Controller of storage device, storage device, and control method of storage device

1. A controller of a storage device having a user area storing an operating system, the storage device developing the operating system stored in the user area on a host device in accordance with an access from the host device, the controller comprising:

a user authentication routine storage controlling unit that stores a user authentication routine for executing user authentication before startup of the operating system, in a predetermined area inside the user area, and

an access controlling unit that permits access to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is used, while prohibiting access to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is not used.

2. The controller of a storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the access controlling unit prohibits access to the predetermined area from the host device when user authentication in the user authentication routine is succeeded.

3. The controller of a storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the access controlling unit has an address assigning and setting unit that assigns and sets address of the predetermined area to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is used, while prohibiting assigning and setting of address of the predetermined area to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, when the user authentication routine is not used.

4. The controller of a storage device according to claim 3 , wherein the address assigning and setting unit has

an internal address management unit that manages the entire area of the user area by internal address, and

an external address management unit that manages an area accessible from the host device, in the user area, by external address, and

when the user authentication routine is used, address of the predetermined area is assigned and set to an external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, while when the user authentication routine is not used, address of the predetermined area is prohibited to be assigned and set to an address accessible from the host device to the predetermined area.

5. The controller of a storage device according to claim 4 , wherein

the address assigning and setting unit assigns and sets an address accessible from the host device to the predetermined area, to a leading address of the external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device.

6. The controller of a storage device according to claim 4 , wherein

an operating startup routine for making the operating system start up is stored in the user area corresponding to a leading address of the internal address, and

in the case of using the user authentication routine, when user authentication is succeeded in the user authentication routine after address of the predetermined area is assigned and set to a leading address of the external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, the address assigning and setting unit prohibits an address of the predetermined area to be assigned and set to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device; and then assigns and sets an area storing the operating startup routine to a leading address of the external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device.

7. The controller of a storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising a use flag setting unit that sets a use flag indicating whether the user authentication routine is used, wherein

the access controlling unit determines that the user authentication routine is used when the use flag is being set in the use flag setting unit, and determines that the user authentication routine is not used when the use flag is not set in the use flag setting unit.

8. The controller of a storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the user area has a substitutive area that allows substitution of a defective sector when a defect occurs in a unit of sector in the user area.

9. A storage device having a user area storing an operating system, the storage device developing the operating system stored in the user area on a host device in accordance with an access from the host device, a controller of the storage device comprising:

a user authentication routine storage controlling unit that stores a user authentication routine for executing user authentication before startup of the operating system, in a predetermined area inside the user area, and

an access controlling unit that permits access to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is used, while prohibiting access to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is not used.

10. The storage device according to claim 9 , wherein

the access controlling unit prohibits access to the predetermined area from the host device when user authentication in the user authentication routine is succeeded.

11. The storage device according to claim 9 , wherein

the access controlling unit has an address assigning and setting unit that assigns and sets address of the predetermined area to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is used, while prohibiting assigning and setting of address of the predetermined area to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, when the user authentication routine is not used.

12. The storage device according to claim 11 , wherein the address assigning and setting unit has

an internal address management unit that manages the entire area of the user area by internal address, and

an external address management unit that manages an area accessible from the host device, in the user area, by external address, and

when the user authentication routine is used, address of the predetermined area is assigned and set to an external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, while when the user authentication routine is not used, address of the predetermined area is prohibited to be assigned and set to an address accessible from the host device to the predetermined area.

13. The storage device according to claim 12 , wherein

the address assigning and setting unit assigns and sets an address accessible from the host device to the predetermined area, to a leading address of the external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device.

14. The storage device according to claim 12 , wherein

an operating startup routine for making the operating system start up is stored in the user area corresponding to a leading address of the internal address, and

in the case of using the user authentication routine, when user authentication is succeeded in the user authentication routine after address of the predetermined area is assigned and set to a leading address of the external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, the address assigning and setting unit prohibits an address of the predetermined area to be assigned and set to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device; and then assigns and sets an area storing the operating startup routine to a leading address of the external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device.

15. The storage device according to claim 9 , further comprising a use flag setting unit that sets a use flag indicating whether the user authentication routine is used, wherein

the access controlling unit determines that the user authentication routine is used when the use flag is being set in the use flag setting unit, and determines that the user authentication routine is not used when the use flag is not set in the use flag setting unit.

16. The storage device according to claim 9 , wherein

the user area has a substitutive area that allows substitution of a defective sector when a defect occurs in a unit of sector in the user area.

17. A method of controlling a storage device having a user area storing an operating system, the storage device developing the operating system stored in the user area on a host device in accordance with an access from the host device, the method comprising:

storing a user authentication routine for executing user authentication before startup of the operating system, in a predetermined area inside the user area, and

controlling an access by permitting access to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is used, while prohibiting access to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is not used.

18. The method of controlling a storage device according to claim 17 , wherein

the access to the predetermined area from the host device is prohibited when user authentication in the user authentication routine is succeeded.

19. The method of controlling a storage device according to claim 17 , wherein

the controlling includes assigning and setting address of the predetermined area to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device when the user authentication routine is used, while prohibiting assigning and setting of address of the predetermined area to an address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, when the user authentication routine is not used.

20. The method of controlling a storage device according to claim 19 , wherein the assigning and setting includes

managing the entire area of the user area by internal address, and

managing an area accessible from the host device, in the user area, by external address, and

when the user authentication routine is used, address of the predetermined area is assigned and set to an external address accessible to the predetermined area from the host device, while when the user authentication routine is not used, address of the predetermined area is prohibited to be assigned and set to an address accessible from the host device to the predetermined area.