IP Library Granted Patent US 7,174,435
Granted Patent B2
US 7,174,435 · App. 10/715,366 · Granted Feb 6, 2007

Memory control circuit, memory device, and microcomputer

Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,174,435
App. No.
10/715,366
Granted
Feb 6, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

First and second latch circuits store “0” and “1”, respectively, by reset. An output signal from the first latch circuit is input to the second latch circuit. Register setting data is input to the first latch circuit via a first gate that allows an input signal to pass through when the output signal from the second latch circuit is “1”, and outputs “0” when the output signal from the second latch circuit is “0”. A write signal is supplied to a memory via a second gate that allows the input signal to pass through only when the output signal from the first latch circuit is “1”. When the register setting data indicates “0”, the output signals from both the first and the second latch circuits become “0”, and until being reset, the write error protect state is maintained.

Claims (37)

1. A memory control circuit comprising:

a write error protect circuit, including

a register,

a first gate that sets one of a first data and a second data supplied from the outside into the register, and

a second gate that disables output of a write signal supplied from the outside to a memory when the register is reset, outputs the write signal to the memory when the first data is set into the register, and prevents the output of the write signal to the memory when the second data is set into the register.

2. The memory control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the register comprises:

a first latch circuit that stores “0” by reset; and

a second latch circuit that stores “1” by reset, to which an output signal from the first latch circuit is input,

wherein the first gate outputs one of the first data and the second data to the first latch circuit when an output signal from the second latch circuit is “1”, and outputs “0” to the first latch circuit when the output signal from the second latch circuit is “0”, and the second gate outputs the write signal to the memory only when the output signal from the first latch circuit is “1”.

3. A memory device comprising:

a memory that is rewritable by an input of a write signal from outside to the memory; and

a memory control circuit that includes a write error protect circuit including

a register,

a first pate that sets one of a first data and a second data supplied from outside into the register, and

a second pate that disables output of the write signal to the memory when the register is reset, outputs the write signal to the memory when the first data is set into the register, and prevents the output of the write signal to the memory when the second data is set into the register.

4. The memory device according to claim 3 , wherein the register comprises:

a first latch circuit that stores “0” by reset; and

a second latch circuit that stores “1” by reset, to which an output signal from the first latch circuit is input,

wherein the first gate outputs one of the first data and the second data to the first latch circuit when an output signal from the second latch circuit is “1”, and outputs “0” to the first latch circuit when the output signal from the second latch circuit is “0”, and the second gate outputs the write signal to the memory only when the output signal from the first latch circuit is “1”.

5. The memory device according to claim 3 , wherein the memory is divided into a plurality of areas in which write disable, write enable, and write error protect are set independently, and the memory includes the write error protect circuit for each area.

6. The memory device according to claim 3 , wherein the memory is a nonvolatile memory.

7. The memory device according to claim 6 , wherein the nonvolatile memory is a flash memory.

8. A microcomputer comprising:

a central processing unit;

a memory that is rewritable by an input of a write signal from the central processing unit to the memory; and

a memory control circuit that includes a write error protect circuit including

a register,

a first gate that sets one of a first data and a second data supplied from outside into the register, and

a second gate that disables output of the write signal to the memory when the register is reset, outputs the write signal to the memory when the first data is set into the register, and prevents the output of the write signal to the memory when the second data is set into the register.

9. The microcomputer according to claim 8 , wherein the register comprises:

a first latch circuit that stores “0” by reset; and

a second latch circuit that stores “1” by reset, to which an output signal from the first latch circuit is input,

wherein the first gate outputs one of the first data and the second data to the first latch circuit when an output signal from the second latch circuit is “1”, and outputs “0” to the first latch circuit when the output signal from the second latch circuit is “0”, and the second gate outputs the write signal to the memory only when the output signal from the first latch circuit is “1”.

10. The microcomputer according to claim 8 , wherein the memory is divided into a plurality of areas in which write disable, write enable, and write error protect are set independently, and the memory includes the write error protect circuit for each area.

11. The microcomputer according to claim 8 , wherein the memory is a nonvolatile memory.

12. The microcomputer according to claim 11 , wherein the nonvolatile memory is a flash memory.

13. The microcomputer according to claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit, the memory, and the memory control circuit are integrated in a same semiconductor chip.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 059410/0438 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051209/0721 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS 6272046,7277824,7282374,7286384,7299106,7337032,7460920,7519447 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039676 FRAME 0237. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Oct 16, 2018
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING
Reel/Frame 047797/0854 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2016
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039676/0237 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2015
From: SPANSION, LLC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036038/0467 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Dec 30, 2014
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: SPANSION LLC; SPANSION INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 034715/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 031205/0461 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2010
From: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024794/0500 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2008
From: FUJITSU LIMITED
To: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 021985/0715 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2003
From: YOSHIDA, TETSUYA; KOIKE, YOSHIHIKO; KUSUMOTO, MASAYOSHI
To: FUJITSU LIMITED
Reel/Frame 014716/0599 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2002-378629 · Dec 26, 2002 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20040139289A1 · Jul 15, 2004