Write-many memory device and method for limiting a number of writes to the write-many memory device

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein provide a write-many memory device and method for limiting a number of writes to the write-many memory device. In one preferred embodiment, a write-many memory device is provided comprising a plurality of blocks of memory, each block being limited to N number of writes. Data can be stored in a block of memory only if there has been fewer than N number of writes to the block. In another preferred embodiment, a write-many memory device is provided comprising a plurality of blocks of memory, wherein each block comprises a first sideband field storing data indicating whether the block is free and a second sideband field storing data indicating how many times the block has been written into. The first and second sideband fields are used in a method for limiting a number of writes to the write-many memory device. Other preferred embodiments are provided, and each of the preferred embodiments can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.