Energy analysis for differential power analysis resistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10387597-B2
Application number	US-201414896877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2014
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

A first and second set of simulation information of a circuit design may be received. Energy consumption values associated with signals may be calculated for each of the first and second sets of simulation information of the circuit design. The energy consumption values associated with the transitions of the plurality of signals for each time point of a plurality of time points may be aggregated based on when each of the transitions of the signals occurs for each of the first and second sets of simulation information. Furthermore, a possible Differential Power Analysis (DPA) leak may be identified at one of the time points based on a difference in aggregated energy consumption values between the first and second sets of simulation information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a first set of simulation information and a second set of simulation information associated with a circuit, wherein the first set of simulation information is associated with a particular signal of the circuit being at a first value during a simulation of a design corresponding to the circuit and wherein the second set of simulation information is associated with the particular signal of the circuit being at a second value that is different than the first value during another simulation of the design corresponding to the circuit;
calculating energy consumption values associated with transitions of a plurality of signals of the circuit for each of the first and second sets of simulation information associated with the circuit;
aggregating the energy consumption values associated with the transitions of the plurality of signals for each time point of a plurality of time points based on when each of the transitions of the plurality of signals occurs for each of the first and second sets of simulation information; and
identifying, by a processing device, a particular time point at which a possible Differential Power Analysis (DPA) leak is present, wherein the particular time point is one of the plurality of time points, and wherein the particular time point is identified based on a difference of the aggregated energy consumption values between the first and second sets of simulation information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying of the particular time point at which the possible DPA leak is present is further based on the difference of the aggregated energy consumption values at the particular time point exceeding a threshold value of energy consumption difference.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing an energy waveform corresponding to the difference of the aggregated energy consumption values at each of the plurality of time points, wherein the difference of the aggregated energy consumption values at each of the time points identifies the difference of energy consumption of the circuit at each corresponding time point of the plurality of time points.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the energy consumption values associated with the transitions of the plurality of signals of the circuit is further based on energy consumption of a cell associated with the circuit.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the energy consumption of the cell is based on a switching energy and an internal energy associated with the cell and is not based on a leakage energy associated with the cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying the aggregated energy consumption value of a time point of the plurality of time points associated with the first group of simulation information; and
identifying the aggregated energy consumption value of a corresponding time point associated with the second group of simulation information,
wherein the identifying of the particular time point at which a possible DPA leak is present is further based on the time point associated with the first group of simulation information and the corresponding time point associated with the second group of simulation information.

7. A system comprising:
a memory; and
a processing device coupled with the memory to:
receive simulation information of a circuit design associated with a circuit, wherein the simulation information comprises a first group of the simulation information associated with a particular signal of the circuit being at a first value during a simulation of the circuit design associated with the circuit and a second group of the simulation information associated with the particular signal of the circuit being at a second value that is different than the first value during another simulation of the circuit design associated with the circuit:
calculate energy consumption values associated with transitions of a plurality of signals of the circuit based on the simulation information;
aggregate the energy consumption values associated with the transitions of the plurality of signals for each time point of a plurality of time points based on when each of the transitions of the plurality of signals occurs; and
identify a particular time point at which a possible Differential Power Analysis (DPA) leak is present, wherein the particular time point is one of the plurality of time points, and wherein the particular time point is identified based on a difference of the aggregated energy consumption values.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the identifying of the particular time point at which the possible DPA leak is present is further based on the difference of the aggregated energy consumption values at the particular time point exceeding a threshold value of difference of energy consumption.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is further to:
provide an energy waveform corresponding to the difference of the aggregated energy consumption values at each of the plurality of time points, wherein the difference of the aggregated energy consumption values at each of the time points identifies the difference of the energy consumption of the circuit at each corresponding time point of the plurality of time points.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the calculating of the energy consumption values associated with the transitions of the plurality of signals of the circuit is further based on energy consumption of a cell associated with the circuit.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the energy consumption of the cell is based on a switching energy and an internal energy associated with the cell and is not based on a leakage energy associated with the cell.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is further to:
identify the aggregated energy consumption value of a time point of the plurality of time points associated with the first group of simulation information; and
identify the aggregated energy consumption value of a corresponding time point associated with the second group of simulation information,
wherein the identifying of the particular time point at which a possible DPA leak is present is further based on the time point associated with the first group of simulation information and the corresponding time point associated with the second group of simulation information.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including data that, when accessed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first group of simulation information and a second group of simulation information of a circuit design, wherein the first group of simulation information is associated with a particular signal of the circuit design being at a first value during a simulation of the circuit design and wherein the second group of simulation information is associated with the particular signal of the circuit design being at a second value that is different than the first value during another simulation of the circuit design:
calculating energy consumption values associated with transitions of a plurality of signals for the first and second groups of simulation information;
aggregating the energy consumption values associated with a time point based on transitions of the plurality of signals of the circuit design that occur at the time point for the first and second groups of simulation information; and
identifying a particular time point at which a possible Differential Power Analysis (DPA) leak is present, wherein the particular time point is present if a difference in the aggregated energy consumption at

Assignees

• Cryptography Res Inc

Inventors

• Wachs Megan Anneke
• Lan Hai
• Leiserson Andrew John
• Inkenbrandt Joseph William
• Schmitt Ralf Michael

Classifications

• G06F30/33

  Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking · CPC title

• G06F30/367 Primary

  Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods · CPC title

• G06F30/00 Primary

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• G01R27/02

  Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant (by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00) · CPC title

• G11C29/50

  Marginal testing, e.g. race, voltage or current testing · CPC title