Importance

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Abstract

A memory device for performing the writing and erasing of data in an individual block, including a protection designation storage unit for storing, for each memory block, protection designation data for inhibiting the writing and erasing of data; and a specific block designation storage unit for storing, for each memory block, specific block designation data for inhibiting the release of protection. When a memory block continues to be designated as a specific block according to specific block designation data, even though a protection-released state for disregarding protection designation data has been set in accordance with a protection release signal, the protection release signal is disregarded. As a result, even in the protection released state, the writing and the erasing of data is inhibited relative to the memory block which has been designated a specific block, and double data protection levels can be provided. When the writing or the erasing of data is to be performed in a memory block designated as a specific block, simply setting the protection release signal in the protection-released state is not enough, and a more complicated operation, i.e., altering the protection designation data, is required whereby the security provided for protected data is increased.

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First Claim