Password Access Microelectronic Memory with Block Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microelectronic memories lack effective mechanisms for secure access control, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in them.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a password access system with a password access register and block mapping storage to control access granularity, enabling read, modify, and permanent protection modes, ensuring only authorized users can access protected data through a password verification process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If password access control is implemented in microelectronic memory, then security and protection of sensitive information is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional control registers and verification mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is segmented into protected blocks that can be individually controlled. Each block can be independently password-protected, allowing fine-grained security control without requiring system-wide complexity. The controller divides the memory array into multiple blocks and maintains separate lock maps for each block.
Solution Approach 2:
A controller acts as an intermediary between the host device and the memory array. The controller manages password verification, block locking, and access control by receiving commands from the host, verifying passwords against stored credentials, and controlling access to specific memory blocks based on authentication results.
2Measurement precision
If block mapping storage and password access registers are added, then access control precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions into integrated structures. The lock map is merged with the block mapping storage, and password verification is integrated into the controller's command processing logic. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining precise access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages password verification, controls block locking, maintains mapping storage, and processes host commands. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated circuits for each function, thereby simplifying manufacturing while achieving precise access control.
3Reliability
If read and modify protection modes are implemented, then data integrity is improved, but ease of operation decreases due to multiple access control modes
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system is dynamic, allowing the protection mode of each block to be changed based on user needs. The controller can switch between read-only protection, modify protection, and full access modes by updating the lock map. This dynamic adaptability maintains data integrity while allowing flexible operation according to specific security requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A microelectronic memory may be password access protected. A controller may maintain a register with requirements for accessing particular memory locations to initiate a security protocol. A mapping may correlate which regions within a memory array are password protected. Thus, a controller can use a register and the mapping to determine whether a particular granularity of memory is password protected, what the protection is, and what protection should be implemented. As a result, in some embodiments, a programmable password protection scheme may be utilized to control a variety of different types of accesses to particular regions of a memory array.