Security Manager Circuitry for Non-Volatile Memory Access Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies require customers to delete sensitive data from non-volatile memory before returning a computing device for failure analysis, which is cumbersome and may not ensure complete data protection, especially when the failure occurs outside the non-volatile memory.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of security manager circuitry that disables access to non-volatile memory based on state values stored in the memory, allowing seamless and secure failure analysis without the need for customers to delete data, by determining whether access is permitted or prohibited based on the device's state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If customers manually delete sensitive data from non-volatile memory before returning the device for failure analysis, then data protection is improved, but operational complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs data protection automatically without requiring customer intervention. The security manager circuitry autonomously determines whether to enable or disable access to the non-volatile memory based on stored state values, eliminating the need for customers to manually delete sensitive data while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

State values are stored in the non-volatile memory in advance to indicate whether sensitive data is present. When the device is returned for failure analysis, the security manager circuitry reads these pre-stored state values to automatically determine access control, eliminating the need for customers to perform manual data deletion operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If customers manually delete sensitive data from non-volatile memory, then data protection is improved, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs data protection automatically without requiring customer intervention. The security manager circuitry autonomously determines whether to enable or disable access to the non-volatile memory based on stored state values, eliminating the need for customers to manually delete sensitive data while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

State values are stored in the non-volatile memory in advance to indicate whether sensitive data is present. When the device is returned for failure analysis, the security manager circuitry reads these pre-stored state values to automatically determine access control, eliminating the need for customers to perform manual data deletion operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of repair

If access to non-volatile memory is always enabled for diagnostic mode, then ease of debugging is improved, but data security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of debuggingVSAvoiddata security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The access control mechanism dynamically adjusts based on the state of the non-volatile memory. The security manager circuitry reads state values to determine whether sensitive data is present, and automatically enables or disables access accordingly. This dynamic control allows full access when needed for debugging while automatically restricting access when sensitive data is detected.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The security manager circuitry acts as an intermediary between the diagnostic mode request and the non-volatile memory access. It reads state values, determines whether access should be permitted based on the determined state, and controls the memory access accordingly, mediating between debugging needs and data security requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250060887A1Methods and apparatus to facilitate access control in memory

Publication Date: 2025.02.20 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC

AI summary

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are described to facilitate access control in memory. An example method includes accessing state values stored in non-volatile memory, the state values corresponding to a state of the non-volatile memory; responsive to obtaining a request to enter a diagnostic mode, authenticating credentials corresponding to the request; determining the state of the non-volatile memory based on the state values; and determining whether to permit or prohibit access to the non-volatile memory based on the determined state.