Patent ID: 9087220
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: G06F,H01L

Abstract:
1. A nonvolatile memory device comprising: a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells divided into partitions, each partition associated with a local bit line selection circuit; each partition including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each of the plurality of memory cells connected to one of a plurality of local bit lines and one of a plurality of word lines; a plurality of write global bit lines; a plurality of read global bit lines; each local bit line selection circuit configured to control connection between the plurality of local bit lines within a partition and one of the write global bit lines and to control connection between the plurality of local bit lines within a partition and one of the read global bit lines according to a corresponding plurality of local bit line selection signals; and a Y-gating circuit configured to control connection between a write global bit line and a write driver block and to control connection between a read global bit line and a sense amplifier in response to the value of global bit line selection signals; wherein the sense amplifier and write driver block supply write data to the Y-gating circuit during a write operation or sense-amplifies read data output from the Y-gating circuit during a read operation; wherein a first plurality of the nonvolatile memory cells within a partition are configured to store an authentication key and data which the authentication key is configured to secure; wherein a second plurality of the nonvolatile memory cells within the partition are configured to store authentication key configuration information configurable to indicate whether a securing mechanism requiring the authentication key is enabled; wherein the authentication key configuration information comprises an authentication enable bit for enabling the authentication key; and wherein the authentication key configuration information comprises a lock down bit for locking the authentication key and the authentication enable bit.