US 10,764,069 B1 · Transistor based PUF apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a PUF apparatus and method for generating a persistent, random number. The generated number is random in that each particular instance of PUF apparatus should generate a randomly different number to all other instances of PUF apparatus, and is persistent in that each particular instance of the PUF apparatus should repeatedly generate the same number, within acceptable error correction tolerances. The persistent, random number is determined by selecting one or more PUF cells, each comprising a matched pair of transistors that are of identical design, and comparing an on-state characteristic of the pair (e.g., turn-on threshold voltage or gate-source voltage). The difference in on-state characteristic of each selected pair of transistors is caused by random manufacturing differences between the transistors. This causes the randomness between each different instance of PUF apparatus, and should be relatively stable over time to provide persistence of the generated number.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A Physically Unclonable Function, PUF, apparatus comprising:

a plurality of PUF cells, each PUF cell comprising:
a plurality of transistors, wherein the plurality of transistors comprises:
a matched pair of transistors for transistor on-state characteristic comparison, and
a selection mechanism for selecting the PUF cell, and wherein the plurality of transistors in each PUF cell are all of a same transistor type;
and
a determination unit configured to:
select at least one of the plurality of PUF cells using the selection mechanism in each of the at least one of the plurality of PUF cells;
for each selected PUF cell, determine a transistor difference value based at least in part on a comparison of an on-state characteristic of the matched pair of transistors in the selected PUF cell, wherein the transistor difference value is indicative of a random manufacturing difference between the matched pair of transistors in the selected PUF cell;
and
determine a PUF output based at least in part on the determined transistor difference value.

7 more elements

A Physically Unclonable Function, PUF, apparatus comprising:

a plurality of PUF cells, a first PUF cell of the plurality of PUF cells comprising a matched pair of transistors having gate terminals representing a selection mechanism of the matched pair of transistors;
and
a determination unit configured to:
select the first PUF cell using the selection mechanism of the first PUF cell;
for the first PUF cell, determine a transistor difference value based at least in part on a comparison of an on-state characteristic of the matched pair of transistors in the first PUF cell, wherein the transistor difference value is indicative of a random manufacturing difference between the matched pair of transistors in the first PUF cell;
and
determine a PUF output based at least in part on the transistor difference value.

4 more elements

A method for determining a Physically Unclonable Function, PUF, output using a plurality of PUF cells each comprising a plurality of transistors of a same transistor type, the plurality of transistors comprising a matched pair of transistors and a selection mechanism for selecting the PUF cell, the method comprising:

selecting one or more PUF cells using the selection mechanism in each of the plurality of PUF cells;
for each selected PUF cell, determining a transistor difference value based at least in part on a comparison of an on-state characteristic of the matched pair of transistors in the selected PUF cell, wherein the transistor difference value is indicative of a random manufacturing difference between the matched pair of transistors in the selected PUF cell;
and
determining the PUF output based at least in part on the at least one determined transistor difference value.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transistor based PUF apparatus

Life of this patent

Transistor based PUF apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20