It is important for IP developers to protect their intellectual property from unauthorized use. One way of protecting FPGA firmware is to use a physical EEPROM hard-coded with a unique code. When the system is powered on, the IP Protection IP Core performs a verification handshake with the EEPROM to unlock the firmware. If the EEPROM is missing or invalid, the firmware remains idle, effectively protecting the firmware from being used on unauthorized systems. SOC provides an IP Core to perform the key verification handshake, and a computer program to configure EEPROMS with 48-bit keys. Alternatively, SOC provides pre-written one-wire EEPROM that can be embedded into circuit boards without needing additional programming.
The IP Protection Key can be evaluated on SOC's Evaluation Kits. Evaluation kits include a carrier-board with all the ports and extensions needed for most video-based applications. The module and carrier board firmware are reconfigurable, and we can license board files if needed.
Begin the evaluation process through any of these methods: