The present invention relates generally to the data processing field, and more particularly, relates to a method and computer processor system with anti-tamper capability and thermal packaging structure for implementing enhanced heat removal from processor circuitry, such as, a high-performance cell processor complex, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides.
A need exists for an effective cooling and packaging arrangement for a computer processor system, such as, a Cell Processor and Card Complex, requiring anti-tamper capability.
One known solution today is to provide total physical encapsulation of the card electronics for a computer system requiring anti-tamper capability. The main drawback is that this known arrangement significantly limits the amount of heat that can be dissipated in the device, typically 10 watts.
A need exists for such an effective cooling and packaging arrangement for a computer processor system having anti-tamper capability, for example, enabling substantially increased power dissipation in the processor circuitry, such as an order of magnitude increase or at least 100 watts in power dissipation, while keeping the processor device temperatures below a required maximum specification.
Principal aspects of the present invention are to provide a method and computer processor system with anti-tamper capability and thermal packaging structure for implementing enhanced heat removal from processor circuitry, such as, a high-performance cell processor complex, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides. Other important aspects of the present invention are to provide such method and computer processor system with anti-tamper capability substantially without negative effect and that overcome many of the disadvantages of prior art arrangements.
In brief, a method and computer processor system with anti-tamper capability and thermal packaging structure for implementing enhanced heat removal from processor circuitry, such as, a high-performance cell processor complex, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. The computer system includes predefined processor circuits including anti-tamper logic. A volume container substantially contains the predefined processor circuits including the anti-tamper logic. A heat spreader is provided with predefined processor circuits within the volume container. A heatsink structure is attached to an external cover above the volume container. The heatsink structure includes a heatsink base and a plurality of parallel fins extending outwardly from the heatsink base. A heat pipe extending through a folded mesh is attached to the heat spreader within the volume container, extends through an access aperture outside the volume container and is attached to the heatsink base providing a heat removal path for the processor circuits. Within the volume container the heat pipe includes a plurality of bends to maintain the anti-tamper capability of the computer processor system.
In accordance with features of the invention, a plurality of the heat pipes is arranged in parallel to effectively remove the required heat load. The heat pipes have a small diameter for minimizing the size of a required access aperture and maintaining robust anti-tamper packaging structure.
In accordance with features of the invention, the predefined processor circuits include memory devices associated with a processor. The memory devices include high speed dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and a nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). The predefined processor circuits include a cryptographic logic unit and a field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) unit. The predefined processor circuits provide secure processing with a high robustness level with the anti-tamper logic.
The present invention together with the above and other objects and advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:
Having reference now to the drawings, in
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiment, computer processor system 100 has anti-tamper capability and thermal packaging structure for implementing enhanced heat removal from processor circuitry, such as, a high-performance cell processor complex.
Computer processor system 100 includes volume protected processor circuits 102 and power supply connector circuits 104. The volume protected processor circuits 102 are arranged with a plurality of heat pipes 106 for effectively and efficiently providing a heat removal path for volume protected processor circuits 102. The volume protected processor circuits 102 define, for example, a high-performance cell processor and card complex with anti-tamper capability.
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiment, an integrated heat pipe assembly is provided to effectively remove the high power from the volume protected processor circuits 102 within an anti-tamper and thermal packaging structure, for example, as illustrated in
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiment, each of the heat pipes 106 preferably includes an outer flexible metal mesh. Utilizing multiple parallel small heat pipes 106, such as 4 pipes with a minimum 3 mm diameter, effectively removes the required heat load while minimizing the size of a required access aperture in a volume container to maintain a very robust anti-tamper package structure.
As shown the volume protected processor circuits 102 includes a cell processor 110, an extreme data rate (XDR) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 112, a nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) 114, and a flash memory 116, a direct access storage device (DASD) 118, a cryptographic logic unit 120, a field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) unit 122, and an anti-tamper logic 124.
The volume protected processor circuits 102 are arranged for secure processing and protected from such attacks as physical probing, x-ray, E-beam probing and the like. The cryptographic logic unit 120 functions as a cryptographic hardware accelerator providing the capability to protect data at different government and commercial levels. The added FPGAs unit 122 allows for expanded functions for the cryptographic logic unit 120. Computer processor system 100 provides a powerful computing environment via the cell processor 110, while providing secure processing to a high robustness level via the anti-tamper logic 124, cryptographic logic unit 120 and the FPGAs unit 122.
The power supply connector circuits 104 are provided within a separate zone not requiring volume protection including, for example, a power regulator 126, batteries 128, and a plurality of connectors 130, 132.
Computer system 100 is shown in simplified form sufficient for understanding the present invention. The illustrated computer system 100 is not intended to imply architectural or functional limitations. The present invention can be used with various hardware implementations and systems and various other internal hardware devices.
Referring also to
The anti-tamper and thermal packaging structure 200 includes a volume container generally designated by the reference character 202 substantially containing the predefined processor circuits 102 including the anti-tamper logic 124. The volume container 202 includes an inner cover 204, and a folded flexible mesh member 206 supported by and folded around the inner cover 204, surrounded by an outer cover or external cover 208. A metal sheet material forms both the inner cover 204 and outer cover 208, for example, a copper sheet having a thickness of about 0.5 mm. A resin layer 210 extends below the volume container 202 within the outer cover 208. The resin layer 210 is an encapsulation resin formed, for example, of a polyurethane material having UL94-V0 flammability rating.
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiment, the use of heat pipes 106 provides a low thermal resistance path through the anti-tamper package structure 200, where the heat is then effectively dissipated to the external environment through a heatsink structure 212 attached to the outer cover 208.
The heatsink structure 212 is attached to the external cover 208 above the volume container 202. The heatsink structure 212 includes an elongated heatsink base 214 and a plurality of parallel fins 216 extending outwardly from the heatsink base. The heatsink base 214, the fins 216, and the heat pipes 106 typically are formed of copper.
A heat spreader or cold plate 218 is provided with predefined processor circuits 102 within the volume container 202. Each heat pipe 106 winds through the folded metal mesh 206, and is attached to the heat spreader 218 within the volume container 202, extends through an access aperture 220 to outside the volume container 202 and is attached to the heatsink base 214 providing a heat removal path for the processor circuits 102. The heat pipes 106 are attached to the heat spreader 218 and to the heatsink base 214, for example, by soldering.
Within the volume container 202 and the external cover 208, each of the heat pipes 106 includes a plurality of bends such as illustrated in
In the anti-tamper and thermal package structure 200 as shown, an inside surface of the outer cover 208 carries a circuit card 224 connected to the power supply connector circuits 104. A flexible cable 226 connected to the circuit card 222 includes a generally Z-shaped bending portion for providing proper security for anti-tamper capability. The Z-shaped bending portion of flexible cable 226 is spaced from a flexible cable connector retainer 228 receiving connector 130, for example, a fine pitch stack connector.
Design process 404 may include using a variety of inputs; for example, inputs from library elements 408 which may house a set of commonly used elements, circuits, and devices, including models, layouts, and symbolic representations, for a given manufacturing technology, such as different technology nodes, 42 nm, 45 nm, 90 nm, and the like, design specifications 410, characterization data 412, verification data 414, design rules 416, and test data files 418, which may include test patterns and other testing information. Design process 404 may further include, for example, standard circuit design processes such as timing analysis, verification, design rule checking, place and route operations, and the like. One of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit design can appreciate the extent of possible electronic design automation tools and applications used in design process 404 without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention. The design structure of the invention is not limited to any specific design flow.
Design process 404 preferably translates an embodiment of the invention as shown in
While the present invention has been described with reference to the details of the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing, these details are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5880524 | Xie | Mar 1999 | A |
6525420 | Zuo et al. | Feb 2003 | B2 |
7019971 | Houle et al. | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7064955 | Harris et al. | Jun 2006 | B2 |
7347354 | Hurley et al. | Mar 2008 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090109611 A1 | Apr 2009 | US |