JP2005235848A - Security system of lsi design and fabrication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a security system of LSI design and fabrication system in which workability is enhanced while assuring secret by delivering the design content of source code level created on the LSI design side to the LSI fabrication side while converting into a character string. <P>SOLUTION: When the LSI design and fabrication system 1 delivers the LSI design content designed on the LSI designer 10 side to an LSI fabricator 20 side and an LSI is fabricated on the LSI fabricator 20 side based on the LSI design content, the LSI designer 10 side performs a predetermined character string conversion processing, at a character string converting section 11, on an RTL description 14 which is a source code describing the LSI design content with hardware description language, and delivers a converted RTL description 21, i.e. a source code subjected to character string conversion, to the LSI fabricator 20 side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a security method for an LSI design / manufacturing system, and in particular, it improves workability while ensuring secrecy by converting a source code level design created by an LSI design side into a character string and passing it to the LSI manufacturing side. The present invention relates to a security method for LSI design / manufacturing system.

  An LSI (Large Scale Integrated circuit) design / manufacturing system is generally designed by an LSI design company 100 as shown in the schematic flow of the design manufacturing process in FIG. Based on the design of the LSI design company 100, the LSI manufacturing company 200 manufactures the LSI.

  More specifically, in the LSI design company 100, the circuit operation is performed according to a design abstraction level called HDL (Hardware Description Language), recently called RTL (Register Transfer Level). Design is the mainstream. In other words, an LSI is designed using a CAD (Computer Aided Design) tool, but the CAD tool can read a file described in HDL and perform various processes. An LSI is designed by using a tool, and recently, an RTL is used to design an LSI.

  Then, the LSI design company 100 generates a gate-level netlist 103 from the RTL description 101 that designed the LSI using the logic synthesis technique 102, and passes the generated gate-level netlist 103 to the LSI manufacturing company 200.

  The LSI manufacturing company 200 performs automatic placement and routing (layout) 201 using the received netlist 103, performs mask creation 202, and then performs LSI chip manufacturing 203 at a semiconductor factory.

  However, in recent years, the LSI design company 100 has requested that the LSI manufacturing company 200 manufacture an LSI chip by passing a source code level such as an RTL description instead of a gate-level netlist.

In order to realize such a request, as shown in FIG. 3, the LSI design company 100 designs the LSI using the RTL, and passes the designed RTL design description 111 to the LSI manufacturing company 200. Then, the LSI manufacturing company 200 generates a gate-level netlist 212 using the logic synthesis technique 211, performs automatic placement and routing (layout) 213, performs mask creation 214, and then enters the semiconductor factory. However, in the RTL description 111 created by the LSI design company 100 shown in FIG. 3, the circuit operation and use are compared with the gate-level netlist 103 shown in FIG. There is a problem that a third party can easily understand the contents of the algorithm being used. In particular, if the RTL description 111 is an operation level description in C language or the like, the circuit operation and the algorithm used are easily understood by a third party.

  Therefore, when an RTL description is transferred from an LSI design company to an LSI manufacturing company and LSI manufacturing is requested, it is important to ensure security so that circuit operations and algorithms used are not leaked from the RTL description. It becomes.

  Therefore, the present invention converts the character string in the HDL description or C language description into a character string that does not make sense to a third party, so that an LSI design company can produce RTL description, C language source code, etc. An object of the present invention is to provide a security method for an LSI design / manufacturing system that can ensure security even when an LSI chip manufacturing request is given to a company.

  Specifically, the invention described in claim 1 is directed to the case where the LSI design content designed on the LSI design side is transferred to the LSI manufacturing side, and the LSI manufacturing side performs LSI manufacturing based on the LSI design content. The design side performs a predetermined character string conversion process on the source code in which the LSI design content is described in the hardware description language, and passes the source code after the character string conversion to the LSI manufacturing side, thereby providing a source such as HDL or RTL. Change the character string of the source code so that it is difficult to understand the algorithm in the source code without changing the operation of the code, and pass it to the LSI manufacturer at the source code level so that the details of the algorithm in the source code are Improve usability while preventing the LSI manufacturer from knowing, saving the effort on the LSI design side, improving security And its object is to provide a security system LSI design and manufacturing systems that can.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the document including the source code created on the LSI design side and passed to the LSI manufacturing side is subjected to the same character string conversion processing as the character string conversion processing performed on the source code. When a character string in the source code is included in a document such as a manufacturing instruction handed over from the LSI design side to the LSI manufacturing side by passing to the manufacturing side, the character string is subjected to the same conversion as the source code conversion. Therefore, an LSI design / document that can pass a properly understandable document from the LSI design side to the LSI manufacturing side, maintain confidentiality while maintaining appropriate communication, improve security, and improve usability. It aims to provide a security method for manufacturing systems.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the character string conversion process, character string conversion is performed on a character string other than the non-converted character string set in the non-converted character string information in which the character string to be excluded from the conversion target is set in advance. By doing so, it is possible to convey information to the LSI manufacturing side without converting any character string that is not classified as confidential, making it easier to manufacture the LSI, and improving the security while further improving the usability. The purpose is to provide a security system for design and manufacturing systems.

  The invention described in claim 4 is the reverse of the character string conversion processing applied to the source code on the LSI design side for a document created by the LSI manufacturing side and including the character string of the source code to be passed to the LSI design side. By performing character string conversion processing that performs conversion, documents that are passed from the LSI manufacturing side to the LSI design side are converted into a state that is easy to understand on the LSI design side, and the usability can be further improved while improving security. The object is to provide a security system for LSI design and manufacturing systems.

  The LSI design / manufacturing system security system according to the first aspect of the present invention provides the LSI design content designed on the LSI design side to the LSI manufacturing side, and the LSI manufacturing side manufactures the LSI based on the LSI design content. A security method of an LSI design / manufacturing system to be performed, in which the LSI design side performs a predetermined character string conversion process on the source code in which the LSI design content is described in a hardware description language, and the character string converted into the source code Is passed to the LSI manufacturing side to achieve the above object.

  In this case, for example, as described in claim 2, the security method of the LSI design / manufacturing system includes the source code for the document including the source code created by the LSI design side and passed to the LSI manufacturing side. The same character string conversion processing as that performed on the code may be performed and passed to the LSI manufacturing side.

  Further, for example, as described in claim 3, the security method of the LSI design / manufacturing system includes non-converted character string information in which a character string to be excluded from the conversion target is set in advance, and in the character string conversion process, Character string conversion may be performed on a character string other than the non-converted character string set in the non-converted character string information.

  Further, for example, as described in claim 4, the LSI design / manufacturing system security method is for a document created by the LSI manufacturing side and including a character string of the source code and passed to the LSI design side. The LSI design side may perform a character string conversion process that performs an inverse conversion to the character string conversion process performed on the source code.

  According to the LSI design / manufacturing system security system of the first aspect, the LSI design content designed on the LSI design side is transferred to the LSI manufacturing side, and the LSI manufacturing side based on the LSI design content At the time of manufacturing, the LSI design side performs a predetermined character string conversion process on the source code in which the LSI design contents are described in the hardware description language, and passes the converted character string to the LSI manufacturing side. The source code character string is changed so that it is difficult to understand the algorithm in the source code without changing the operation of the source code such as RTL and RTL, and is passed to the LSI manufacturer in the source code level state. The details of this algorithm can be prevented from being known to LSI manufacturers, and Can be omitted, it is possible to improve security, it is possible to improve usability.

  According to the security system of the LSI design / manufacturing system of the invention described in claim 2, the character string conversion applied to the document including the source code created on the LSI design side and handed to the LSI manufacturing side Since the same character string conversion processing as the processing is performed and passed to the LSI manufacturing side, if the character string in the source code is included in a document such as a manufacturing instruction document passed from the LSI design side to the LSI manufacturing side, the character string By applying the same conversion as the conversion of the source code, a document that can be properly understood can be passed from the LSI design side to the LSI manufacturing side, maintaining confidentiality while maintaining appropriate communication and improving security. It is possible to improve usability.

  According to the LSI design / manufacturing system security system of the third aspect, in the character string conversion process, the non-converted character string set in the non-converted character string information in which the character string to be excluded from the conversion target is set in advance. Since character string conversion is performed on character strings other than the above, character strings that are not classified are not converted and information can be transmitted to the LSI manufacturing side without converting them, making it easier to manufacture LSIs and improving security. In addition, the usability can be further improved.

  According to the security system of the LSI design / manufacturing system of the invention as set forth in claim 4, for a document created by the LSI manufacturing side and including a source code character string to be passed to the LSI design side, the source code The character string conversion process that performs reverse conversion and the character string conversion process applied to the document can be converted into an easy-to-understand state on the LSI design side from the LSI manufacturing side to improve the security. It is possible to improve the usability.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable Example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, However, The scope of the present invention limits this invention especially in the following description. As long as there is no description of the effect, it is not restricted to these aspects.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a security method for an LSI design / manufacturing system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an LSI design / manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the security method for an LSI design / manufacturing system according to the present invention. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a manufacturing system 1. FIG.

  In FIG. 1, the LSI design / manufacturing system 1 sends, on the LSI designer 10 side, character string conversion units 11, 12, 13, RTL description 14, non-converted character string information 15, character string conversion correspondence information 16, and A document 17. The converted netlist 18 and the B ′ document 19 are provided.

  The character string conversion unit 11 reads the RTL description 14 and the non-converted character string information 15 of the LSI design created by the LSI designer 10, and based on the read RTL description 14 and the non-converted character string information 15, the RTL description 14 In addition to refining the converted RTL description 21 by performing character string conversion to convert each variable name, etc. in the text into another variable name that is difficult for a third party to interpret, the variable name of the non-converted character string information 15 The converted RTL description 21 is generated without conversion, and the converted RTL description 21 is passed to the LSI manufacturer 20 side. Moreover, the character string conversion part 11 will produce | generate the character string conversion corresponding | compatible information 16 which shows to which character string the original character string was changed, if character string conversion is performed.

  The RTL description 14 is not limited to the RTL description, and may be any language that describes circuit information and the like necessary for hardware design that is an LSI. For example, the RTL description 14 is described in HDL or C language that describes a test pattern. Source code may be provided.

  The RTL description 14 is, for example, as shown below in the RTL description example 14a.

RTL description example 14a:
if (JPEG_START == 1) {
DCT <= PIX_1;
}
if (DCT == 1) {
...
The non-converted character string information 15 is obtained when the character string conversion unit 11 converts each variable name in the RTL description 14 into another variable name that is difficult for a third party to interpret and converts it into a converted RTL description 21. In the description of the RTL description 14, a variable name that is not converted into another variable name is registered. Examples of the non-converted character string information example 15a of the non-converted character string information 15 include PIX_1. The non-converted character string 15 is prepared in advance by the LSI designer 10, and examples of the non-converted character string 15 include a clock signal and a reset signal.

  On the LSI designer 10 side, for example, the character string conversion unit 11 performs character conversion on the RTL description example 14a to generate a converted RTL description example 21a as shown below. Therefore, the operation of the RTL before conversion and the RTL after conversion does not change.

Converted RTL description example 21a:
if (a0 == 1) {
a1 <= PIX_1;
}
if (a1 == 1) {
...
Then, as described above, the character string conversion unit 11 converts each variable name in the RTL description 14 into another variable name that is difficult for a third party to interpret and converts it into a converted RTL description 21. Furthermore, variable names that are character strings registered in the non-converted character string information 15 are not converted to other variable names. For example, in the case of the RTL description example 14a, the variable name PIX_1 registered as the non-converted character string information example 15a in the non-converted character string information 15 is not converted.

  That is, for example, in the case of the RTL description example 14a, the character string conversion unit 11 converts the variable name JPEG_START into the variable name a0, and the variable name DCT into the variable name a1, but the variable name PIX_1 The converted RTL description example 21a is generated without conversion.

  When the character string conversion unit 11 converts the character string, as described above, the character string conversion unit 11 outputs the character string conversion correspondence information 16 indicating which character string is changed to the original character string. For example, when the RTL description example 14a is converted into the converted RTL description example 21a, the conversion correspondence information 16 is as follows as the character string conversion correspondence information example 16a.

Character string conversion correspondence information example 16a:
JPEG_START → a0
DCT → a1
That is, the character string conversion correspondence information example 16a indicates that the character string “JPEG_START” is converted into a character string “a0” and the character string “DCT” is converted into a character string “a1”.

  Therefore, for example, when the LSI designer 10 creates the RTL description 14 as a document including a character string serving as secret information called JPEG_START, the converted RTL description as a document converted into the character string a0 not including this secret information. 21 can be generated and passed to the LSI manufacturer 20 so that secret matters cannot be easily leaked to the LSI manufacturer 20.

  In the LSI design / manufacturing system 1, the character string conversion unit 12 reads the character string conversion correspondence information 16 and the A document 17 including the character string of the character string conversion correspondence information 16. A corresponding character string conversion is performed on the A document 17 to generate an A ′ document 22. In this case, the A document 17 may be any document. For example, the A document 17 is a document such as an instruction sheet given to the RTL manufacturer 20 by the RTL designer 10 and is known to the LSI manufacturer 20 side. It is a document that contains a secret character string. As an example of the A document 17, for example, there is an A document example 17a, which is a document including a character string “JPEG_START” which is a secret character string such as “Be careful about the arrival time of the signal JPEG_START”.

  In the case of the A document example 17a, the character string conversion unit 12 refers to the character string of the character string conversion correspondence information 16 and converts the character string JPEG_START, which is the secret character string in the A document example 17a, to the character a0. The A ′ document example 22a is generated by converting into a column. That is, since the character string conversion correspondence information 16 referred to by the character string conversion unit 12 describes that the character string conversion unit 11 has converted the character string JPEG_START into a character string a0. The character string is converted according to the information 16.

  Further, in the LSI design / manufacturing system 1, the character string conversion unit 13 reads the gate level net list 23 and the character string conversion correspondence information 16 created by the LSI manufacturer 20, and stores the net list 23 into the LSI designer 10. Is converted into a converted netlist 18 that includes the character string used in the RTL description 14 created. The net list 23 is a gate level net list using a converted character string created by the LSI manufacturer 20 based on the converted RTL description 14 delivered from the LSI designer 10, and is, for example, a net list example 23a. As shown below.

Netlist example 23a:
NAND02 U1 (.I1 (a0) ,. I2 (n1) ....);
The gate level netlist example 23a created by the LSI manufacturer 20 includes the character string a0 included in the character string conversion correspondence information 16, and the character string conversion unit 13 reads the character string conversion correspondence information. Referring to FIG. 16, this character string a0 is converted into a character string JPEG_START to generate a converted netlist example 18a.

  This converted netlist 18a is obtained by converting the character string a0 into a character string JPEG_START, and is as shown below.

NAND02 U1 (.I1 (JPEG_START) ,. I2 (n1) ....);
Further, the LSI design / manufacturing system 1 reads the B document 24 and the character string conversion correspondence information 16 created by the LSI manufacturer 20 and including the character string of the character string conversion correspondence information 16 in the character string conversion unit 13. The read B document 24 is converted into a B ′ document 19 including a character string used in the RTL description 14 created by the LSI designer 10. The B document 24 in this case may be a document having any content. For example, the B document 24 is a document in which the RTL manufacturer 20 makes an inquiry to the RTL designer 10, and the LSI designer 10 This is a document including the character string used in the converted RTL description 21 passed to. As an example of the B document 24, for example, there is a B document example 24a, in which a document including a character string a1 obtained by converting JPEG_START, which is a secret character string such as “signal a1 is OK?” Is described. . That is, the character string conversion unit 13 performs a conversion process opposite to the conversion of the character string conversion unit 11.

  In the case of the B document example 24a, the character string conversion unit 13 refers to the character string of the character string conversion correspondence information 16, and converts the character string a1 in the B 'document example 19a to the character string DCT that is a secret character string. The B ′ document 19a is generated by converting into a column. That is, the character string conversion correspondence information 16 referred to by the character string conversion unit 13 describes that the character string conversion unit 11 has converted the character string DCT into a character string a1. The character string is converted according to the information 16.

  As described above, the LSI design / manufacturing system 1 according to the present embodiment passes the LSI design content designed by the LSI designer 10 side to the LSI manufacturer 20 side, and the LSI manufacturer 20 side creates the LSI based on the LSI design content. The LSI designer 10 performs a predetermined character string conversion process on the RTL description 14 which is the source code in which the LSI design content is described in the hardware description language by the character string conversion unit 11. The converted RTL description 21 which is the source code subjected to the column conversion is delivered to the LSI manufacturer 20 side.

  Therefore, the character string of the source code is changed so as to make it difficult to understand the algorithm in the source code without changing the operation of the source code such as HDL or RTL, and is passed to the LSI manufacturer 20 at the source code level. Further, it is possible to prevent the details of the algorithm in the source code from being known to the LSI manufacturer 20, to save the effort on the LSI designer 10 side, to improve security, and to improve usability. Can be improved.

  Further, the LSI design / manufacturing system 1 of the present embodiment includes a character string applied to an A document 17 including a source code created on the LSI designer 10 side and handed to the LSI manufacturer 20 side. The same character string conversion processing as the conversion processing is performed by the character string conversion unit 12 and is delivered to the LSI manufacturer 20 side.

  Therefore, when a character string in the source code is included in the A document 17 such as a manufacturing instruction sheet delivered from the LSI designer 10 side to the LSI manufacturer 20 side, the character string is converted in the same way as the source code conversion. As a result, the A document 17 can be delivered as an A ′ document 22 that can be properly understood by the LSI manufacturer 20, and confidentiality can be maintained while appropriately communicating and security can be improved. , Can improve usability.

  Further, the LSI design / manufacturing system 1 of the present embodiment, in the character string conversion process, the character string other than the non-converted character string set in the non-converted character string information 15 in which the character string to be excluded from the conversion target is set in advance. String conversion is applied to.

  Therefore, it is possible to transmit information to the LSI manufacturer 20 side without converting a character string that does not become a confidential matter, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the LSI, improving security, and further improving the usability. Can be improved.

  Also, the LSI design / manufacturing system 1 of the present embodiment, on the LSI designer 10 side, with respect to the B document 24 created by the LSI manufacturer 20 side and including the character string of the source code and passed to the LSI designer 10 side. The character string conversion unit 13 performs character string conversion processing that performs reverse conversion to the character string conversion processing performed on the source code.

  Therefore, the B document 24 passed from the LSI manufacturer 20 side to the LSI designer 10 side can be converted into a B ′ document 19 in an easy-to-understand state on the LSI designer 10 side, which can improve security and use. The property can be further improved.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

  In LSI design / manufacturing such as semiconductor design / manufacturing, the present invention can be applied to an LSI design / manufacturing system in which confidential communication is ensured at the source code level, which is commonly used on the LSI design side.

1 is a block configuration diagram of an LSI design system to which an embodiment of a security method for an LSI design / manufacturing system of the present invention is applied. The figure which shows the schematic flow of the conventional LSI design and manufacturing process. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic flow of an LSI design / manufacturing process after a change that is requested to change the LSI design / manufacturing process of FIG. 2;

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 LSI design system 10 LSI designer 11, 12, 13 Character string conversion part 14 RTL description 14a RTL description example 15 Non-conversion character string information 15a Non-conversion character string information example 16 Character string conversion correspondence information 16a Character string conversion correspondence information example 17 A Document 17a A Document Example 18 Converted Net List 18a Converted Net List 19 B 'Document 19a B' Document Example 21 Converted RTL Description 21a Converted RTL Description Example 22 A 'Document 22a A' Document Example 23 Net List 23a Netlist example 24 B document 24a B document example

Claims (4)

  A security method of an LSI design / manufacturing system in which an LSI design side designed by an LSI design side is handed over to an LSI manufacturing side, and the LSI manufacturing side manufactures an LSI based on the LSI design content. An LSI design / manufacturing system, wherein a predetermined character string conversion process is performed on a source code in which the LSI design content is described in a hardware description language, and the character string converted source code is delivered to the LSI manufacturing side Security method.   The security method of the LSI design / manufacturing system is the same character as the character string conversion processing performed on the source code for the document including the source code created on the LSI design side and handed to the LSI manufacturing side. 2. The LSI design / manufacturing system security system according to claim 1, wherein a column conversion process is applied to the LSI manufacturing side.   The security system of the LSI design / manufacturing system includes non-converted character string information in which a character string to be excluded from the conversion target is set in advance, and the non-converted character string information set in the non-converted character string information in the character string conversion process 3. The LSI design / manufacturing system security method according to claim 1, wherein character string conversion is performed on a character string other than the character string. The LSI design / manufacturing system security method is applied to the source code on the LSI design side with respect to a document created by the LSI manufacturing side and including a character string of the source code and passed to the LSI design side. 4. The LSI design / manufacturing system security system according to claim 1, wherein character string conversion processing is performed to perform reverse conversion to the character string conversion processing.

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