Method and System for Decorrelating Input Signals from a Physical Identifier

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This invention provides a method and system for transforming (decorrelating) the output signals of a physical identifier, such as a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF), to reduce correlations between signals. This is achieved by generating and applying specialized orthogonal matrices (built using specific extension rules) to the input signals, resulting in output signals with much lower correlation. The process improves the security and reliability of keys or random numbers generated from physical identifiers and optimizes the post-processing for security and hardware efficiency.

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• Secure cryptographic key generation in hardware devices such as microprocessors or mobile devices (e.g., 5G phones)
• Device authentication and identification, particularly for FPGAs and IoT devices
• Intellectual property (IP) protection for hardware and software modules
• Data encryption and decryption in secure data storage (including cloud and automotive systems such as CAN buses in vehicles)
• Random number generation for security protocols and physical-layer security applications
• Security enhancement for RFID devices and non-repudiation mechanisms (undeniable data transfer)
• Proof-of-execution verification for software/hardware integrity on specific processors

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• Significantly increases the security of cryptographic keys or random numbers by reducing correlations in physical identifier outputs, making them more resistant to machine-learning and other attacks.
• Enables extraction of more useful bits per PUF, increasing efficiency compared to standard one-bit extraction.
• Decreases hardware complexity and area required for implementation by enabling hardware-friendly matrix operations with +1 and -1 entries.
• Improves reliability and error rates, making secret key extraction more robust and reducing bit error probability compared to prior methods.
• Allows flexible and optimal selection of decorrelation transformations tailored to specific device characteristics or security requirements.
• Simplifies the design and implementation of error-correcting codes and post-processing modules.
• Allows for joint design of quantizers and error-correcting codes, increasing adaptability for various security and reliability needs.

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Patent Abstract

The present disclosure refers to a method for decorrelating input signals from a physical identifier. In a system having one or more processors, the method comprises: providing input signals from a physical identifier; providing a decorrelation matrix; generating output signals, comprising decorrelating the input signals by applying the decorrelation matrix to the input signals; and providing the output signals at an output. The providing of the decorrelation matrix comprises: providing an initial matrix, the initial matrix being an orthogonal matrix; and determining the decorrelation matrix from the initial matrix by at least once selecting and applying at least one of a plurality of matrix extensions on the initial matrix, wherein each of the plurality of matrix extensions generates, from an input orthogonal matrix, a further orthogonal matrix with higher matrix dimension than the input orthogonal matrix. Furthermore, a system for decorrelating input signals from a physical identifier is provided.