XM28C020
6
memory ICs and decoder should be considered memory
board components and SDP can be implemented at the
component level as described in the next section.
SOFTWARE COMMAND SEQUENCE
A
16
and A
17
are used by the decoder to select one of the
four LCCs. Therefore, only one of the four memory
devices can be accessed at one time. In order to protect
the entire module, the command sequence must be
issued separately to each device.
Enabling the software data protection mode requires the
host system to issue a series of three write operations:
each write operation must conform to the data and
address sequence illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
Because this involves writing to a nonvolatile bit, the
device will become protected after t
WC
has elapsed.
After this point in time devices will inhibit inadvertent
write operations.
Once in the protected mode, authorized writes may be
performed by issuing the same command sequence that
enables SDP, immediately followed by the address/data
combination desired. The command sequence opens
the page write window enabling the host to write from
one to 128 bytes of data. Once the data has been
written, the device will automatically be returned to the
protected state.
In order to facilitate testing of the devices the SDP mode
can be deactivated. This is accomplished by issuing a
series of six write operations: each write operation must
conform to the data and address sequence illustrated in
Figures 8 and 9. This is a nonvolatile operation, and the
host will have to wait a minimum t
WC
before attempting
to write new data.
HARDWARE DATA PROTECTION
The XM28C020 provides three hardware features that
protect nonvolatile data from inadvertent writes.
Noise Protection—A
WE
pulse less than 10ns will not
initiate a write cycle.
Default V
CC
Sense—All functions are inhibited when
V
CC
is
≤
3V.
Write Inhibit—Holding
OE
LOW will prevent an inad-
vertent write cycle during power-up and power-down.
SOFTWARE DATA PROTECTION
The XM28C020 does provide the Software Data Protec-
tion (SDP) feature.
The module is shipped from Xicor with the Software
Data Protection NOT ENABLED; that is, the module will
be in the standard operating mode. In this mode, data
should be protected during power-up/-down operations
through the use of external circuits. The host system will
then have open read and write access of the module
once V
CC
is stable.
The module can be automatically protected during power-
up/-down without the need for external circuits by em-
ploying the SDP feature. The internal SDP circuit is
enabled after the first write operation utilizing the SDP
command sequence.
When this feature is employed, it will be easiest to
incorporate in the system software if the module is
viewed as a subsystem composed of four discrete
memory devices with an address decoder (see Func-
tional Diagram). In this manner, system memory map-
ping will extend onto the module. That is, the discrete