US 12,321,617 B2
Unauthorized memory access mitigation
Richard C. Murphy, Boise, ID (US); Shivam Swami, Folsom, CA (US); Naveh Malihi, University City, MO (US); Anton Korzh, Boise, ID (US); and Glen E. Hush, Boise, ID (US)
Filed by Lodestar Licensing Group LLC, Evanston, IL (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/464,015.
Application 18/464,015 is a continuation of application No. 17/665,307, filed on Feb. 4, 2022, granted, now 11,755,210.
Application 17/665,307 is a continuation of application No. 16/235,303, filed on Dec. 28, 2018, granted, now 11,256,427, issued on Feb. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0143196 A1, May 2, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0622 (2013.01) [G06F 3/0638 (2013.01); G06F 3/0655 (2013.01); G06F 3/0673 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory array;
a key register configured to store a first key used to determine whether access commands are allowed access to a protected region of the memory array;
a protected region register configured to store addresses defining the protected region;
an access count register to store an access count;
a mode register; and
control circuitry configured to:
responsive to receiving a security mode initialization command from a host:
store the first key in the key register;
store a first address corresponding to the memory array in the protected region register, wherein the first address is a protected address and the first key corresponds to the protected address;
responsive to storing the first key and storing the first address, set the mode register to a locked mode;
responsive to determining that the mode register is in the locked mode, determine whether a second address corresponding to an access command is within the protected region and determine whether a second key from a number of keys corresponding to the access command from a number of access commands matches the first key stored in the key register, wherein each key of the number of keys is provided with a different access command of the number of access commands;
responsive to determining that the second address is within the protected region and that the second key matches the first key, allow access to the second address based on a determination the access count is less than a threshold; and
responsive to allowing access to the second address, increment the access count register and enable a row driver;
reset the access count register responsive to a lapse of time without receiving additional access commands to the protected region.