Patent ID: 6976136

Claim:
A method for protecting contents of a shared memory in a memory device controlled by an embedded controller by allowing dynamic setting of access permissions to said contents and by allowing updating and recovery of said contents, said method comprising the steps of: providing a computerized system comprising at least one Host linked to said memory device; providing access paths to said shared memory, to said Host, and to said embedded controller; providing an arbitration device for allocating the access paths to said memory device; partitioning said memory device into separate blocks, which are designated for storing different types of data; designating a location in said memory device for storing protection information that includes data related to access operations allowed by at least one access path to a part of said shared memory; and permitting access, via said arbitration device, to said separate blocks of said shared memory by using an access control unit that enables/disables access to predetermined portions of said shared memory by at least one of said access paths.