Method for counting beyond endurance limitations of non-volatile memories
US6792065B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 14, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K23/005
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A digital counter that uses non-volatile memories as storage cells, wherein the storage cells are sub-divided into two groups, one for the implementation of a rotary counter that keeps track of the less significant part of the count and a binary counter that keeps track of the more significant part of the count. The rotary counter implements a counting method that maximizes the count that can be obtained before the endurance limit of the memory is reached by making sure that each change of state of each cell is recorded as one count and that all cells in the rotary counter experience two change of state in every cycle. The binary counter records the number of cycles the rotary counter has gone through.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.