Logic Circuit Digital Signatures for Consumable Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unauthorized third parties attempt to reverse engineer or counterfeit logic circuits of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) by connecting to their apparatuses without authorization, posing a challenge in verifying the authenticity of replaceable print apparatus components.
Innovation Solution
A digital signature is generated using a private key and stored on consumable components, which can be verified by the host using a corresponding public key, ensuring only genuine components are accepted, and non-genuine ones are rejected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital signature verification is implemented to prevent unauthorized components, then security and authenticity verification are improved, but device complexity and memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The digital signature is generated and stored in the component's memory during manufacturing before the component is installed in the host device. This preliminary action ensures that authentication data is already prepared and available, eliminating the need for complex real-time signature generation during verification operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent stores a copy of the digital signature in the component's memory alongside the data being signed. This allows the host to verify authenticity by comparing the stored signature with a newly generated signature from the data, without requiring complex cryptographic operations during normal operation. The signature acts as a simplified copy that can be easily verified.
2Reliability
If digital signature data is stored in component memory, then authenticity verification capability is improved, but memory capacity requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential authentication elements (digital signature and associated metadata) and stores them in the component's memory, separating these from the main functional data. This extraction approach minimizes memory usage by storing only what is necessary for verification rather than duplicating all component data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryptographic hashing to transform the component's data into a fixed-size digital signature. This parameter change from variable-length data to fixed-size signature dramatically reduces the memory space required for storing authentication information while maintaining verification capability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If digital signature verification is implemented, then protection against counterfeit components is improved, but ease of operation decreases due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
The component automatically provides its digital signature and associated metadata to the host during the normal data exchange process. The verification is performed as part of the standard communication protocol, requiring no separate manual verification steps from the user while still providing counterfeit protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The host receives feedback in the form of verification results during normal operation. If a component's signature does not match, the host can immediately reject it without requiring additional user intervention. This feedback mechanism integrates security verification seamlessly into the operational workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
A logic circuitry package includes an interface to communicate with a controller and a logic circuit. The logic circuit includes a memory arrangement storing a first digital signature, a second digital signature, and a third digital signature signed over the first digital signature and the second digital signature. The logic circuit is configured to receive at least one request from the controller; and transmit the first digital signature, the second digital signature, and the third digital signature to the controller in response to the at least one request.