Memory card including copy protection
First Claim
1. A memory card comprising:
- system bus means for signal transfer;
software storing means connected to said system bus means for storing data and at least one computer program, i.e., software, and for outputting the stored data and software to the system bus means in response to a read signal;
selecting means for generating a chip select signal;
software protecting memory means connected to said selecting means and said system bus means for storing software protecting data and for outputting to said system bus means said software protecting data in response to the chip select signal;
read-write memory means connected to said selecting means and said system bus means responsive to the chip select signal for storing read-write data received from the system bus; and
data processing means connected to said system bus means for exclusive-OR gating of the read-write data output from said read-write memory means and said software protecting data output from said software protecting memory means to produce processed data, and for outputting the processed data to the system bus means whereby the software protecting data stored in said software protecting memory means may be obtained.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Data for protecting software is written into a ROM for protecting software in an IC card including other ROMs for storing data and scrambled software. The data for protecting software provides a key for execution of the software. A read-write RAM is responsive to the same select signal that is applied to the software protecting ROM for reading and writing of data by a user. When the data of the software protecting ROM is read out, the outputs of the ROM and the RAM are exclusive-OR gated. Accordingly, it is impossible to easily know what software protection data has been written into the ROM, i.e., to decode the software key. The ROM, the RAM, and the data processing circuit may be constructed as one IC.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A memory card comprising:
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system bus means for signal transfer; software storing means connected to said system bus means for storing data and at least one computer program, i.e., software, and for outputting the stored data and software to the system bus means in response to a read signal; selecting means for generating a chip select signal; software protecting memory means connected to said selecting means and said system bus means for storing software protecting data and for outputting to said system bus means said software protecting data in response to the chip select signal; read-write memory means connected to said selecting means and said system bus means responsive to the chip select signal for storing read-write data received from the system bus; and data processing means connected to said system bus means for exclusive-OR gating of the read-write data output from said read-write memory means and said software protecting data output from said software protecting memory means to produce processed data, and for outputting the processed data to the system bus means whereby the software protecting data stored in said software protecting memory means may be obtained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification