System and method for protecting internal flip-flops of non-volatile memory
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsRoberto Colombo, Fabio Enrico Carlo Disegni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes reading data from a non-volatile memory (NVM) array and performing an error detection process on read data. In response to detecting an error in the read data, the method further includes performing an integrity check process on a flip-flop (FF) system. Performing the integrity check process includes determining whether any of FF values of the FF system are corrupted. In response to detecting FF system corruption, the method further includes determining that the error is an FF system error, sending a reset request to a reset generator, receiving reset instructions from the reset generator, and resetting the FF system.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a fault collector;
- a reset generator;
- and
- a non-volatile memory (NVM) operably coupled to the fault collector and the reset generator, the NVM comprising an NVM array and a flip-flop (FF) system, wherein the NVM is configured to:
- read data from the NVM array;
- perform an error detection process on read data;
- and
- in response to detecting an error in the read data:
- perform an integrity check process on the FF system, wherein performing the integrity check process comprises determining whether any of FF values of the FF system are corrupted;
- and
- in response to detecting FF system corruption:
- determine that the error is an FF system error;
- send a reset request to the reset generator;
- receive reset instructions from the reset generator;
- and
- reset the FF system.
A non-volatile memory comprising:
- a non-volatile memory (NVM) array configured to store an NVM data and first flip-flop (FF) values;
- an FF system configured to store second FF values;
- and
- a processor operably coupled to the NVM array and the FF system, wherein the processor is configured to:
- read a portion of the NVM data from the NVM;
- perform an error detection process on read portion of the NVM data;
- and
- in response to detecting an error in the read portion of the NVM data:
- perform an integrity check process on the FF system, wherein performing the integrity check process comprises determining whether any of second FF values of the FF system are corrupted;
- and
- in response to detecting FF system corruption:
- determine that the error is an FF system error;
- send a reset request to a reset generator;
- receive reset instructions from the reset generator;
- and
- reset the FF system.
A method comprising:
- reading data from a non-volatile memory (NVM) array;
- performing an error detection process on read data;
- and
- in response to detecting an error in the read data:
- performing an integrity check process on a flip-flop (FF) system, wherein performing the integrity check process comprises determining whether any of FF values of the FF system are corrupted;
- and
- in response to detecting FF system corruption:
- determining that the error is an FF system error;
- sending a reset request to a reset generator;
- receiving reset instructions from the reset generator;
- and
- resetting the FF system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.