Patent Description:
The production and assembly of state-of-the-art electronic equipment, such as smartphones, tablet computers as well as other types of electronic consumer or loT equipment, often happens in a distributed fashion in that the various electronic components, including the electronic chips of electronic consumer equipment are manufactured, provisioned or personalized and finally assembled at different locations and by different parties. For instance, an electronic component for an electronic equipment may be originally manufactured by a chip manufacturer and provisioned by another party with security sensitive provisioning data, such as a firmware, before being assembled into the final end product by the manufacturer of the electronic equipment, e.g. an OEM. A similar problem may arise in In-system programming (ISP), also called in-circuit serial programming (ICSP), where electronic components may be programmed, i.e. provided with security sensitive provisioning data, while already installed in an electronic equipment, rather than requiring the electronic component, e.g. electronic chip, to be programmed prior to installing it into the electronic equipment.

For security reasons the respective electronic component, e.g. electronic chip generally has to be locked down at the end of the provisioning procedure, for instance, by disabling a debug interface of the electronic chip to prevent an external direct access to memory or the processor cores of the electronic chip. However, even after locking down the electronic component, e.g. electronic chip it would be desirable to be able to perform some basic control and/or monitor functions of the electronic chip by the provisioning system, for instance, a monitoring function to verify that the provisioning of the electronic component, e.g. electronic chip has been successful.

<CIT> teaches methods for provisioning a semiconductor chip device that includes a number of access/debug ports. The provisioning data may be received from a remote key-management server and transferred to the chip by a tester and a hardware security module located at the manufacturing facility. Such transfer may be done using SPI pins located on the device. Various device states, including a "provisioned" state, may be encoded. For security reasons, the chip may be placed in a "lock down" state, where access ports are disabled.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved provisioning control apparatus for controlling the provisioning of electronic components, such as electronic chips, for electronic equipment with security sensitive provisioning data as well as such an electronic component.

According to a first aspect a provisioning control apparatus is provided, which is configured to be coupled to a provisioning apparatus, wherein the provisioning apparatus is electrically connectable with a plurality of pins of an electronic component for provisioning the electronic component with security sensitive provisioning data. The provisioning control apparatus comprises a communication interface configured to provide the security sensitive provisioning data via the provisioning apparatus to the electronic component. The communication interface is further configured to trigger a lockdown of the electronic component. The communication interface is further configured to determine via the provisioning apparatus one or more states of the plurality of pins of the electronic component for determining a state of the electronic component, after the electronic component has been locked down.

In an embodiment, the communication interface is further configured to set via the provisioning apparatus one or more states of the plurality of pins of the electronic component for controlling the state of the electronic component, after the electronic component has been locked down.

In an embodiment, the communication interface is configured to determine via the provisioning apparatus the one or more states of the plurality of pins of the electronic component for determining the state of the electronic component, after a predetermined timeout.

In an embodiment, the plurality of pins of the electronic component comprise two pins and wherein a first state of the two pins defines that the provisioning has been successful and has been finished.

In an embodiment, a second state of the two pins defines that the provisioning has not been finished yet.

In an embodiment, a third state of the two pins defines that the provisioning has not been successful and has been finished.

In an embodiment, a fourth state of the two pins defines that the electronic component is in an undefined state.

According to a second aspect an electronic component, in particular an electronic chip for being provisioned with security sensitive provisioning data is provided. The electronic component comprises a communication interface having a plurality of pins, wherein the communication interface is configured to receive the security sensitive provisioning data from a provisioning control apparatus via a provisioning apparatus. The communication interface is further configured to trigger a lockdown of the electronic component. The communication interface is further configured to set one or more states of the plurality of pins for reporting a state of the electronic component, after the electronic component has been locked down.

In an embodiment, the communication interface is further configured to read one or more states of the plurality of pins for changing the state of the electronic component, after the electronic component has been locked down.

Embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware and/or software.

In the figures, identical reference signs will be used for identical or at least functionally equivalent features.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the disclosure, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific aspects in which the present invention may be implemented. It is understood that other aspects may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, as the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

<FIG> shows a schematic diagram of a provisioning system <NUM> for provisioning a plurality of electronic components, in particular electronic chips <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention for electronic equipment. As will be described in more detail further below, in the embodiment shown in <FIG> the provisioning system <NUM> comprises a provisioning control apparatus <NUM>, a remote server <NUM>, a security server <NUM> and a provisioning apparatus <NUM> (also referred to as "programmer" <NUM>) for provisioning or personalizing electronic components, such as electronic chips or microprocessors <NUM> with security sensitive provisioning data <NUM>, which may include a security sensitive software application such as a firmware to be executed by the respective electronic component <NUM>. In an embodiment, the security sensitive provisioning data <NUM> may further include electronic keys, certificates and/or configuration data, such as register settings.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM>, the remote server <NUM> and the security server <NUM> may be configured to communicate with each other via a communication network, such as the Internet. Thus, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM>, the remote server <NUM> and the security server <NUM> may be at different locations and under the control of different parties. As illustrated in <FIG>, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> and the provisioning apparatus <NUM> may be located within a production environment <NUM>, such as a personalization factory <NUM>. In an embodiment, the remote server <NUM> may be under the control or associated with an electronic equipment manufacturer, e.g. an OEM, wherein the electronic equipment manufacturer assembles electronic equipment, such as smartphones, tablet computers or other types of loT or electronic consumer equipment, using the electronic components, e.g. electronic chips or microprocessors <NUM> provisioned by the provisioning apparatus <NUM> with the security sensitive provisioning data <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM>, the remote server <NUM> and the security server <NUM> are configured to securely communicate with each other using one or more cryptographic schemes, such as a public key infrastructure and/or a hybrid cryptographic scheme. In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be under the remote control of the security server <NUM>.

The provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is configured to be coupled to the provisioning apparatus <NUM>, for instance, by a wired or a wireless connection. In an embodiment, the provisioning apparatus <NUM> may be implemented as a personal computer and the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be implemented as a PC card inserted in the provisioning apparatus <NUM>. In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be implemented as a hardware security module (HSM). The provisioning apparatus <NUM> may comprise an electrical and/or mechanical interface for interacting directly or indirectly via a provisioning equipment with the electronic components <NUM>. For instance, the provisioning apparatus <NUM> may comprise a personalization tray for personalizing a batch of electronic components, e.g. electronic chips <NUM> inserted therein.

In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG> the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may comprise a processor <NUM>, a communication interface <NUM> and a non-volatile memory <NUM>. The communication interface <NUM> of the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is configured to securely provide the provisioning data <NUM>, including the security sensitive application, e.g. firmware to the provisioning apparatus <NUM> for storing the provisioning data <NUM> in a respective electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the communication interface <NUM> of the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is configured to receive the provisioning data <NUM> from the remote OEM server <NUM> or the remote security server <NUM>. In an embodiment, the communication interface <NUM> of the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is further configured to receive at least a part of the provisioning data <NUM> in encrypted form. In an embodiment, the processor <NUM> of the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is configured to generate at least a portion of the provisioning data <NUM> itself.

As will be described in more detail in the following in the context of <FIG> and <FIG>, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> supports the ability to monitor and/or control some basic functions of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> after it has been provided with the security sensitive provisioning data <NUM> and locked down. In this context, locking down the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> is a security technique which may ensure that (a) there is no direct external access to read or write to the memory <NUM> of the electronic component <NUM>, (b) there is no means to directly control the processor <NUM> or execute code on it by means of external control; and/or (c) there is no direct mechanism to install new software on the component <NUM> such that the processor <NUM> may access the new software on boot. Instead, following security lockdown, all external interfaces of the electronic component <NUM> may only be arbitrated by software already running on the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>. Techniques for applying a security lockdown may differ between different electronic components <NUM>, but may typically involve disabling the access to a debug port of the electronic component <NUM> and/or blowing one or more virtual fuses of the electronic component <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is configured to monitor and/or control the locked-down electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> by writing and/or reading different states, such as the states "HIGH" and "LOW' to at least one, preferably at least two pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>. As already described above, via the provisioning apparatus <NUM>, which may be mechanically and/or electrically connected with the pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>, the communication interface <NUM> of the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may write and/or read different states, such as the states "HIGH" and "LOW' to one or more pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> is configured to write a bit mask to a plurality of pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>, which may then be sampled by the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>. In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be configured to implement more complex control mechanisms by means of a fine-grained timing of pin states based on appropriate timed pulses sent on a particular pin of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>. In an embodiment, this may instruct the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> - in real-time, during the provisioning session, and entirely under the control of the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> - to enter a particular mode or carry out a particular series of provisioning commands even after the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> may have been already locked down.

Likewise, for monitoring purposes, in an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be configured to read a bit mask from a plurality of pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> for sampling the pin states at finely-controlled time intervals. This allows the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> to report, for instance, status information to the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> via the programmer <NUM> at key stages in the provisioning process, even after the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> has been securely locked down. In this way, following the security lockdown of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>, it is possible for the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> to determine, for instance, if the provisioning of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> has been successful or has failed.

Thus, according to an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may implement a direct communications protocol between the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> and a respective potentially already locked-down electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> by using two-state lines. Advantageously, this allows to control and monitor the status of the provisioning process much more simply than a more complex communications protocol or medium which would not be practical for a programmer <NUM> configured to provision a plurality of electronic components, e.g. chips <NUM> in parallel.

<FIG> and <FIG> show signaling diagrams illustrating some further details of the monitoring and control functions implemented by the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment for a post-lockdown monitoring and controlling of a provisioned electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In a stage <NUM> of <FIG> the secured, e.g. encrypted and/or authenticated provisioning data (which may comprise, for instance, an encrypted application image) is downloaded to the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> via a debug port thereof. In an embodiment, this stage <NUM> may further include downloading an installer app to the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>. This installer app may be protected special security hardware of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>, for instance, by storing and/or executing the installer app in a security enclave of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In this example, to complete the provisioning process the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> may perform the following further actions. The electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> may lock down by disabling the debug port (stage <NUM> of <FIG>). Decrypt and execute the installer app so that the installer app may decrypt the application image and install the application. Although these further stages are being performed on the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> which already has been locked down, embodiments disclosed herein allow the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> to obtain information about the outcome of the provisioning process of a respective electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> may be in one of the following states: (i) the provisioning process is still ongoing (not yet finished); (ii) the provisioning process has finished and has been successful; (iii) the provisioning process has finished and has not been successful; and (iv) the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> may have crashed and be in an unknown state. The distinction between states (iii) and (iv) is important for the following reason. If the provisioning process has finished and has not been successful, the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> is in a locked down state and can be disposed of freely. However, if the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> has crashed and is in an unknown state, it may leak security sensitive data and, therefore, must be securely destroyed (e.g. by shredding a chip wafer providing the electronic chip <NUM>).

As illustrated in <FIG>, in an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be configured to control (step 205a) and/or monitor (step 205b) the states of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> using two-state lines. In an embodiment, these two-state lines may allow reporting when the provisioning process is finished and/or whether the provisioning process has been successful or not.

In an embodiment, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> may be configured to sample the states defined by two pins of the electronic component, chip <NUM> after a predefined timeout. As already partially described above, in an embodiment, the states of the pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> may have the meaning illustrated in the following table.

<FIG> shows a signaling diagram illustrating some further details of a monitoring and control function implemented by the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment for a post-lockdown monitoring and controlling of the provisioned electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In step <NUM> of <FIG>, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> downloads an application image (and possibly an installer app) to the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM>.

In step <NUM> of <FIG>, the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> executes the installer app for installing the application.

In step <NUM> of <FIG>, two pins of the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> are set to the state "LOW" (referred to here as pins A and B).

In step <NUM> of <FIG>, after the application has been installed, the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> enters a lockdown state.

In step <NUM> of <FIG>, the electronic component, e.g. chip <NUM> performs further processing tasks for completing the provisioning procedure.

In steps <NUM> and <NUM> of <FIG>, pin B is set to the state "HIGH", if the provisioning process was successful.

In steps <NUM> and <NUM> of <FIG>, pin A is set to the state "HIGH", if the provisioning process has finished.

In steps <NUM> and <NUM> of <FIG>, the provisioning control apparatus <NUM> samples via the programmer <NUM> the respective state of pin A and pin B.

While a particular feature or aspect of the disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations or embodiments, such feature or aspect may be combined with one or more other features or aspects of the other implementations or embodiments as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Furthermore, to the extent that the terms "include", "have", "with", or other variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprise". Also, the terms "exemplary", "for example" and "e.g." are merely meant as an example, rather than the best or optimal. The terms "coupled" and "connected", along with derivatives may have been used. It should be understood that these terms may have been used to indicate that two elements cooperate or interact with each other regardless whether they are in direct physical or electrical contact, or they are not in direct contact with each other.

Although the elements in the following claims are recited in a particular sequence, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.

Claim 1:
A provisioning control apparatus (<NUM>) configured to be coupled to a provisioning apparatus (<NUM>), the provisioning apparatus (<NUM>) being electrically connectable with a plurality of pins of an electronic component (<NUM>) for provisioning the electronic component (<NUM>) with security sensitive provisioning data (<NUM>), wherein the provisioning control apparatus (<NUM>) comprises:
a communication interface (<NUM>) configured to provide the security sensitive provisioning data (<NUM>) via the provisioning apparatus (<NUM>) to the electronic component (<NUM>);
wherein the communication interface (<NUM>) is further configured to trigger a lockdown of the electronic component (<NUM>); and
wherein the communication interface (<NUM>) is further configured to determine via the provisioning apparatus (<NUM>) one or more states of the plurality of pins of the electronic component (<NUM>) for determining a state of the electronic component (<NUM>), after the electronic component (<NUM>) has been locked down.