Patent ID: 8402240

Claim:
An information storage device comprising: a memory in which data can be stored; and a controller which controls access to the memory, wherein, the controller locks the memory on the basis of a lock command, an identifier (ID), and a lock key, each of which is input from a first information processing apparatus, the ID identifying the first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of a primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key, and the controller determines, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether a key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is (a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit all access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or (b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, and stores determination information in a storage means.