Patents by Inventor Keith E. Daum

Keith E. Daum 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).

  • Structures for preventing reverse engineering of integrated circuits
    Patent number: 5821582
    Abstract: Embodiments according to the present invention provide tamper resistant structures which make it more difficult to reverse engineer integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a tamper resistant structure on a passivation layer leaves portions of the passivation layer exposed. Mechanical or chemical removal of the tamper resistant structure damages exposed portions of the passivation layer and makes reverse engineering difficult. Other embodiments of the tamper resistant structure include patterned and unpatterned structures containing hard materials, chemically resistant materials, amalgams, fibrous materials, and/or meshes attached to a passivation layer. Tamper resistant structures can also be provided between layers of the active circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Keith E. Daum
  • Structures for preventing reverse engineering of integrated circuits
    Patent number: 5468990
    Abstract: Embodiments according to the present invention provide tamper resistant structures which make it more difficult to reverse engineer integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a tamper resistant structure on a passivation layer leaves portions of the passivation layer exposed. Mechanical or chemical removal of the tamper resistant structure damages exposed portions of the passivation layer and makes reverse engineering difficult. Other embodiments of the tamper resistant structure include patterned and unpatterned structures containing hard materials, chemically resistant materials, amalgams, fibrous materials, and/or meshes attached to a passivation layer. Tamper resistant structures can also be provided between layers of the active circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Keith E. Daum