Patent ID: 8789746

Claim:
A method to authenticate a product comprising: providing a first encoding and decoding chip accompanying the product, wherein the first encoding and decoding chip is storing a serial number as a means of identifying said product; and separately providing a second encoding and decoding chip, wherein a long term storage bit compromising of a One Time Programming (OTP) device including an eFUSE is initially programmed to either logic 0 or logic 1 on the first and the second chip preventing the chips to operate normally right after manufacturing and subsequently are activated allowing normal operation of the two chips wherein such activation requires the two chips to receive a predetermined sequence of specific vector patterns, wherein said authentication method comprises steps of: a) the first encoding and decoding chip performs an encoding of said serial number if the serial number is decoded, or the first encoding and decoding chip performs a decoding of said serial number if the serial number is encoded; and b) the second encoding and decoding chip performs an encoding of said serial number if the serial number is decoded, or the second encoding and decoding chip performs a decoding of said serial number if the serial number is encoded; and c) the second encoding and decoding chip compares its result of encoding or decoding against the result of encoding or decoding from the first chip in step (a) and if the two results match the second encoding and decoding chip confirms the authenticity of the product.