Enabling on-chip features via efuses

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling on-chip features via efuses. A system comprises an electronic fuse (Efuse) array (EFA) coupled to each features capability register (FCR) within an instantiated computational block. The EFA comprises a plurality of rows wherein programming an row comprises blowing one or more Efuses of the row. A valid row comprises programmed Efuses corresponding to one or more on-chip enabled features. The EFA is further configured to prevent enabling of disabled on-chip features from occurring subsequent to a predetermined point in time, such as the time of shipping the chip to the field for use by end-users, by establishing a particular default state for electronic fuses and rendering unusable any unprogrammed entries of the EFA. In one embodiment, some features correspond to on-chip hardware cryptographic acceleration. By preventing the ability to re-enable these features after shipping, it is possible to send semiconductor chips to foreign countries with only predetermined features enabled and no threat of disabled features being later enabled.