# US 12,190,962 B2 · Nonvolatile memory writing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,190,962 B2 - Document ID: US12190962B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/728,229 - Filed: 2022-04-25 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-26 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Atsushi Kajita; Choji Hirota - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190962B2 ## CPC - G11C 16/22: Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells - G11C 16/10: Programming or data input circuits - G11C 16/30: Power supply circuits - B60R 16/033: characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract In a nonvolatile memory writing device that writes writing data transmitted from the microcomputer to a nonvolatile memory provided outside the microcomputer, the nonvolatile memory is a nonvolatile memory in which writing is protected and the protection is disabled by an electric signal from the microcomputer to the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory, the write-protect terminal is connected to the power supply of the microcomputer, and when the electric signal from the microcomputer to the write-protect terminal is interrupted, the protection is disabled, even when the data is interrupted due to a change in the power supply voltage, it is possible to prevent garbled date due to the write protection signal during the write period of the write data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nonvolatile memory writing device wherein, a nonvolatile memory writing device that writes write data transmitted from a microcomputer to a nonvolatile memory is provided outside the microcomputer, the nonvolatile memory is connected to a power supply of the microcomputer, and is one in which writing of the writing data is protected and the protection is disabled by an electric signal from the microcomputer to a write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory, the write-protect terminal is connected to a ground of a negative power supply side of the power supply of the microcomputer via a resistor, when a voltage drop is detected by a monitoring function part that monitors the power supply, the electric signal from the microcomputer to the write-protect terminal is interrupted and an output from the microcontroller to the write-protect terminal becomes high-impedance, and the protection is disabled. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 1 wherein, the write protect terminal is in a disabled state of the protection, when the output of the microcomputer is stopped. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 1 wherein, the nonvolatile memory has a dedicated power supply dedicated to the nonvolatile memory that supplies power to the nonvolatile memory, the nonvolatile memory is supplied with power from the dedicated power supply when a voltage of the power supply of the microcomputer drops. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 1 wherein, the nonvolatile memory has a dedicated power supply dedicated to the nonvolatile memory that supplies power to the nonvolatile memory, the nonvolatile memory is supplied with power from the dedicated power supply when a voltage of the power supply of the microcomputer drops. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 3 wherein, the dedicated power supply is a capacitor, and power is supplied to the nonvolatile memory from the capacitor in which electric charges are accumulated by the power supply of the microcomputer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 4 wherein, the dedicated power supply is a capacitor, and power is supplied to the nonvolatile memory from the capacitor in which electric charges are accumulated by the power supply of the microcomputer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 3 wherein, the dedicated power supply is a power supply generated by adjusting the voltage of the power supply of the microcomputer to a predetermined voltage, and the predetermined voltage is a voltage higher than a voltage capable of maintaining the activated state of the nonvolatile memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 4 wherein, the dedicated power supply is a power supply generated by adjusting the voltage of the power supply of the microcomputer to a predetermined voltage, and the predetermined voltage is a voltage higher than a voltage capable of maintaining the activated state of the nonvolatile memory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 3 wherein, the predetermined voltage is a voltage lower than the voltage of the power supply of the microcomputer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 4 wherein, the predetermined voltage is a voltage lower than the voltage of the power supply of the microcomputer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 1 wherein, a decision circuit for protection/permission with noise support is provided to control the write protection of the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory and the disabled state of the protection in response to the voltage drop of the power supply of the microcomputer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 10 wherein, a decision circuit for protection/permission with noise support is provided to control the write protection of the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory and the disabled state of the protection in response to the voltage drop of the power supply of the microcomputer. ### Claim 13 A nonvolatile memory writing device wherein, a nonvolatile memory writing device that writes write data transmitted from a microcomputer to a nonvolatile memory is provided outside the microcomputer, the nonvolatile memory is a nonvolatile memory in which writing of the writing data is protected and the protection is disabled by an electric signal from the microcomputer to a write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory, when the electric signal from the microcomputer to the write-protect terminal is interrupted, the protection is disabled, and when the microcomputer is reset due to noise, the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory is controlled to be write-protected by a decision circuit for protection/permission with noise support, and writing of the noise to the nonvolatile memory is protected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 13 wherein, a monitoring function part for monitoring the noise is provided, and the monitoring function part outputs a reset signal to the microcomputer based on the noise monitoring result. ### Claim 15 A nonvolatile memory writing device wherein, a nonvolatile memory writing device that writes write data transmitted from a microcomputer to a nonvolatile memory is provided outside the microcomputer, the nonvolatile memory is a nonvolatile memory in which writing of the writing data is protected and the protection is disabled by an electric signal from the microcomputer to a write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory, when the electric signal from the microcomputer to the write-protect terminal is interrupted, the protection is disabled, and a decision circuit for protection/permission with microcomputer abnormality support is provided to control a state of the write protection and of the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory and the disabled state of the protection in response to the voltage drop of the power supply of the microcomputer and the reset signal to the microcomputer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 10 wherein, the decision circuit for protection/permission with microcomputer abnormality support is provided to control a state of the write protection and of the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory and the disabled state of the protection in response to the voltage drop of the power supply of the microcomputer and the reset signal to the microcomputer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 15 wherein, when the microcomputer is reset during the period of the abnormality due to the abnormality of the microcomputer, the write-protect terminal of the nonvolatile memory is controlled to be write-protected by the decision circuit for protection/permission with microcomputer abnormality support, writing to nonvolatile memory is protected during the abnormal period of the microcomputer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The nonvolatile memory writing device according to claim 17 wherein, the monitoring function part that outputs a reset signal to the microcomputer in response to an abnormality of the microcomputer is provided.