IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,307,777
Granted Patent B2
US 11,307,777 · App. 17/162,634 · Granted Apr 19, 2022

Memory system and operating method thereof

Inventors: Sung Jin Park (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Jung Ae Kim (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
G06F3/0623G06F3/0655G06F3/0679H04L9/088H04L9/3236
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,307,777
App. No.
17/162,634
Granted
Apr 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a memory system and an operating method thereof. The memory system may decrypt first firmware which is stored in the memory device and is encrypted using a symmetric-key encryption algorithm, with a first key stored in the memory device, may generate a second key based on second firmware, which is obtained by decrypting the first firmware, first data stored in a first area in the memory controller, and second data stored in a second area in the memory device, and may drive the second firmware when the first key and the second key are the same.

Claims (30)

1. A memory system comprising:

a memory device; and

a memory controller configured to communicate with the memory device, and control the memory device,

wherein the memory controller:

decrypts first firmware, which is stored in the memory device and is encrypted using a symmetric-key encryption algorithm, with a first key stored in the memory device,

generates a second key based on second firmware, which is obtained by decrypting the first firmware, first data stored in a first area in the memory controller, and second data stored in a second area in the memory device, and

drives the second firmware when the first key and the second key are the same, and

wherein data stored in the first area and data stored in the second area are unchangeable data.

2. The memory system according to claim 1 , wherein the second key is hash data which is generated by coding, according to a hash algorithm, data obtained by merging the second firmware, the first data and the second data.

3. The memory system according to claim 2 , wherein the hash algorithm is SHA-256.

4. The memory system according to claim 1 , wherein the first key is stored in the same memory block in which the first firmware is stored.

5. The memory system according to claim 1 , wherein the first data includes at least one among wafer coordinate information of the memory controller, trim information on a supply voltage and calibration information on the supply voltage.

6. The memory system according to claim 1 , wherein the second data includes at least one among information on an initial bad block in the memory device, default read bias information and wafer coordinate information of the memory device.

7. A method for operating a memory system including a memory device and a memory controller, comprising:

decrypting first firmware, which is stored in the memory device and is encrypted using a symmetric-key encryption algorithm, with a first key stored in the memory device;

generating a second key based on second firmware, which is obtained by decrypting the first firmware, first data stored in a first area in the memory controller, and second data stored in a second area in the memory device; and

driving the second firmware when the first key and the second key are the same,

wherein data stored in the first area and data stored in the second area are unchangeable data.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second key is hash data which is generated by coding, according to a hash algorithm, data obtained by merging the second firmware, the first data and the second data.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the hash algorithm is SHA-256.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first key is stored in the same memory block in which the first firmware is stored.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first data includes at least one among wafer coordinate information of the memory controller, trim information on a supply voltage and calibration information on the supply voltage.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second data includes at least one among information on an initial bad block included in the memory device, default read bias information and wafer coordinate information of the memory device.

13. A method of protecting original code, the method comprising:

generating a first key by coding a sequence of the original code and data according to a hash algorithm;

encrypting the original code using the first key according to a symmetric key algorithm to store the encrypted code in a system;

decrypting the stored code using the first key according to the symmetric key algorithm;

generating a second key by coding the sequence of the decrypted code and the data according to the hash algorithm; and

comparing the first and second keys to determine whether the original code is protected,

wherein the data is specific to the system.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2021
From: PARK, SUNG JIN; KIM, JUNG AE
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 055082/0723 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0118940 · Sep 16, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220083240A1 · Mar 17, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,541,598