CAREER: CAD Techniques and Tools for Intellectual Property Protection

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The use of proprietary designs (reusable cores) as part of VLSI systems on a chip depends on having reliable and efficient techniques for intellectual property (IP) protection. This research investigates techniques for such protection. It includes a watermarking (signature hiding) approach for protecting CAD tools, reusable cores, and embedded software. Also being explored is a fingerprinting scheme, and a covert channel-based technique for the efficient detection of misappropriated (stolen) IP. The watermarking approach is the addition of design and/or timing constraints in the design specification which encode the author's signature. Fingerprinting techniques are meant to deter people from illegally distributing IP by enabling the author of the IP to uniquely identify the original buyer of a resold copy. The concept of covert channels is the basis for techniques which convey to the author information without alerting an illegal owner of IP. The effectiveness of the proposed techniques and algorithms will be demonstrated on industrial strength designs. The educational plan includes the development and use of watermarking techniques and video games for teaching IP protection techniques and other material.