Security device generating key based on physically unclonable function and method of operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023052055-A1
Application number	US-202217973252-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2022
Priority date	Feb 12, 2020
Publication date	Feb 16, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A security device generates a key based on a physically unclonable function (PUF). The security device includes a physically unclonable function (PUF) block, an integrity detector, and a post processor. The PUF block outputs a plurality of first random signals and a plurality of corresponding first inverted random signals each having a logic level opposite to that of each of the plurality of corresponding first random signals. The integrity detector determines data integrity of the plurality of first random signals by using the plurality of first random signals and the plurality of corresponding first inverted random signals. The post processor generates a first row key that includes validity signals satisfying the data integrity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A security device, comprising:
a physically unclonable function (PUF) block including a plurality of PUF cells; non-volatile memory configured to store a parity code; and a post processor configured to receive a signal from the PUF block and the parity code from the non-volatile memory and further configured to output a key; wherein the parity code is stored in the non-volatile memory during an enrollment mode and the post processor receives the stored parity data during a use mode.

2 . The security device of claim 1 , wherein the post processor is further configured receive validity bits from the non-volatile memory.

3 . The security device of claim 1 , the parity code is used to perform error correction.

4 . The security device of claim 1 , wherein the enrollment mode is performed once at a manufacturing point in time when the security device is manufactured.

5 . The security device of claim 1 , wherein the use mode is performed at a plurality of points in time at which a key is to be generated by using the security device.

6 . The security device of claim 2 , wherein the key is generated by selecting bits from the received signal from the PUF block using the validity bits.

7 . The security device of claim 2 , wherein the post processor selects bits from the received signal from the PUF block using the validity bits and performs error correction using the parity code to generate the key.

8 . The security device of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory is a one-time programmable memory.

9 . The security device of claim 1 , wherein a volatile memory is connected between the non-volatile memory and the post processor.

10 . The security device of claim 1 , wherein the post processor generates the parity code only once and stores the parity code to the non-volatile memory, and only reads the stored parity code afterwards.

11 . A security device, comprising:
a physically unclonable function (PUF) block including a plurality of PUF cells; non-volatile memory configured to store validity bits; and a post processor configured to receive a signal from the PUF block and the validity bits from the non-volatile memory and further configured to output a key; wherein the validity bits are stored in the non-volatile memory during an enrollment mode and the post processor receives the stored parity data during a use mode.

12 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein the post processor is further configured receive a parity code from the non-volatile memory.

13 . The security device of claim 12 , the parity code is used to perform error correction.

14 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein the enrollment mode is performed once at a manufacturing point in time when the security device is manufactured.

15 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein the use mode is performed at a plurality of points in time at which a key is to be generated by using the security device.

16 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein the key is generated by selecting bits from the received signal from the PUF block using the validity bits.

17 . The security device of claim 12 , wherein the post processor selects bits from the received signal from the PUF block using the validity bits and performs error correction using the parity code to generate the key.

18 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein the non-volatile memory is a one-time programmable memory.

19 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein a volatile memory is connected between the non-volatile memory and the post processor.

20 . The security device of claim 11 , wherein the post processor generates the validity bits only once and stores the validity bits to the non-volatile memory, and only reads the stored validity bits afterwards.

21 . A security device, comprising:
a physically unclonable function (PUF) block including a plurality of PUF cells configured to generate a first signal at a first time frame and a second signal at a second time frame; a post processor configured to receive a first signal from the PUF block and generate validity bits and a parity code using the first signal; and non-volatile memory configured to store the validity bits and the parity code at the first time frame; wherein the post processor is further configured to read the validity bits and the parity code from the non-volatile memory at the second time frame; wherein the post processor is further configured to select a valid signal from the second signal according to the validity bits at the second time frame; wherein the post processor is further configured to perform error correction using the parity data at the second time frame.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ahn Kyoungmoon
• Kim Yongsoo
• Lee Yongki
• Choi Yunhyeok
• Karpinskyy Bohdan

Classifications

• H04L2209/12

  Details relating to cryptographic hardware or logic circuitry · CPC title

• H04L9/0866 Primary

  involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics · CPC title

• H04L9/3278 Primary

  using physically unclonable functions [PUF] · CPC title

• G06F21/64

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title

• H04L2209/34

  Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction · CPC title