Method and apparatus for storing location identification information within non-volatile memory devices

A nonvolatile memory system for storing user data and overhead information, the memory comprising a plurality of separate and independently addressable blocks distinguishably defined by a respective plurality of physical block addresses including,

• a. a plurality of dedicated data blocks for storing user data;
• b. a plurality of overhead blocks for storing overhead information, wherein the overhead information includes translation information for translating physical addresses identifying the location of user data stored within the memory to logical addresses assigned to user data;
• c. a first buffer defined within one of the plurality of overhead blocks;
• and
• d. a second buffer defined within one of the plurality of overhead blocks, each of said first and second buffers being arranged in an array of rows, rows of like locations in said buffers being assigned to a unique logical address.

A digital system including nonvolatile memory unit organized into a plurality of blocks comprising:

• a plurality of dedicated data blocks for storing user data;
• a plurality of overhead blocks for storing overhead information, wherein the overhead information includes translation information for translating logical addresses assigned to user data to physical addresses identifying the location of user data stored within the memory unit;
• a host operative to develop host signals for transferring information organized in blocks, each block having an associated logical address for identifying the block;
• a controller device responsive to said host signals and operative to develop flash signals for transferring the blocks to and from the host;
• at least one flash memory integrated circuit responsive to said flash signals for developing a physical block address corresponding to each logical address for storage in the memory;
• a first table defined within the memory, said first table arranged in an array of rows, each row of said first table for storing a plurality of physical addresses.