Data encryption interface for reducing encrypt latency impact on standard traffic

Abstract

Methods and apparatus that may be utilized in systems to reduce the impact of latency associated with encrypting data on non-encrypted data are provided. Secure and non-secure data may be routed independently. Thus, non-secure data may be forwarded on (e.g., to targeted write buffers), without waiting for previously sent secure data to be encrypted. As a result, non-secure data may be made available for subsequent processing much earlier than in conventional systems utilizing a common data path for both secure and non-secure data.

1 . A method of reducing the impact of latency associated with encrypting secure data on storing non-secure data in memory, comprising:
 receiving first data to be stored in memory;   if the first data is secure, routing the first data to an encryption engine for encryption prior to storing the first data in memory; and   if the first data is not secure, routing the first data to memory bypassing the encryption engine, regardless of whether the encryption engine is encrypting data received prior to the first data.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first data is secure and the method further comprises:
 receiving second data to be stored after receiving the first data;   determining the second data is non-secure;   routing the second data to memory; and   subsequently receiving the first data back from the encryption engine in an encrypted form.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first data is secure and the method further comprises:
 receiving third data to be stored after receiving the second data;   determining the third data is non-secure; and   routing the third data to memory prior to receiving the first data back from the encryption engine in an encrypted format.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining if the first data is secure if a first store address corresponding to the first data is in a predetermined address range reserved for secure data. 
   
   
       5 . A method of reducing the impact of latency associated with encrypting secure data on storing non-secure data in memory, comprising:
 receiving secure data contained in a first one or more instructions to be stored in memory;   routing the secure data to an encryption engine for encryption;   subsequent to receiving the secure data, receiving non-secure data contained in a second one or more instructions to be stored in memory; and   prior to receiving the secure data back from the encryption engine in encrypted form, routing the non-secure data to memory, bypassing the encryption engine.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein routing the non-secure data to memory comprises routing the non-secure data to a write buffer. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving the secure data back from the encryption engine in encrypted form; and   routing the secure data, in encrypted form, to the write buffer.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining if the write buffer is available to receive the secure data; and   if not, routing the secure data, in encrypted form, to a hold buffer prior to routing the secure data, in encrypted form, to the write buffer.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining if the write buffer is available to receive the non-secure data; and   if not, routing the non-secure data to the hold buffer prior to routing the non-secure data to memory.