Patent ID: 8631191
Filing Date: 2014-01-14
Classification: G06F,G11C

Abstract:
1. An information processing system comprising a host device and a storage device, wherein the storage device includes: readable and writable nonvolatile memory; an interface controller connected to the host device, the interface controller enabling a first interface controller for supporting read and write operations of the nonvolatile memory and a second interface controller for supporting only the read operation of the read and write operations of the nonvolatile memory to be alternately selected; and a first control unit for determining whether or not a shift condition for causing the nonvolatile memory to shift to a read only mode in which only the read operation of the read and write operations is carried out is met, and switching the interface controller from the first interface controller to the second interface controller when the shift condition is met, wherein when the interface controller is switched from the first interface controller to the second interface controller, the second interface controller transmits to the host device information indicating that the storage device supports only read operation; and the host device includes, an interface driver for operating the storage device, the interface driver enabling a first interface driver for supporting read and write operations of the nonvolatile memory and a second interface driver for supporting only the read operation of the read and write operations of the nonvolatile memory to be alternately selected, and a second control unit for determining whether or not the nonvolatile memory is to be recognized as read only memory in which only the read operation of the read and write operations is possible based on the information acquired from the storage device, and switching the interface driver from the first interface driver to the second interface driver when determined to recognize as the read only memory, wherein the host device selects the second interface driver; and the storage device selects the second interface controller, whereby the host device recognizes the storage device as a read only memory without issuing a write request to the storage device.