# US 2014/0157006 A1 · Nonvolatile memory modules and authorization systems and operating methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0157006 A1 - Document ID: US20140157006A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/091,684 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kwanghoon KIM; Seongsik HWANG; Junjin KONG; Dongsoo JUN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157006A1 ## CPC - G06F 12/1433: {for a module or a part of a module} - G06F 21/64: Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures - G06F 2212/202: Non-volatile memory - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Memory modules and authorization systems include a nonvolatile memory, an authentication engine configured to receive an initialization request from a user system, configured to generate a certification value based on device identifiers of devices includes in the user system in response to the initialization request and configured to control access to the nonvolatile memory based on the certification value, and a certification value storage configured to store the certification value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A memory module, comprising: a nonvolatile memory; an authentication engine configured to receive an initialization request from a user system, configured to generate a certification value based on device identifiers of devices included in the user system in response to the initialization request and configured to control access to the nonvolatile memory based on the certification value; and a certification value storage configured to store the certification value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The memory module of claim 1, wherein, the authentication engine is configured to generate a certification key based on the device identifiers of the devices included in the user system, when the user system accesses the nonvolatile memory after generation of the certification value at a first time, the authentication engine is configured to compare the certification value and the certification key, and the authentication engine is configured to control access to the nonvolatile memory according to the comparison result. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The memory module of claim 2, wherein the authentication engine is configured to allow access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory when the certification value is equal to the certification key, and to prohibit access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory when the certification value is not equal to the certification key. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The memory module of claim 2, wherein the authentication engine includes, an encryption engine configured to generate the certification value based on the device identifiers of the device included in the user system, and configured to encrypt the certification value to generate an encrypted certification value; a decryption engine configured to decrypt the encrypted certification value to generate a decrypted certification value; and a comparison engine configured to compare the decrypted certification value and the certification key. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The memory module of claim 4, wherein the authentication engine is configured to selectively encrypt the certification value according to a selected secure level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The memory module of claim 4, wherein the authentication engine further includes, a deletion process engine configured to invalidate data stored in the nonvolatile memory when the certification value is not equal to the certification key. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The memory module of claim 6, wherein the deletion process engine is configured to invalidate data stored in the nonvolatile memory through one selected from deleting, overwriting, insertion of a random pattern, and insertion of a same data pattern. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The memory module of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile memory is a main memory of the user system. ### Claim 9 An operating method of a memory module including a nonvolatile memory, the operating method comprising: receiving an initialization request from a user system; selecting one from a secure mode and a normal mode in response to the initialization request; receiving device identifiers of devices included in the user system when the secure mode is selected; generating a certification value based on the received device identifiers; and storing the certification value in a certification value storage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The operating method of claim 9, wherein the receiving device identifiers of devices included in the user system includes, selecting a secure level of the secure mode, and receiving the device identifiers of at least one device of the devices included in the user system according to the selected secure level; and wherein the generating a certification value based on the received device identifiers includes encrypting the certification value selectively according to the selected secure level. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The operating method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving an access certification request from the user system; determining whether a set mode is a secure mode or a normal mode; generating a certification key based on device identifiers received from the user system when the set mode is the secure mode; comparing the certification key and the certification value; and controlling access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory according to the comparison result. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The operating method of claim 11, wherein the controlling access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory according to the comparison result includes allowing access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory when the certification key is equal to the certification value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The operating method of claim 11, wherein the controlling access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory according to the comparison result includes invalidating data stored at the nonvolatile memory when the certification key is not equal to the certification value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The operating method of claim 11, wherein the controlling access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory according to the comparison result includes, receiving user information from the user system when the certification key is not equal to the certification value; comparing the user information and predetermined user information; and controlling access of the user system to the nonvolatile memory based on the result of comparison. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The operating method of claim 11, wherein the receiving an access certification request from the user system comprises, determining whether the set mode is the secure mode or the normal mode; and allowing access of the user system when the set mode is the normal mode. ### Claim 16 An authorization system, comprising: a first user system including at least one first device; and a memory module accessible by the first user system, wherein the memory module includes, at least one nonvolatile memory configured to store data, an authentication engine configured to control access to the at least one nonvolatile memory based on a certification value generated based a device identifier received from the at least one first device, and a storage configured to store the certification value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The authorization system of claim 16, further comprising: a second user system including at least one second device having a device identifier different than the device identifier of the at least one first device, wherein the memory module is a main memory of the second user system, and the memory module is configured to generate a certification key based on the device identifier received from the at least one second device, and configured to control access of the second user system to the at least one nonvolatile memory based on a comparison of the certification value and the certification key. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The authorization system of claim 17, wherein the authentication engine is configured to invalidate the data stored in the at least one nonvolatile memory and configured to block access of the second user system to the at least one nonvolatile memory, when the certification value is not equal to the certification key. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The authorization system of claim 17, wherein the authentication engine is configured to encrypt the certification value to generate an encrypted certification value, configured to decrypt the encrypted certification value to generate a decrypted certification value, and configured to compare the decrypted certification value and the certification key. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The authorization system of claim 16, wherein the first user system includes a plurality of first devices having device identifiers different from each other, the memory module is configured to receive an initialization request from the first user system to set a secure level of the memory module, and configured to select at least one of the plurality of first devices according to the set secure level, and the certification value is based on the device identifiers of selected devices.