US Patent 8954732 Authenticating third-party programs for platforms

In one example, a platform device includes a control unit configured to receive a first software package signed by a first software development entity with a first certificate of a first certificate hierarchy associated with the first software development entity, execute the first software package only after determining that a root of the first certificate hierarchy corresponds to a certificate authority of a developer of the platform device, receive a second software package signed by a second software development entity with a second certificate of a second certificate hierarchy associated with the second software development entity, wherein the second certificate hierarchy is different than the first certificate hierarchy, and execute the second software package only after determining that a root of the second certificate hierarchy corresponds to the certificate authority of the developer of the platform device.