Semiconductor integrated circuit and information processing apparatus

• US 7,913,307 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Esaka, Seiji, Arisawa, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): CERVETTI, DAVID GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US11/175,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 713/190, 713/193, 726/26, 726/27, 711/164
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices

Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an encryption unit for generating encrypted data by encrypting data to be stored in an external memory disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit, a write unit for writing the encrypted data into the external memory, a reading unit for reading out the encrypted data from the external memory, and a decryption unit for decrypting the readout encrypted data.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for input data, comprising, in combination:

a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a central processing unit CPU controlling read, write and encryption operations on said input data, an external memory interface circuit and an external memory disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit and responsive to control signals from said central processing unit CPU through said external memory interface circuit and said external memory;

wherein said semiconductor integrated circuit further includes,

an encryption circuit responsive to said central processing unit CPU generating encrypted data by encrypting the input data to be stored in the external memory;

write means responsive to said central processing unit CPU for writing the encrypted data into the external memory;

readout means responsive to said central processing unit CPU for reading out the encrypted data from the external memory; and

a decryption circuit decrypting the readout encrypted data from the external memory,

said central processing unit CPU providing address (ADR), data write command WR, read (RD), wait, and data signals to said external memory interface, said external memory interface providing external address (EADR), external read (ERD), external data signals (EDATA), and an address decoder receiving said input address information from said central processing unit and providing as an output a chip select signal (ECS) to said external memory, said chip select signal ECS providing address information indicating a storage location of the input data to be stored as encrypted data at said storage location in said external memory, wherein

the encryption circuit generates the encrypted data by performing encryption of the input data for the storage location of the encrypted data to be stored in the external memory, and

the decryption circuit decrypts the readout encrypted data in accordance with the storage location of the encrypted data,

so that if the encrypted data are copied from the external memory, it is difficult to decrypt the encrypted data without knowing the storage location of the encrypted data in the external memory.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said address decoder has its output connected to a logic circuit that has as another input the data write command WR and to a switch receiving input data through the switch controlled by said output of said logic circuit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the external memory interface circuit generates the encrypted data by carrying out combination processing for combining the data to be stored in the external memory and address information indicating the storage location of the data.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the logic circuit provides combination processing and includes an exclusive-OR for the data and the address information to provide the chip select signal ECS and data write command EWR signal to said external memory.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external memory interface generates encrypted data by carrying out data encryption after carrying out combination processing for combining the data to be stored in the external memory and the address information indicating the storage location of the data, and further including a timing control unit providing said WAIT signal to said central processing unit.

6. The information processing apparatus for data, according to claim 1, wherein said encryption circuit and said decryption circuit are both located in said external memory interface unit.

7. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit having at least a central processing unit CPU and an external memory interface unit; and

an external memory disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit and in circuit with said external memory interface circuit,

wherein the external memory interface of the semiconductor integrated circuit includes,

readout means responsive to said central processing unit CPU for reading out encrypted data corresponding to unencrypted input data from the external memory disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit, the external memory storing the encrypted data generated by encrypting the input data to be stored in the external memory at a location determined by address information provided by an encryption circuit of said external memory interface said central processing unit CPU providing input address information for said storage location to an address decoder in circuit with said external memory; and

a decryption circuit decrypting the readout encrypted data EDATA from said external memory and wherein

the external memory interface includes;

readout means for reading out encrypted data from the external memory disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit, the external memory storing encrypted data generated by encrypting data to be stored in the external memory at an address location determined in the encrypting operation of said external memory interface; and

the decryption circuit decrypts the readout encrypted data in accordance with the storage location of the encrypted data

wherein, if the encrypted data are copied from the external memory onto another storage medium, it will be difficult to decrypt the encrypted data without knowing the storage location of the encrypted data in the external memory.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit that includes a central processing unit CPU controlling transmission and reception of input data, an external memory interface responsive to said central processing unit CPU and both sending and receiving signals from an external memory disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit and responsive to signals from said central processing unit CPU,

wherein the external memory interface of said semiconductor integrated circuit includes,

an encryption unit for generating encrypted data by encrypting the input data to be stored in an external memory at a storage location in said external memory determined according to an address signal having a higher order portion and a lower order portion, said encryption unit including an address decoder receiving input address information ADR from said central processing unit and providing a chip selection signal output for writing data when available to said external memory;

a write unit responsive to said central processing unit CPU writing the encrypted data into the external memory at said storage location;

a readout unit responsive to said CPU reading out the encrypted data from the external memory; and

a decryption unit for decrypting the readout encrypted data,

wherein, if the encrypted data are copied from the external memory onto another storage medium, it will be difficult to decrypt the encrypted data without knowing the storage location of the encrypted data in the external memory.