Invention Application
- Patent Title: Voltage-Variation Detection Under Clock Fluctuations
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Application No.: US18051442Application Date: 2022-10-31
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Publication No.: US20230131119A1Publication Date: 2023-04-27
- Inventor: Emre Tuncer , Huachang Xu , Ramprasad Raghavan , Fanny Gur , Manish Harnur
- Applicant: Google LLC
- Applicant Address: US CA Mountain View
- Assignee: Google LLC
- Current Assignee: Google LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Mountain View
- Main IPC: G01R19/165
- IPC: G01R19/165 ; G06F21/75 ; G06F1/10 ; H03K5/00

Abstract:
Detecting voltage-based attacks on an integrated circuit (IC) is difficult in the presence of clock jitter. Propagating signals can exhibit a total delay that is due to a delay component resulting from a voltage-based attack and a delay characteristic resulting from clock fluctuation. Voltage-variation detection circuitry includes first and second voltage-dependent circuits and a voltage analysis circuit. The voltage-dependent circuits produce first and second signals that are indicative of a voltage level responsive to a clock signal and based on different first and second voltage sensitivities. The voltage analysis circuit generates a voltage alert signal based on the first and second signals. A combined signal neutralizes the delay characteristic in the first and second signals, but the delay component due to the voltage variation can be at least partially maintained. Thus, a voltage-based attack is detectable in the presence of clock fluctuation by using two voltage-dependent circuits.
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