Method for managing defect blocks in non-volatile memory
US7721166B2 · kind B2 · utility
2Cited by
4References
17Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 2008 |
| Grant date | May 18, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 3, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C2029/4402
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for managing defect blocks in a non-volatile memory essentially comprises the steps of detecting defect blocks in the non-volatile memory, storing addresses of the defect blocks in a table block of the non-volatile memory, and setting the non-volatile memory to be read-only if the quantity of defect blocks in the non-volatile memory exceeds a threshold and no free blocks remain in the non-volatile memory. In a preferred embodiment, the free pages in the defect block continue to be programmed before setting the non-volatile memory to be read-only.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.