Status indicators for flash memory
OwnerVishram P. Dalvi, Rodney R. Rozmaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A status register for a memory device. The status register provides a programming suspend status signal and a protection status signal. The programming suspend status signal indicates whether a programming operation is suspended. If the processor knows that a programming operation to a specific memory location is suspended, then the processor may request that a data modification operation to another memory location be performed while the programming operation is suspended. The protection status signal indicates whether an attempted data modification operation failed due to a protected memory block versus another type of device failure. Protecting or locking a memory block prevents the modification of data stored in a particular memory block.
Claims29
A memory device, comprising:
- a memory array;
- a register configured to store at least one bit indicating a suspend status of a write operation;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to said memory array and said register, said control circuit configured to update said register and to control the output of a status signal representing said suspend status of said write operation.
A memory device, comprising:
- a memory array;
- a register is configured to store at least one bit indicating a protection status of a data modification operation;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to said memory array and said register, said control circuit is configured to update said register and to control the output of a status signal representing said protection status of said data modification operation.
A method of providing the suspend status of a programming operation in a memory device, comprising the steps of:
- (a) performing a programming operation to a first memory location;
- (b) prior to the completion of said programming operation, receiving a suspend signal;
- (c) determining whether or not to suspend said programming operation;
- (d) if said programming operation is suspended, updating, if necessary, a status register to indicate said programming operation is suspended;
- and
- (e) providing an output signal to indicate said suspend status of programming operation.
A method of providing the protection status of a data modification operation in a memory device, comprising the steps of:
- (a) performing a data modification operation to a memory location;
- (b) determining said protection status of said memory location;
- (c) providing an output signal to indicate said protection status of said memory location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.