MANHASSET, N.Y. — SoC validation specialist Dafca Inc. has concluded an IP licensing deal to use GPS signature-related technology developed at Stanford University to help secure the semiconductor supply chain.

The exclusive license is with professors Per Enge Sherman Lo and David De Lorenzo of Stanford's GPS Research Laboratory in the University's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Dafca contributed to initial development of the technology. Dafca chairman Jim Kelley is credited as one of the co-inventors of the technology, and will serve as a partner with Stanford University's GPS lab for future research.

Enge will join Dafca's science advisory board.

The collaboration aims to to provide technology to secure the integrated circuit supply chain using location-based signatures inserted into ICs during manufacturing.

The Stanford researchers developed the technology that enables the use of GPS to track semiconductor shipments.

Dafca's patented, reprogrammable fabric technology addresses anti-tamper and system protection. Dafca's ClearBlue software for post-silicon, SoC validation is designed to monitor and control the functional behavior of devices.