Magnetic memory storage device
View Patent ↗A storage device including a magnetic memory and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to transfer selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times and to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times.
1. A storage device, comprising:
a magnetic memory; and
a control circuit configured to transfer selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times and to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times, wherein the control circuit is configured to stop the transfer of the selected data subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times.
2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the selected number of times that the control circuit is configured to transfer the selected data is once.
3. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the selected number of times that the control circuit is configured to transfer the selected data is a fraction greater than one.
4. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to erase at least some of the selected data from the magnetic memory to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory.
5. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to erase an index entry for the selected data to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory.
6. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to disable an input/output circuit to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory.
7. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a fuse configured to be programmed to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory.
8. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a controller programmed to transfer the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times and to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times.
9. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to store a data count of the selected data.
10. The storage device of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to obtain a transfer count of the selected data transferred from the magnetic memory, to compare the transfer count to the data count of the selected data to obtain a compare result and to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory in response to the compare result.
11. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to program a state into non-volatile memory indicative of an amount of the selected data transferred from the magnetic memory.
12. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein the control circuit is configured to read the state from the non-volatile memory and to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory based on the state read from the non-volatile memory.
13. The storage device of claim 11 , comprising input/output circuitry electrically coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to read the state from the non-volatile memory and to disable the input/output circuitry based on the state read from the non-volatile memory.
14. A storage device, comprising:
a magnetic memory; and
a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic memory, wherein the controller is configured to read data from the magnetic memory during a first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory and to prevent reading of the data from the magnetic memory after the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
15. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to erase at least some of the data from the magnetic memory to prevent reading of the data from the magnetic memory after the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
16. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to store a data count of the data, to obtain a transfer count of the data as the data is transferred from the magnetic memory in the first transfer and to erase at least some of the data from the magnetic memory in response to the transfer count exceeding the data count after the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
17. The storage device of claim 14 , comprising:
a fuse connected to the controller; and
a programming circuit electrically coupled to the fuse and the controller, wherein the controller is configured to signal the programming circuit to cause the fuse to disable reading of the data from the magnetic memory after the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
18. The storage device of claim 14 , comprising:
a fuse electrically coupled to the controller and the magnetic memory; and
a programming circuit electrically coupled to the fuse and the controller, wherein the controller is configured to signal the programming circuit to cause the fuse to disable reading of the data from the magnetic memory after the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
19. The storage device of claim 14 , comprising:
an input/output circuit;
a fuse electrically coupled to the controller and the input/output circuit; and
a programming circuit electrically coupled to the fuse and the controller, wherein the controller is configured to signal the programming circuit to cause the fuse to disable reading of the data from the magnetic memory after the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
20. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the controller programs a state into non-volatile memory to indicate an amount of the data has been transferred from the magnetic memory during the first transfer of the data from the magnetic memory.
21. The storage device of claim 20 , wherein the controller is configured to read the state from the non-volatile memory and to prevent reading of the data from the magnetic memory based on the state read from the non-volatile memory.
22. The storage device of claim 20 , comprising input/output circuitry electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to read the state from the non-volatile memory and to prevent reading of the data by disabling the input/output circuitry based on the state read from the non-volatile memory.
23. A method of controlling material distribution from a magnetic memory, comprising:
transferring selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times;
regulating the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times; and
stopping the transfer of the selected data subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times.
24. A method of controlling material distribution from a magnetic memory, comprising:
transferring selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times; and
regulating the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times,
wherein regulating the transfer comprises one from a group comprising:
erasing some of the selected data from the magnetic memory;
erasing an index entry corresponding to the selected data;
disabling an input/output circuit during attempts to transfer the selected data; and
programming a fuse to disable the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory.
25. A method of controlling material distribution from a magnetic memory, comprising:
transferring selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times; and regulating the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times,
wherein regulating the transfer comprises:
storing a data count of the selected data;
obtaining a transfer count of the selected data transferred from the magnetic memory;
comparing the transfer count and the data count to obtain a compare result; and
regulating the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory based on the compare result.
26. A method of controlling material distribution from a magnetic memory, comprising:
transferring selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times;
regulating the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times; and
programming a state into non-volatile memory to indicate an amount of the selected data transferred from the magnetic memory.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein regulating the transfer comprises:
reading the state from the non-volatile memory; and
regulating the transfer of the data from the magnetic memory based on the state read from the non-volatile memory.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein regulating the transfer comprises:
reading the state from the non-volatile memory; and
disabling input/output circuitry based on the state read from the non-volatile memory.