Attack Detection Circuits as Spare Cells for Chip Area Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to provide adequate protection to a chip against hacking without increasing the area and cost by optimizing the arrangement of attack detection circuits and spare cells within the chip.
Innovation Solution
A circuit design method that places a plurality of attack detection circuits around a specific circuit unit and determines the number of spare cells based on the number of attack detection circuits, allowing the attack detection circuits to be used as spare cells when needed, thereby reducing the overall area and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If more attack detection circuits are arranged around the specific circuit unit, then the protection level against hacking is improved, but the chip area and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes attack detection circuits multi-functional by enabling them to serve dual purposes: detecting attacks during normal operation and acting as spare cells for engineering changes after fabrication. This is achieved by designing the attack detection circuits with configurable functionality that can be switched between attack detection mode and spare cell mode through control signals, allowing the same hardware resources to fulfill multiple roles and eliminate the need for separate spare cells
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functionality of attack detection circuits and spare cells into a single integrated structure. By arranging attack detection circuits around the specific circuit unit and configuring them to be reusable as spare cells, the design combines two previously separate functional elements into one unified system, thereby reducing overall chip area while maintaining both security protection and post-fabrication modifyability
2Adaptability or versatility
If more spare cells are provided for engineering changes, then the adaptability for design modifications is improved, but the chip area and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes attack detection circuits multi-functional by enabling them to serve dual purposes: detecting attacks during normal operation and acting as spare cells for engineering changes after fabrication. This is achieved by designing the attack detection circuits with configurable functionality that can be switched between attack detection mode and spare cell mode through control signals, allowing the same hardware resources to fulfill multiple roles and eliminate the need for separate spare cells
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a mechanism where attack detection circuits can be discarded from their primary security function and recovered for use as spare cells when engineering changes are needed. The system includes detection logic that identifies when an attack detection circuit can be safely repurposed, and control circuitry that transitions the circuit from attack detection mode to spare cell mode, effectively recovering the resources for their secondary function
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a circuit design method and an associated circuit. The circuit design method is for generating a circuit, and the method includes: arranging a plurality of attack detection circuits around a specific circuit unit, wherein the specific circuit unit is in the circuit; determining a number of a plurality of spare cells required by the circuit according to a number of the attack detection circuit; and placing the spare cells in the circuit according to the number of the spare cells.