Cloaking Circuits for Obscuring Processing Circuit Activity Signals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data security measures in processing circuits are vulnerable to attacks through monitoring of electrical signals and fields, allowing unauthorized access to confidential data.

Innovation Solution

Implementing cloaking circuits that modify electrical terminal signals to obscure circuit activity, making it difficult for attackers to detect and interpret the signals, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electrical signals are transmitted on wires or terminals for data processing, then data transmission and processing functionality is achieved, but the signals provide detectable indications of circuit activity that can be monitored by attackers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidsignal detectability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cloaking circuit as an intermediary component between the processing circuit and external wires/terminals. This cloaking circuit modifies the electrical signals to hide circuit activity indications while allowing legitimate data transmission to continue uninterrupted.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of electrical signals by adding noise or modifying signal characteristics through the cloaking circuit. This alters the signal properties to obscure circuit activity patterns from potential attackers while maintaining functional data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If standard electrical terminals are used for signal transmission, then ease of connection and data transfer is achieved, but the terminals are vulnerable to monitoring attacks through electrical connections and field sensing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection easeVSAvoidattack vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cloaking circuit serves as a protective intermediary that interfaces between standard electrical terminals and the external environment. It maintains ease of connection while blocking harmful monitoring attacks by obscuring signal activity indications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the inherently detectable nature of electrical signals into a benefit by using the cloaking circuit to deliberately add obfuscation. The same electrical transmission medium that enables data transfer also carries the cloaked signals that protect against attacks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If processing circuits operate with visible signal activity patterns, then normal circuit functionality and performance are achieved, but activity patterns reveal information about circuit state that can be exploited by attackers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit performanceVSAvoidinformation leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The cloaking circuit acts as an information-filtering intermediary that allows productive circuit operation to continue while blocking the leakage of sensitive information about circuit state and activity patterns to external attackers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies signal parameters through the cloaking circuit to hide information about circuit activity patterns. This maintains normal circuit performance while preventing attackers from inferring sensitive information from observable signal characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4651003A1Cloaking circuits to obfuscate indications of circuit activity in processing circuits and related methods
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4651003A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4651003A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4651003A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The indications of circuit activity in an electrical signal may be obtained by monitoring the electrical terminal or wire by way of an electrical connection or by sensing changes in magnetic and electric fields. A cloaking circuit may be coupled to the electrical terminal to obfuscate the indications of circuit activity of the processing circuit to reduce or avoid successful monitoring that may lead to a breach of data security. Obfuscating the indications of circuit activity includes modifying a signal on the electrical terminal to render the circuit activity more obscure, unclear, or unintelligible. In some examples, modifying the signal on the electrical terminal may include generating a cloaking signal on the electrical terminal. In some examples, generating the cloaking signal may include analyzing the signal to detect indications of circuit activity and generating the cloaking signal based on the circuit activity.