The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 30, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2000
Takayuki Tamura, Kawasaki, JP;
Jun Kitahara, Kawasaki, JP;
Toru Owada, Kawasaki, JP;
Shinichi Sawamura, Kawasaki, JP;
Takeshi Asahi, Kawasaki, JP;
Nagamasa Mizushima, Kawasaki, JP;
Takashi Totsuka, Kodaira, JP;
Yasushi Akao, Kodaira, JP;
Takayuki Tamura, Kawasaki, JP;
Jun Kitahara, Kawasaki, JP;
Toru Owada, Kawasaki, JP;
Shinichi Sawamura, Kawasaki, JP;
Takeshi Asahi, Kawasaki, JP;
Nagamasa Mizushima, Kawasaki, JP;
Takashi Totsuka, Kodaira, JP;
Yasushi Akao, Kodaira, JP;
Renesas Technology Corp., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The external storage device according to the present invention which uses a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory is provided with plural areas which store user data, and restricts access to the user data from a host computer and also dynamically changes an area an access to which is to be restricted. Accordingly, the ease of use of the external storage device for the host computer is improved. Specifically, the interior of the flash memory is divided into a normal area not protected by a password or the like and a protected area protected by a password or the like. A microprocessor controls accesses to the normal area and the protected area in accordance with a command from the host computer. In addition, the host computer can access the protected area after passing through authentication using a password. Moreover, the host computer changes information indicative of the location of the protected area, thereby dynamically changing the protection area.