Configurable feature selection mechanism

• US 20060004928A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Strong, Robert W., Derr, Michael N., Hess, Gary M., Brown, Jeffrey T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method comprises determining whether a feature on a device is permitted to be enabled, determining whether a total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to a maximum number of allowable features on the device, and allowing the enabling of the device feature if the device feature is permitted to be enabled and the total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to the maximum number of allowable features on the device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining whether a feature on a device is permitted to be enabled;

determining whether a total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to a maximum number of allowable features on the device; and

allowing the enabling of the device feature if the device feature is permitted to be enabled and the total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to the maximum number of allowable features on the device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising programming the device with a permanent feature designator value to allow subsequent determination of feature permission.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising allowing enabling of the device feature if the permanent feature designator value permits enabling the device feature.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein programming the device with a permanent feature designator value comprises storing a binary value in a register on the device, wherein the binary value indicates whether enabling the device is permitted.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising programming a permanent maximum number of allowable features value into a register on the device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating each device feature with one or more credit values;

adding the associated credit values of all enabled device features; and

disabling one or more device features if the sum of the credit values of all enabled device features is greater than the maximum number of allowable features.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein disabling one or more device features further comprises disabling all device features.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises an I/O controller hub.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a memory controller hub.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a central processing unit.

11. A method, comprising:

designating a maximum number of allowable features on a device; and

disabling one or more device features if a total number of enabled features on the device exceeds the designated maximum number of allowable features on the device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling all device features if a total number of enabled features on the device exceeds the designated maximum number of allowable features on the device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing information indicating the maximum number of allowable features in a register on the device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the device further comprises an I/O controller hub.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the device further comprises a memory controller hub.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the device further comprises a central processing unit.

17. A method, comprising:

programming a value in one or more feature permission registers on a device to designate whether one or more features on the device are permitted to be enabled, wherein each feature permission register value is associated with an individual device feature;

programming a value in a feature count register on the device to designate a maximum number of allowable features on the device;

allowing each device feature to be enabled on device initialization if the corresponding feature permission register value permits the feature to be enabled;

counting the total number of enabled device features upon device initialization; and

disabling all device features if the total number of enabled features on the device exceeds the count of the maximum number of allowable features on the device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein device initialization further comprises the device'"'"'s power up sequence.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the device further comprises an I/O controller hub.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the device further comprises a memory controller hub.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the device further comprises a central processing unit.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

circuitry to determine whether a feature on a device is permitted to be enabled;

circuitry to determine whether a total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to a maximum number of allowable features on the device; and

circuitry to allow the enabling of the device feature if the device feature is permitted to be enabled and the total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to the maximum number of allowable features on the device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further operable to store a binary value in a register on the device, wherein the binary value indicates whether the act of enabling the device is permitted.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further operable to:

designate the maximum number of allowable features on the device; and

store information in a register indicating the maximum number of allowable features on the device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising circuitry to disable all device features if the total number of enabled features on the device exceeds the designated maximum number of allowable features on the device.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the device further comprises an I/O controller hub.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the device further comprises a memory controller hub.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the device further comprises a central processing unit.

29. A system, comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus; and

a chipset coupled to the bus, the chipset comprising;

circuitry to determine whether a feature on a device is permitted to be enabled;

circuitry to determine whether a total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to a maximum number of allowable features on the device; and

circuitry to allow the enabling of the device feature if the device feature is permitted to be enabled and the total number of enabled features on the device is less than or equal to the maximum number of allowable features on the device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises circuitry to store a binary value in a register on the device, wherein the binary value indicates whether the act of enabling the device feature is permitted.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises circuitry to store information indicating the maximum number of allowable features in a register on the device.