US 2012/0239867 A1 · Flash Sector Seeding to Reduce Program Times

Abstract

A non-volatile flash memory comprises a plurality of non-volatile memories where a first non-volatile memory is pre-programmed (erased) with all ones, and at least a second non-volatile memory is pre-programmed with a seed value that takes advantage of the reduced programming time for less than six zeros. When writing (programming) a data byte, the memory system looks up the data byte in one or more seed tables to determine a portion of non-volatile memory to which the memory system may write the data byte with a reduced programming time. The memory system then records the location,of the data byte in an address translation table so the data byte may be accessed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon,wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

initialize a non-volatile memory system comprising a plurality of non-volatile memory portions to be programmed with data values;
and
seed one of the plurality of non-volatile memory portions to form a seeded non-volatile memory portion such that a first set of data values may be written to an unseeded non-volatile memory portion within the plurality of non-volatile memory portions with a reduced programming time and a second set of data values may be written to the seeded non-volatile memory portion with a reduced programming time.

A memory system comprising:

a controller;
a volatile memory;
and
a non-volatile memory, wherein the non-volatile memory is used to store data from the volatile memory;
wherein-the controller is configured to initialize a non-volatile memory system comprising a plurality of non-volatile memory portions to be programmed with data values and seed one of the plurality of non-volatile memory portions to form a seeded non-volatile memory portion such that a first set of data values may be written to an unneeded non-volatile memory portion within the plurality of non-volatile memory portions with a reduced programming time and a second set of data values may be written to the seeded non-volatile memory portion with a reduced programming time.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/487,797Filed 4 Jun 2012

Priority

25 Jun 2008

Published

20 Sep 2012

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G06F 12/0246
Memory management in non-volatile memory, e.g. resistive RAM or ferroelectric memory: in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
G06F 2212/7208
Details relating to flash memory management: multiple device management, e.g. distributing data over multiple flash devices
G06F
Computing and data processing

Flash Sector Seeding to Reduce Program Times

Life of this patent

Flash Sector Seeding to Reduce Program Times

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20