Secure spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory (sttmram)

Abstract

A magnetic memory device includes a main memory made of magnetic memory, the main memory and further includes a parameter area used to store parameters used to authenticate data. Further, the magnetic memory device has parameter memory that maintains a protected zone used to store protected zone parameters, and an authentication zone used to store authentication parameters, the protection zone parameters and the authentication parameters being associated with the data that requires authentication. Upon modification of any of the parameters stored in the parameter memory by a user, a corresponding location of the parameter area of the main memory is also modified.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of writing to a magnetic memory device comprising:
 receiving a write command;   determining that the write command is for writing to a user area;   determination whether or not, the user area is write-protected and if it is, determining whether the data is in a protected zone of a main memory within the magnetic memory device and if not, completing writing to the magnetic memory device and if so, ignoring the write command by not writing to the magnetic memory.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including, upon determining that the write command is not for writing to a user area, determining that the write command is for writing to a parameter area and further determining that the parameter area is password-protected and ignoring the write command by not writing to the magnetic memory and if the parameter area is not password-protected, completing the write command. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including, upon determining that the write command is not for writing to a parameter area, determining that the write command is not a password command and further determining that the password protection is enabled and if so, only writing to the parameter area upon confirming a correct password. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including trying a predetermined number of passwords before the confirming step and if no password is confirmed, ignoring the write command.