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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A memory card system comprising:
a memory card including;
an enciphering control data storing section for storing coded enciphering control data which, when decoded, reveals a predetermined password,
a main memory section for storing data,
a comparison password storing section for storing the predetermined password as a reference password,
a password comparison section for comparing the reference password with a password input from a host information processor, and
an access control section for controlling access to said main memory section in accordance with the results of the comparison performed by said password comparison section; and
a host information processing device which includes a data decoding section for retrieving and decoding the enciphering control data from said enciphering control data storing section of said memory card to reveal a predetermined password, and
outputting the predetermined password to said password comparison section of said memory card;
wherein said access control section of said memory card allows access to said main memory of said memory card when the password input to said password comparison section of said memory card by said host information processing device matches the
reference password stored in said comparison password storing section of said memory card.
2. The memory card system according to claim 1, wherein said access control section allows access to said main memory section when said password comparison section determines that the reference password and the password input from said
information processing apparatus match.
3. A memory card system comprising:
a memory card including;
an enciphering control data storing section for storing coded enciphering control data which, when decoded, reveals predetermined address data and a predetermined password,
a main memory section for storing data,
a comparison address data storing section for storing the predetermined address data as reference address data;
a comparison password storing section for storing the predetermined password as a reference password,
an address comparison section for comparing the reference address stored in said comparison address data storing section with address data input from a host information processing device;
a password comparison section for comparing the reference password stored in said comparison password storing section with a password input from a host information processing device, and
an access control section for controlling access to said main memory section in accordance with the results of the comparisons performed by said address comparison section and said password comparison section; and
a host information processing device which includes a data decoding section for retrieving and decoding the enciphering control data from said enciphering control data storing section of said memory card to reveal predetermined address data and a
predetermined password, and outputting the predetermined address data and predetermined password to said address data comparison section and said password comparison section of said memory card respectively;
wherein said access control section of said memory card allows access to said main memory of said memory card when the address data input to said address data comparison section by said information processing device matches the reference address
data stored in said comparison address data storing section and the password input to said password comparison section of said memory card by said host information processing device matches the reference password stored in said comparison password
storing section of said memory card.
4. The memory card system according to claim 3, wherein said access control section allows access to said main memory section by the information processing device when said address data comparison section determines that the address data input
by said information processing device and the reference address data stored in said comparison address data storing section match and said password comparison section determines that the password input by said information processing device and the
reference password stored in said comparison password storing section match.
5. The memory card system according to claim 3, wherein said enciphering control data storing section is provided in an attribute memory for storing attribute information of said memory card.
6. The memory card system according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined password is renewable.
7. The memory card system according to claim 3, wherein said enciphering control data storing section and said comparison password storing section are provided in an attribute memory constituted by RAM for storing attribute information of said
memory card.
8. The memory card system according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined address data and the predetermined password are renewable.
9. The memory card system according to claim 3, wherein said enciphering control data storing section, said comparison address data storing sections and said comparison password storing section are provided in an attribute memory composed of RAM
for storing attribute information of said memory card.
10. The memory card system according to claim 3, wherein said access control section prohibits access to said main memory section by placing said main memory section in a stand-by-state during which data cannot be written to or read from said
main memory section.
11. The memory card system according to claim 10, wherein said access control section allows access to said main memory section by enabling said main memory section.
12. A memory card for use in an information processing device having a decoder, said memory card comprising:
an enciphering control data storing section for storing enciphering control data from which a predetermined password can be obtained;
a main memory section for storing data;
a comparison password storing section for storing the predetermined password as a reference password;
a password comparison section for comparing the reference password with a password obtained by the information processing device through decoding the enciphering control data; and
an access control section for controlling access to said main memory section in accordance with the comparison result of said password comparison section,
wherein said access control section prohibits access to said main memory section by the information processing apparatus when said password comparison section determines that the reference password and the password input from the information
processing device do not match.
13. A memory card according to claim 12, wherein said access control section allows access to said main memory section by the information processing device when said password comparison section determines that the password input by the
information processing device matches the reference password stored in said comparison password storing section.
14. A memory card for use with an information processing device having a decoder, said memory card comprising:
an enciphering control data storing section for storing enciphering control data from which predetermined address data and a predetermined password can be obtained by decoding;
a main memory section for storing data;
a comparison address data storing section for storing the predetermined address data as reference address data;
a comparison password storing section for storing the predetermined password as a reference password;
an address data comparison section for comparing the reference address data with address data obtained by the information processing device through decoding the enciphering control data;
a password comparison section for comparing the reference password with a password obtained by the information processing device through decoding the enciphering control data; and
an access control section for controlling access to said main memory section in accordance with the comparison results of said password comparison section and said password comparison section,
wherein said access control section prohibits access to said main memory section by the information processing device when said address data comparison section determines that the address data input by the information processing device and the
reference address data stored in said comparison address data storing section do not match or said password comparison section indicates that the password obtained by the information processing device and the reference password stored in said comparison
password storing section do not match.
15. The memory card according to claim 14, wherein said access control section is arranged to allow access to said main memory section by the information processing device only when said address data comparison section determines that address
data input by the information processing device and the reference address data stored in said comparison address data storing section match and said password comparison section determines that the password input by the information processing device and
the reference password stored in said comparison password storing section match.
16. The memory card according to claim 14, wherein said enciphering control data storing section is provided in an attribute memory for storing attribute information of said memory card.
17. The memory card according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined password is renewable.
18. The memory card according to claim 14, wherein said enciphering control data storing section and said comparison password storing section are provided in an attribute memory constituted by RAM for storing attribute information of said memory
card.
19. The memory card according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined address data and the predetermined password are renewable.
20. The memory card according to claim 19, wherein said enciphering control data storing section, said comparison address data storing section, and said comparison password storing section are provided in the attribute memory constituted by RAM
for storing attribute information of said memory card. |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a security system for memory cards used in an information processing apparatus such as automated office equipment and personal computers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a conventional memory card. In FIG. 14, a memory card 50 includes a card controller 51, a common memory 52, and an attribute memory 53. The card controller 51 is connected to an
external information processing apparatus 60 with a bus comprised of an address bus 78, a data bus 76, and a control bus 77. Furthermore, the card controller 51 is connected to common memory 52 and attribute memory 53 respectively with an internal
address bus 71, an internal data bus 70, and an internal control bus 72. Common memory 52 is composed of RAM for storing data input from the information processing apparatus 60, and attribute memory 53 is a non-volatile memory wherein a predetermined
card attribute information (CIS) is stored in advance.
FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of card controller 51. In FIG. 15, card controller 51 is comprised of an address decoder/buffer 54 having an address buffer and an address decoder, a data bus buffer 55, and a card mode
control unit 56. Address decoder/buffer 54, data bus buffer 55, and card mode control unit 56 are respectively connected to the information processing apparatus 60 with an address bus 78, a data bus 76, and a control bus 77. The address decoder/buffer
54 is connected to the common memory 52, the attribute memory 53, and the card mode control unit 56, respectively, with an internal address bus 71. The data bus buffer 55 is connected to common memory 52 and attribute memory 53 with an internal data bus
70, and the card mode control unit 56 is connected to common memory 52 and attribute memory 53 with an internal control bus 72.
In FIGS. 14 and 15, the address data output from external information processing apparatus 60 is input to common memory 52 and attribute memory 53 and also to the card mode control unit 56 via address decoder/buffer 54. Card mode control unit 56
outputs the chip select signal generated from the input address data together with the write enable signal and the output enable signal input from the external information processing apparatus 60 respectively to common memory 52 and attribute memory 53.
At the same time, in common memory 52 and attribute memory 53, between the memory designated by the address data input from the external information processing apparatus 60 and the external information processing apparatus 60, the input and output of
data is effected via data bus buffer 55.
In such a standard memory card structure, however, since the data stored in the memory card can be freely read out by a standard external information processing apparatus, there is no security for the data stored in the memory card.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed to solve the above-described problem, and the main object of the present invention is to provide a security system for a standard memory card.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a security system apparatus for a memory card employed in an information processing apparatus, comprising: an enciphering control data storing
section provided in the memory card for storing coded control data from which a predetermined password can be obtained through decoding; a main memory section provided in the memory card for storing data from the information processing apparatus; a
comparison password storing section provided in the memory card for storing the predetermined password as an uncoded reference password; a password comparison section provided in the memory card for comparing the reference password with the password
input from the information processing apparatus; an access control section provided in the memory card for controlling access to the main memory section in accordance with the comparison result of the password comparison section; and a data decoding
section provided in the information processing apparatus for decoding the coded control data, wherein the information processing apparatus outputs the password obtained by decoding the coded control data in the data decoding section to the password
comparison section, and the access control section is arranged to prohibit access by the information processing apparatus to the main memory section when passwords fail to coincide.
Further according to the present invention, there is provided a security system apparatus for a memory card employed in an information processing apparatus, comprising in the memory card: an enciphering control data storing section for storing
coded enciphering control data from which a pre-determined password can be obtained through decoding; a main memory section for storing data from the information processing apparatus; a comparison password storing section for storing the predetermined
password as an uncoded reference password; a password comparison section for comparing the reference password with the password obtained through decoding the coded control data by the information processing apparatus; and an access control section for
controlling access to the main memory section in accordance with the comparison result of the password comparison section, wherein the access control section prevents the information processing apparatus from accessing the main memory section when
passwords fail to coincide.
On the other hand, in such a memory card and security system apparatus for a memory card, the access control section allows the information processing apparatus to access the main memory section where passwords coincide. More specifically, the
access control section prohibits access to the main memory section by setting the main memory section to a stand-by state in which write-in or read-out is not possible, and releases the prohibition to access the main memory section by enabling the main
memory section. Furthermore, the coding control data storing section is provided in an attribute memory storing attribute information of the memory card. In addition, the enciphering control data storing section and the comparison password storing
section are provided in the attribute memory composed of RAM to make the pre-determined password renewable.
Further according to the present invention, there is provided a security system apparatus for a memory card employed in an information processing apparatus, comprising: an enciphering control data storing section provided in the memory card for
storing coded enciphering control data wherein a pre-determined address data and a pre-determined password can be obtained through decoding; a main memory section provided in the memory card for storing data from the information processing apparatus; a
comparison password storing section provided in the memory card for storing the predetermined password as an uncoded reference password; an address data comparison section provided in the memory card for comparing the comparison address data with the
address data input from the information processing apparatus; a password comparison section provided in the memory card for comparing the reference password with the password input from the information processing apparatus; an access control section
provided in the memory card for controlling access to the main memory section in accordance with the comparison result of the password comparison section; and a data decoding section provided in the information processing apparatus for decoding the coded
enciphering control data, wherein the information processing apparatus outputs the address data obtained by decoding to the address data comparison section and outputs the password obtained by decoding to the password comparison section, and the access
control section prohibits the information processing apparatus from accessing the main memory section when either the comparison result of the address data comparison section or the comparison result of the password comparison section indicates no
coincidence.
Still further according to the present invention, there is provided in a memory card having a security system apparatus: an enciphering control data storing section for storing coded control data from which a pre-determined address data and a
pre-determined password can be obtained through decoding; a main memory section for accommodating data from the information processing apparatus; a comparison address data storing section for storing the predetermined address data as uncoded reference
address data; a comparison password storing section for storing the predetermined password as an uncoded reference password; an address data comparison section for comparing the comparison address data with the address data obtained by decoding the
enciphering control data in the information processing apparatus; a password comparison section for comparing the reference password with the password obtained by decoding the enciphering control data in the information processing apparatus; and an
access control section for controlling access to the main memory section, wherein the access control section prohibits the information processing apparatus from accessing the main memory section when either the comparison result of the address data
comparison section or the comparison result of the password comparison section indicates no coincidence.
On the other hand, in such a security system apparatus for a memory card and a memory card, the access control section releases the prohibition on access by the information processing apparatus to the main memory section only when both address
data coincide and both passwords coincide. More specifically, the access control section prohibits access to the main memory section by setting the main memory section to a stand-by state in which write-in and read-out is not possible, and releases the
prohibition on access to the main memory section by enabling the main memory section. Furthermore, the enciphering control data storing section is provided in an attribute memory which stores attribute information of the memory card. In addition, the
coding control data accommodating section, the comparison address data accommodating section, and the comparison password accommodating section are provided in an attribute memory composed of RAM. Thus, the pre-determined address data and pre-determined
password are renewable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings throughout which like parts are
designated by like reference numerals, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a security system apparatus for a memory card in embodiment type 1 of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the memory area of the attribute memory 4 shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the card controller 2 shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a chart showing a schematic security operation procedure example of a security system apparatus for a memory card in a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a security operation example of a security system apparatus for a memory card in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a card controller of a security system apparatus for a memory card in a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a security operation example of a security system apparatus for a memory card in the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a special attribute memory area of a security system apparatus for a memory card in a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a card controller in a security system apparatus for a memory card in the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a security operation example of a security system apparatus for a memory card in the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a special attribute memory area of a security system apparatus for a memory card in a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a card controller in a security system apparatus for a memory card in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a security operation example of a security system apparatus for a memory card in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a conventional memory card; and
FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram showing the card controller 51 shown in FIG. 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinbelow, the present invention is described in detail based on the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.
EMBODIMENT 1
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a security system apparatus for a memory card corresponding to embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a memory card 1 is provided with a card controller 2 and an attribute memory 4. The
card controller 2 is connected to an external information processing apparatus 8 with a bus composed of a data bus 6 and a control bus 7. Furthermore, card controller 2 is connected respectively to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4 with an internal
address bus 9, internal data bus 10 and internal control bus 11. Furthermore, information processing apparatus 8 is provided with a data decoding section 12 for decoding coded data. It is noted that methods for coding and decoding data are well known,
and since coding and decoding are performed by utilizing the error correction technique using well-known error correction symbols such as, for example, Reed-Solomon symbol and BCH symbol, the explanation thereof is omitted.
Common memory 3 is nonvolatile RAM for storing the data input from the information processing apparatus 8, and attribute memory 4 is non-volatile RAM for storing data such as the card attribute information. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example
configuration of the memory area of the attribute memory 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the attribute memory 4 is divided into an attribute memory area 13 which stores pre-determined card attribute information (CIS) and a special attribute memory area 14 which
stores data used for security of the data within the memory card 1. In attribute memory area 13, the card attribute information similar to the standard conventional memory card is stored in special attribute memory area 14, the enciphering control data
which is enciphered is stored, and enciphering control data is constituted so that password code having coded pre-determined password (hereafter, referred to as password code) can be obtained when decoded.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of card controller 2. In FIG. 3, card controller 2 includes an address decoder/buffer 15 composed of an address buffer and an address decoder, a data bus buffer 16, a card mode control
section 17, a password comparison section 18 and a password storing section 19 which is comprised of ROM in which the pre-determined, uncoded password is stored in advance as the reference password. Address decoder/buffer 15, data bus buffer 16 and card
mode control section 17 are connected to information processing apparatus 8 with an address bus 5, a data bus 6 and a control bus 7, respectively.
Furthermore, address decoder/buffer 15 is connected to card mode control section 17, the common memory 3 and the attribute memory 4, respectively with internal address bus 9. The card mode control section 17 is connected to common memory 3 and
attribute memory 4 with internal control bus 11, and is also connected to password comparison section 18. The data bus buffer 16 is connected to common memory 3, attribute memory 4, and password comparison section 18 with internal data bus 10. Password
comparison section 18 is connected with the password storing section 19 with an internal bus having plural signal lines. It is noted that the common memory serves the main memory section, special attribute memory area serves the coding control data
accommodating section, card mode control section 17 serves the access control section, and password storing section 19 serves the comparison password storing section.
In such a configuration described above, the address data output from the external information processing apparatus 8 via the address bus 5 is input to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4 via address decode/buffer 15 and the internal address
bus 9, and is also input to the card mode control section 17. The card mode control section 17 outputs a chip select signal generated from the input address data, together with a write enable signal and an output enable signal input from the external
information processing apparatus 8 through the control bus 7, to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4, respectively. At the same time, in common memory 3 and attribute memory 4, between the memory designated by the address data input from the external
information processing apparatus 8 and external information processing apparatus 8, input and output of data is performed via data bus buffer 16.
By the data decoding section 12 of information processing apparatus 8, the data accommodated in special attribute memory area 14 is decoded, and the information processing apparatus 8 outputs and writes the obtained password code to password
comparison section 18 via the data bus 6, data bus buffer 16, and card internal data bus 10. Password comparison section 18 compares the password input from the information processing apparatus 8 with the password code stored in the password storing
section 19. When these passwords coincide, comparison section 18 outputs a password coincidence signal showing the coincidence of the password code with card mode control section 17. The card mode control section 17 is held in the stand-by state in
which write-in or read-out of data is not possible until a password coincidence signal is input from the password comparison section 18. Upon input of a password coincidence signal from password comparison section 18, the stand-by state is released so
as to enable access to the common memory 3.
When the stand-by state of the common memory 3 is released and put in the enabled state as described above, the address data output from the external information processing apparatus 8 is input to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4 via
address decoder/buffer 15, and also input to the card mode control section 17. Card mode control section 17 outputs, together with the write enable signal and output enable signal input from the external information processing apparatus 8, the chip
select signal generated from the input address data to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4, respectively.
At the same time, in common memory 3 and attribute memory 4, the address data output from the external information processing apparatus 8 is input via address decoder/buffer 15. Between the memory designated by address data and the external
information processing apparatus 8, input and output of data is performed via data bus buffer 16. As described above, the security system apparatus of the first embodiment is constituted by the special attribute memory area 14 of attribute memory 4, the
data decoding section 12, the card mode control section 17, the password comparison section 18, and the password storing section 19. It is to be noted that address bus 5, data bus 6, control bus 7, internal address bus 9, internal data bus 10, and
internal control bus 11 respectively have plural signal lines.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a security operation example of the security system apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a security operation example of the security system apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 above. First, an
operation example of the security system apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 above, is discussed with reference to FIG. 4.
In FIG. 4, when memory card 1 is inserted into the information processing apparatus 8 which has been switched on, or the information processing apparatus 8 is switched on when memory card 1 has already been inserted into the information
processing apparatus 8, the information processing apparatus 8 detects the memory card 1 by reading out the card attribute information stored in the attribute memory area 13 of the attribute memory 4. Next, the memory card 1 changes from the state 1
(power off) to state 2 (access prohibition state) where access to the common memory 3 is prohibited. Next, the information processing apparatus 8 reads out the coding control data stored in the special attribute memory area 14 of the attribute memory 4
and outputs the password code obtained by decoding the coding control code in the data decoding section 12 to the password comparison section 18 via the data bus 6.
Password comparison section 18 reads out the reference password code from the password storing section 19 to check whether or not the password code input from the information processing apparatus 8 and the reference password code coincide with
each other. In the case of coincidence, the password comparison section 18 outputs to the card mode control section 17 the password coincidence signal, and the card mode control section 17 releases the access prohibition state of common memory 3, and
changes to state 3 (access prohibition release state) wherein access to the common memory 3 is possible. When the information processing apparatus 8 is switched off or the memory card 1 is pulled out from information processing apparatus 8 in state 2 or
3, state 1 is returned.
Next, the security operation of the security system apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 above is described in more detail using the flowchart shown in FIG. 5.
In FIG. 5, first at Step S1, when the memory card 1 is inserted into the operating information processing apparatus 8, or the information processing apparatus 8 with the memory card inserted therein is switched on, the information processing
apparatus 8 accesses the attribute memory 4 of the memory card 1, reads out the card attribute information stored in the attribute memory area 13, and detects the memory card 1. Next at Step S2, the information processing apparatus 8 accesses the
attribute memory 4 of the memory card 1, and reads out the coding control data stored in the special attribute memory area 14.
At Step S3, the data decoding section of the information processing apparatus 8 decodes the coding control data to obtain the password code. Next at Step S4, the information processing apparatus 8 outputs the password code obtained by decoding
the coding control data to the password comparison section 18 via the data bus 6. At Step S5, the password comparison section 18 reads out the reference password code stored in the password storing section 19 for comparison with the password code input
from the information processing apparatus 8. In the case of the coincidence, the process proceeds to Step S6.
At Step S6, the password comparison section 18 outputs the password coincidence signal to the card mode control section 17 to cause control section 17 to release the access prohibition state which prohibits access to the common memory 3, and
terminates the security operation. Also, where the password codes do not coincide in Step 5 (NO), the process proceeds to Step S7. At Step S7, the password comparison section 18 does not output the password coincidence signal, and the card mode control
section 17 terminates the security operation by maintaining the access prohibition state of the common memory 3.
As described above, the security system apparatus for the memory card in the first embodiment of the present invention is constituted so that the special attribute memory area 14 for storing the coding control data composed of a coded password
and so on is provided in the vacant area of the conventionally used attribute memory. The attribute memory 4 is divided into a conventional attribute memory area 13 for accommodating the card attribute information and special attribute memory area 14.
The pre-determined enciphering control data is stored in special attribute memory area 14. With this setup, a special attribute memory area 14 can be provided without requiring additional memory to accommodate the enciphering control data.
Furthermore, a password accommodating section 19 in which a pre-determined password code matching the password code included in the enciphering control data in the coded state is stored in advance as the reference password code is provided. The
password code obtained by decoding the enciphering control data in the data decoding section 12 provided in the external information processing apparatus 8 is output by information processing apparatus 8 to password comparison section 18. Whether or not
the password code stored in password storing section 19 and the password code decoded by information processing apparatus 8 coincide is checked by password comparison section 18. Since the access prohibition state in which access to the common memory 3
is not possible is not released by the card mode control section 17 in the case of non-coincidence, access by an information processing apparatus, not having a security system apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, to card
memory 1 having the security system apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention becomes difficult. Thus, it is possible to hold the data in the memory card 1 in secrecy.
SECOND EMBODIMENT
While only coincidence of password codes is checked in the security system apparatus for a memory card in the above-described first embodiment, in order to further improve the effect of the security system apparatus, the enciphering control data
may be arranged so that predetermined address data can be obtained in addition to the password code when decoded, and the password comparison section may be arranged so as not to perform the password code comparison when the pre-determined address data
is not obtained. A security system apparatus for a memory card arranged in this way is referred to as the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the card controller of a security system apparatus for a memory card in the second embodiment of the present invention. It is noted that, since the schematic block diagram showing a
security system apparatus for a memory card in the second embodiment has the same structure as that of FIG. 1, except for the internal configuration of the card controller 2, the diagram showing the configuration of the memory areas of the attribute
memory is also the same as FIG. 2. Therefore, the explanation thereof is omitted below.
The difference between FIG. 6 and FIG. 3 is that, since the coding control data is arranged to provide a pre-determined password code and a pre-determined address data when decoded, the address data of the password code and address data obtained
by decoding the enciphering control data in the data decoding section 12 of the information processing apparatus 8 is input to the card mode control section via the address bus 5. The card mode control section outputs an enable signal to the password
comparison section in order to enable the password comparison section when the predetermined address data is input. The card mode control section 17 in FIG. 3 is changed to the card mode control section 25, the password comparison section 18 in FIG. 3
is changed to the password comparison section 26, and because of these changes, the card controller 2 is changed to the card controller 27.
The address data input from the external information processing apparatus 8 via the address bus 5 is input to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4 via address decoder/buffer 15 and card internal address bus 9, and is also input to the card mode
control section 25. The card mode control section 25 outputs, together with a write enable signal and an output enable signal input from the external information processing apparatus 8 via the control bus 7, the chip select signal generated from the
input address data to common memory 3 and attribute memory 4, respectively. At the same time, in common memory 3 and attribute memory 4, between the memory designated by the address data input from the external information processing apparatus 8 and
external information processing apparatus 8, input and output of data is conducted via data bus buffer 16.
The coding control data stored in special attribute memory area 14 is decoded by the data decoding section 12 of information processing apparatus 8, information processing apparatus 8 obtains the password code and the address data, and the
obtained password code is output to password comparison section 26 via the data bus 6. The obtained address data is output to card mode control section 25 via the address bus 5 to be written therein. In the card mode control section 25, the
pre-determined address data is stored in advance as the reference address data, the card mode control section 25 outputs an enable signal to the password comparison section 26 only when the address data input from the information processing apparatus 8
agrees with the reference address data. The password comparison section 26 will not be enabled unless an enable signal is input from the card mode control section 25.
Because of this setup, unless the address data obtained through d | | |
