US 2026/0268972 A1 · ERROR CORRECTION FOR IDENTIFIER DATA GENERATED FROM UNCLONABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF RESISTIVE MEMORY

Abstract

Leveraging stochastic physical characteristics of resistive switching devices to generate data having very low cross correlation among bits of that data is disclosed. Data generated from stochastic physical characteristics can also be referred to as physical unclonable feature – or function - (PUF) data. Additionally, error correction functions for PUF data generated from resistive switching memory cells are provided. The error correction functions facilitate additional redundancy and longevity of PUF data, among other benefits. Different embodiments include addressing arrangements to incorporate ECC parity bits among generated PUF data bits, even for differential PUF bits respectively defined by multiple memory cells in different portions of a resistive memory array.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of operating a resistive memory array of an integrated circuit device, comprising:

identifying a set of resistive memory bits of the resistive memory array to form a data sequence from native physical characteristics of the resistive memory bits, wherein the set of resistive memory bits are native memory cells selected for having no previous program event associated with the set of resistive memory bits;
initiate a formation pulse on the native memory cells of the set of resistive memory bits;
terminate the formation pulse in response to detecting a termination condition selected to program a portion of the set of resistive memory bits that is less than all resistive memory bits of the set of resistive memory bits;
read a data pattern created in the set of resistive memory bits in response to the formation pulse;
generate error correction code (ECC) data that corresponds to the data pattern;
and
write the ECC data to the resistive memory array.

4 more elements

An array of resistive memory cells, comprising:

a plurality of resistive memory cells;
a first portion of the plurality of resistive memory cells storing a physical unclonable function (PUF) data pattern in response to a PUF formation process having been applied to each resistive memory cell of the first portion of the plurality of resistive memory cells, wherein the PUF formation process results in a first measurably distinct characteristic for a first memory cell of the first portion of the plurality of resistive memory cells and a second measurably distinct characteristic for a second memory cell of the first portion of the plurality of resistive memory cells, and wherein a distribution of the first measurably distinct characteristic and the second measurably distinct characteristic among the resistive memory cells of the first portion of the plurality of resistive memory cells defines the PUF data pattern;
and
a second portion of the plurality of resistive memory cells storing error correction data for the PUF data pattern, wherein the error correction data is configured to identify a data error in one or more bits of the PUF data pattern in response to execution of an error correction algorithm utilizing the error correction data.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Error correction for identifier data generated from unclonable characteristics of resistive memory

Life of this patent

Error correction for identifier data generated from unclonable characteristics of resistive memory

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14