current flow through power pins

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Thomas Hirsch