Privileged mode oversight of control parameters

本发明提供一种通讯系统，包含有实体层硬件单元和处理单元。实体层硬件单元适用于依据所指定的传输参数而透过通讯频道传送数据。实体层硬件单元适用于透过通讯频道接收输入讯号且取样输入讯号以便产生所接收到数字式讯号。处理单元适用于在标准操作模式下执行标准模式驱动器和在特权操作模式下执行特权模式驱动器。标准模式驱动器所包含的程序指令适用于从所接收到的数字式讯号抽离句柄，且依据句柄建构实体层硬件指定传输参数。特权模式驱动器所包含的程序指令适用于从所接收到的数字式讯号单独抽离安全句柄，决定实体层硬件单元的操作特性，和因应操作特性和安全句柄的不一致而发出违反安全的讯号。 A communications system includes a physical layer hardware unit and a processing unit. The physical layer hardware unit is adapted to communicate data over a communications channel in accordance with assigned transmission parameters. The physical layer hardware unit is adapted to receive an incoming signal over the communications channel and sample the incoming signal to generate a digital received signal. The processing unit is adapted to execute a standard mode driver in a standard mode of operation and a privileged mode driver in a privileged mode of operation. The standard mode driver includes program instructions adapted to extract control codes from the digital received signal and configure the physical layer hardware assigned transmission parameters based on the control codes. The privileged mode driver includes program instructions adapted to independently extract secure control codes from the digital received signal, determine an operational characteristic of the physical layer hardware unit, and signal a security violation in response to the operational characteristic being inconsistent with the secure control codes.