Patent EP0268142A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.

EP0268142A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Tamper-resistant packaging for protection of information stored in electronic circuitry

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp

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Filing: 1987-11-03

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Granted: —

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Expires: 2007-11-03

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Abstract

Abstract A tamper-resistant package for protection of information stored in electronic circuitry (10) includes apparatus for distributing electro-magnetic energy within a region occupied by the circuit to be protected. A sensing arrangement senses the distribution of the energy. In a preferred embodiment, electrical current is distributed through a coil (30) or coils within which the circuit to be protected resides. The sensor includes an integrating circuit, and the output of the integrating circuit is presented to both a sample and hold circuit and to a comparator. The comparator has high and low reference input terminals which are fed from a voltage divider to which is also applied an output from the sample and hold circuit. The high and low reference inputs to the comparator are, by reason of the sample and hold circuit, adaptive. The comparator produces an output if its input is outside the limits established by the high and low reference inputs; that output of the comparator is taken as evidence of tampering. An impairing device responds to the comparator output to obliterate, destroy or otherwise impair the information stored in the electronic circuit which is being protected.

Inventors

👤 Steve Harris Weingart

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction EP

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 15:23

CPC Classifications

H; H10; H10W; H10W42/00; H10W42/40; H10W42/405; G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/70; G06F21/86

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15

Claim 1

Independent Claim 44 words

A tamper resistant package for protecting information stored in an electronic circuit comprising: sensing means (30) distributed about said electronic circuit for sensing an intrusion, said sensing means including: means for distributing electromagnetic energy about said electronic circuit, means for detecting said energy distribution.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 44 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 95 words

The package of claim 1 wherein the means for detecting include: a sensor (110), a clock (100), sample and hold circuit means (120) coupled to said sensor and clocked periodically by said clock to sample and store an output of said sensor, a comparator (130) with at least one input subjected to a signal from said sample and hold circuit means and another input from said sensor, and impairing means (140) for impairing said electronic circuit or the information stored therein in response to an indication from said comparator of an intrusion into said enclosure.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 57 words

The tamper resistant package of claim 1 or 2 in which said means for distributing electromagnetic energy includes: a source of electrical current, a coil (30) of insulated electrical conductors coupled at one terminal (31) to said source and wrapped to surround said electronic circuit, with another terminal (32) of said electrical conductors coupled to said sensor.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 1 - 3 in which said sensor includes an integrating circuit (110) coupled to said means for distributing and periodically reset by said clock.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 61 words

The tamper resistant package of claim 4 which further includes a divider coupled between two reference signals with an intermediate point (S) coupled to said signal from said sample and hold circuit means (120) and in which said comparator (130) has a first input coupled to said sensor, and second and third inputs coupled to different points (L,H) of said divider.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The tamper resistant package of claim 3 in which said insulated coil of electrical conductors includes Nichrome wire.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 3 - 6 in which said conductor has a diameter on the order of 0,09 mm (0.0035 inches).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 3 - 7 in which said coil of insulated electrical conductors is close wound.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 3 - 7 in which said coil of insulated electrical conductors is scramble wound.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 3 - 9 in which said coil of insulated conductors includes at least two strands both of which are individually wrapped and means joining one extremity of one strand to an adjacent extremity of another strand.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 3 - 10 which further includes a cross-linked epoxy in which said electrical circuit to be protected and said coil of insulated electrical conductors is potted.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 17 words

The tamper resistant package of claim 11 in which said epoxy is filled with Alumina or Silica.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

The tamper resistant package of claim 3 or 11 in which said coil is loosely wrapped to provide random positioning of conductors.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 38 words

The tamper resistant package of one of the claims 3-13 in which said coil includes a first coil portion wrapped about a first axis and serially connected thereto a second coil portion wrapped about a second, different axis.

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