Non-volatile memory
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
InventorChristophe ARNAL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-volatile memory includes current sectors and a substitution sector. The non-volatile memory is controlled to store data into the sectors and to erase data stored in one of the sectors by erasing all the data stored in that sector at once. The current sectors include a first current sector storing at least one first valid data element and a second current sector storing at least one second valid data element. A determination is made that one of the current sectors is to be erased. One sector among the current sectors is selected. Valid data in the selected current sector is then copied into the substitution sector. All data in the selected current sector then erased.
Claims23
A non-volatile memory, comprising:
- a plurality of sectors including a plurality of current sectors and a substitution sector;
- and
- a circuit for controlling the non-volatile memory configured to store data into sectors and to erase data stored in a selected one of the sectors by erasing all data stored in said selected one of the sectors at once;
- wherein the plurality of current sectors comprise:
- a first current sector comprising at least one first valid data element and a second current sector comprising at least one second valid data element;
- the memory control circuit being configured to:
- determine that one of the first and the second current sectors is to be erased;
- select the determined one of the first and the second current sectors;
- copy data of the selected determined one of the first and the second current sectors into the substitution sector;
- make the substitution sector one of the plurality of current sectors;
- and
- erase all data from the selected determined one of the first and the second current sectors;
- and
- make the selected determined one of the first and the second current sectors the substitution sector.
A method for operating a non-volatile memory operating that includes a plurality of sectors including a plurality of current sectors and a substitution sector, the method comprising:
- sequentially storing data into the sectors, wherein a first current sector of said plurality of current sectors comprises at least one first valid data element and a second current sector of said plurality of current sectors comprises at least one second valid data element;
- determining that one current sector of the plurality of current sectors is to be erased;
- selecting that determined one current sector from among the first and second current sectors;
- copying data of the selected determined one current sector into the substitution sector;
- making the substitution sector one of the current sectors;
- erasing data stored in the selected determined one current sector by erasing all data stored in said selected determined one current sector at once;
- making the selected determined one current sector the substitution sector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.