Patent ID: 7550789

Claim:
An integrated circuit device configured to prevent unauthorized access to proprietary information contained in the device, comprising: a device controller positioned on the integrated circuit device; an onboard communication interface positioned in communication with the device controller and at least one I/O line of the device; at least one device register in communication with at least one of the controller and the communication interface, the device register being configured to store device related proprietary information; a first electrically programmable fuse associated with a first tamper bit; and a second electrically programmable fuse positioned in communication with at least one of the device controller and the communication interface, the second electrically programmable fuse being programmable from a first conductive state to a second conductive state, wherein the second electrically programmable fuse is configured to control externally generated communication between the communication interface of the integrated circuit device and the device register, wherein the second electrically programmable fuse is blown upon occurrence of a first unauthorized access attempt on the device register, and wherein the first programmable fuse is blown upon determination of the first unauthorized access attempt.