US 12,438,737 B2
Program-read-erase schemes to protect PUF challenge-response-pairs with pre-formed ReRAMS
Bertrand F. Cambou, Flagstaff, AZ (US); Ian Burke, Flagstaff, AZ (US); Taylor Begay, Flagstaff, AZ (US); and David Kuan-Yu Liu, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, Flagstaff, AZ (US)
Filed by Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ (US)
Filed on Mar. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/120,745.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/319,153, filed on Mar. 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0291581 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. H04L 9/32 (2006.01); G06F 21/60 (2013.01)
CPC H04L 9/3278 (2013.01) [G06F 21/602 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of managing storage of a first digital file in a client device having an addressable array of physical unclonable function devices (“PUF array”), comprising:
receiving a challenge message comprising information identifying a set of devices in the PUF array;
measuring a physical characteristic of at least some of the devices identified in the challenge message resulting in a set of PUF responses;
using the PUF responses to encrypt the first digital file, and
storing the encrypted first digital file in a first array of ReRAM devices, at least some of which have been subject to a partial forming cycle,
wherein data is encoded in the first array of ReRAM devices by encoding a first digital value in a first set of devices by subjecting the first set of devices to a partial forming cycle which creates permanent, but incomplete conductive filaments in a dielectric layer of the device by the application of a voltage insufficient to create complete conductive filaments.