Anti-Tamper Assembly Using Radioactive Pixel Pattern Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic anti-tamper devices often increase weight, size, cost, complexity, and power consumption, while lacking effective protection against physical tampering and reverse engineering, and do not provide a unique, uncloneable function for cryptographic processes.
Innovation Solution
An anti-tamper assembly with a sealed cavity containing a radioactive source, a screen with random apertures, and a detector array generates unique, uncloneable image frames used for tamper detection and cryptographic processes, minimizing additional weight and cost by using a thin metal container and α-particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional printed circuit boards with conductive traces are used, then electrical connections are established, but the device is vulnerable to tampering and environmental damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical electrical connections (conductive traces on PCB) with a field-based electrical connection system using electromagnetic coupling between transmitter and receiver coils. This eliminates the physical board structure that is vulnerable to tampering while maintaining electrical connectivity through magnetic field coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic field coupling as an intermediary between electrical components. Instead of direct physical contact through conductive traces, electrical signals are transmitted through magnetic fields generated by coils, providing both electrical connection and tamper resistance simultaneously.
2Reliability
If conductive traces are exposed on circuit boards, then electrical connections are made, but the device is susceptible to electrostatic discharge and environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces exposed mechanical conductive traces with a field-based electromagnetic coupling system. This substitution protects against environmental contamination and electrostatic discharge by eliminating direct exposure of conductive paths while maintaining electrical functionality through magnetic field interaction.
3Reliability
If soldering processes are used to attach components, then electrical connections are established, but the device suffers from manufacturing defects and reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces soldering-based mechanical electrical connections with electromagnetic field coupling. This eliminates soldering defects and reliability issues associated with traditional PCB assembly while simplifying the manufacturing process to component placement without requiring soldering operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The assembly effectively detects unauthorized tampering and generates unique, uncloneable functions for cryptographic processes, while maintaining a compact and efficient design, preventing cloning and ensuring secure operation.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field couples the first coil to the second coil
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An anti-tamper assembly is disclosed for a circuit board which comprises one or more electronic components. The assembly comprises a container having side walls, a first closed end and a second, opposing open end, the container being configured to be mounted on said circuit board at said open end, over at least one of the electronic components to form, in use, a sealed cavity around said at least one of said electronic components. The assembly further comprises a source of radioactive particles mounted within the container, an image sensor for capturing image frames within said sealed cavity, in use. The image sensor comprises a detector region defining an array of pixels, a screen member located, in use, within the cavity between the radioactive source and the detector, said screen member having at least one aperture, and a processor for retrieving said captured image frames, monitoring said image frames for changes in the statistical distribution of active pixels and, in the event that statistical distribution of active pixels indicates the presence of a feature in an image frame, generating a tamper alert.