Protecting access to microcontroller memory blocks

• US 6,952,778 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Longitude Flash Memory Solutions, Ltd. (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Snyder, Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIELDS, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US09/855,868
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 713/193, 711/163, 711/164
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories

Abstract

A microcontroller provides protection to memory blocks in an embedded memory. A set of rules such as security levels mapped to memory blocks are stored in a nonvolatile supervisory memory. An algorithm for application of the rules is stored in a supervisory ROM. When a read or write operation is to be carried out, the rules are applied according to the algorithm in order to authorize or reject the read or write operation. Security levels can be modified, but only according to defined rules. In one embodiment, the security levels can only be increased.

Claims

1. In a microcontroller, a method of accessing a block of memory, comprising:

in response to an access request to the block of memory, ascertaining a security rule associated with the block of memory;

applying the security rule according to a security algorithm to determine if the access request is authorized; and

denying the access request in the event the access request is unauthorized, wherein the security rule comprises one of a plurality of security levels assigned to the block of memory, the security levels corresponding to ability of the processor to read or write to the block of memory.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the access request comprises one of a read request and a write request.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the memory block comprises one of a plurality of memory blocks.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of memory blocks comprise nonvolatile memory residing on the microcontroller.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the security rule comprises one of a plurality of security levels assigned to the block of memory, the security levels defining ability of a programmer to read or write to the block of memory.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the security rule comprises one of a plurality of security levels assigned to the block of memory, the plurality of security levels comprising levels which represent progressively greater security against unauthorized access to the block of memory.

7. A microcontroller having an electronic storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed on a processor forming a part of the microcontroller, carry out a process according to claim 1.

8. In a microcontroller having an internal processor, a method of accessing memory, comprising:

mapping a security level to each block of a plurality of memory blocks and storing the mapping in a table;

in response to an access request to a specified block of memory, determining the security level for the specified block of memory;

applying the a security algorithm using the security level to determine if the access request is authorized by the algorithm; and

denying the access request in the event the access request is unauthorized.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the security levels comprise a plurality of levels which represent progressively greater security against unauthorized access to the block of memory.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of memory blocks comprise nonvolatile memory residing on the microcontroller.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the table is stored in a supervisory nonvolatile memory on the microcontroller.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the security algorithm is stored in a supervisory read only memory on the microcontroller.

13. In a microcontroller, a method of controlling secure access to memory, comprising:

in response to a request to change a security rule for a block of memory, determining if the change in the security rule for the block of memory is authorized; and

denying the request in the event the request is unauthorized, wherein the security rule comprises one of a plurality of security levels assigned to the block of memory.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the determining comprises authorizing the request to change the security rule if the request comprises a request to increase the security of the block of memory.

15. A microcontroller having an electronic storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed on a processor forming a part of the microcontroller, carry out a process according to claim 13.