IP Library Granted Patent US 12664250
Granted Patent B2
US 12664250 · App. 18/101,229 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Delay-based PUF for chiplet interconnects

Inventors: Nimit Nguansiri (Wilmington, MA); Daniel E. Holcomb (Hadley, MA); Aleksa Deric (Mendon, MA)
Assignee: The MITRE Corporation
G06F21/44G06F21/75
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12664250
App. No.
18/101,229
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments described herein include a system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for delay-based physical unclonable functions (PUFs) for chiplets to verify system integrity. A die may include a plurality of chiplets including a first chiplet and a second chiplet. The first chiplet may be connected to the second chiplet via an interposer. As part of an authentication process, the first chiplet may request the second chiplet to transmit a signal via one or more wires of the interposer. A first signature based on the characteristics of the transmitted signal may be measured at a first time, which constitutes the first evaluation of the PUF. The first signature may be used as a baseline comparison for subsequent signatures as a means to confirm that the chiplets, interposers, and/or interconnects have not been altered or modified.

Claims (34)

1 . A die implementing a systems-on-chip, the die comprising:

a first chiplet and a second chiplet disposed on an interposer, wherein the first chiplet is connected to the second chiplet via the interposer, wherein the first chiplet and the second chiplet are integrated onto the systems-on-Chip, and wherein the first chiplet is configured to:

measure, at a first time, a first signature, wherein the first signature is based on an initial time measurement of an initial signal transmitted using a circuit connecting the first chiplet and the second chiplet via the interposer;

measure, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a second signature, wherein the second signature is based on an additional time measurement of a subsequent signal using the circuit connecting the first chiplet and the second chiplet via the interposer;

compare the first signature and the second signature; and

authenticate the second chiplet based on comparing the first signature and the second signature.

2 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein the first chiplet comprises a first TX flip-flop and a first RX flip-flop and the second chiplet comprises a second TX flip-flop and a second RX flip-flop, wherein the first TX flip-flop and the second RX flip-flop form a first TX-RX flip-flop pair and the first RX flip-flop and the second TX flip-flop form a second TX-RX flip-flop pair.

3 . The die according to claim 2 , wherein a first TX-RX flip-flop of the first TX-RX flip-flop pair is configured to drive the initial signal through the interposer to a second TX-RX flip-flop of the first TX-RX flip-flop pair, wherein the initial time measurement represents a delay of the initial signal transmitted via the circuit.

4 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein in comparing the first signature and the second signature, the first chiplet is configured to match the first signature and the second signature.

5 . The die according to claim 4 , wherein if the first signature and the second signature are different, the first chiplet is configured to:

determine that the second chiplet is not authenticated; and

transmit a notification indicating that the second chiplet is not authenticated.

6 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein the initial time measurement is based on a time signal sent between the first chiplet and the second chiplet.

7 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein the interposer is a passive silicon interposer.

8 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein the interposer further comprises a plurality of wires that connect the first chiplet and the second chiplet via the interposer.

9 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein the initial time measurement is a delay measurement between the first chiplet and the second chiplet.

10 . The die according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit is a physically unclonable function (PUF).

11 . A method comprising:

connecting, via an interposer, a first chiplet and a second chiplet, wherein the first chiplet and the second chiplet are disposed on the interposer and are integrated onto a systems-on-Chip, wherein the systems-on-Chip is implemented on a die;

measuring, at a first time, a first signature, wherein the first signature is based on an initial time measurement of an initial signal transmitted using a circuit connecting the first chiplet and the second chiplet via the interposer;

measuring, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a second signature, wherein the second signature is based on an additional time measurement of a subsequent signal using the circuit connecting the first chiplet and the second chiplet via the interposer;

comparing the first and second signature; and

authenticating the second chiplet based on comparing the first signature and the second signature.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first chiplet comprises a first TX flip-flop and a first RX flip-flop and the second chiplet comprises a second TX flip-flop and a second RX flip-flop, wherein the first TX flip-flop and the second RX flip-flop form a first TX-RX flip-flop pair and the first RX flip-flop and the second TX flip-flop form a second TX-RX flip-flop pair.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein a first TX-RX flip-flop of the first TX-RX flip-flop pair is configured to drive the initial signal through the interposer to a second TX-RX flip-flop of the first TX-RX flip-flop pair, wherein the initial time measurement represents a delay of the initial signal transmitted via the circuit.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein in comparing the first signature and the second signature, the first chiplet is configured to match the first signature and the second signature.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein if the first signature and the second signature are different, the first chiplet is configured to:

determine that the second chiplet is not authenticated; and

transmit an alert indicating that the second chiplet is not authenticated.

16 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the initial time measurement is based on a time signal sent between the first chiplet and the second chiplet.

17 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the interposer is a passive silicon interposer.

18 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the interposer further comprises a plurality of wires that connect the first chiplet and the second chiplet via the interposer.

19 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the initial time measurement is a delay measurement between the first chiplet and the second chiplet.

20 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the circuit is a physical unclonable function (PUF).