Anti piracy: dummy components etc to fool copiers

[Tom]

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Thank you,
--
Tom

 

[Dirk Bruere at Neopax]

John Fields wrote:

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:48:10 +0000, Tom
Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote:


I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.


---
Have everything labelled improperly and have fake part numbers
screened on the active chips.

Well, if it was digital a common technique is to mix up the address and data
lines to memory and peripherals. Makes descrambling the code a pain as well.

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

 

[Brian]

"Tom" <Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote in message
news:e+Dmp4C6BnkBFwOb@furfur.demon.co.uk...

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Thank you,
--
Tom

Have a few key components plus a few dummy components, go into a small
area and then pot that small area with hard epoxy.
Brian

 

[Andrew Holme]

Tom wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart
to see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent
them copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it
outperforms theirs by a significant margin).

I'm curious. What does it do? It can't do any harm to tell us

 

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:48:10 +0000, Tom
<Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Thank you,

Have it made into a custom I/C. Might not be terribly expensive if
it'll fit on a "shuttle"... provided the pin count wouldn't be
exorbitant accommodating external components.

Back when I did discrete designs I used to handle competition by
product enhancements (or new models) coming so rapidly there was no
way they could keep up ;-)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 14:59:16 -0600, the renowned John Fields
<jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:48:10 +0000, Tom
Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

---
Have everything labelled improperly and have fake part numbers
screened on the active chips.

Maybe he can hide a few vital parts under the micro. The copier will
often only have one sample and will be reluctant to pickup a soldering
iron.



Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

 

[budgie]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:33:11 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

Maybe he can hide a few vital parts under the micro. The copier will
often only have one sample and will be reluctant to pickup a soldering
iron.

We had an evalkit from a chip manufacturer, and obtained their OK to use any
amount of the design/layout in our commercial product based on it. We didn't
want to put an iron on it either, as the kit's perfomance was our baseline.

It took quite a bit of puzzling to discover a whisker track under the 28QSOP
that wasn't discernible from the schematic, but was significant to the design.

I'd suggest if they were sufficiently serious they WOULD have to remove
components and do point-to-point conductivity checks, to determine what signal
apths might be in those inner layers.

 

[budgie]

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 08:29:58 +1000, Adrian Jansen <adrian@qq.vv.net> wrote:

Release an even better version 1 week after the copy goes on the market.
and plan for even better versions. This both demoralises the copier,
and keeps you in a design job forever.

The voice of experience? ;-)

 

[Robert Baer]

Brian wrote:

"Tom" <Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote in message
news:e+Dmp4C6BnkBFwOb@furfur.demon.co.uk...
I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Thank you,
--
Tom

Have a few key components plus a few dummy components, go into a small
area and then pot that small area with hard epoxy.
Brian

Epoxies are rather *easy* to remove (chemically).
That includes the plastic used by IC makers to "pot" their parts (DIP,
TO220, etc).

 

[John Miles]

In article <4192DF87.79AC4058@earthlink.net>, robertbaer@earthlink.net
says...

Brian wrote:


Have a few key components plus a few dummy components, go into a small
area and then pot that small area with hard epoxy.
Brian

Epoxies are rather *easy* to remove (chemically).
That includes the plastic used by IC makers to "pot" their parts (DIP,
TO220, etc).

Thermite?

-- jm

------------------------------------------------------
http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx
Note: My E-mail address has been altered to avoid spam
------------------------------------------------------

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 21:14:25 -0800, the renowned John Miles
<jmiles@pop.removethistomailme.net> wrote:

In article <4192DF87.79AC4058@earthlink.net>, robertbaer@earthlink.net
says...
Brian wrote:


Have a few key components plus a few dummy components, go into a small
area and then pot that small area with hard epoxy.
Brian

Epoxies are rather *easy* to remove (chemically).
That includes the plastic used by IC makers to "pot" their parts (DIP,
TO220, etc).


Thermite?

-- jm

Just chemicals, but you probably wouldn't want to do it in the
basement.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

 

[Ken Smith]

In article <e+Dmp4C6BnkBFwOb@furfur.demon.co.uk>,
Tom <Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Label the parts with the wrong part numbers eg: get 74HC00s marked 74HC04

Use FBGA parts on one side and TQFPs on the other to hide the vias.

Put the design on two PCBs that mount face to face with Zebra stips
connecting them.

You can get companies such as the ones who make resistor arrays to make
empty packages.

Bury components within the PCB. This is a method developed by some nice
folks in Russia (I'm sure among others). Basically: a thin PCB is made
and surface mount parts are placed on it. A spacer PCB with areas
machined away is placed over that and then a third PCB is placed on top.

--
--
kensmith@rahul.net forging knowledge

 

[Robert Baer]

John Miles wrote:

In article <4192DF87.79AC4058@earthlink.net>, robertbaer@earthlink.net
says...
Brian wrote:


Have a few key components plus a few dummy components, go into a small
area and then pot that small area with hard epoxy.
Brian

Epoxies are rather *easy* to remove (chemically).
That includes the plastic used by IC makers to "pot" their parts (DIP,
TO220, etc).


Thermite?

-- jm

------------------------------------------------------
http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx
Note: My E-mail address has been altered to avoid spam
------------------------------------------------------

No; red fuming nitric acid (*not* IRFNA), a hot plate, and *dry*
acetone (for washing away the glop).
It is slightly helpful to have a rated fume
hood..............................

 

Tom wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart
to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them

copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it
outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc

the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far

Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on
a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit
which
I want to protect.

Thank you,
--
Tom

Some traditional methods are:
- Pot it
- Rub the numbers off the components
- Put in dummy components in strategic places
- Put in some small and cheap secure micros to replace some analog
functionality if possible.
- Do not have a complete PCB design, leave out some vital tracks.
Before potting, connect the remaining tracks with very fine wire
(preferably off the board) which will come off when they try to take
the potting off. Bingo, not much of a circuit left to trace.

Dave

 

[martin griffith]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:48:10 +0000, in sci.electronics.design you
wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Thank you,
Have a look at the TRACS analogue programmable thingummy from Zetex

http://www.zetex.com/3.0/a5-6.asp
maybe you could port some analogue to this




martin

Serious error.
All shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.

 

[YD]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:48:10 +0000, Tom
<Tom@notalotofpeopleknowthat.com> wrote:

I have developed an analogue circuit for my employer which works
unusually well. As we have several competitors who will take it apart to
see how it works, I now want to add some misdirection to prevent them
copying the circuit (it isn't novel enough to patent, but it outperforms
theirs by a significant margin). In fact I'd rather not copyright etc
the design anywhere as one of the groups I fear will copy it is a Far
Eastern bunch who would happily loot any published documentation.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to confuse copiers?

The circuit is low frequency, consumes about 50uA, surface mount, on a 4
layer board with a microcontroller on board. It's the analogue bit which
I want to protect.

Thank you,

Have fine jumper wires stick up about a millimeter from the board,
going from one side to the other. Cover the whole thing with an opaque
coating. If someone removes the coating the wires are ripped off and
whoever will have a hell of a time figuring which goes where.

- YD.

--
Remove HAT if replying by mail.

 

[Adrian Jansen]

budgie wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 08:29:58 +1000, Adrian Jansen <adrian@qq.vv.net> wrote:


Release an even better version 1 week after the copy goes on the market.
and plan for even better versions. This both demoralises the copier,
and keeps you in a design job forever.


The voice of experience? ;-)

Yep ! Been designing stuff for 25 years now, and still not run out of
ideas.

--
Regards,

Adrian Jansen adrianjansen at internode dot on dot net
Design Engineer J & K Micro Systems
Microcomputer solutions for industrial control
Note reply address is invalid, convert address above to machine form.

 

[Guy Macon]

Robert Baer wrote:

Epoxies are rather *easy* to remove (chemically).
That includes the plastic used by IC makers to "pot" their parts (DIP,
TO220, etc).

What is difficult is removing the epoxy blob used in many low-cost
designs without removing the epaoxy that holds the PWB together.

 

[Guy Macon]

Tom wrote:

Sorry, I cannot say what the circuit actually does.

That's O.K., Paul. Oops! I meant "Tom"... It wasn't hard to figure out.

 

[Joel Kolstad]

"Terry Given" <my_name@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:1vTkd.629$9A.37447@news.xtra.co.nz...

Mind you, years ago Williams brought out a game called (IIRC) stargate,
which was a mod to a Defender logic board. The brother of the guy who
fixed my folks power supplys and monitors reverse-engineered the original
board, which was potted and had a 40-pin DIP ULA of some description. His
equipment: chemicals, multimeter, 20MHz dual-trace analogue CRO. Oh, and a
very good neural net. He then built an add-on pcb that did the same job,
and for a lot less than Williams charged via the only people who could
import their stuff into NZ.

Sounds like a really savvy guy! Didn't the potted 'block' have to contain a
new (EP)ROM as well though? Or was that separate from the logic board mod?