IP Library Granted Patent US 11,170,106
Granted Patent B2
US 11,170,106 · App. 15/976,538 · Granted Nov 9, 2021

System for detecting hardware trojans in integrated circuits

Inventors: Alberto Lacaze (Gaithersburg, MD); Karl Murphy (Gaithersburg, MD)
Assignee: Robotic Research, LLC
G06F21/567G01R31/002G01R31/2884G06F2221/033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,170,106
App. No.
15/976,538
Granted
Nov 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The system for detecting hardware trojans in integrated circuits by analyzing the substrate noise generated by the unique physical properties of such an integrated circuit disclosed herein may compare the substrate noise signatures of a subject IC against the noise signature from one or more known good ICs to detect such trojans, and may measure the electromagnetic, current, or voltage noise of an IC as a function of time synchronized with the test sequence. The system may allow for the testing of such substrate noise at multiple points around the IC, and may further comprise a Cypher Block Chain (CBC) technique to incorporate the noise measurements over time into a signature unique to the IC.

Claims (10)

1. A hardware trojan detecting system, comprising:

an integrated circuit;

a measuring circuitry;

a thresholding circuitry;

a cryptographic technique; and

a test software;

wherein said integrated circuit generates a substrate noise as a pseudo random number generator to feed a Cypher Block Chain (CBC), then creates a unique signature that may be used to compare a suspect integrated circuit against a trusted one while running said test software; wherein said substrate noise is measured by said measuring device and output as a unique signature; wherein a thresholding circuit converts said unique signature into a plaintext sequence; and wherein said plaintext sequence is converted by said cryptographic technique to a cyphertext signature.

2. The hardware Trojan detecting system of claim 1 , wherein said thresholding circuitry is an analog to digital convertor.

3. The hardware Trojan detecting system of claim 1 , wherein said cryptographic technique is a cypher block chain circuit.

4. The hardware Trojan detecting system of claim 1 , wherein said integrated circuit is a noise-minimizing circuit; and wherein said measuring circuitry is a noise-reducing component.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2025
From: ROBOTIC RESEARCH OPCO, LLC
To: CRESCENT COVE OPPORTUNITY LENDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 071945/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL 066382, FRAME 0141 Recorded Jul 16, 2024
From: CRESCENT COVE OPPORTUNITY LENDING, LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ROBOTIC RESEARCH OPCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 068389/0707 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2024
From: ROBOTIC RESEARCH OPCO, LLC
To: CRESCENT COVE OPPORTUNITY LENDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 066382/0141 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 20, 2022
From: ROBOTIC RESEARCH, LLC
To: ROBOTIC RESEARCH OPCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 060877/0929 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2021
From: LACAZE, ALBERTO D.; MURPHY, KARL N.
To: ROBOTIC RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 056093/0801 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190347416A1 · Nov 14, 2019