Patents by Inventor Lap-Wai Chow

Lap-Wai Chow 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).

  • Publication number: 20170091368
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logical cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function. Additionally, post processing may be performed on GDS layers to provide a realistic fill of the empty space so as to resemble structural elements found in a functional circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: SypherMedia International, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Jason Wang, Lap Wai Chow, James Peter Baukus, Ronald Paul Cocchi
  • Patent number: 9542520
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logical cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function. Additionally, post processing may be performed on GDS layers to provide a realistic fill of the empty space so as to resemble structural elements found in a functional circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Syphermedia International, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Jason Wang, Lap Wai Chow, James Peter Baukus, Ronald Paul Cocchi
  • Publication number: 20160197616
    Abstract: An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a method for its design and fabrication is disclosed. In one embodiment, the camouflaged application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic cells that together perform one or more ASIC logical functions, wherein the functional logic cells comprise a camouflage cell including: a source region of a first conductivity type, a drain region of the first conductivity type, and a camouflage region of a second conductivity type disposed between the source region and the drain region. The camouflage region renders the camouflage cell always off in a first camouflage cell configuration and always on in a second camouflage cell configuration having a planar layout substantially indistinguishable from the first configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Ronald P. Cocchi, Lap Wai Chow, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang
  • Patent number: 9355199
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logic cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Inventors: Lap Wai Chow, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang, Ronald P. Cocchi
  • Patent number: 8679908
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure. A layer of conductive material having a controlled outline is disposed to provide artifact edges of the conductive material that resemble an operable device when in fact the device is not operable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: HRL Laboratories, LLC, Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Jr., Gavin J. Harbison, James P. Baukus
  • Patent number: 8598845
    Abstract: Battery chargers, electrical systems, and rechargeable battery charging methods are described. According to one aspect, a battery charger includes charge circuitry configured to apply a plurality of main charging pulses of electrical energy to a plurality of rechargeable cells of a battery to charge the rechargeable cells during a common charge cycle of the battery and to apply a plurality of secondary charging pulses of electrical energy to less than all of the rechargeable cells of the battery during the common charge cycle of the battery to charge the less than all of the rechargeable cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Valence Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Khoon Cheng Lim, Lap Wai Chow
  • Publication number: 20130300454
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logical cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function. Additionally, post processing may be performed on GDS layers to provide a realistic fill of the empty space so as to resemble structural elements found in a functional circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Bryan Jason Wang DiMarzio, Lap Wai Chow, James Peter Baukus, Ronald Paul Cocchi
  • Patent number: 8564073
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure and strengthen its resistance to reverse engineering. A plurality of transistors are formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least some of the transistors being of the type having sidewall spacers with LDD regions formed under the sidewall spacers. Transistors are programmably interconnected with ambiguous interconnection features, the ambiguous interconnection features each comprising a channel formed in the semiconductor substrate with preferably the same dopant density as the LDD regions, with selected ones of the channels being formed of a conductivity type supporting electrical communication between interconnected active regions and with other selected ones of the channels being formed of a conductivity type inhibiting electrical communication but ambiguously appearing to a reverse engineer as supporting electrical communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Clark, Jr., Lap Wai Chow, Gavin Harbison, Paul Ouyang
  • Patent number: 8524553
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure. The integrated circuit structure is formed having a well of a first conductivity type under the gate region being disposed adjacent to active regions of a first conductivity type. The well forming an electrical path between the active regions regardless of any reasonable voltage applied to the integrated circuit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Jr., James P Baukus, Gavin J. Harbison
  • Patent number: 8510700
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logical cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function. Additionally, post processing may be performed on GDS layers to provide a realistic fill of the empty space so as to resemble structural elements found in a functional circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: SypherMedia International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald P. Cocchi, Lap Wai Chow, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang
  • Patent number: 8418091
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logical cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: SypherMedia International, Inc.
    Inventors: Lap Wai Chow, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang, Ronald P. Cocchi
  • Patent number: 8296577
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing information leakage attacks through a polarized cryptographic bus architecture. The polarized cryptographic bus architecture randomly changes the polarity of the target bit such that the leaked information cannot be consistently averaged to yield statistical key material. Further, to increase the prevention of information leakage attacks, a set of dual rails is used to write data to a given register bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Shu, Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8258583
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure. The integrated circuit structure is formed by a plurality of layers of material having a controlled outline. A layer of conductive material having a controlled outline is disposed among said plurality of layers to provide artifact edges of the conductive material that resemble one type of transistor (operable vs. non-operable), when in fact another type of transistor was used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Jr., Gavin J. Harbison, James P. Baukus
  • Publication number: 20120144205
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing information leakage attacks that utilize timeline alignment. The apparatus and method inserts a random number of instructions into an encryption algorithm such that the leaked information can not be aligned in time to allow an attacker to break the encryption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Shu, Lap-Wai Chow, William Clark, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120139582
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logical cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function. Additionally, post processing may be performed on GDS layers to provide a realistic fill of the empty space so as to resemble structural elements found in a functional circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: SYPHERMEDIA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald P. Cocchi, Lap Wai Chow, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang
  • Patent number: 8168487
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure and strengthen its resistance to reverse engineering. A plurality of transistors are formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least some of the transistors being of the type having sidewall spacers with LDD regions formed under the sidewall spacers. Transistors are programmably interconnected with ambiguous interconnection features, the ambiguous interconnection features each comprising a channel formed in the semiconductor substrate with preferably the same dopant density as the LDD regions, with selected ones of the channels being formed of a conductivity type supporting electrical communication between interconnected active regions and with other selected ones of the channels being formed of a conductivity type inhibiting electrical communication but ambiguously appearing to a reverse engineer as supporting electrical communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Clark, Jr., Lap Wai Chow, Gavin Harbison, Paul Ouyang
  • Patent number: 8151235
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic cells. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of identifying at least one gap between the plurality of interconnected functional logic cells having no functional logic therein, placing one filler cell or combination of filler cells into the identified gap and defining a routing of the placed filler cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SypherMedia International, Inc.
    Inventors: Lap Wai Chow, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang, Ronald P. Cocchi
  • Patent number: 8111089
    Abstract: A logical building block and method of using the building block to design a logic cell library for CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon) ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) is disclosed. Different logic gates, built with the same building block as described in this invention, will have the same schematics of transistor connection and also the same physical layout so that they appear to be physically identical under optical or electron microscopy. An ASIC designed from a library of such logic cells is strongly resistant to a reverse engineering attempt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignees: Syphermedia International, Inc., Promtek Programmable Memory Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald P. Cocchi, James P. Baukus, Bryan J. Wang, Lap Wai Chow, Paul Ouyang
  • Patent number: 8095993
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing information leakage attacks that utilize timeline alignment. The apparatus and method inserts a random number of instructions into an encryption algorithm such that the leaked information can not be aligned in time to allow an attacker to break the encryption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Shu, Lap-Wai Chow, William Clark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8065532
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing information leakage attacks that utilize timeline alignment. The apparatus and method inserts a random number of instructions into an encryption algorithm such that the leaked information can not be aligned in time to allow an attacker to break the encryption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Shu, Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Jr.