Byte mask command for memories
AssigneeSpansion LLC
InventorsRoger Isaac, Stephan Rosner, Qamrul Hasan, Jeremy Mah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system is presented that facilitates masking data in write data bound for a memory device. The system contains a memory controller and a memory array communicatively coupled to the memory controller. The memory controller sends a write command and write data to the memory array and the memory array updates data contained therein based upon the write command and write data. If the write operation requires a byte mask, the controller sends a byte mask command via a command bus linking the controller and the memory array. Accordingly, separate and dedicated byte mask pins or bus is not necessary to convey byte mask information.
Claims20
A method of masking data in a memory device comprising:
- sending a write command to a memory array via a command bus;
- and
- sending a byte mask command to the memory array via the command bus;
- with the proviso that byte mask pins are not used for sending the byte mask command.
A system for masking data in a memory write operation comprising:
- a memory controller that transmits a write command and a byte mask command to a memory array;
- and
- the memory array updates stored data based at least upon the write command and/or the byte mask command;
- with the proviso that byte mask pins are not used for sending the byte mask command.
A system that simplifies an external bus and reduces pin count in a memory system, comprising:
- means for sending a write command to a flash memory array;
- means for sending write data to the flash memory array, the write data corresponds to the write command;
- means for sending a byte mask command to the flash memory array, the means for sending a byte mask command comprises sending the byte mask command on a same bus as the write command;
- and
- means for updating contents of the flash memory array based at least upon the write command, write data and/or byte mask command.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.