Methods and system for erasing data stored in nonvolatile memory in low power applications

A system for erasing data stored in a storage location of a nonvolatile memory, the system comprising:

• a nonvolatile memory comprising a storage location for storing data;
• a processor coupled to the nonvolatile memory;
• and
• a set of instructions for execution in the processor, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor configures the system to perform functions including functions to:
• perform during a first time period a first erase operation on the storage location of the nonvolatile memory;
• and
• perform during at least one second time period a second erase operation on the storage location of the nonvolatile memory,
• wherein the first time period and the at least one second time period are non adjoining time periods,
• wherein a duration of the first erase operation is shorter than a time duration needed to reliably erase the data stored in the storage location, and
• wherein the sum of the durations of the first time period and the at least one second time period is equal to or longer than the time duration needed to erase the data stored in the storage location.

A method for changing data in a nonvolatile memory comprising:

• performing a write operation to write data to the nonvolatile memory;
• and
• performing an erase operation to erase the written data from the nonvolatile memory,
• wherein the performing of the erase operation comprises performing a plurality of partial erase operations, and
• wherein each partial erase operation is performed between a plurality of non-adjoining time intervals.

A method for erasing data in a nonvolatile memory comprising:

• performing an erase operation at a memory location in the nonvolatile memory, wherein performing the erase operation comprises performing a plurality of partial erase operations, and wherein each partial erase operation is performed between a plurality of non-adjoining time intervals;
• and
• monitoring the state of erasure of the memory location in the nonvolatile memory to determine whether the memory location is reliably erased,
• wherein the performing the plurality of partial erase operations comprises performing partial erase operations until the memory location is determined to be reliably erased.