Method of actively tagging electronic designs and intellectual property cores

• US 8,063,739 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Algotronix Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Algotronix Ltd.
• Inventors: Kean, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US11/852,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/12.33, 340/13.24, 340/505, 340/572.4, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/76 in application-specific integrated circuits [ASIC] or field-programmable devices, e.g. field-programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible

Abstract

An active security tag is embedded within the digital logic of an electronic design for logic destined for an integrated circuit such as an FPGA. The security tag includes security tag data which permits identification of the electronic design, and facilitates efforts to enforce copyrights in the designs. The security tag also includes a transmitter designed to covertly transmit security tag data to a receiver. Other information, such as error information and status information about the integrated circuit may also be transmitted. The transmitted information is concealed from detection by being hidden within background noise signals or other signals created by normal usage of the integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A security tag for an electronic design implemented on an integrated circuit, comprising:

Tag data which uniquely identifies the electronic design;

A communications channel for interfacing with an external detector, to deliver the tag data to the external detector;

A transmitter for transmitting the tag data using a tag data signal via the communications channel to the external detector;

A spreading circuit for spreading the tag data signal using a spreading code; and

A ring oscillator for providing a carrier frequency and a clock signal to the spreading circuit;

wherein the transmitter comprises a high fan out net for creating a voltage disturbance on a power supply connection, the voltage disturbance comprising the tag data and the power supply connection comprising the communications channel.

2. A security tag for an electronic design implemented on an integrated circuit, comprising:

Tag data which uniquely identifies the electronic design;

A communications channel for interfacing with an external detector, to deliver the tag data to the external detector;

A transmitter for transmitting the tag data using a tag data signal via the communications channel to the external detector;

wherein the communications channel comprises a power supply connection to a power supply pin of the integrated circuit containing the security tag;

wherein the external detector is connected to the power supply pin, and wherein the transmitter is for transmitting the tag data via the power supply connection and the power supply pin to the external detector.

3. A security tag for an electronic design implemented on an integrated circuit, comprising:

Tag data which uniquely identifies the electronic design;

A communications channel for interfacing with an external detector, to deliver the tag data to the external detector;

A transmitter for transmitting the tag data using a tag data signal via the communications channel to the external detector;

wherein the communications channel comprises an output pin on the integrated circuit containing the security tag and the transmitter comprises a timing modulator for modulating timing of an edge of a signal on the output pin, the modulation of the edge being used to encode the tag data for transmission.

4. A security tag for an electronic design implemented on an integrated circuit, comprising:

Tag data which uniquely identifies the electronic design;

A communications channel for interfacing with an external detector, to deliver the tag data to the external detector;

A transmitter for transmitting the tag data using a tag data signal via the communications channel to the external detector;

wherein the communications channel comprises a thermal signal output from the integrated circuit containing the security tag;

the external detector comprises a temperature detector;

the transmitter comprises a power consumption modulator for modulating power consumption over time to generate modulations in the thermal signal output, the modulation in thermal signal output being used to encode the tag data for transmission.