Code Protection and Potential Upgrades?

ninjanick · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 25

I know Code Protection is possilbe, but I have a situation where future upgrades are a possibility. I thought of opening the EEPROM Memory so that I can read the build date, revision, etc ... since it's not vital to protect. A question came to me recently and I'm having a hard time answering.

What happens if someone reads the EEPROM and writes these values back to another chip. Sends the chip in for "upgrade" and gets a brand new upgraded chip for the price of a blank. Anyway to get around this? I can't read the Program Memory as it's protected and if I plug the chip in to a test board and it doesn't work ... all the "customer" can say is it didn't work from the beginning. Or am I thinking about this too hard?

Trampas · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 89 Location: NC

You are thinking too hard...

First off what if some one zaps a new chip and then sends it back to you?

So basically worring too much about it may be overkill. Just make you a security sticker and put on the chip. Then only warrenty chips with the security sticker.

Trampas

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

I agree that you are thinking too hard also. But, you can have the version hardcoded in the code and check the eeprom. If its different, then write the data to it. The eeprom will always have the correct version and you will be able to read it.

ninjanick · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 25

Thanks! I think the security sticker is the way to go. Anyone know a good vendor that has a sticker that will fit on an 18-pin dip?