Flying sense electrodes for creating a secure cage for integrated circuits and pathways

• US 9,507,968 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cirque Corporation (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Cirque Corporation (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bytheway, Jared G.
• Primary Examiner(s): VOSTAL, ONDREJ C
• Application Number:
  US14/216,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20140283148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 726/34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• 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 2924/19107 off-chip wires

Abstract

A system and method for disposing one or a plurality of flying sense electrode segments so as to physically cover integrated circuits, circuit pathways and other components on at least one circuit board to physically secure the circuits, pathways and components from probes or data interception.

Claims

1. A method for determining if data is being intercepted or detection of an object near at least one protected component, said method comprising:

providing a substrate upon which are disposed at least one protected component having data, extending segments away from the surface of the substrate and over the at least one protected component to form a secure cage above a surface of the substrate

wherein the plurality of flying sense electrodes are not coplanar with the substrate, and

providing a capacitive touch controller that is coupled to each of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments and detects changes in capacitance on any of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments;

making baseline measurements of the flying sense electrode segments to measure an environment when no object is present;

recording the baseline measurements;

making subsequent integrity measurements on the plurality of flying sense electrode segments;

that indicate the presence of an object; and

performing an action if there are changes in capacitance that indicate that data is being intercepted or an object is detected near the at least one protected component.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises selecting the at least one protected component from the group of protected components comprised of integrated circuits circuits and communication pathways.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises disposing a security material around the plurality of flying sense electrode segments and the at least one protected component.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises detecting changes that are selected from the group of changes comprised of movement of the at least one protected component, movement of any of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments, creation of a new connection to the at least one protected component or to any of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments, removal of any of the security material around the plurality of flying sense electrode segments or the at least one protected component, etching, chipping, adding conductive inks, or changes to the substrate.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises selecting the action to be taken if there are changes in capacitance is selected from the group of actions comprised of disabling operation of the at least one protected component, transmitting a signal to another integrated circuit or to another device, or erasing data stored in the at least one protected component.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises making the subsequent integrity measurements at periodic intervals to thereby periodically check for changes in capacitance on the plurality of flying sense electrode segments.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises disposing the plurality of flying sense electrode segments in a daisy chain of interconnected segments of flying sense electrodes.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises disposing the plural of flying sense electrode segments in a pattern wherein some of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments overlap each other relative to the surface of the substrate.

9. A system for determining if a probe is in proximity of or in direct contact with a secure integrated circuit or a secure communication pathway, said system comprised of:

at least one protected component disposed on a substrate;

a plurality of flying sense electrode segments that extend off the surface of the substrate and over the at least one protected component to create a secure cage around the at least one protected component, wherein the plurality of flying sense electrodes are not coplanar with the substrate; and

a capacitive touch controller coupled to each of the sense electrode segments and which detects a change in capacitance on any of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments, and for transmitting a signal indicating the change in capacitance.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein the system is further comprised of selecting the at least one protected component from the group of components comprised of integrated circuits and communication pathways.

11. The as defined in claim 9 wherein the system is further comprised of a security material disposed around the plurality of flying sense electrode segments and the at least one protected component.

12. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein the system is further comprised of disposing the plurality of flying sense electrode segments in a daisy chain of interconnected segments of flying sense electrodes.

13. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein the system is further comprised of disposing the plurality of flying sense electrode segments in a pattern wherein some of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments overlap each other relative to the surface of the substrate.

14. A method for protecting data in at least one protected component from being intercepted or detection of an object near the at least one protected component when being transmitted from the at least one protected component, said method comprising:

providing a first substrate upon which are disposed at least one protected component on a substrate and having data, and a plurality of flying sense electrode segments that extend away from the first substrate and over the at least one the at least one protected component to form a secure cage above the surface of the substrate and around the at least one protected component,

wherein the plurality of flying sense electrodes are not coplanar with the substrate;

providing a capacitive touch controller on a second substrate and which is coupled to the plurality of flying sense electrode segments and which detects changes in capacitance on the plurality of flying sense electrode segments;

making baseline measurements on each of the flying sense electrode segments to measure an environment when no object is present;

recording the baseline measurements;

making subsequent integrity measurements on the plurality of flying sense electrode segments;

comparing the baseline measurements and the subsequent integrity measurements to determine if there are changes in capacitance on the plurality of flying sense electrode segments that indicate the presence of an object; and

performing an action if there are changes in capacitance that indicate that data is being intercepted or an object is detected near the at least one protected component.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the method further comprises selecting the at least one protected component from the group of protected components comprised of integrated circuits, communication pathways, and the capacitive touch controller.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the method further comprises disposing a security material around the plurality of flying sense electrode segments and the at least one protected component.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the method further comprises detecting changes that are selected from the group of changes comprised of movement of any of the at least one protected component, movement of any of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments, movement of the capacitive touch controller, creation of a new connection to the at least one protected component, to any of the plurality of flying sense electrode segments or to the capacitive touch controller, removal of any of the security material around the plural of flying sense electrode segments or the at least one protected component, etching, chipping, adding conductive inks, or changes to the first substrate or to the second substrate.

18. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the method further comprises selecting the action to be taken if there are changes in capacitance that indicate that data is being intercepted from the at least one protected component, the flying sense electrode segments or the capacitive touch controller is selected from the group of actions comprised of disabling operation of the at least one protected component, transmitting a signal to another integrated circuit or to another device, or erasing data stored in the at least one protected component.

19. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the method further comprises making the subsequent integrity measurements at periodic intervals to thereby periodically check for changes in capacitance on the plurality of flying sense electrode segments.

20. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the method further comprises disposing the plurality of flying sense electrode segments in a daisy chain of interconnected segments of flying sense electrodes.