The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 12, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 14, 1999
James L. Burnham, Morgan Hill, CA (US);
Gary R. Lawman, San Jose, CA (US);
Joseph D. Linoff, San Jose, CA (US);
Xilinx, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method is provided for configuring an FPGA to accept or reject selected software (macros). Specifically, if an end user desires to use a locked macro from a first macro vendor a locked macro from a second macro vendor in the same FPGA, a key manager prepares a keyed FPGA for the end user by pre-programming an FPGA with a first key, which is configured to unlock the first locked macro, and a second key, which is configured to unlock the second locked macro. The key manager obtains the first key from the first macro vendor and the second key from the second macro vendor. The keys are stored in a key table of the FPGA that is write-only from outside the FPGA. The end user pays a fee to the key manager for the keyed macro, but is not given access to the keys. The key manager apportions the fee from the end user and distributes appropriate licensing fees to the first macro vendor and the second macro vendor.