Automated speed ramp control of stepper motor acceleration and deceleration using direct memory access (DMA) and core independent peripherals (CIPs) comprises a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) controlled through direct memory access (DMA) transfers of prescale values used in combination with a clock oscillator to generate clock pulses that are a function of the clock oscillator frequency and the prescale values. This automates changing the frequency of the NCO, thereby controlling steeper motor speed, without requiring computer processing unit (CPU) overhead. The DMA module is enabled during a first number of clock pulses for step speed acceleration, disabled during a second number of clock pulses for normal operation at full step speed, and then re-enabled during a third number of clock pulses for step speed deceleration. A table in memory may store and provide a plurality of acceleration and deceleration prescale values for DMA transfers to the NCO.

A temperature-compensating clock frequency monitor circuit may be provided to detect a clock pulse frequency in an electronic device that may cause erratic or dangerous operation of the device, as a function of an operating temperature of the device. The temperature-compensating clock frequency monitor circuit include a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature associated with an electronic device, a clock having an operating frequency, and a frequency monitoring system. The frequency monitoring system may be configured to determine the operating frequency of the clock, and based at least on (a) the operating frequency of the clock and (b) the measured temperature associated with the electronic device, generate a corrective action signal to initiate a corrective action associated with the electronic device or a related device. The temperature sensor, clock, and frequency monitoring system may, for example, be provided on a microcontroller.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to implement software defined silicon feature licensing are disclosed. Example licensor systems disclosed herein includes a third party verifier to verify one or more credentials included in a request to become an authorized delegated licensor, the request received from a third party. Disclosed example licensor systems also include a feature identifier to identify a feature of a silicon structure which the third party is to be granted the authority to license. Disclosed example licensor systems further include a configuration installation code generator to generate feature configuration installation code, the feature configuration installation code to be used by the third party to generate at least a portion of the license, the portion of the license to be used by a licensee to configure the silicon structure to access the licensed feature, and contents of the feature configuration installation code encrypted to prevent access by the authorized delegated licensor.