PUF-Based Electronic Component Authentication System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic systems lack a comprehensive method for ensuring the integrity and reliability of connections and information between multiple electronic components, particularly in systems requiring high security like extended-reality glasses.
Innovation Solution
An electronic authentication system that utilizes a computer, memory device, and a set of electronic components connected via direct or indirect links. Each component is equipped with a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) to implement a challenge-response type authentication protocol, allowing for mutual authentication and verification of the system's integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional authentication methods are used, then shared secrets must be established in advance between components, but this increases system complexity and reduces reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication function from shared secret mechanisms and implements it through PUF-based challenge-response protocols. Each electronic component has its own PUF that generates unique responses to challenges, eliminating the need for pre-established shared secrets between components while maintaining authentication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each electronic component autonomously generates its own authentication response using its intrinsic PUF characteristics. The components serve themselves by utilizing their unique physical properties to authenticate without requiring external secret sharing or complex authentication infrastructure, thereby reducing system complexity.
2Reliability
If comprehensive authentication is implemented across all electronic components, then system integrity is improved, but the authentication process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the authentication of multiple electronic components into a single coordinated process. The master electronic component collects challenges and responses from slave components and performs centralized verification, allowing comprehensive authentication to be completed efficiently without time penalty for each individual component authentication.
Solution Approach 2:
The master electronic component pre-establishes the authentication protocol and collects PUF responses from all components before final system authorization is granted. This preliminary collection and verification of authentication data enables rapid system-wide authentication without time-consuming sequential checks during operation.
3Reliability
If PUF-based authentication is implemented, then shared secrets are eliminated, but the system requires more complex challenge-response protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The PUF-based authentication protocol serves multiple functions simultaneously: it authenticates individual components, verifies system integrity, and enables secure communication without requiring separate shared secrets for each function. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite the advanced authentication mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic authentication system includes a computer, a memory device connected to the computer, and a set of electronic components. The computer and electronic components are connected together by direct or indirect links according to a predetermined configuration, each of the electronic components being provided with a PUF intended to apply a challenge-response type authentication protocol. The electronic system is configured to broadcast a unique challenge to the set of electronic components, and the computer is configured to receive back from the set of electronic components at least one response enabling it to verify the integrity of this set of electronic components by comparing said at least one response with at least one expected response recorded beforehand in the memory device. The integrity of the set of electronic components is authenticated as being valid if the at least one response and the at least one expected response coincide.