Refresh operations that change address mappings in a non-volatile memory
US6856568B1 · kind B1 · utility
25Cited by
66References
8Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2004 |
| Grant date | Feb 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C16/3431
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multi-bit-per-cell non-volatile memory performs refresh operations that move data to different physical storage locations. The movement of data may extend the life of a non-volatile memory by avoiding repetitive erasing and writing of the same data value in the same memory cell. A memory mapping circuit in the memory adjusts for different storage configuration that the refresh operations create. In a particular embodiment, a refresh operation swaps the physical locations of two data blocks, and alternates between two mappings of physical addresses to logical addresses.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.