Semiconductor memory

• US 7,337,976 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueda, Eiji, Kawamura, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo; Tuyen Kim
• Application Number:
  US10/580,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20070090195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/383, 235/380, 235/375, 235/382
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory which executes executing multiple application programs and duplicating important data from one application program into another application program in security. An IC card (200) is one example of the semiconductor memory of the present invention, and executes executing multiple application programs. The IC card (200) includes: a memory area (331) for storing data relating to a library APL (301); a memory area (332) for storing data relating to a public pool APL (302); a security level setting unit (603) which identifies respective security levels of the library APL (301) and the public pool APL (302) for the data relating to these application programs, based on a criterion for identifying the security level of an application program for the data relating to it; and a data operation unit (608) which duplicates data A stored in the memory area (331) and stores the duplicated data A into the memory area (332), without taking the data A outside of the IC card (200), in the case where the relationship between the two security levels identified by the security level setting unit (603) meets a predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory for executing at least two application programs, comprising:

a first storage unit operable to store data relating to a first application program;

a second storage unit operable to store data relating to a second application program;

a level identification unit operable to identify respective security levels of the first and second application programs for the data relating to the first and second application programs, based on a criterion for identifying a security level of an application program for data relating to the application program; and

a duplication unit operable to duplicate the data stored in the first storage unit and to store the duplicated data into the second storage unit, without taking the data outside of the semiconductor memory, in the case where a relationship between the two security levels identified by the level identification unit meets a predetermined condition.

2. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1, further comprising

a comparison unit operable to determine the relationship by comparing the two security levels identified by the level identification unit,

wherein the duplication unit is operable to duplicate the data stored in the first storage unit and to store the duplicated data into the second storage unit, in the case where the relationship determined by the comparison unit meets the predetermined condition.

3. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1, further comprising

an obtaining unit operable to obtain the relationship determined by comparing the two security levels identified by the level identification unit,

wherein the duplication unit is operable to duplicate the data stored in the first storage unit and to store the duplicated data into the second storage unit, in the case where the relationship obtained by the obtaining unit meets the predetermined condition.

4. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1,

wherein the security level is a value corresponding to a strength of encryption used by each of the application programs.

5. A semiconductor memory according to claim 4,

wherein the strength of the encryption is stronger as an algorithm of the encryption is more complex.

6. A semiconductor memory according to claim 4,

wherein the strength of the encryption is stronger as a bit length of a key for the encryption is longer.

7. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1,

wherein the security level is a value corresponding to a version number of an application protocol used by each of the application programs.

8. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1,

wherein the security level is a value corresponding to a version number of each of the application programs.

9. A data duplication method used for a semiconductor memory for executing at least two application programs,

wherein the semiconductor memory includes:

 

a first storage unit operable to store data relating to a first application program; and

a second storage unit operable to store data relating to a second application program, and the data duplication method comprises;

identifying respective security levels of the first and second application programs for the data relating to the first and second application programs, based on a criterion for identifying a security level of an application program for data relating to the application program; and

duplicating the data stored in the first storage unit and storing the duplicated data into the second storage unit, without taking the data outside of the semiconductor memory, in the case where a relationship between the identified two security levels meets a predetermined condition.

10. A program used for data duplication in a semiconductor memory for executing at least two application programs,

wherein the semiconductor memory includes:

 

a first storage unit operable to store data relating to a first application program; and

a second storage unit operable to store data relating to a second application program, and the program causes a computer to execute;

 

identifying respective security levels of the first and second application programs for the data relating to the first and second application programs, based on a criterion for identifying a security level of an application program for data relating to the application program; and

duplicating the data stored in the first storage unit and storing the duplicated data into the second storage unit, without taking the data outside of the semiconductor memory, in the case where a relationship between the identified two security levels meets a predetermined condition.

11. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program used for data duplication in a semiconductor memory is stored, the semiconductor memory for executing at least two application programs,

wherein the semiconductor memory includes:

 

a first storage unit operable to store data relating to a first application program; and

a second storage unit operable to store data relating to a second application program, and the program causes a computer to execute;

 

identifying respective security levels of the first and second application programs for the data relating to the first and second application programs, based on a criterion for identifying a security level of an application program for data relating to the application program; and

duplicating the data stored in the first storage unit and storing the duplicated data into the second storage unit, without taking the data outside of the semiconductor memory, in the case where a relationship between the identified two security levels meets a predetermined condition.

12. An integrated circuit for controlling data duplication in a semiconductor memory for executing at least two application programs,

wherein the semiconductor memory includes:

 

a first storage unit operable to store data relating to a first application program; and

a second storage unit operable to store data relating to a second application program, and the integrated circuit comprises;

 

a level identification unit operable to identify respective security levels of the first and second application programs for the data relating to the first and second application programs, based on a criterion for identifying a security level of an application program for data relating to the application program; and

a duplication unit operable to duplicate the data stored in the first storage unit and to store the duplicated data into the second storage unit, without taking the data outside of the semiconductor memory, in the case where a relationship between the two security levels identified by the level identification unit meets a predetermined condition.