> > You should see the patents that Mchip hold. Brownout, Power-up timer
> > etc. I think this is probably what Mchip is sueing for.
>
>     You're correct, Tjaart... The six patents referenced in the suit
>     are:
>
>         5473758:  System having input output pins shifting between
>                   programming mode and normal mode to program memory
>                   without dedicating input output pins for
>                   programming mode

this is weird... EPROM have been out for a while and it seems to me
that the above description exactly matches the programming method for
EPROMs! (yes I know Eproms have a Vpp pin, but just call it RESET...)

>         5469557:  Code protection in microcontroller with EEPROM
>                   fuses
>
>         5446864:  System and method for protecting contents of
>                   microcontroller memory by providing scrambled data
>                   in response to an unauthorized read access without
>                   alteration of the memory contents

if this is the protection technique used on the 16C84, good that
they don't call it "Secure" :)

        Cheers
        Luigi
-----------------------------+--------------------------------------
Luigi Rizzo                  |  Dip. di Ingegneria dell'Informazione
email: luigi@iet.unipi.it    |  Universita' di Pisa
tel: +39-50-568533           |  via Diotisalvi 2, 56126 PISA (Italy)
fax: +39-50-568522           |  http://www.iet.unipi.it/~luigi/
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