Content addressable bit replacement memory
AssigneeMicron Electronics, Inc.
InventorDean A. Klein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of storing data to a defective memory device includes first receiving a memory address and a plurality of data bits. Next, a content addressable memory is interrogated with the memory address. Then, at least one data bit of the plurality of data bits is stored in the defective memory device. If the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then at least one data bit of the plurality of data bits is stored in the content addressable memory.
Claims31
A method of storing data to a defective memory device comprising:
- (a) receiving at least a portion of a memory address;
- (b) receiving a plurality of data bits;
- (c) interrogating a content addressable memory with the at least a portion of the memory address;
- (d) storing at least one data bit of the plurality of data bits in the defective memory device;
- and
- (e) if the at least a portion of the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then storing at least one data bit of the plurality of data bits in the content addressable memory.
A method of storing data to a defective memory device comprising:
- (a) receiving at least a portion of a memory address;
- (b) receiving a plurality of data bits;
- (c) interrogating a content addressable memory with the at least a portion of the memory address;
- (d) storing at least one data bit of the plurality of data bits in the defective memory device;
- and
- (e) if the at least a portion of the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then
- (i) retrieving a bit location value from the content addressable memory,
- (ii) selecting at least one data bit, referred to as a selected data bit, of the plurality of data bits based on the retrieved bit location value, and
- (iii) storing at least the selected data bit in the content addressable memory.
A method of reading data from a defective memory device comprising:
- (a) receiving at least a portion of a memory address;
- (b) reading a plurality of data bits from the defective memory device;
- (c) interrogating a content addressable memory with the at least a portion of the memory address;
- and
- (d) if the at least a portion of the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then retrieving at least one data bit, referred to as a retrieved data bit, from the content addressable memory.
A method of reading data from a defective memory device comprising:
- (a) receiving at least a portion of the memory address;
- (b) reading a plurality of data bits from the defective memory device;
- (c) interrogating a content addressable memory with the at least a portion of the memory address;
- and
- (d) if the at least a portion of the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then
- (i) retrieving a bit location value from the content addressable memory,
- (ii) retrieving at least one data bit, referred to as a retrieved data bit, from the content addressable memory, and
- (iii) merging the retrieved data bit with at least one of the plurality of data bits.
A method of reading data from a defective memory device comprising:
- (a) receiving at least a portion of a memory address;
- (b) reading a plurality of data bits from the defective memory device;
- (c) interrogating a content addressable memory with the at least a portion of the memory address;
- (d) if the at least a portion of the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then retrieving at least one data bit, referred to as a retrieved data bit, from the content addressable memory;
- and
- (e) if the at least a portion of the memory address is found in the content addressable memory, then merging the retrieved data bit with at least one of the plurality of data bits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.