| abstract |
Abstract: An integrated circuit identification device (ICID) (38) to be incorporated into an integrated circuit (IC) (40) has an array of electronic cells (46), but the magnitude of the output signal of each cell. Is a function of randomly occurring parameter fluctuations that change from cell to cell. The ICID (38) also measures the output of each cell to produce output data having values that reflect a particular combination of the measured properties of all elements of the array (46). A circuit (50). When the number of elements in the array (46) is made sufficiently large, the pattern of the characteristic of the array cell to be measured of the ICID (38) embedded in any one of the ICs (40) becomes unique with a considerably high probability, and it becomes millions Ensure that such patterns can be distinguished from those measured by ICIDs (38) embedded in other ICs (40). Thus, the value of the output data generated by the ICID circuit (38) acts as a unique "fingerprint" for the IC (40) in which it is incorporated, and a unique identifier (ID) for that IC (40). Can be used as |