Protection for an integrated circuit chip containing confidential data

• US 20070121575A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Savry, Olivier, Billard, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 8,110,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07372 by detecting tampering with the circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6611 Wire connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4813 Connecting within a semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. fly wire, bridge wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48464 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a ball bond, i.e. ball-to-ball
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/573 using passive means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/576 using active circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 : Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01058 : Cerium [Ce]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01061 : Promethium [Pm]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1433 : Application-specific integrated circuit [ASIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19104 : on the semiconductor or solid-state device, i.e. passive-on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance

Abstract

An integrated circuit chip for holding or processing data on information for secure protection. A first side of the chip has at least one first conductor element and another side of the chip has another conducting element.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. An electronic device comprising:

an integrated circuit chip configured to contain or process informative data needing to be securely protected, a first side of the chip comprising at least one first conductive element connected to the integrated circuit, and a second side of the chip comprising at least one second conductive element, the first conductive element and the second conductive element being coupled by inductive coupling, the second conductive element not being connected.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein the first side of the chip further comprises a third conductive element arranged in proximity to the first conductive element and/or connected in series with the first conductive element.

24. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element include alternate intermingled, wound, or intertwined patterns.

25. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first conductive element includes a transmitting armature.

26. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first conductive element and/or the second conductive element include an inductance.

27. A device according to claim 22, wherein the second conductive element includes an earth plane conductance or a low resistance.

28. A device according to claim 22, further comprising means for electromagnetic excitation of the first conductive element.

29. A device according to claim 22, further comprising means for measuring inductance of at least one of the conductive elements and/or for detecting variation in the inductance.

30. A device according to claim 29, further comprising means for deleting or ceasing to store data of the measured inductance in an event of a change being detected in a value of the inductance.

31. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first conductive element and/or the third conductive element is connected to the integrated electronic circuit inside the chip, whereas the second conductive element is not connected.

32. A device according to claim 23, wherein the integrated circuit chip includes upper coating layers including at least one metal or conductive level allowing the first conductive element to be connected with the integrated electronic circuit and/or with the third conductive element.

33. A device according to claim 22, wherein the first and/or the third conductive element form a circuit loop.

34. A device according to claim 22, wherein the second conductive element forms an earth plane or an equipotential.

35. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first and/or the third conductive element includes at least one longilinear metal track.

36. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first and/or the third conductive element includes plural interconnected sections arranged in a substantially concentric way, so as to form a corrugation or a polygonal spiral or to form a substantially circular spiral.

37. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first and/or the third conductive element includes plural interconnected sections arranged in a substantially parallel way so as to form at least one meander or one coil.

38. A device according to claim 22, wherein the second conductive element includes a plane or a metal plated surface portion or a network of conductive meshes, or a network of substantially circular, square, hexagonal or polygonal meshes, or a grid.

39. A device according to claim 22, wherein each conductive element lies in a plane substantially parallel to a side surface of the integrated circuit chip.

40. A device according to claim 22, wherein the conductive elements of the integrated circuit chip are coated with an encapsulation material.

41. A chip card, including at least one electronic device according to claim 22.

42. An encryption or decoding device including one or more electronic devices according to claim 22.