阅读说明：本技术 安全区块链集成电路 (Secure blockchain integrated circuit ) 是由 亚历山大·石 于 2019-01-29 设计创作，主要内容包括：包括耦合到系统总线的CPU、配置成与外部设备对接的网络接口、以及耦合到系统总线的加密神经形态核的集成电路。加密核包括处理器或核、内部总线、以及非瞬态计算机可读存储器,其中加密神经形态核经由系统总线与CPU和网络接口隔离,并且加密神经形态核运行其自己的操作系统。加密神经形态核配置用于：包含安全核,该安全核包括安全处理器和专用/受保护的存储器；在安全核可访问但加密神经形态核的其他部件、中央处理单元和网络接口不可访问的该专用/受保护的存储器中存储私匙；经由网络接口使用私匙向区块链添加数据；以及经由网络接口从区块链读取数据。(An integrated circuit including a CPU coupled to a system bus, a network interface configured to interface with an external device, and an encrypted neuromorphic core coupled to the system bus. The cryptographic core includes a processor or core, an internal bus, and a non-transitory computer readable memory, wherein the cryptographic neuromorphic core is isolated from the CPU and the network interface via the system bus, and the cryptographic neuromorphic core runs its own operating system. The encrypted neuromorphic nucleus is configured for: including a secure core including a secure processor and private/protected memory; storing a private key in the private/protected memory accessible by the secure core but not by other components of the cryptographic neuromorphic core, the central processing unit, and the network interface; adding data to the blockchain using the private key via the network interface; and reading the data from the block chain via the network interface.)

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a central processing unit coupled to a system bus;

a network interface configured to interface with an external device; and

an encrypted neuromorphic core coupled to the system bus, the encrypted neuromorphic core comprising a processor, an internal bus, and a non-transitory computer-readable memory,

wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core is configured for:

storing a private key in the non-transitory computer readable memory accessible to the cryptographic neuromorphic core but not to the central processing unit and the network interface;

adding first data to a blockchain using the private key via the network interface; and

reading second data from the blockchain via the network interface.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the encrypted neuromorphic core is configured to operate as a cold-encryption wallet or a hot-encryption wallet,

wherein the secret key is inaccessible to the neuromorphic kernel when operating as the cold-encryption wallet and accessible to the neuromorphic kernel when operating as the hot-encryption wallet.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core is powered down when operating as the cold-encryption wallet.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core enters a sleep mode when operating as the cold-encryption wallet.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core enters a low-power mode when operating as the cold-encryption wallet and enters a high-power mode when operating as the hot-encryption wallet.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core further comprises:

a wallet processing core comprising a processor, the wallet processing core configured to receive and transfer cryptographic monetary tokens over the blockchain;

a secure core comprising the non-transitory computer-readable memory to store the private key; and

a cryptocurrency node core comprising a processor, the cryptocurrency node core configured to:

adding the first data to the blockchain using the private key via the network interface;

reading the second data from the blockchain via the network interface; and

distributed consensus operations are performed, including workload attestation operations and equity attestation operations.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core further comprises:

an Artificial Intelligence (AI) neuromorphic nucleus comprising an NPU, wherein the AI neuromorphic nucleus is configured for:

operating the encrypted neuromorphic core as the cold-encryption wallet or as the hot-encryption wallet.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7, wherein the AI neuromorphic nucleus is further configured for:

powering off the secure core when operating the encrypted neuromorphic core as the cold-encrypted wallet; and

powering on the secure core when operating the encrypted neuromorphic core as the thermal encryption wallet.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 7, wherein

Adding first data to the blockchain using the private key comprises:

retrieving, by the secure core from the non-transitory computer-readable memory, the private key associated with the first data;

signing, by the secure core, the first data using the private key retrieved from the non-transitory computer-readable memory; and

adding, by the crypto-currency node core, the signed first data to the blockchain via the network interface.

10. A method, comprising:

performing the following steps at a first electronic device comprising a central processing unit and an integrated circuit comprising a cryptographic neuromorphic kernel for transferring a token from a source cryptographic wallet to a destination:

generating a transfer request comprising a destination identifier of the destination on a blockchain, a source identifier of the source cryptographic wallet on the blockchain corresponding to the first electronic device, and a token amount;

validating the transfer request;

in accordance with a determination that the transfer request is authorized:

retrieving, from a non-transitory computer-readable memory within the cryptographic neuromorphic core that is accessible to the non-transitory computer-readable memory but not accessible to the central processing unit, a source private key associated with the source identifier of the source cryptographic wallet;

generating a transaction that transfers the token amount from the source encryption wallet to the destination;

signing the transaction using the source private key; and is

Adding the transaction to the blockchain; and

in accordance with a determination that the transfer request is unauthorized, forgoing completion of the transfer request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the destination is a destination encryption wallet and the transfer request is generated by a user of the first electronic device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the destination is a destination cryptographic wallet and the transfer request is generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) neuromorphic core within the cryptographic neuromorphic core, wherein the AI neuromorphic core comprises an NPU.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transfer request is generated by the AI neuromorphic nucleus in response to a sensor input.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensor input comprises one or more of location information, sound information, or visual information.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the transfer request is generated by the AI neuromorphic nucleus without user input.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the transfer request is generated in response to receiving a request for a token from a second electronic device.

17. A first electronic device, comprising:

a central processing unit coupled to a system bus;

a network interface configured to interface with an external device; and

an integrated circuit comprising a cryptographic neuromorphic core for transferring tokens from a source cryptographic wallet to a destination, the cryptographic neuromorphic core configured for performing a method comprising:

generating a transfer request comprising a destination identifier of the destination on a blockchain, a source identifier of the source cryptographic wallet on the blockchain corresponding to the first electronic device, and a token amount;

validating the transfer request;

in accordance with a determination that the transfer request is authorized:

retrieving, from a non-transitory computer-readable memory within the cryptographic neuromorphic core, a source private key associated with the source identifier of the source cryptographic wallet;

generating a transaction that transfers the token amount from the source encryption wallet to the destination;

signing the transaction using the source private key; and is

Adding the transaction to the blockchain; and

in accordance with a determination that the transfer request is unauthorized;

aborting completion of the transfer request.

18. The first electronic device of claim 17, wherein the destination is a destination cryptographic wallet and the transfer request is generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) neuromorphic core within the cryptographic neuromorphic core, wherein the AI neuromorphic core comprises an NPU.

19. The first electronic device of claim 18, wherein the transfer request is generated by the AI neuromorphic kernel in response to a sensor input.

20. The first electronic device of claim 18, wherein the transfer request is generated by the AI neuromorphic nucleus without user input.

21. The first electronic device of claim 17, wherein determining that the transfer request is authorized comprises the cryptographic neuromorphic kernel authenticating a user of the first electronic device.

22. The first electronic device of claim 21, wherein:

the encrypted neuromorphic core comprises a wallet processing core comprising a processor and an I/O interface; and

the wallet processing core authenticates the user of the first electronic device by a request via the I/O interface.

23. The first electronic device of claim 18, wherein the AI/neuromorphic core generates a transfer request using behavioral modeling, facial recognition, speech recognition, gait recognition, emotion analysis, biometrics, process automation, text analysis, pattern recognition, natural language processing, image recognition, machine vision, reflection strategies, self-awareness, limited memory strategies, hyperbolic neural networks, deep neural networks, artificial neural networks, iris recognition, or fingerprint matching.

24. The first electronic device of claim 18, wherein the determining that the transfer request is authorized comprises the AI/neuromorphic core authenticating a user of the first electronic device using behavioral modeling, facial recognition, speech recognition, gait recognition, emotion analysis, biometrics, process automation, text analysis, pattern recognition, natural language processing, image recognition, machine vision, reflection strategies, self-awareness, limited memory strategies, hyperbolic neural networks, deep neural networks, artificial neural networks, iris recognition, or fingerprint matching.

25. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core is isolated from the central processing unit and the network interface via the system bus, the encrypted neuromorphic core running its own operating system.

26. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the encrypted neuromorphic core is further configured for:

including a secure core comprising a secure processor and the non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory is a dedicated/protected memory; and

storing the private key in the private/protected memory accessible by the secure core but not accessible by other components of the cryptographic neuromorphic core, the central processing unit, and the network interface.

Technical Field

This relates generally to secure integrated circuits for supporting distributed ledger technology operations.

Background

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) (e.g., blockchains, Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs)) uses asymmetric cryptography to identify account holders and sign transactions that are added to a distributed ledger (e.g., a linked list of data blocks). For example, a transaction to remove a token from a blockchain wallet may be signed with a private key associated with the wallet. Others may use a corresponding public key associated with the wallet to verify the transaction. Currently, the private keys may be stored in a software wallet (e.g., online on the cloud or on the device's local memory), which may not be secure because they are vulnerable to hacking on the internet. The private key may also be stored in a hardware wallet (e.g., on a USB device) that is more secure because the private key is stored offline (e.g., inaccessible over the internet). The hardware wallet is typically a cold storage type USB, where the private key is stored in a protected area within the microcontroller. Hardware wallets are less susceptible to viruses and malware than software wallets. Many hardware wallets also require manual user authentication (e.g., entering a personal identification number or password) or manufacturer authentication (e.g., issuing open source software for operation with a user authentication device), but unauthorized persons may still access the hardware wallet if they know the corresponding personal identification number or password. While hardware wallets are more secure than software wallets, typical hardware wallets must be plugged in via a USB port, which many internet of things (IoT) devices (e.g., smart phones, smart wearable devices, vehicles, home appliances, smart city equipment, or any device with embedded internet connectivity that can communicate and/or share data over the internet) may not support (e.g., parking meters, soda vending machines). For some IoT devices, such as ceiling fans or drones, it may also be impractical to have an external USB driver plugged into it during operation. Further, when interacting remotely with the IoT device, the personal identification code used to access the wallet may be intercepted.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, a secure integrated circuit for supporting distributed ledger technology operations on IoT devices may be desirable. Examples of the invention relate to an integrated circuit for supporting DLT operations on IoT devices. In some examples, an integrated circuit includes an embedded core dedicated to performing blockchain operations, including: adding data to the blockchain, reading data from the blockchain, transferring cryptocurrency (e.g., tokens) from one wallet to another wallet (e.g., sending, storing, and receiving cryptocurrency tokens), accessing or running a decentralized application (DApp), mining (e.g., performing a workload attestation and/or equity attestation operation to verify a transaction), allowing light node operations, storing private keys, and/or any other distributed consensus operation. In some examples, the embedded core may have internal memory that is not accessible to other IoT device cores. In some examples, the integrated circuit may implement a cold encrypted currency wallet and protect a hot encrypted currency wallet. In some examples, the integrated circuit may include an artificial intelligence core capable of controlling the IoT device for performing autonomous operations. These cores may help create true autonomous machine-to-machine (M2M) operations.