IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,962,693
Granted Patent B2
US 11,962,693 · App. 18/064,098 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

Integrated circuit (IC) signatures with random number generator and one-time programmable device

Inventors: Shih-Lien Linus Lu (Hsinchu, TW); Kun-hsi Li (Hsinchu, TW); Shih-Liang Wang (Hsinchu, TW); Jonathan Tsung-Yung Chang (Hsinchu, TW); Yu-Der Chih (Hsinchu, TW); Cheng-En Lee (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
H04L9/0869G06F7/584H04L9/0877H04L9/0897H04L9/3278H04L2209/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,962,693
App. No.
18/064,098
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods of generating a security key for an integrated circuit device include generating a plurality of key bits with a physically unclonable function (PUF) device. The PUF can include a random number generator that can create random bits. The random bits may be stored in a nonvolatile memory. The number of random bits stored in the nonvolatile memory allows for a plurality of challenge and response interactions to obtain a plurality of security keys from the PUF.

Claims (43)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including contents that are configured to cause a computing system to generate a security key for an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of key bits with a random number generator;

storing the plurality of key bits in a nonvolatile memory that comprises a one-time programmable (OTP) device;

generating the security key from the plurality of key bits stored in the nonvolatile memory; and

locking the OTP device after storing the plurality of key bits, wherein a lock bit is set in the OTP device to indicate that the OTP device is locked, wherein, after the lock bit is set, the OTP device does not store additional bits.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the random number generator comprises a static random access memory (SRAM), wherein the plurality of key bits are read from the SRAM after initialization of the SRAM.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the random number generator further comprises a scrambler that scrambles the plurality of key bits that are read from the SRAM.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the scrambler is one of a bit-folding circuit or a linear-feedback shift register.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of key bits are stored into the OTP device, and wherein the plurality of key bits represent two or more security keys.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the OTP device receives an address and retrieves the security key associated with the address.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the address is scrambled before being provided to the OTP device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving a key size indicator; and

setting a key size for the security key according to the key size indicator.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including contents that are configured to cause a computing system to carry out a method for generating a security key for an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of key bits with a random number generator comprising a SRAM;

storing the plurality of key bits in a nonvolatile memory comprising a one time programmable (OTP) device; and

generating the security key from the plurality of key bits stored in the nonvolatile memory,

wherein the SRAM stores fewer bits than the OTP device, and the SRAM is initialized two or more times to provide the plurality of key bits to the OTP device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the random number generator comprises a static random access memory (SRAM), wherein the plurality of key bits are read from the SRAM after initialization of the SRAM.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the random number generator further comprises a scrambler that scrambles the plurality of key bits that are read from the SRAM.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the scrambler is one of a bit-folding circuit or a linear-feedback shift register.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of key bits are stored into the OTP device, and wherein the plurality of key bits represent two or more security keys.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the OTP device receives an address and retrieves the security key associated with the address.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the address is scrambled before being provided to the OTP device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a key size indicator; and

setting a key size for the security key according to the key size indicator.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:

outputting the security key in response to receiving the address.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining if the lock bit is set.

19. A one-time programmable (OTP) device in communication with a liner-feedback shift register (LFSR) and an input address scrambler, the OTP device configured to:

store a set of scrambled key bits provided from the LFSR;

associate the scrambled key bits with an address;

receive a scrambled address from the input address scrambler;

determine the address, associated with the scrambled key bits, which matches the scrambled address;

read the scrambled key bits having the address that matches the scrambled address; and

provide the scrambled key bits as the security key.

20. The OTP device of claim 19 further comprising a controller to:

control functions of an SRAM and the OTP device;

receive a key size indicator signal; and

set the output register to store a number of bits in accordance with the key size indicator signal for the security key.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2022
From: LU, SHIH-LIEN LINUS; LI, KUN-HSI; WANG, SHIH=LIANG; CHANG, JONATHAN TSUNG-YUNG; CHIH, YU-DER; LEE, CHENG-EN
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062045/0859 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17106856 · Nov 30, 2020
Provisional Application 63002676 · Mar 31, 2020
Related Publication 20230121502A1 · Apr 20, 2023