Dynamic IP Protection for Electronic Circuit Designs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting intellectual property in electronic circuit designs, such as encryption, fail to prevent unauthorized access and modification by Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, especially when sharing hierarchical IP block designs, as they do not effectively control the levels of detail exposed to different users.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic IP protection method that encapsulates IP blocks at multiple levels of encryption and access using parameterized cells (pcells), where design data is encrypted in volatile memory and stored in a side file, allowing only authorized users to decrypt the appropriate level of details for instantiation and reuse, while hiding implementation details from unauthorized users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encryption modules are used to protect IP designs, then unauthorized access is deterred, but the EDA tools on which the encryption modules reside can still access the IP designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism called a 'protection module' that acts as a mediator between the IP design and the EDA tools. This protection module intercepts access requests to IP designs and evaluates user authorization before allowing access. The intermediary nature of this module prevents EDA tools from directly accessing protected IP designs, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing IP protection and maintaining tool functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the protection module continuously monitors and evaluates access requests to IP designs. When a user or tool attempts to access protected IP, the system provides feedback by evaluating authorization credentials and either permitting or blocking access accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that only authorized entities can access IP designs, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining legitimate functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all design details are exposed to enable interoperability, then EDA tools can process the designs, but IP providers lose control over the levels of detail accessible to third parties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the IP design into multiple levels of detail or hierarchy. Instead of exposing all details at once, the system segments the design information into accessible portions based on user authorization levels. This allows different users to access different levels of detail while maintaining interoperability for authorized operations, thereby resolving the contradiction between comprehensive exposure and controlled information disclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different access qualities or permissions to different parts of the IP design based on user authorization. Authorized users receive full detail access, while unauthorized users receive limited or no access. This differential quality control allows the system to maintain interoperability for authorized entities while preventing information loss for unauthorized access, balancing the conflicting requirements.
3Productivity
If hierarchical IP block designs are shared to enable reuse, then design efficiency is improved, but each sub-block carries individual value that may be exploited or modified unauthorized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a protection module that serves multiple functions: it protects hierarchical IP blocks at various levels, enables authorized reuse of sub-blocks, and maintains security against unauthorized modification. This multi-functional approach allows the system to facilitate design reuse efficiency while simultaneously ensuring IP security, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the access control mechanism adaptive and responsive to different authorization levels. The protection module dynamically adjusts the level of detail exposed based on the user's authorization credentials. This dynamic control allows hierarchical IP blocks to be shared and reused efficiently for authorized users while maintaining security and preventing unauthorized exploitation or modification of valuable sub-blocks.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments describe methods and systems for dynamic IP protection in electronic circuit designs. The methods or systems determine one or more levels of access or encryption and identify design data that should be made available for each level. For each level, a pcell instance is created to hide actual design data, and the design data that should be made available are moved to an instance of the corresponding sub-master in memory. The design data in this instance are encrypted in memory and are persisted in a side file in a non-volatile computer accessible storage medium. An authorized user is provided with a key, the side file, and a decrypting scheme to retrieve the actual design data with an appropriate level of details from the side file during a pcell evaluation process.