# US 2013/0159655 A1 · Storage system for supporting use of multiple keys > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159655 A1 - Document ID: US20130159655A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/604,135 - Filed: 2012-09-05 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jae-Bum LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159655A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/6218: {to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database} - G06F 12/1466: {Key-lock mechanism} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A storage system that enables the use of a plurality of keys respectively stored in a plurality of storage units of a storage device is provided. The storage system includes a storage device including a first storage unit and a second storage unit that are recognized as a single storage device, wherein the first storage unit is configured to store a first key, the second storage unit is configured to store a second key different from the first key, and a controller is configured to transmit to the storage device one of a first key-read control signal that includes information about the first storage unit and a second key-read control signal that includes information about the second storage unit and receive the first key and the second key as identification information of the storage device in response to the first key-read control signal and the second key-read control signal, respectively. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage system comprising: a storage device including a first storage unit and a second storage unit that are recognized as a single storage device, the first storage unit configured to store a first key, and the second storage unit configured to store a second key different from the first key; and a controller configured to transmit to the storage device one of a first key-read control signal that includes information about the first storage unit and a second key-read control signal that includes information about the second storage unit, the controller configured to receive the first key as identification information of the storage device in response to the first key-read control signal and the controller configured to receive the second key as the identification information of the storage device in response to the second key-read control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive a key provision request signal from an external device, the key provision request signal including information about a read target storage unit, and the controller is configured to provide the storage device with a first key-read command if the read target storage unit is the first storage unit and a second key-read command if the read target storage unit is the second storage unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein each of the first key-read control signal and the second key-read control signal include a first command signal, an address signal, and a second command signal sequentially, the first key-read control signal including identification information of the first storage unit in the address signal, and the second key-read control signal including identification information of the second storage unit in the address signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the first key is a unique ID of the first storage unit, and the second key is a unique ID of the second storage unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the storage device includes an internal logic configured to receive the first key from the first storage unit by inputting a key-read command to the first storage unit in response to the first key-read control signal and the internal logic configured to receive the second key from the second storage unit by inputting a key-read command to the second storage unit in response to the second key-read control signal, where the key-read command does not include address information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the storage device includes an internal logic configured to store an address of the first key in the first storage unit and an address of the second key in the second storage unit, the internal logic is configured to receive the first key from the first storage unit by inputting a read command set to the first storage unit in response to the first key-read control signal, the read command set including the stored address of the first key, and the internal logic is configured to receive the second key from the second storage unit by inputting a read command set to the second storage unit in response to the second key-read control signal, the read command set including the stored address of the second key. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the storage device includes an internal logic configured to receive the address of the first key from the first storage unit by inputting a key address query command to the first storage unit in response to the first key-read control signal, the internal logic is configured to receive the first key from the first storage unit by inputting a read command set to the first storage unit, the read command set including the address of the first key, the internal logic is configured to receive the address of the second key from the second storage unit by inputting a key address query command to the second storage unit in response to the second key-read control signal, and the internal logic is configured to receive the second key from the second storage unit by inputting a read command set to the second storage unit, the read command set including the address of the second key. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the storage device includes one or more additional storage units that are recognized as a single storage device together with the first storage unit and the second storage unit, and the controller is configured to output a total number of storage units included in the storage device in response to a storage unit number query request from the external device, wherein all of the additional storage units store respective keys. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The storage system of claim 8, wherein the storage device includes an internal logic configured to store the total number of storage units included in the storage device, and the controller is configured to transmit a storage unit number query control signal to the internal logic in response to the storage unit number query request from the external device, and the controller is configured to receive the number of storage units from the internal logic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive an invalid key registration request from the external device, the invalid key registration request including information about a key output stop target storage unit, the controller is configured to perform an invalid key registration process for the key output stop target storage unit and to transmit an invalid key notification signal to the external device if receiving a key provision request signal from the external device, the key provision request signal including information about the key output stop target storage unit. ### Claim at position 11 -12. (canceled) ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The storage system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform an invalid key registration process in response to an invalid key registration request that includes information about one or more invalid keys and the controller is configured to transmit an invalid key notification signal in response to a key provision request that includes information about a storage unit storing one of the invalid keys. ### Claim 14 A storage system comprising: a storage device including a first storage unit and a second storage unit that are recognized as a single storage device, the first storage unit configured to store a first key, and the second storage unit configured to store a second key different from the first key; and a controller configured to transmit to the storage device a key-read control signal that includes information about the first storage unit and information about the second storage unit and the controller configured to receive from the storage device data about the first key and the second key as identification information of the storage device in response to the key-read control signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The storage system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive the first key and the second key from the storage device in response to the key-read control signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The storage system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to generate a composite key using the received first and second keys and to output the generated composite key. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The storage system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive the composite key from the storage device in response to the key-read control signal, the composite key generated using the first and second keys. ### Claim at position 17 -29. (canceled)