Abstract: An IC cell designed to assert one of multiple possible output states, each with equal probability, implemented to assert a pre-determined one of the multiple output states based on random variations within the IC cell, such as random process variations. An array of IC cells is configurable to provide a hardware-embedded key upon power-up that is unique to the combination of random variations of selected IC cells, resistant to tampering prior to and during manufacture, and tolerant to aging, instantaneous thermal noise, and environmental variations, such as voltage and temperature fluctuations. The key may be used as, without limitation, a Platform Root Key, a High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) key, an Enhanced Privacy Identification (EPID) key, and/or an Advanced Access Content System (AACS) key. Also disclosed are techniques to measure stability and stress-harden an IC cell based on output states of the IC cell.

Abstract: A router of a network-on-chip receives delay information associated with a plurality of links of the network-on-chip. The router determines at least one link of a data path based on the delay information.

Abstract: A first packet-switched reservation request is received. Data associated with the first packet-switched reservation request is communicated through a first circuit-switched channel according to a best effort communication scheme. A second packet-switched reservation request is received. Data associated with the second packet-switched reservation request is communicated through a second circuit-switched channel according to a guaranteed throughput communication scheme.

Abstract: A packet-switched reservation request to be associated with a first data stream is received. A communication mode is selected. The communication mode is to be either a circuit-switched mode or a packet-switched mode. At least a portion of the first data stream is communicated in accordance with the communication mode.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit including a memory device including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is a first type of content addressable memory (CAM) with a first set of cells and the second portion is a second type of CAM with a second set of cells. The first set of cells is smaller than the second set of cells. The integrated circuit further includes a decompression accelerator coupled to the memory device, the decompression accelerator to generate a plurality of length codes. Each of the plurality of length codes include at least one bit. The plurality of length codes are generated using a symbol received from an encoded data stream that includes a plurality of symbols. The decompression accelerator further to store the plurality of length codes in the first portion of the memory device in an order according to their respective number of bits.

Abstract: Dark-bit masking technologies for physically unclonable function (PUF) components are described. A computing system includes a processor core and a secure key manager component coupled to the processor core. The secure key manager includes the PUF component, and a dark-bit masking circuit coupled to the PUF component. The dark-bit masking circuit is to measure a PUF value of the PUF component multiple times during a dark-bit window to detect whether the PUF value of the PUF component is a dark bit. The dark bit indicates that the PUF value of the PUF component is unstable during the dark-bit window. The dark-bit masking circuit is to output the PUF value as an output PUF bit of the PUF component when the PUF value is not the dark bit and set the output PUF bit to be a specified value when the PUF value of the PUF component is the dark bit.

Abstract: Described herein are an apparatus and method for Skein hashing. The apparatus comprises a block cipher operable to receive an input data and to generate a hashed output data by applying Unique Block Iteration (UBI) modes, the block cipher comprising at least two mix and permute logic units which are pipelined by registers; and a counter, coupled to the block cipher, to determine a sequence of the UBI modes and to cause the block cipher to process at least two input data simultaneously for generating the hashed output data.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention may provide methods and circuits for energy efficient floating point multiply and/or add operations. A variable precision floating point circuit may determine the certainty of the result of a multiply-add floating point calculation in parallel with the floating-point calculation. The variable precision floating point circuit may use the certainty of the inputs in combination with information from the computation, such as, binary digits that cancel, normalization shifts, and rounding, to perform a calculation of the certainty of the result. A floating point multiplication circuit may determine whether a lowest portion of a multiplication result could affect the final result and may induce a replay of the multiplication operation when it is determined that the result could affect the final result.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a router includes multiple input ports and output ports, where the router is of a source-synchronous hybrid network on chip (NoC) to enable communication between routers of the NoC based on transitions in control flow signals communicated between the routers. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Dark-bit masking technologies for physically unclonable function (PUF) components are described. A computing system includes a processor core and a secure key manager component coupled to the processor core. The secure key manager includes the PUF component, and a dark-bit masking circuit coupled to the PUF component. The dark-bit masking circuit is to measure a PUF value of the PUF component multiple times during a dark-bit window to detect whether the PUF value of the PUF component is a dark bit. The dark bit indicates that the PUF value of the PUF component is unstable during the dark-bit window. The dark-bit masking circuit is to output the PUF value as an output PUF bit of the PUF component when the PUF value is not the dark bit and set the output PUF bit to be a specified value when the PUF value of the PUF component is the dark bit.

Abstract: Methods and systems to implement voltage level shifting with interim-voltage-controlled contention-interruption. A voltage level shifter (VLS) may include voltage level shift circuitry to level shift an input logical state from an input voltage swing to an output voltage swing. The VLS may include contention circuitry, a contention interrupter, and an interrupt controller to generate a contention-interrupt control having an interim voltage swing. A lower limit of the interim voltage swing may correspond to a lower limit of the output voltage swing. An upper limit of the interim voltage swing may correspond to an upper limit of the input voltage swing. The VLS may be implemented to level shift true and complimentary logical states, such as with cascode voltage switch logic (CVSL).

Abstract: Described is a latch which comprises: a first AND-OR-invert (AOI) logic gate; and a second AOI logic gate coupled to the first AOI logic gate, wherein the first and second AOI logic gates have respective first and second keeper devices coupled to a power supply node. Described is a flip-flop which comprises: a first latch including: a first AOI logic gate; and a second AOI logic gate coupled to the first AOI logic gate, wherein the first and second AOI logic gates have respective first and second keeper devices coupled to a power supply, the first latch having an output node; and a second latch having an input node coupled to the output node of the first latch, the second latch having an output node to provide an output of the flip-flop.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for performing circuit-switched routing and packet-switched routing for network communication. In an embodiment, a router evaluates control information of a packet received by the router, the evaluation to detect whether the packet includes data for a sideband communication. Based on the evaluation, the router performs a selection from among a plurality of modes of the router, the plurality of modes including a first mode to route the packet for packet-switched communication of sideband data in a network. The plurality of modes also includes a second mode to configure a circuit-switched channel according to the packet. In another embodiment, the router determines a direction for routing a packet in a hierarchical network, wherein the determining of the direction is based on a level of the router in a hierarchy of the hierarchical network.

Abstract: Described herein are an apparatus and method for Skein hashing. The apparatus comprises a block cipher operable to receive an input data and to generate a hashed output data by applying Unique Block Iteration (UBI) modes, the block cipher comprising at least two mix and permute logic units which are pipelined by registers; and a counter, coupled to the block cipher, to determine a sequence of the UBI modes and to cause the block cipher to process at least two input data simultaneously for generating the hashed output data.

Abstract: An IC cell designed to assert one of multiple possible output states, each with equal probability, implemented to assert a pre-determined one of the multiple output states based on random variations within the IC cell, such as random process variations. An array of IC cells is configurable to provide a hardware-embedded key upon power-up that is unique to the combination of random variations of selected IC cells, resistant to tampering prior to and during manufacture, and tolerant to aging, instantaneous thermal noise, and environmental variations, such as voltage and temperature fluctuations. The key may be used as, without limitation, a Platform Root Key, a High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) key, an Enhanced Privacy Identification (EPID) key, and/or an Advanced Access Content System (AACS) key. Also disclosed are techniques to measure stability and stress-harden an IC cell based on output states of the IC cell.

Abstract: A different set of polynomials may be selected for encryption and decryption accelerators. That is, different sets of polynomials are used for encryption and decryption, each set being chosen to use less area and deliver more power for a memory encryption engine. This is advantageous in some embodiments since memory read operations are typically more critical and latency sensitive than memory writes.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, the complexity of motion estimation algorithms that use Haar, SAD and Hadamard transforms may be reduced. In some embodiments, the number of summations may be reduced compared to existing techniques and some of the existing summations may be replaced with compare operations. In some embodiments, additions are replaced with compares in order to balance delay and area or energy or power considerations.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor includes a multiply-accumulate (MAC) unit having a first path to handle execution of an instruction if a difference between at least a portion of first and second operands and a third operand is less than a threshold value, and a second path to handle the instruction execution if the difference is greater than the threshold value. Based on the difference, at least part of the third operand is to be provided to a multiplier of the MAC unit or to a compressor of the second path. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and systems to implement voltage level shifting with interim-voltage-controlled contention-interruption. A voltage level shifter (VLS) may include voltage level shift circuitry to level shift an input logical state from an input voltage swing to an output voltage swing. The VLS may include contention circuitry, a contention interrupter, and an interrupt controller to generate a contention-interrupt control having an interim voltage swing. A lower limit of the interim voltage swing may correspond to a lower limit of the output voltage swing. An upper limit of the interim voltage swing may correspond to an upper limit of the input voltage swing. The VLS may be implemented to level shift true and complimentary logical states, such as with cascode voltage switch logic (CVSL).

Abstract: A merged datapath for PopCount and BitScan is described. A hardware circuit includes a compressor tree utilized for a PopCount function, which is reused by a BitScan function (e.g., bit scan forward (BSF) or bit scan reverse (BSR)). Selector logic enables the compressor tree to operate on an input word for the PopCount or BitScan operation, based on a microprocessor instruction. The input word is encoded if a BitScan operation is selected. The compressor tree receives the input word, operates on the bits as though all bits have same level of significance (e.g., for an N-bit input word, the input word is treated as N one-bit inputs). The result of the compressor tree circuit is a binary value representing a number related to the operation performed (the number of set bits for PopCount, or the bit position of the first set bit encountered by scanning the input word).