Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to data encoding and decoding circuits and, in particular, to a simple encoding and decoding circuit for use in a microcontroller or similar processing circuit having limited memory and processing power. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A wide array of consumer and business electronic devices can be upgraded by receiving (i.e., downloading) application programs and data files from an external network, such as the Internet. Initially, this method of upgrading electronic devices was limited primarily to personal computers. Increasingly, however, software upgrades can be applied to ever smaller devices, including cell phones, handheld computers (such as a PalmPilot™) MP3 players, and the like. 
     Quite often, application programs and data files are encrypted prior to transmission and then decrypted by the downloading device. Encryption is used to prevent the downloaded application programs and data files from being corrupted and/or tampered with during transmission. The application programs and data files are encrypted along with redundancy checksum values derived from the application programs and data files. If the redundancy checksum values are not correct after decryption, the downloaded software may be corrupted and is discarded. Encryption also is used to prevent the downloaded application programs and data files from being illegally copied onto unauthorized devices. Many encryption systems use an embedded encryption key that is unique to each downloading device. Unauthorized devices do not have the correct encryption key and, therefore, cannot decrypt the encrypted downloaded software. 
     Conventional encryption and decryption techniques require a good deal of memory and processing power. For example, the popular Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) public key encryption algorithm (and similar cyphers) use large binary numbers (i.e., 1024 bits) and exponential mathematics to encrypt and decrypt data. This requires a great deal of random access memory (RAM) to hold large numbers and also requires wide (i.e., 64 bits or greater) data processors to perform the calculations in a reasonably short period of time. 
     Unfortunately, many of the smaller devices (e.g. cell phones, handheld computers, MP3 players) that are capable of receiving software upgrades are controller by small (i.e., 8 bit or 16 bit) microcontrollers containing small FLASH memories. These types of devices do not have the required memory size and processing throughput necessary to implement conventional encryption and decryption schemes, such as the RSA public key encryption algorithm. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved encryption and decryption systems that do not require large memories and high processing throughput. In particular, there is a need for an encryption and decryption system for use with 8-bit and 16-bit microprocessors, microcontrollers, and similar small scale processors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an encryption-decryption circuit for encrypting and decrypting data. According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the encryption-decryption circuit comprises: 1) an N-bit shift register for storing and shifting an N bit keyword; 2) a first exclusive-OR gate array capable of receiving M bits from the N-bit shift register and generating a one-bit exclusive-OR result that is shifted into an input of the N-bit shift register; and 3) a second exclusive-OR gate array comprising K exclusive-OR gates, each of the K exclusive-OR gates capable of receiving one of K bits from the N-bit shift register and one of K data bits from a received K-bit data word and generating therefrom an exclusive-OR result, the K exclusive-OR gates thereby producing one of: i) a K-bit encrypted data word and ii) a K-bit unencrypted data word. 
     The present invention advantageously allows encryption and decryption operations to be performed using only binary (i.e. base 2) mathematics and operators. In an embodiment in which N equals 128 bits, a shift register of only 16 bytes is required and the number of possible keywords is approximately 3.4×10 38 . 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the encryption-decryption circuit further comprises a N-bit buffer for storing the N-bit keyword. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the N-bit keyword is unique to the encryption-decryption circuit. 
     According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the encryption-decryption circuit further comprises a N×M switch capable of coupling M selected ones of the N bits in the N-bit shift register to the first exclusive-OR gate array. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the encryption-decryption circuit further comprises a N×K switch capable of coupling K selected ones of the N bits in the N-bit shift register to inputs of the K exclusive-OR gates in the second exclusive-OR gate array. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the second exclusive-OR gate array further comprises adder circuitry capable of adding a K-bit value to the K-bit encrypted data word. 
     According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, the second exclusive-OR gate array further comprises subtraction circuitry capable of subtracting a K-bit value from the received K-bit data word prior to generation of the exclusive-OR result by the second exclusive-OR gate array. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     Before understanding the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers designate like objects, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary microcontroller containing an encryption-decryption circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary microcontroller containing an encryption-decryption circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the exemplary encryption-decryption circuit according to the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 3 , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present invention may be implemented in any suitably arranged microprocessor, microcontroller, or similar data processor. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates exemplary microcontroller  100 , which contains an encryption-decryption circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Microcontroller  100  comprises processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  and encryption and decryption circuit  120 . Processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  executes the primary functions of microcontroller  100 . Encryption and decryption circuit  120  is used to encrypt and decrypt data. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, microcontroller  100  is able to receive encrypted data, such as object code, from an external source, such as the Internet or an external processing system to which microcontroller  100  is connected. Advantageously, microcontroller  100  may also send encrypted data to the external source. Processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  controls encryption and decryption circuit  120  using the control lines LOAD, SHIFT, ENCRYPT/DECRYPT (E/D), and the data buses DATA IN and DATA OUT. When the ENCRYPT/DECRYPT is set to Encrypt Mode, processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  is operable to transfer unencrypted data to encryption and decryption circuit  120  on the K-bit DATA IN bus and to receive encrypted data from encryption and decryption circuit  120  on the K-bit DATA OUT bus. When the ENCRYPT/DECRYPT is set to Decrypt Mode, processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  is operable to transfer encrypted data to encryption and decryption circuit  120  on the K-bit DATA IN bus and to receive unencrypted data from encryption and decryption circuit  120  on the K-bit DATA OUT bus. 
     Encryption and decryption circuit  120  comprises N-bit shift register  122 , N-bit keyword buffer  124 , exclusive-OR (XOR) gate array  126 , and exclusive-OR (XOR) +/− Y gate array  127 . N-bit keyword buffer  124  contains an N-bit binary data key that is unique to microcontroller  100 . The key may be broken into two N/2-bit keys, one of which is held within microcontroller  100 , such as a serial number. This is used to limit the distribution of the software to only one target machine (such as a license upgrade). 
     Processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  loads the key into N-bit shift register  122  by enabling the LOAD signal. XOR gate array  126  receives M arbitrary bits from N-bit shift register  122  and determines a single bit exclusive-OR result of all M bits. Thus, the single bit XOR result, f(b), is given by:
 
 f ( b )= Ba⊕Bb⊕Bc⊕ . . . ⊕Bg 
 
where Ba, Bb, Bc, . . . , and Bg are the M arbitrarily selected ones of bits B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , . . . , Bn from N-bit shift register  122 . The XOR result, f(b), is then input to N-bit shift register  122 . Processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110  shifts the N binary bits in N-bit shift register  122  using the SHIFT control signal.
 
     For each shift of N-bit shift register  122 , K arbitrary bits from N-bit shift register  122  are also applied to XOR +/− Y gate array  127 . XOR +/− Y gate array  127  comprises K exclusive-OR gates, each of which has two inputs and one output. Each of the K arbitrary bits from N-bit shift register  122  is XORed with one of the K bits on the DATA IN bits to produce one of the K bits on the DATA OUT bus. Since exclusive OR is a reversible operation if the output (i.e., result) and one input are known, the present invention has the advantage of being symmetrical between encryption and decryption. 
     Thus, unencrypted data may be encrypted by exclusive-ORing with the K bits from N-bit shift register  122 . The encrypted data may then be decrypted by exclusive-ORing with the K bits from N-bit shift register  122 . The data pattern in N-bit shift register is completely deterministic given a known key and the number of shifts. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment, the K bit binary value Y may be added after the XOR operation during Encryption Mode and K bit binary value Y may be subtracted prior to the XOR operation during Decryption Mode. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Y=0, so that only the XOR function is implemented by XOR +/− Y gate array  127 . 
     According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the value of K is the same as the data width of processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  110 . Thus, if microcontroller  100  is an 8-bit processing device, K=8, if microcontroller  110  is a 16-bit processing device, K=16, and so forth. 
     By way of example, in a representative microcontroller, N-bit shift register  122  may be a 128 shift register, M may be 25, and K may be 16. Thus, the 128 bits from 128 bit keyword buffer  124  may be loaded into shift register  122  and shifted S times to an arbitrary starting point. On each shift, 25 arbitrary bits from shift register  122  are exclusive-ORed (XORed) together to produce a one bit result that is shifted into shift register  122 . Once the starting point is reached, 16 arbirtrary bits from shift register  122  are XORed with the 16 bits from the DATA IN bus to produce 16 encrypted bits on the DATA OUT bus. Each subsequent shift of shift register  122  produces a new 16 bit pattern that is XORed with the next 16 bit data word on the DATA In bus, until all data words are encrypted. 
     A similar operation occurs during decryption. The 128 bits from 128 bit keyword buffer  124  are loaded into shift register  122  and shifted S times to the arbitrary starting point, just as during encryption. On each shift, 25 arbitrary bits from shift register  122  are exclusive-ORed (XORed) together to produce a one bit result that is shifted into shift register  122 . Once the starting point is reached, 16 arbitrary bits from shift register  122  are XORed with the 16 encrypted data bits from the DATA IN bus to produce 16 unencrypted bits on the DATA OUT bus. Each subsequent shift of shift register  122  produces a new 16 bit pattern that is XORed with the next 16 bit encrypted data word on the DATA IN bus, until all encrypted data words are unencrypted (decrypted). 
       FIG. 2  illustrates exemplary microcontroller  200  containing an encryption-decryption circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Microcontroller  200  is similar to microcontroller  100  in  FIG. 1  in most respects. Microcontroller  200  comprises processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  210  and encryption-decryption circuit  220 . Processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  210  executes the primary functions of microcontroller  200 . Encryption and decryption circuit  220  is used to encrypt and decrypt data. 
     Processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  210  controls encryption and decryption circuit  220  using the control lines LOAD, SHIFT, and ENCRYPT/DECRYPT (E/D), the switch select control lines, SWITCH SELECT, and the data buses DATA IN and DATA OUT. When the ENCRYPT/DECRYPT is set to Encrypt Mode, processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  210  is operable to transfer unencrypted data to encryption-decryption circuit  220  on the K-bit DATA IN bus and to receive encrypted data from encryption and decryption circuit  220  on the K-bit DATA OUT bus. When the ENCRYPT/DECRYPT is set to Decrypt Mode, processor core logic and FLASH memory circuit  210  is operable to transfer encrypted data to encryption and decryption circuit  220  on the K-bit DATA IN bus and to receive unencrypted data from encryption and decryption circuit  220  on the K-bit DATA OUT bus. 
     Encryption and decryption circuit  220  comprises N-bit shift register  222 , N-bit keyword buffer  224 , N×M switch  225 , exclusive-OR (XOR) gate array  226 , N×K switch  227 , and exclusive-OR (XOR) +/− Y gate array  228 . N-bit keyword buffer  224  contains an N-bit binary data key that is unique to microcontroller  200 . 
     The primary difference between microcontroller  200  and microcontroller  100  in  FIG. 1  is that the M bits applied to XOR gate array  226  are not fixed, but rather are selectable by the SWITCH SELECT control signals using N×M switch  225 . Similarly, the K bits applied to XOR gate array  228  are not fixed, but rather are selectable by the SWITCH SELECT control signals using N×K switch  225 . Switch  225  and switch  227  are optional and may be implemented to provide additional levels of security. 
       FIG. 3  depicts flow diagram  300 , which illustrates the operation of the exemplary encryption-decryption circuit according to the principles of the present invention. Initially, microcontroller  200  loads the N bit keyword into shift register  222  (process step  305 ). Optionally, microcontroller  200  sets SWITCH SELECT signals for one or both of N×M switch  225  and N×K switch  227  if the switches are implemented (process step  310 ). Next, microcontroller  200  shifts the bits in shift register  222  S times to establish a starting point (process step  310 ). Then, microcontroller  200  applies the first K bit data word to XOR +/− Y gate array  228  via the DATA IN bus and reads the result from the DATA OUT bus (process step  320 ). Finally, microcontroller  200  shifts the data in shift register  222  and applies the next K bit data word to XOR +/− Y gate array  228  via the DATA IN bus and reads the result from the DATA OUT bus (process step  325 ). Microcontroller  200  repeats step  325  until all data is encrypted or decrypted (process step  330 ). 
     Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

Technology Category: h