Chip full life cycle code tracing method and system based on MAC address
By assigning MAC addresses and physically marking chips during the wafer manufacturing stage, the problem of data disconnection during chip production is solved, enabling efficient, accurate, and anti-counterfeiting quality traceability from wafer to terminal, and improving the efficiency of quality problem investigation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511371406.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-09
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, there is a problem of incomplete data integration during the chip manufacturing process, which leads to difficulties and chaos in data management and makes it difficult to achieve efficient and accurate quality traceability.
Each chip is assigned a unique MAC address during the wafer manufacturing stage and burned into the chip. The MAC address is then physically marked on the chip carrier through packaging and marking, enabling full lifecycle traceability from wafer to terminal.
By using the MAC address as a unique root identifier, accurate, efficient, and counterfeit-proof quality traceability is achieved throughout the entire chip lifecycle, reducing the complexity of managing the association between different identifiers and improving the efficiency of quality problem investigation.
Smart Images
Figure CN121309541A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of chip manufacturing management technology, and more specifically, to a chip lifecycle coding and traceability method and system based on MAC addresses. Background Technology
[0002] In the chip industry, tracing the production records is crucial. Only by recording and analyzing each step of chip production can subsequent steps such as production status analysis and product quality analysis be conducted. However, the chip production process involves numerous raw materials, intermediate products, and procedures, making it challenging to trace these materials and processes.
[0003] Current chip manufacturing quality traceability systems suffer from incomplete data integration. For example, the wafer manufacturing process uses wafer map coordinates and internal chip IDs for traceability; the packaging process generates its own serial number; and the module assembly process burns in network identifiers such as MAC addresses. These identifiers require complex database mapping and association, leading to difficulties and confusion in data management. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This invention overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies in the chip manufacturing traceability process and provides a chip full life cycle encoding traceability method and system based on MAC address, in order to solve the problems existing in the prior art.
[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a chip lifecycle encoding and tracing method based on MAC addresses:
[0006] A chip lifecycle coding and traceability method based on MAC address includes the following steps:
[0007] Address allocation: After the wafer is manufactured, a unique MAC address is assigned to each chip on the wafer;
[0008] Address programming: The assigned MAC address is programmed into the chip during wafer testing;
[0009] Packaging and marking: The chip is packaged into an integrated circuit chip through the packaging process, and the MAC address inside the chip is read and printed on the surface of the integrated circuit chip.
[0010] This invention achieves accurate, efficient, and counterfeit-proof quality traceability of a chip's entire lifecycle (From Cradle to Grave) by injecting the MAC address as a unique root identifier in advance during the wafer manufacturing stage and physically marking it on the chip carrier.
[0011] A further technical solution is to perform the following steps after the encapsulation and printing steps:
[0012] Mounting and printing: The packaged integrated circuit chip is mounted onto the module, and the MAC address on the integrated circuit is identified and printed onto the surface of the module.
[0013] A further technical solution is that the unique MAC address includes production data, which includes wafer ID, coordinates, and Bin value.
[0014] A further technical solution involves assigning a unique MAC address, which includes the following steps:
[0015] The LFSR method is used to process the data to be burned, including production data, into a 24-bit MAC address.
[0016] A further technical solution is that the data to be programmed includes production data with a fixed bit width and checksum data;
[0017] The verification code data is calculated based on production data.
[0018] A further technical solution involves assigning a unique MAC address, which includes the following steps:
[0019] The encoded 24-bit data is divided into two parts: header and payload;
[0020] The header is used to indicate the division method of the payload, and the payload is used to represent production data and reserved items;
[0021] Assign floating bit widths to production data and reserved items. When the total number of bits for header, production data and reserved items exceeds 24 bits, use a hash function to truncate the production data and calculate the corresponding number of bits for use.
[0022] A further technical solution is that the mounting and printing includes the following steps:
[0023] The chip is then mounted onto the module.
[0024] In the module marking process, a high-definition image of the chip surface is captured by a vision system to identify the MAC address string marked by laser, or the chip MAC address is obtained by reading it.
[0025] The MAC address information on the chip surface is also printed on the module board in plaintext and / or encoded form.
[0026] A further technical solution involves the following steps when multiple chips need to be mounted on a module:
[0027] The chip to be installed is mounted onto the module;
[0028] The MAC address string marked by laser can be identified by taking high-definition images of the chip surface using a vision system, or the chip's MAC address can be obtained by reading the image.
[0029] During the module marking process, the MAC address is printed on the module board in plaintext and / or encoded form;
[0030] Alternatively, the MAC address identifier, the module's own serial number, and the production batch number can be used as inputs to generate a completely new and unique composite identifier using a corresponding algorithm.
[0031] Print this generated composite identifier on the module board;
[0032] In the central database, a strong association mapping is established between composite identifiers and all source data.
[0033] A further technical solution is that the packaging and marking includes the following steps:
[0034] Reading: After packaging, the marking system first reads the pre-programmed identifier from the chip's internal non-volatile memory;
[0035] Verification: The system sends the read identifier to the verification service;
[0036] The verification service performs at least one of the following checks:
[0037] Format validity: Check if the MAC address conforms to the IEEE 802 standard format;
[0038] Scope validity: Check whether the MAC address falls within the legitimate OUI scope that our company has applied for and authorized with IEEE;
[0039] Business logic validity: Check whether the MAC address has been marked as invalid in the production database;
[0040] Decision and Marking: If the verification is successful, the system controls the laser marking machine to print the valid MAC address on the surface of the integrated circuit;
[0041] If verification fails: the system either does not perform the normal labeling action or performs an alternative action.
[0042] In another aspect, the present invention provides a chip lifecycle coding and traceability system based on MAC address.
[0043] A chip lifecycle coding and traceability system based on MAC address includes an address allocation unit, an address programming unit, a packaging unit, and a marking unit.
[0044] The address allocation unit is used to assign a unique MAC address to each chip on the wafer after the wafer is manufactured.
[0045] The programming address unit is used to program the assigned MAC address into the chip during wafer testing;
[0046] The packaging unit is used to package the chip into the integrated circuit chip through a packaging process.
[0047] The marking unit is used to read the MAC address inside the chip and print the MAC address inside the chip on the surface of the integrated circuit chip.
[0048] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By injecting the MAC address as a unique root identifier at the wafer manufacturing stage and physically marking it on the chip carrier, this invention achieves accurate, efficient, and anti-counterfeiting quality traceability throughout the chip's lifecycle (From Cradle to Grave). It deepens the traceability system from the product level and module level to the chip level, achieving higher traceability accuracy. Through the MAC address as a consistent identifier, it seamlessly integrates wafer manufacturing data, packaging and testing data, and terminal network performance data, reducing the complexity of managing the associations between different identifiers, improving the efficiency of quality problem investigation, and providing a solid foundation for big data analysis and yield improvement. Attached Figure Description
[0049] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating Example 1;
[0050] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the fixed-width MAC address allocation scheme;
[0051] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the MAC address floating bit width allocation scheme;
[0052] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the chip after it has been marked with plaintext.
[0053] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the chip after QR code labeling. Detailed Implementation
[0054] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.
[0055] Example 1
[0056] A chip lifecycle coding and traceability method based on MAC address, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 This includes the following steps:
[0057] S1 Address Allocation: After the wafer is manufactured, a unique MAC address is assigned to each chip on the wafer;
[0058] It's important to note that the last 24 bits of the MAC address (the manufacturer-defined portion) are not assigned sequentially. Instead, a dynamic encoding algorithm based on production data is used. Production data (wafer ID, coordinates, Bin value) is taken as input and mapped into the limited space of the last 24 bits of the MAC address through a specific process, ensuring uniqueness and facilitating decoding and verification. Therefore, the MAC address itself directly contains the chip's "birth information," eliminating the need to query a database. Decoding the MAC address directly reveals which wafer and location the chip originated from.
[0059] S2 Programming Address: The assigned MAC address is programmed into the chip during wafer testing;
[0060] S3 packaging and marking: The chip is packaged into an integrated circuit chip through the packaging process, and the MAC address inside the chip is read and printed on the surface of the integrated circuit chip.
[0061] In a further preferred embodiment, the method further includes S4 mounting and printing: mounting the packaged integrated circuit chip onto the module, identifying the MAC address on the integrated circuit, and printing it onto the surface of the module.
[0062] In this embodiment, the unique MAC address includes production data, which includes wafer ID, coordinates, and Bin value.
[0063] Due to different customer needs and usage scenarios, there may be multiple schemes for assigning a unique MAC address. The following explains the different allocation schemes.
[0064] Option 1, fixed bit width scheme, see [link / reference] Figure 2 The allocation of a unique MAC address includes the following steps:
[0065] The LFSR method is used to process the data to be burned, including production data, into a 24-bit MAC address.
[0066] S11 takes production data (wafer ID, coordinates, Bin value) as input and has a fixed bit width;
[0067] For example, the bit width and configuration of each field are shown in the table below:
[0068] Data fields Example value Bit width illustrate Wafer ID W12345 16 bit The internal database maps alphanumeric IDs to a 16-bit integer. Die X coordinate 25 8 bit Assuming the maximum diameter of the wafer is 300mm, and the size of a die is about 5mm, 60 points on the X-axis are sufficient, and 8 bits (256) are more than enough. Die Y coordinate 30 8 bit Same as the X coordinate. Test Bin value 1 4 bits Assuming there are 16 performance levels (Bin), 4 bits are sufficient.
[0069] In this case, the total input information bit width is: 16 + 8 + 8 + 4 = 36 bits;
[0070] This 36 bits of information is "compressed" and encoded into the 24 bits of the MAC address.
[0071] S12: Data concatenation: Concatenate the wafer ID (16 bits), X coordinate (8 bits), Y coordinate (8 bits), and Bin value (4 bits) into a 36-bit long integer DATA_36bit;
[0072] DATA_36bit = (Wafer_ID << 20) | (X_coord << 12) | (Y_coord << 4) |Bin_Value
[0073] In a preferred embodiment, the method further includes S13: generating a verification code;
[0074] A standard CRC-8 polynomial (e.g., 0x107, i.e., CRC-8-SAE J1850) is used to calculate DATA_36 bits to generate an 8-bit Frame Check Sequence (FCS).
[0075] The 8-bit FCS is a "fingerprint" of 36-bit data. It can be used to verify the correctness of the decoded production data during future decoding, effectively preventing error tracing caused by address copying or transmission errors.
[0076] S14: Final splicing and obfuscation;
[0077] By concatenating the 36-bit DATA_36bit and the 8-bit FCS, a 44-bit data DATA_44bit is obtained.
[0078] To break the sequential nature of the data and make it appear more random (to avoid generating consecutive MAC addresses), the aforementioned DATA_44bit is fed into a pre-configured 24-bit LFSR for processing.
[0079] LFSR operation: Using DATA_44bit as the initial value or input stream, the LFSR runs for several rounds (e.g., 44 or 64 rounds). The pseudo-random nature of the LFSR sufficiently obfuscates the input data.
[0080] S15: Output the encoded result, taking the lower 24 bits of the final LFSR status value as the final MAC address suffix.
[0081] Option 2, floating bit width scheme, see [link / reference] Figure 3 ;
[0082] The principle of this scheme is to divide the encoded 24-bit data into two parts: header and payload.
[0083] The payload assigns a floating bit width to the wafer ID, coordinates, Bin value, and reserved items. When the total number of bits in the payload exceeds the set number of bits, the corresponding number of bits is truncated using a hash function.
[0084] For example, the header (occupying 4 bits) defines the specific structure of the following 20 bits of payload.
[0085] Payload (occupies 20 bits), the payload is the part that actually carries the production data.
[0086] The header's 4 bits can represent 16 (2^4=16) different predefined "encoding formats," each of which specifies how the payload is divided.
[0087] For example, the header (4 bits) values and corresponding schemes are as follows:
[0088] Head value Encoding format description Wafer ID bit width X-coordinate width Y coordinate width Bin value bit width Reserved Projects Total usage 0000 Format 0: Engineering Sample 6 bits 6 bits 6 bits 2 bits 0 bits 20 bits 0001 Format 1: Mass Production Stage 10 bits 5 bits 5 bits 4 bits 0 bits 24 bits 0010 Format 2: Customized for Clients 12 bits 6 bits 6 bits 4 bits 0 bits 28 bits 0011 Format 3: Includes reserved space 8 bits 5 bits 5 bits 3 bits 5 bits 26 bits
[0089] In this embodiment, the reserved field (Custom Field) is used for future expansion or recording of additional information, such as test equipment number, special process code, customer-specific code, etc.
[0090] As shown in the table above, the total bit width of formats 2 and 3 exceeds 20 bits (28 bits and 26 bits, respectively).
[0091] A11: Use production data (wafer ID, coordinates, Bin value) as input as the payload;
[0092] A12: Determine if the payload exceeds 20 bits;
[0093] If the number of bytes exceeds the limit, the header plus the payload will be output as the encoded result.
[0094] If it exceeds the limit, then execute A13;
[0095] A13 uses a hash function truncation method to "compress" excess data into a 20-bit payload space.
[0096] For example, the hash function truncation method includes the following steps:
[0097] A131: Raw data concatenation. Based on the scheme selected in the header, the wafer ID, X coordinate, Y coordinate, Bin value, reserved items, and other information are concatenated into a long binary sequence ORIGINAL_DATA according to the specified bit width.
[0098] A132: Hash calculation, applying a cryptographically secure hash function (such as SHA-256) to ORIGINAL_DATA.
[0099] Input: ORIGINAL_DATA (e.g., 28 bits)
[0100] Output: A fixed-length (256-bit) hash value HASH_RESULT is obtained.
[0101] A133: Truncate, take the first 20 bits (or the last 20 bits) of HASH_RESULT as the final payload.
[0102] A14: Data concatenation, combining a 4-bit header + a 20-bit payload into a final 24-bit MAC address suffix.
[0103] Combine it with the company's 24-bit OUI prefix to form a complete MAC address.
[0104] In a further preferred embodiment, the S3 packaging and marking includes the following steps:
[0105] S31 Read: After packaging, the marking system first reads the pre-programmed identifier from the chip's internal non-volatile memory. In this embodiment, the MAC address is: A4:C3:61:12:34:56;
[0106] S32 authentication: The system sends the read identifier to the authentication service;
[0107] The verification service performs at least one of the following checks:
[0108] Format validity: Check if the MAC address conforms to the IEEE 802 standard format;
[0109] Range validity: Check whether the MAC address falls within the legal OUI range that our company has applied for and authorized with IEEE (e.g., whether it is within A4:C3:61:00:00:00 to A4:C3:61:FF:FF:FF).
[0110] Business logic validity: Check whether the MAC address has been marked as invalid in the production database (e.g., "deprecated" or "test failed").
[0111] S33 Decision and Marking: If the verification is successful, the system controls the laser marking machine to print the valid MAC address on the surface of the integrated circuit;
[0112] If verification fails: the system either does not perform the normal labeling action or performs an alternative action.
[0113] For example, the alternative action could be to print a special error code such as INVALID_MAC, or to route the chip to the scrap bin and trigger an alarm.
[0114] In a further preferred embodiment, S4 mounting and printing includes the following steps:
[0115] S41 mounts the chip onto a module (such as a Wi-Fi / BT module or a mobile phone motherboard);
[0116] In the module marking process, a high-definition image of the chip surface is captured by a vision system (scanner or test fixture) to identify the MAC address string marked by laser, or the chip MAC address is obtained by reading it.
[0117] S42 also prints the MAC address information on the chip surface onto the module board in plaintext and / or encoded form.
[0118] Plain text labeling and QR code labeling reference Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 5 The QR code in the image has been blurred and is only used here to illustrate that the code-breaking operation can be completed.
[0119] In a further preferred embodiment, when multiple chips (such as a main control chip, a Wi-Fi chip, and a memory chip) need to be installed on the module, the mounting and printing includes the following steps:
[0120] The S410 mounts the chip that needs to be installed onto the module;
[0121] High-resolution images of the chip surface are captured using a vision system to identify the MAC address string marked by laser (such as MAC_A for the main controller and MAC_B for the Wi-Fi chip); or the chip's MAC address can be obtained by reading it.
[0122] In the module marking process, S420 prints the MAC address on the module board in plaintext and / or encoded form.
[0123] Alternatively, the following solution can be adopted:
[0124] S421 takes data including the MAC address identifier, the module's own serial number (SN), and the production batch number as input, and generates a new, unique composite identifier (such as a QR code QR_CODE_X) through a specific algorithm (such as hash operation or custom encoding rules).
[0125] S430 prints this generated composite identifier on the module board;
[0126] S440 establishes a strong association mapping between composite identifiers and all source data in the central database.
[0127] The generated QR_CODE_X is printed on the module board. At the same time, a strong correlation mapping is established between QR_CODE_X and all source data (MAC_A, MAC_B, SN, production time, etc.) in the central database.
[0128] After the above coding printing is completed, in any subsequent production or after-sales stage (wafer testing, packaging testing, module testing, complete machine quality inspection, user repair), once a quality problem is found, staff can directly read the plaintext MAC address on the surface of the chip or module and query the complete history of the chip in the traceability system, including: wafer ID, coordinates on the wafer, packaging plant information, test data records, etc.
[0129] For example, the chip manufacturing coding traceability process is as follows:
[0130] Wafer stage: An 8-inch wafer completes fabrication. The tester contacts each die via a probe station, performing electrical tests while simultaneously assigning MAC addresses A4:C3:61:00:00:01 to A4:C3:61:00:NN:NN from a preset address pool and burning them into the eFuse of each die.
[0131] Packaging stage: The wafer is diced, mounted, bonded, and encapsulated. After packaging, a laser marking machine reads the MAC address (e.g., A4:C3:61:00:01:0A) from the eFuse inside the chip and precisely laser-etches it onto the black surface of the chip's package.
[0132] Module stage: The chip is surface-mounted (SMT) onto an IoT module. After module testing is completed, the system reads the MAC address on the chip surface and prints it on the module label using an inkjet printer.
[0133] Traceability Phase: A customer reported unstable network connectivity for a certain batch of modules. Engineers disassembled the faulty modules and directly read the MAC address (A4:C3:61:00:01:0A) on the chip surface using a magnifying glass, then input it into the traceability system. The system immediately displayed that the chip originated from wafer number XX, row X, column Y, and that a slight leakage anomaly was recorded during wafer testing, thus accurately pinpointing the quality issue as a result of wafer process variations.
[0134] Example 2
[0135] A chip lifecycle coding and traceability system based on MAC address includes an address allocation unit, an address programming unit, a packaging unit, and a marking unit.
[0136] The address allocation unit is used to assign a unique MAC address to each chip on the wafer after the wafer is manufactured.
[0137] The programming address unit is used to program the assigned MAC address into the chip during wafer testing;
[0138] The packaging unit is used to package the chip into the integrated circuit chip through a packaging process.
[0139] The marking unit is used to read the MAC address inside the chip and print the MAC address inside the chip on the surface of the integrated circuit chip.
[0140] Although the invention has been described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that many other modifications and implementations can be devised by those skilled in the art, which will fall within the scope and spirit of the principles disclosed herein. More specifically, various variations and modifications can be made to the components and / or layout of the subject matter combination within the scope of this disclosure. Besides variations and modifications to the components and / or layout, other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. A chip lifecycle coding and traceability method based on MAC address, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Address allocation: After the wafer is manufactured, a unique MAC address is assigned to each chip on the wafer; Address programming: The assigned MAC address is programmed into the chip during wafer testing; Packaging and marking: The chip is packaged into an integrated circuit chip through the packaging process, and the MAC address inside the chip is read and printed on the surface of the integrated circuit chip.
2. The chip lifecycle coding and tracing method based on MAC address as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After performing the encapsulation and printing steps, the following steps are performed: Mounting and printing: The packaged integrated circuit chip is mounted onto the module, and the MAC address on the integrated circuit is identified and printed onto the surface of the module.
3. The chip lifecycle coding and tracing method based on MAC address as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The unique MAC address includes production data, which includes wafer ID, coordinates, and Bin value.
4. The chip lifecycle coding and tracing method based on MAC address as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The process of assigning a unique MAC address includes the following steps: The LFSR method is used to process the data to be burned, including production data, into a 24-bit MAC address.
5. The chip lifecycle coding and tracing method based on MAC address as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The data to be programmed includes fixed-width production data and checksum data; The verification code data is calculated based on production data.
6. The chip lifecycle coding and traceability method based on MAC address as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The process of assigning a unique MAC address includes the following steps: The encoded 24-bit data is divided into two parts: header and payload; The header is used to indicate the division method of the payload, and the payload is used to represent production data and reserved items; Assign floating bit widths to production data and reserved items. When the total number of bits for header, production data and reserved items exceeds 24 bits, use a hash function to truncate the production data and calculate the corresponding number of bits for use.
7. The chip lifecycle coding and tracing method based on MAC address as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting and printing process includes the following steps: The chip is then mounted onto the module. In the module marking process, a high-definition image of the chip surface is captured by a vision system to identify the MAC address string marked by laser, or the chip MAC address is obtained by reading it. The MAC address information on the chip surface is also printed on the module board in plaintext and / or encoded form.
8. The chip lifecycle coding and tracing method based on MAC address as described in claim 2, characterized in that, When multiple chips need to be mounted on a module, the mounting and printing process includes the following steps: The chip to be installed is mounted onto the module; The MAC address string marked by laser can be identified by taking high-definition images of the chip surface using a vision system, or the chip's MAC address can be obtained by reading the image. During the module marking process, the MAC address is printed on the module board in plaintext and / or encoded form; Alternatively, the MAC address identifier, the module's own serial number, and the production batch number can be used as inputs to generate a completely new and unique composite identifier using a corresponding algorithm. Print this generated composite identifier on the module board; In the central database, a strong association mapping is established between composite identifiers and all source data.
9. A chip lifecycle coding and traceability method based on MAC address as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The packaging and marking process includes the following steps: Reading: After packaging, the marking system first reads the pre-programmed identifier from the chip's internal non-volatile memory; Verification: The system sends the read identifier to the verification service; The verification service performs at least one of the following checks: Format validity: Check if the MAC address conforms to the IEEE 802 standard format; Scope validity: Check whether the MAC address falls within the legitimate OUI scope that our company has applied for and authorized with IEEE; Business logic validity: Check whether the MAC address has been marked as invalid in the production database; Decision and Marking: If the verification is successful, the system controls the laser marking machine to print the valid MAC address on the surface of the integrated circuit; If verification fails: the system either does not perform the normal labeling action or performs an alternative action.
10. A chip lifecycle coding and traceability system based on MAC addresses, characterized in that, It includes an address allocation unit, an address programming unit, an encapsulation unit, and a marking unit; The address allocation unit is used to assign a unique MAC address to each chip on the wafer after the wafer is manufactured. The programming address unit is used to program the assigned MAC address into the chip during wafer testing; The packaging unit is used to package the chip into the integrated circuit chip through a packaging process. The marking unit is used to read the MAC address inside the chip and print the MAC address inside the chip on the surface of the integrated circuit chip.