Patents by Inventor Christopher A Maxey

Christopher A Maxey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9859890
    Abstract: A method for protecting analog or mixed signal ICIP uses adjustment requirements of analog circuits to provide an obfuscated mechanism for preventing unauthorized use of an analog or mixed-signal IC (“AIC”) by disabling the AIC until application of an adjustment signal that is within a narrow enabling subrange. Embodiments significantly increase the adjustment range beyond the enabling subrange, and/or omit AIC tuning outputs that are not required for operation of the IC. Embodiments include “clipping” circuits that render the AIC outputs unresponsive to tuning signals outside of the enabling subrange. Information regarding the enabling subrange and/or a separate enabling IC can be provided to authorized users, and/or enabling bits of a digital adjustment input can be permanently set by the ICIP owner after AIC manufacture. The ICIP can be further protected by a security feature that can be unique to each AIC, and/or by using a two-foundry production method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A Maxey, Thomas E Collins, III