Power Delivery Circuits Mitigating Electromagnetic Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electromagnetic emissions from power lines can cause interference and information leakage, posing security risks in sensitive applications, as these emissions can be monitored to derive sensitive information, leading to side channel attacks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of power delivery circuits (PDCs) coupled to power lines to create mixed directions of electromagnetic flux, optimizing the placement of PDCs along power line segments to mitigate electromagnetic emissions, using auto-placing methods and simulation to ensure opposing currents reduce detectable emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If power is transmitted along electrical wires to functional circuit blocks, then the circuit blocks receive necessary power supply, but electromagnetic radiation is emitted causing interference and information leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The power delivery circuit segments the power transmission path by introducing switching elements (transistors) that divide the continuous power flow into discrete, controlled segments. This segmentation allows the circuit to transmit power while controlling the timing and duration of electromagnetic emissions, thereby reducing information leakage through temporal segmentation of the power delivery process
Solution Approach 2:
The power delivery circuit employs periodic switching actions where transistors alternately connect and disconnect power supply to circuit blocks. This periodic action creates controlled electromagnetic emissions at specific intervals rather than continuous emissions, making it difficult for attackers to extract meaningful information from the radiation pattern while maintaining necessary power supply
2Measurement precision
If electromagnetic emissions are monitored to identify data or operations, then information can be extracted from the circuit, but security of sensitive information transmission is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The power delivery circuit converts the potentially harmful continuous electromagnetic emissions into beneficial controlled periodic emissions. By using switching elements to create intentional, structured emission patterns, the circuit transforms the security vulnerability into a controlled feature where emissions occur only when needed for legitimate operation, making side-channel attacks ineffective while maintaining power delivery functionality
3Power
If power lines are used to supply power to circuit blocks, then power distribution is achieved, but crosstalk interference occurs on the power lines
Solution Approach 1:
The power delivery circuit introduces dynamic switching control to the previously static power distribution system. Transistors dynamically connect and disconnect power supply based on operational needs, creating time-varying power delivery that reduces continuous electromagnetic coupling between adjacent power lines, thereby minimizing crosstalk interference while maintaining effective power distribution
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
This approach effectively reduces electromagnetic susceptibility and interference, making it difficult to identify circuit activity, thereby enhancing the security of sensitive information transmission by minimizing detectable electromagnetic emissions.
Implementation Method 1
PDCs are coupled to locations of the power line in order to cause electromagnetic flux on the power line to have mixed directions
Data Source
AI summary
A system incorporating a power distribution for functional circuit blocks can include a functional circuit block comprising two or more sub-circuits; a power line comprising at least two segments, a first sub-circuit of the two or more sub-circuits being coupled to a first segment of the at least two segments, and a second sub-circuit of the two or more sub-circuits being coupled to a second segment of the at least two segments; and at least one power delivery circuit (PDC) coupled to the power line at a location to create an electromagnetic flux on two adjacent segments of the at least two segments that is in opposite directions. The PDCs can be arranged coupled to the power line with a number and at locations optimized for mitigating electromagnetic emissions on the power line.