Method and circuit for locating anomalous memory cells

A circuit for locating in an array of memory cells a set of cells having a stand-by current that exceeds a certain value based on their programming state, the circuit comprising:

• a finite state machine for
• a) selecting cells of the array of memory cells as a set of cells to be tested, and
• b) dividing the set of cells to be tested into subsets of cells, and repeatedly sensing a stand-by current absorbed by the array of memory cells after having changed the programming state of the subsets of cells;
• a sensing circuit for sensing the stand-by current of the subsets of cells;
• a storage circuit for storing the sensed stand-by currents;
• and
• a plurality of logic comparison circuits for
• c) comparing the sensed stand-by currents, and identifying as a function of the comparison a subset of cells having a stand-by current exceeding the certain value, and selecting the identified subset of cells as a new set of cells to be tested and repeating the process from step b), otherwise identifying the just tested subset of cells as having a stand-by current exceeding the certain value.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure for locating in an array of memory cells a set of cells having a stand-by current that exceeds a certain value based on their programming state, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• a) a first data field for selecting cells of the array of memory cells as a set of cells to be tested;
• b) a second data field for dividing the set of cells to be tested into subsets of cells, and repeatedly sensing a stand-by current absorbed by the array of memory cells after having changed the programming state of the subsets of cells;
• and
• c) a third data field for comparing the sensed stand-by currents, and identifying as a function of the comparison a subset of cells having a stand-by current exceeding the certain value, and selecting the identified subset of cells as a new set of cells to be tested and repeating the process from step b), otherwise identifying the just tested subset of cells as having a stand-by current absorption exceeding the certain value.