EMBEDDED SYSTEM

Abstract

An embedded system, comprising a programmable device, a micro controller and an I/O interface is disclosed. The programmable device consists of a pin set for signal delivery. The micro controller device controls the programmable device via the pin set. The I/O interface receives a program code provided externally. The micro controller executes a command sequence to program the program code into the programmable device via the pin set, and the programmable device uses the program code to provide the specific function. The command sequence may also be provided externally and sent to the micro controller via the well-known general I/O interface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a conventional embedded system 100 with an externally coupled program provider 110;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show embodiments of embedded system according to the disclosure.

Claims

1. An embedded system, comprising: a programmable device, storing program codes, consisting of a pin set for signal delivery,a micro controller, connected to the programmable device, controlling the programmable device via the pin set;an I/O interface, coupled to the micro controller, receiving a program code provided externally, in which a specific function is defined; wherein:the micro controller executes a command sequence to program the program code into the programmable device via the pin set; andthe programmable device executes the programmed program code to provide the specific function.

2. The embedded system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the command sequence is provided externally and sent to the micro controller via the I/O interface.

3. The embedded system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first memory device coupled to the I/O interface and micro controller; wherein: the program code is received from the I/O interface and stored in the first memory device; andwhen programming the programmable device, the micro controller reads the program code from the first memory device and writes to the programmable device.

4. The embedded system as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the command sequence is provided externally via the I/O interface and stored in the first memory device; andwhen programming the programmable device, the micro controller reads the command sequence from the first memory device and executes it to perform the programming.

5. The embedded system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first memory device is a volatile memory device or a DRAM.

6. The embedded system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a second memory device coupled to the micro controller, storing the command sequence; wherein when programming the programmable device, the micro controller reads the command sequence from the second memory device and executes it to perform the programming.

7. The embedded system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second memory device is a nonvolatile memory device, a FLASH or an EEPROM.

8. The embedded system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the embedded system is an optical storage device.

9. The embedded system as claimed in claim 8, wherein: the programmable device is an e-fuse or a one time programmable chip that can only be programmed once;the program code comprises confidential information to be protected; andthe specific function is storage of the confidential information of which modification is unallowable.

10. The embedded system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the I/O interface is an IDE interface, a SATA interface or a network interface.