US 7,454,323 B1 · Method for creation of secure simulation models

Abstract

Method and apparatus for security systems are provided to protect electronic designs from unauthorized usage. An obfuscation system is provided for creating secure simulation models of IP cores that allow efficient evaluation of an electronic design incorporating an IP core but do not allow practical implementation of the IP core. The obfuscation system identifies regions for obfuscation within an IP core. Logic obfuscation is inserted into these regions. Examples of obfuscation include additional circuitry that produces time dilatation, space dilatation, or a combination of the two in the circuitry of an IP core. Typically, the inserted obfuscation does not change the ultimate behavior of the internal signals, but is complicated enough to make an electronic design so slow and/or so large that it cannot be implemented practically. Further, the inserted obfuscation should be of a type is not normally removed by that normal logic optimizations such as synthesis.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A method of producing a simulation model of an electronic design, the method comprising:

receiving a non-obfuscated version of the electronic design suitable for direct compilation into a practical hardware implementation of the electronic design;
identifying a region of said electronic design into which a type of obfuscation may be added;
adding obfuscation circuitry to said electronic design to produce an obfuscated version of the electronic design, wherein said obfuscation circuitry prevents practical implementation of the electronic design on a target hardware device;
creating a simulation model using said obfuscated version of said electronic design, said simulation model being suitable for producing accurate hardware simulation results in a simulator but not being suitable to be directly compiled to produce a practical hardware implementation of the electronic design;
storing said simulation model in a computer system;
and
wherein adding the obfuscation circuitry comprises:
at a first location, adding circuitry for entangling multiple input signals to thereby spread out the input signals;
and
at a second location, adding circuitry for detangling an output signal resulting from the circuitry for entangling.

7 more elements

An apparatus for producing a simulation model of an electronic design, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;
memory;
a design entry tool that allows a developer to input a non-obfuscated version of said electronic design;
an obfuscation module for identifying a region of said electronic design and adding obfuscation circuitry to said non-obfuscated version of the electronic design to produce an obfuscated version of the electronic design from which the simulation model can be created, wherein said obfuscation circuitry prevents practical implementation of the electronic design on a target hardware device, said obfuscation module creating said simulation model, said simulation model being suitable for producing accurate hardware simulation results in a simulator but not being suitable to be directly compiled to produce a practical hardware implementation of the electronic design;
and
wherein the obfuscation circuitry comprises:
at a first location, an entangler having circuitry for entangling multiple input signals to thereby spread out the input signals;
and
at a second location, a detangler having circuitry for detangling an output signal resulting from the circuitry for entangling.

6 more elements

A computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable storage medium on which is provided program instructions for producing a simulation model of an electronic design, the program instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a non-obfuscated version of the electronic design suitable for direct compilation into a practical hardware implementation of the electronic design;
instructions for identifying a region of said electronic design into which a type of obfuscation may be added;
instructions for adding obfuscation circuitry to said electronic design to produce an obfuscated version of the electronic design, wherein said obfuscation circuitry prevents practical implementation of the electronic design on a target hardware device;
instructions for creating a simulation model using said obfuscated version of said electronic design, said simulation model being suitable for producing accurate hardware simulation results in a simulator but not being suitable to be directly compiled to produce a practical hardware implementation of the electronic design;
and
wherein the instructions for adding obfuscation circuitry comprise:
instructions for adding circuitry at a first location to entangle multiple input signals to thereby spread out the input signals;
and
instructions for adding circuitry at a second location to detangle an output signal resulting from the circuitry to entangle.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for creation of secure simulation models

Life of this patent

Method for creation of secure simulation models

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims49