Method and apparatus for software access to a microprocessor serial number

Claim 1

A computer system comprising: a central processing unit, wherein said central processing unit comprises at least one register having a storage for a plurality of bytes, wherein said at least one register stores at least one encryption key and an unecrypted microprocessor serial number; a memory unit coupled to said central processing unit to store an encrypted microprocessor serial number; an encryption/decryption circuitry coupled to said at least one register and said memory unit, wherein said encryption/decryption circuitry provides an encryption to said unencryption microprocessor serial number using said at least one encryption key, and wherein said encryption/decryption circuitry further provides a decryption to said encryption microprocessor serial number using said at least one encryption key; and an interface circuitry coupled to said encryption/decryption circuitry and said memory unit to provide said encrypted microprocessor serial number to said memory unit.

Claim 3

A method for writing a serial number for a microprocessor using encryption, said method comprising: storing a first key of at least one byte in a first storage location in said microprocessor; encrypting a plurality of bytes of said serial number stored in said first storage location using said first key, thereby providing an encrypted serial number; further storing a second key of at least one byte in said first storage location; and further encrypting said encrypted serial number along with said first key using said second key, thereby writing a double encrypted serial number along with an encrypted first key in said first storage location.

Claim 4

A method for writing a serial number for a microprocessor using encryption, said method comprising: storing a first key of at least one byte in a first storage location in said microprocessor; encrypting a plurality of bytes of said serial number stored in said first storage location using said first key, thereby providing an encrypted serial number; further storing a second key of at least one byte in said first storage location; and further encrypting said encrypted serial number along with said first key using said second key, thereby writing a double encrypted serial number along with an encrypted first key in said first storage location.

Claim 7

A method of reading an encrypted serial number for a microprocessor, said method comprising: (a) accessing a first key of at least one byte, wherein said first key being stored in a first storage location in said microprocessor; (b) extracting a second key of at least one byte by decrypting a plurality of bytes of said encrypted serial number using said first key, wherein said encrypted serial number being stored in said first storage location; and (c) further decrypting said plurality of bytes of said encrypted serial number using said second key, thereby providing a decrypted serial number for said microprocessor.

Claim 8

A method of reading an encrypted serial number for a microprocessor, said method comprising: (a) accessing a first key of at least one byte, wherein said first key being stored in a first storage location in said microprocessor; (b) extracting a second key of at least one byte by decrypting a plurality of bytes of said encrypted serial number using said first key, wherein said encrypted serial number being stored in said first storage location; and (c) further decrypting said plurality of bytes of said encrypted serial number using said second key, thereby providing a decrypted serial number for said microprocessor.

Claim 13

A method of preparing a microprocessor for reprogramming a serial number, said method comprising: storing a first key of at least one byte in a first storage location in said microprocessor; encrypting a plurality of bytes of a first serial number stored in said first storage location using said first key, thereby providing a first encrypted serial number; further storing a second key of at least one byte in said first storage location; further encrypting said first encrypted serial number along with said first key using said second key, thereby providing a first double encrypted serial number along with an encrypted first key in said first storage location; receiving a cyclical redundancy checksum bits encoded serial number from a second storage location coupled to said microprocessor; decoding said cyclical redundancy checksum bits, thereby providing a second double encrypted serial number and an encrypted third key; comparing said second double encrypted serial number and said encrypted third key with said first double encrypted serial number and said encrypted first key in a comparator in said microprocessor; and allowing said microprocessor for reprogramming said serial number when said comparator produces a match.

Claim 14

A method of preparing a microprocessor for reprogramming a serial number, said method comprising: storing a first key of at least one byte in a first storage location in said microprocessor; encrypting a plurality of bytes of a first serial number stored in said first storage location using said first key, thereby providing a first encrypted serial number; further storing a second key of at least one byte in said first storage location; further encrypting said first encrypted serial number along with said first key using said second key, thereby providing a first double encrypted serial number along with an encrypted first key in said first storage location; receiving a cyclical redundancy checksum bits encoded serial number from a second storage location coupled to said microprocessor; decoding said cyclical redundancy checksum bits, thereby providing a second double encrypted serial number and an encrypted third key; comparing said second double encrypted serial number and said encrypted third key with said first double encrypted serial number and said encrypted first key in a comparator in said microprocessor; and allowing said microprocessor for reprogramming said serial number when said comparator produces a match.

Claim 15

A method of configuring a serialized software through a plurality of application programming interfaces (API) to upgrade its microprocessor serial number, wherein said serialized software being executable in a computer system having a CPU and a memory, said method comprising: (a) reading a serial number for said CPU via a Read-CPU-Serial-Number API command, wherein said serial number is stored in said CPU; (b) retrieving a last CPU serial number stored in said memory via a Get-Previous-CPU-Serial-Number API; (c) remotely seeking an authorization via an Upgrade-CPU-Serial-Number API when said serial number in step(a) and said last CPU serial number in step(b) do not match; and (d) locking said software with said serial number in step(a) via a Lock-with-new-CPU-Serial-Number API upon receiving said authorization in step(c).

Claim 16

A method of configuring a serialized software through a plurality of application programming interfaces (API) to upgrade its microprocessor serial number, wherein said serialized software being executable in a computer system having a CPU and a memory, said method comprising: (a) reading a serial number for said CPU via a Read-CPU-Serial-Number API command, wherein said serial number is stored in said CPU; (b) retrieving a last CPU serial number stored in said memory via a Get-Previous-CPU-Serial-Number API; (c) remotely seeking an authorization via an Upgrade-CPU-Serial-Number API when said serial number in step(a) and said last CPU serial number in step(b) do not match; and (d) locking said software with said serial number in step(a) via a Lock-with-new-CPU-Serial-Number API upon receiving said authorization in step(c).