Macronix International Co., Ltd.

International Business Machines Corporation

Chia-Jung Chen

Chin-Hung Chang

Ken-Hui Chen

Kuen-Long Chang

Chun-Hsiung Hung

Hsin-Yi Ho

Su-Chueh Lo

Tien-Yen Wang

Chun-Jen Huang

Hsiang-Lan Lung

Wei-Chih Chien

Scott C Lewis

Chun-Yu Liao

Fu-Nian Liang

Tu-Shun Chen

Yung-Hsu Chen

A memory device and an associated control method are provided. The memory device includes a non-volatile memory array and a memory control circuit. The non-volatile memory array includes M secured memory zones. The memory control circuit is electrically connected to the non-volatile memory array. The memory control circuit provides a set of mapping information and searches a request key in the set of mapping information. The set of mapping information represents correspondences between N access keys and the M secured memory zones. The memory control circuit acquires at least one of the M secured memory zones if the request key is one of the N access keys, and performs an access command to the at least one of the M secured memory zones. M and N are positive integers.

Memory device and associated control method

A memory device comprises an array of memory cells, a physically unclonable function PUF circuit in the memory device to generate a PUF code, a data path connecting a first circuit to a second circuit in the memory device coupled to the array of memory cells, and logic circuitry to encode data on the data path from the first circuit using the PUF code to produce encoded data, and to provide the encoded data to the second circuit.

PUF applications in memories

Systems, devices, methods, and circuits for managing secure writes in semiconductor devices. In one aspect, a semiconductor device includes a memory array and logic circuitry coupled to the memory array. The logic circuitry is configured to execute a secure write operation in the memory array in response to receiving encrypted information. The encrypted information includes at least one of information of data to be written, an option code, or multiple addresses in the memory array, the option code specifying a way of writing the data on at least one of the multiple addresses in the memory array.

Managing secure writes in semiconductor devices

A memory device includes a command decoder that implements security logic to detect a command sequence to read a security region of a memory array with continuous encrypted data and to output/input specific contexts for the data. Output/input of specific contexts can be during a dummy cycle to achieve greater performance. A host interfacing can, for example, execute a single command to both get the encrypted data and specific contexts that were used to encrypt the data. Our technology can implement transferring data on the system bus in ciphertext and encrypted by a different Nonce or a different session key than used in a previous transfer operation. In this way, data will be represented with different ciphertext on the bus at different sessions; thereby defending against a replay attack.

High performance secure read in secure memory providing a continuous output of encrypted information and specific context

A memory chip comprises a first memory controller, a first data storage zone, a security unit and an address configuration unit. The first data storage zone is coupled to the first memory controller, and represented by a first physical address range. The security unit is coupled to the first memory controller. The address configuration unit is coupled to the first memory controller. The memory chip is configured to be coupled between a host controller and another memory chip. The another memory chip comprises a second data storage zone represented by a second physical address range. The address configuration unit records one or more relationships of a logical address range corresponding to the first physical address range and the second physical address range. The security unit is configured to encrypt and decrypt data in the first data storage zone and the second data storage zone.

Memory chip having security verification function and memory device

A memory device, including a secure command decoder implementing security logic configured to detect commands carrying an encrypted immediate data payload from a requesting host, authenticate the host as source of the command, decode the immediate data and perform a memory access command called for by a command portion of the decrypted immediate data upon the storage cells of the memory device using the non-command portion of the decrypted immediate data, as well as to encrypt any result from executing the command portion prior to returning the result to the requesting host, and an input/output interface for I/O data units supporting multiple hosts.

Memory device having security command decoder and security logic circuitry performing encryption/decryption commands from a requesting host

A memory device can include a memory, and an interface to receive a memory command sequence. A message authentication code MAC is provided with the command sequence. Control circuits on the device include a command decoder to decode a received command sequence and to execute an identified memory operation. A message authentication engine includes logic to compute a value of a message authentication code to be matched with the received message authentication code based on the received command sequence and a stored key. The device can store a plurality of keys associated with one or more memory zones in the memory. Logic on the device prevents completion of the memory operation identified by the command sequence if the value computed does not match the received message authentication code.

Security memory scheme

A multi-chip package, a controlling method of the multi-chip package and a security chip are provided. The multi-chip package includes a memory chip and a security chip. The security chip is coupled between the memory chip and a host. The security chip includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is for enabling a security path to input an input-output signal into the processing circuit for executing a security procedure and accessing the memory chip, if a command is received by the processing circuit and the command includes a security requirement.

Multi-chip package, controlling method of multi-chip package and security chip

For a memory array including a plurality of bit lines, and a set of write drivers having a number N members configured for connection in parallel to a selected set of N bit lines in the plurality of bit lines, write logic is coupled to the set of write drivers which enables a permissible number less than said number N of said members of the set of write drivers to apply a write pulse in parallel in a write operation. The write logic can dynamically assign permissible numbers to iterations in an iterative write sequence. A power source, such as charge pump circuitry, coupled to the set of write drivers can be utilized more efficiently in systems applying permissible bit write logic, enabling higher throughput or utilizing lower peak power.

Memory with dynamic permissible bit write logic and method

A write pulse driver is provided. The write pulse driver includes a parameter storage, storing a set of parameters specifying characteristics of a write pulse, and driver circuitry configured to generate the write pulse on an output node, the write pulse having a leading edge, a trailing edge and an intermediate segment between the leading edge and the trailing edge, wherein the driver circuitry includes pulse shaping circuits that set shape characteristics of at least one of an amplitude, a duration and a slope of more than one of the leading edge, the trailing edge and the intermediate segment of the write pulse using the set of parameters.

Adjustable writing circuit

A sensing method for a memory is provided. The memory includes: a memory cell; a reference circuit generating a reference voltage and a clamp voltage; and a current supplying circuit receiving the clamp voltage to develop a cell current passing through the memory cell to form a cell voltage, wherein the cell voltage is used for incorporating with the reference voltage to determine the information stored in the memory.

Reference and sensing with bit line stepping method of memory

A memory device and an operation method thereof are provided, and the operation method of the memory device includes following steps. A programming operation is performed to write an original data into a first memory array in the memory device. The original data in the first memory array is verified, and whether to generate a write signal is determined according to a verification result. An error correction code is generated according to the original data, and the error correction code and a write address are stored temporarily in a buffer circuit of the memory device. When the write signal is generated, the error correction code and the write address in the buffer circuit are written into a second memory array in the memory device.

Memory device and operation method

A read operation for a memory device is provided. A selected word line, first and second global bit line groups and a selected first bit line group are precharged. A first cell current flowing through the selected word line, the first and the selected first bit line groups is generated. A first reference current flowing through the second global bit line group is generated. A first half page data is read based on the first cell current and the first reference current. The selected word line, the first and the second global bit line groups are kept precharged.

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Zhubei, Taiwan

Chia-Jung Chen