IP Library Granted Patent US 11,042,669
Granted Patent B2
US 11,042,669 · App. 16/292,162 · Granted Jun 22, 2021

Cryptographic ASIC with unique internal identifier

Inventor: Edward L. Rodriguez De Castro (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Blockchain ASICs Inc.
G06F21/72G06F3/0622G06F7/588G06F12/1408G06F21/73G06F21/78H04L9/0637H04L9/0643H04L9/0836H04L9/0863H04L9/0877H04L9/0894H04L9/3226H04L9/3239H04L63/10H04L2209/12H04L2209/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,042,669
App. No.
16/292,162
Granted
Jun 22, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cryptographic ASIC and method for autonomously storing a unique internal identifier into a one-time programmable memory in isolation by a foundry. The identifier may be determined by calculating a transformed hash of a predetermined input, and may serve as a cryptographically defined and verifiable CpuID for a particular ASIC instance. The CpuID may be derived from an input based on a manufacture date, a wafer lot number, a wafer number, row and column coordinates for a die on a wafer, or other foundry-defined data. The CpuID enables a given ASIC instance to be securely and remotely identified across an untrusted network, and to serve as a specified processor that originates an information stream or a message. The ASIC need not always perform high-speed calculations and so may be relatively simple and inexpensive, and in one embodiment serves as a secure data administrator that manages subscriptions and software updates.

Claims (35)

1. A cryptographic integrated circuit for managing operations on an information stream, comprising:

a one-time programmable memory configured to store in isolation a unique configuration key defined by a foundry for each instance of the cryptographic integrated circuit; and

a transformed hash generator configured to derive a unique circuit identifier for each instance of the cryptographic integrated circuit from an interrogation message using the unique configuration key.

2. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the unique circuit identifier securely and remotely identifies a given instance of the cryptographic integrated circuit across an untrusted network.

3. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein an output message generated by the cryptographic integrated circuit includes the unique circuit identifier to verifiably denote the instance of the cryptographic integrated circuit that generated the output message.

4. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein the output message with the unique circuit identifier proves that the denoted instance of the cryptographic integrated circuit performed a proof-of-work calculation.

5. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the information stream is a blockchain.

6. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the unique circuit identifier enables the identified instance of the cryptographic integrated circuit to process an incoming message enabling control of information access operations.

7. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the information access operations comprise at least one of reading, writing, copying, and deleting.

8. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the information access operations comprise at least one of operating system updating and application software updating.

9. The cryptographic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the information access operations comprise managing a subscription.

10. A cryptographic method for managing operations on an information stream, the method comprising:

storing in isolation in a one-time programmable memory in an integrated circuit a unique configuration key defined by a foundry for each instance of the integrated circuit; and

deriving a unique circuit identifier for each instance of the integrated circuit from an interrogation message using the unique configuration key.

11. The cryptographic method of claim 10 , further comprising securely and remotely identifying a given instance of the integrated circuit across an untrusted network using the unique circuit identifier.

12. The cryptographic method of claim 10 , further comprising generating an output message that includes the unique circuit identifier using the integrated circuit to verifiably denote the instance of the integrated circuit that generated the output message.

13. The cryptographic method of claim 12 , wherein the output message with the unique circuit identifier proves that the denoted instance of the integrated circuit performed a proof-of-work calculation.

14. The cryptographic method of claim 10 , wherein the information stream is a blockchain.

15. The cryptographic method of claim 10 , wherein the unique circuit identifier enables the identified instance of the integrated circuit to process an incoming message enabling control of information access operations.

16. The cryptographic method of claim 15 , wherein the information access operations comprise at least one of reading, writing, copying, and deleting.

17. The cryptographic method of claim 15 , wherein the information access operations comprise at least one of operating system updating, application software updating, and managing a subscription.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform actions for managing operations on an information stream, the actions comprising:

storing in isolation in a one-time programmable memory in an integrated circuit a unique configuration key defined by a foundry for each instance of the integrated circuit; and

deriving a unique circuit identifier for each instance of the integrated circuit from an interrogation message using the unique configuration key.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , the actions further comprising defining the configuration key based on manufacturing data comprising at least one of a manufacture date, a wafer lot number, a wafer number, and geometrical coordinates for a particular die.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , the actions further comprising securely and remotely identifying a given instance of the integrated circuit across an untrusted network using the unique circuit identifier.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , the actions further comprising generating an output message that includes the unique circuit identifier using the integrated circuit to verifiably denote the instance of the integrated circuit that generated the output message.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the output message with the unique circuit identifier proves that the denoted instance of the integrated circuit performed a proof-of-work calculation.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the information stream is a blockchain.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the unique circuit identifier enables the identified instance of the integrated circuit to process an incoming message enabling control of information access operations.

25. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the information access operations comprise at least one of reading, writing, copying, and deleting.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the information access operations comprise at least one of operating system updating, application software updating, and managing a subscription.

27. A system for managing operations on an information stream, the system comprising:

means for storing in isolation in a one-time programmable memory circuit block a unique configuration key defined by a foundry for each instance of an integrated circuit; and

means for deriving a unique circuit identifier for each instance of the integrated circuit from an interrogation message using the configuration key.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 17, 2020
From: BLOCKCHAIN ASICS LLC
To: BLOCKCHAIN ASICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053239/0863 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2019
From: RODRIGUEZ DE CASTRO, EDWARD L.
To: BLOCKCHAIN ASICS LLC
Reel/Frame 048564/0836 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15994877 · May 31, 2018
Provisional Application 62662544 · Apr 25, 2018
Related Publication 20190332818A1 · Oct 31, 2019