# US 11,115,022 B2 · System and method for integrated circuit usage tracking circuit with fast tracking time for hardware security and re-configurability > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,115,022 B2 - Document ID: US11115022B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/148,700 - Filed: 2016-05-06 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-07 - Assignees: Northwestern University - Applicants: Northwestern University - Inventors: Jie Gu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115022B2 ## CPC - H03K 19/017509: {Interface arrangements} - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - H03K 3/0315: {Ring oscillators} - H03K 3/35613: {the input circuit having a differential configuration} - H03K 3/356165: {using additional transistors in the feedback circuit} - H03K 5/24: the characteristic being amplitude - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An accelerated aging circuit is described to shorten the required stress time to a few seconds of operation. Due to the challenges posed by process variation in advanced CMOS technology, a stochastic processing methodology is also described to reduce the failure rate of the tracking and detection. Combining both circuit and system level acceleration, the creation of a silicon marker can be realized within seconds of usage in contrast with days of operation from previously reported aging monitor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: an aging accelerating circuit, the aging accelerating circuit to create a silicon marker during real-time operation to aid in determining a usage of a chip, wherein the aging accelerating circuit comprises a target aging transistor and supportive transistors, wherein the supportive transistors comprise transmission gates coupled to the target aging transistor, wherein, during a stress phase of the aging accelerating circuit, the transmission gates are configured to isolate the target aging transistor from the supportive transistors and the supportive transistors are configured to operate without overstress wherein the aging accelerating circuit transitions from the stress phase to a comparison phase, and enters a sleep phase after the comparison phase to provide aging protection to the aging accelerating circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the supportive transistors comprise complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, where the real-time operation comprises creating a silicon marker within a few seconds of operation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a level shifter circuit connected with the aging accelerating circuit to provide an elevated target voltage during the stress phase. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the level shifter circuit further provides a balanced power to the age accelerating circuit during the comparison phase. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, further comprising a latch based comparator circuit to detect an aging of the chip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the balanced power comprises a virtual ground of the latch based comparator circuit is lifted to an internal voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a silicon marker circuit connected with the aging accelerating circuit, where a size of the silicon marker circuit is determined by a number of latch cells needed based on a yield. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the latch cells are staggered to eliminate interference through power supply among the latch cells during comparison. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a latch based comparator circuit to provide a stochastic output to detect an aging of the chip. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: creating a silicon marker to determine aging of stressed chips during real-time operation within only a few seconds of operation; providing, during a stress phase when determining aging of the stressed chips, an elevated target voltage to an age accelerating circuit, wherein the age accelerating circuit comprises a target aging transistor and supportive transistors, wherein the supportive transistors comprise transmission gates coupled to the target aging transistor, wherein, during the stress phase, the transmission gates are configured to isolate the target aging transistor from the supportive transistors and the supportive transistors are configured to operate without overstress, wherein the aging accelerating circuit transitions from the stress phase to a comparison phase, and enters a sleep phase after the comparison phase to provide aging protection to the aging accelerating circuit; and performing stochastic processing to ensure a detection accuracy of stressed chips within tolerance to process variation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein for a chosen number of n cells of the stressed chips, the failure contribution from missed cells and defective cells show an opposite trend leading to an optimum solution for the value of t. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the n cells of the stressed chips display a uniform output indicating a stressed situation and a random output indicating an unstressed situation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a balanced power to the age accelerating circuit during the comparison phase. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the balanced power comprises lifting an internal voltage of a virtual ground of a latch based comparator circuit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the latch based comparator circuit provides a stochastic output to determine the aging of the stressed chip. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising staggering latch cells to eliminate power supply interference.