Abstract: An improved integrated circuit is provided to facilitate communication between a microprocessor and a non-volatile memory. The integrated circuit comprises at least one lock status register, at least one control register and a memory controller. The lock status register comprises a plurality of lock status bits representing whether or not a corresponding unit of storage in the volatile memory has been locked. The control register stores configurable control information for the memory controller, including sizing information defining the size of the unit of storage. The memory controller is configured to receive a modification request to modify data in the non-volatile memory; determine a target unit of storage in the non-volatile memory based on a target memory address associated with the modification request; determine from the lock status register whether the target unit of storage has been locked; and implement the modification request only if the target unit storage has not been locked.

Abstract: An improved integrated circuit is provided to facilitate communication between a microprocessor and a non-volatile memory. The integrated circuit comprises at least one lock status register, at least one control register and a memory controller. The lock status register comprises a plurality of lock status bits representing whether or not a corresponding unit of storage in the volatile memory has been locked. The control register stores configurable control information for the memory controller, including sizing information defining the size of the unit of storage. The memory controller is configured to receive a modification request to modify data in the non-volatile memory; determine a target unit of storage in the non-volatile memory based on a target memory address associated with the modification request; determine from the lock status register whether the target unit of storage has been locked; and implement the modification request only if the target unit storage has not been locked.