System for providing an integrated circuit with a unique identification

• US 6,161,213 A
• Filed: 02/17/1999
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ICID, LLC
• Original Assignee: ICID, LLC
• Inventors: Lofstrom, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US09/251,692
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468.22-468.23, 700/115-116, 324/764, 702/73, 395/500.02-500.19, 716/1-21
• US Class Current: 324/750.15
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54433 containing identification or tracking information
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54473 for use after dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics

Abstract

An integrated circuit identification device (ICID) to be incorporated into an integrated circuit (IC) includes an array of electronic cells in which the magnitude of an output signal of each cell is a function of randomly occurring parametric variations which vary from cell-to-cell. The ICID also includes a circuit for measuring the output of each cell and for producing output data having a value reflecting the particular combination of measured characteristics of all of the elements of the array. When we make the number of elements in the array large enough, we insure that to a high degree of probability, the pattern of measured array cell characteristics for an ICID embedded in any one IC will be unique and distinguishable from such patterns measured by ICIDs embedded in millions of other ICs. Thus the value of the output data produced by an ICID circuit acts as a unique "fingerprint" for the IC in which it is installed, and can be used as a unique identification (ID) for that IC.

Claims

1. An apparatus (ICID) installed on an integrated circuit (IC) for generating an identification number (ID) identifying the IC in which it is installed, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of identification cells formed within said IC, each having an output that is a substantial function of random parametric variations in said IC; and

measurement means for monitoring the output of said plurality of identification cells and for generating said ID in response thereto, wherein said ID is also a substantial function of random parametric variations in said cells.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said measurement means establishes a value of said ID in accordance with the output of each of said plurality of identification cells.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said identification cells comprises at least one transistor, and wherein the output of each cell is a function of an operating characteristic of that transistor that is in turn a function of said random parametric variations in said IC.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said identification cells comprises two transistors having a difference in operating characteristics resulting from said random parametric variations in said IC, and wherein said output of said cell is a function of said difference in operating characteristics.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said transistors are metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a plurality of type cells formed within said IC, each type cell having an output that is substantially independent of said random parametric variations,

wherein said measurement means also monitors the output of each of said plurality of type cells and also generates said ID in response to said output of each of said plurality of said type cells.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said ID generated by said measurement means includes a first field reflecting a pattern of monitored outputs of said plurality of identification cells and a second field reflecting a pattern of monitored outputs of said plurality of type cells.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said measurement means comprises:

means for sequentially comparing magnitudes of monitored outputs of said identification cells and for generating a sequence of bits, each bit of said sequence indicating a result of a comparison of outputs of said identification cells; and

means for generating said ID in response to said sequence of bits.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the output of each of said cells comprises two output signals that are functions of said random parametric variations, and wherein said output monitored by said measurement means comprises a difference between said two output signals.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said measurement means comprises:

means for performing comparisons of said differences between output signals of successive ones of said identification cells and for generating a sequence of bits, each bit of said sequence indicating a result of a separate one of said comparisons; and

means for generating said ID in response to said sequence of bits.

11. A method for providing an integrated circuit (IC) with an identification number (ID), the method comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of identification cells within said IC, each having an output that is a substantial function of random parametric variations in said IC; and

generating said ID in response to the output of each cell, wherein said ID is also a substantial function of random parametric variations in said IC.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein a value of said ID is established in response to the output of each of said plurality of identification cells.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein each of said identification cells comprises at least one transistor, and wherein said output is a function of an operating characteristic of that transistor that is in turn a function of said random parametric variations in said IC.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein each of said identification cells comprises two transistors having a difference in operating characteristics resulting from said random variations in said IC, and wherein said output is a function of said difference between said operating characteristics of said transistors.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said transistors are metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

16. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the step of generating said ID in response to the outputs comprises the substeps of:

performing comparisons of the outputs of pairs of said identification cells;

generating a sequence of bits, each bit of said sequence indicating a result of a separate one of said comparisons; and

generating said ID in response to said sequence of bits.

17. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein each of said cells produces two output signals that are functions of said random parametric variations, and wherein said output of each cell comprises a difference between said two output signals.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the step of generating said ID in response to the outputs comprises the substeps of:

performing comparisons of the outputs of pairs of said identification cells;

generating a sequence of bits, each bit of said sequence indicating a result of a separate one of said comparisons; and

generating said ID in response to said sequence of bits.

19. A method for providing an integrated circuit (IC) with an identification number (ID), the method comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of identification cells within said IC, each having an output that is substantially a function of random parametric variations in said IC;

forming a plurality of type cells within said IC, each type cell having an output that is substantially independent of said random parametric variations, and

generating said ID in response to a combination of the outputs of said plurality of identification cells and said plurality of type cells, wherein a value of said ID is established in accordance with the outputs of said plurality of identification cells and said plurality of type cells, and wherein said value is substantially a function of random parametric variations in said IC.

20. The method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the generated ID includes a first field reflecting a pattern of the outputs of said plurality of identification cells and a second field reflecting a pattern of the outputs of said plurality of type cells.