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Out in Front |
The
XL103 CryptChip from Exel lets you protect access codes in remote
communications, including telephone, cable, and wireless applications, without
learning cryptography or writing cryptographic software—and for less than
$1. The XL103 needs no external components to function as an
encryption/decryption engine and as a serial EEPROM. Instead, you use a 3-bit
opcode, a 6-bit address, and a 1-MHz clock serial connection to encrypt/decrypt.
The device can read or write 32 16-bit, general-purpose EEPROM registers and
read or load the 32-bit encryption/decryption register. It stores eight 64-bit,
unreadable keys in EEPROM.
Encryption and decryption takes 5 msec. First, the device loads a 32-bit data word into the register; the address of the load instruction corresponds to one of the 64-bit key registers. The encryption operation then places the results back into the register, which then is read to get the result. The XL103 is available in an eight-pin SOIC for $0.97 or DIP for $0.94 (1000).—by Stephen Kempainen
Exel Microelectronics, San Jose, CA. (408) 432-0050.
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