Automatic hardware loader

A new apparatus and method for securely distributing applications to a processor of a processing unit. The processing unit is formed as part of an integrated circuit and comprises a plurality of processors (referred to as pellets), each having their own execution unit and storage means for storing application data and additional executable instructions. The integrated circuit includes a hardware module (referred to herein as an automatic loader) configured to distribute a set of boot loader instructions (referred to herein as a secondary boot loader) to each of at least some of the pellets. Each of the pellets then executes the received instructions of the secondary boot loader, which causes each pellet to issue a read request to read the set of executable application instructions from memory external to the integrated circuit. Each pellet then performs an operation using the received set of executable application instructions to execute the application using the processing unit. 一种用于将应用安全地分发到处理单元的处理器的新装置和方法。