Storage Block Interfaces for Hardware Permission Isolation

The patent divides the storage device into multiple storage blocks (secure and non-secure partitions) and provides dedicated interfaces for each block type. This segmentation allows independent access control paths, where the first interface exclusively accesses secure storage blocks and the second interface exclusively accesses non-secure storage blocks, thereby improving security without requiring a single complex interface to handle all access control logic.

The patent replaces software-based access control with hardware-level enforcement through dedicated interfaces and a controller that physically prevents unauthorized access attempts. The controller is configured to prevent host devices coupled to the first interface from accessing non-secure storage blocks, providing robust permission management through hardware architecture rather than software policies.

The patent implements a controller that serves multiple functions: it manages access control for both secure and non-secure storage blocks, handles encryption/decryption operations using hardware unique keys, and coordinates data transfer between storage blocks and host devices. This multi-functional controller reduces the need for separate dedicated control logic for each storage block, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.