Patent · US Active

Automatic refresh for improving data retention and endurance characteristics of an embedded non-volatile memory in a standard CMOS logic process

US8161355B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
18References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 11, 2009
Grant dateApr 17, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 29, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2029/0411
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for selectively refreshing data in a nonvolatile memory array based on failure type detected by an error correction code. If the page is determined to be error-free, no refresh operation takes place. Otherwise, if single-error words on a page contain erased and programmed bit errors, then a refresh operation, consisting of an erase and program, takes place. The erase operation is skipped if single-error words on a page solely contain a program failure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.