Storing serial number etc:
There is the Actel ProASIC flash based FPGA.
The A3P030 (and the rest of the family) have a small (1024 bits) flash based memory area "FlashROM" that can be accessed both from JTAG and userspace.
cut from Actel document:
http://www.microsemi.com/document-portal/doc_download/130889-proasic3-fpga-fabric-user-s-guide************
The FlashROM content can be changed independently of the FPGA core content. It can be easily
accessed and programmed via JTAG, depending on the security settings of the device. The SmartGen
core generator enables each region to be independently updated (described in the "Programming and
Accessing FlashROM" section on page 124). This enables you to change the FlashROM content on a
per-part basis while keeping some regions "constant" for all parts. These features allow the FlashROM to
be used in diverse system applications. Consider the following possible uses of FlashROM:
• Internet protocol (IP) addressing (wireless or fixed)
• System calibration settings
• Restoring configuration after unpredictable system power-down
• Device serialization and/or inventory control
• Subscription-based business models (e.g., set-top boxes)
• Secure key storage
• Asset management tracking
• Date stamping
• Version management
************
The security settings seems to refer to 128b AES encryption ... but the AES part is missing from the low end devices that Rigol uses.
Both ds4k and ds2k have the same proASIC and it is tasked with reading the board version number too...
would not be so strange if they put the serial number and maybe model number too in there?
Just next to it is a JTAG connector (not the same as used for Xilinx or Blackfin) so it will be easy to find for the person that programs the model type and puts the sticker on...