Organization of blocks within a nonvolatile memory unit to effectively decrease sector write operation time

• US 6,141,249 A
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lexar Media Incorporated (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Estakhri, Petro, Iman, Berhanu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US09/389,994
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185.11, 365/185.12, 365/230.03, 365/230.04, 365/230.09
• US Class Current: 365/185.11
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/08 Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/10 Programming or data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/12 Group selection circuits, e.g. for memory block selection, chip selection, array selection

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention includes a nonvolatile memory system for storing sector information in storage locations within nonvolatile memory organized into blocks, a plurality of blocks defining a super block and each block having a predetermined plurality of sectors. The nonvolatile memory system includes a controller for shifting sector information to a first and a second block of a particular super block and writing sector information to the first block of the particular super block, wherein shifting to the second block occurs entirely during the writing to the first block thereby decreasing the time required to perform write operations to blocks and increasing overall system performance.

Claims

1. A nonvolatile memory system for storing sector information in storage locations within nonvolatile memory organized into blocks, a plurality of blocks defining a super block and each block having a predetermined plurality of sectors comprising:

controller for shifting sector information for a first sector of a first block of a particular super block, said controller further for shifting sector information for a first sector of a second block fo the particular super block and for writing sector information to the first sector of the first block of the particular super block,

wherein shifting for the first sector of the second block occurs entirely during the writing to the first sector of the first block thereby decreasing the time required to perform write operations to blocks and increasing overall system performance.

2. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller for receiving an Frdy/bsy* signal from the nonvolatile memory for causing writing of sector information to said second block of the particular super block to take place when said Frdy/bsy* is active.

3. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller being coupled to a first flash device and a second flash device, said first and second flash device being included withn the nonvolatile memory unit.

4. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 3 wherein said first flash device includes the first block of the particular super block and said second flash device includes the second block of the particular super block.

5. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 4 wherein said first and second blocks of the particular super block are in like-locations the first and second flash devices.

6. A method for writing sector information to nonvolatile memory organized in blocks, a plurality of blocks defining a super block and each block having a predetermined plurality of sectors comprising:

shifting sector information for a first sector of a first block of a particular super block;

shifting sector information for a first sector of a second block of the particular super block; and

writing sector information to the first sector of the first block of the particular super block while performing said shifting step for the second block thereby decreasing the time required to perform write operations to blocks and increasing overall system performance.

7. A nonvolatile memory system for storing sector information in storage locations within nonvolatile memory organized into blocks, a plurality of blocks defining a super block and each block having a predetermined plurality of sectors comprising:

a controller for writing sector information to a particular super block and responsive to an interrupt signal from the nonvolatile memory indicative of whether or not the writing of sector information is successful,

wherein said interrupt signal avoids polling for status information thereby decreasing the time associated with performing writing sector information.

8. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 7 wherein said controller further for shifting sector information for a first sector of a first block of a particular super block, said controller further for shifting sector information for a first sector of a second block of the particular super block and for writing sector information to the first sector of the first block of the particular super block, wherein shifting for the first sector of the second block occurs entirely during the writing to the first sector of the first block thereby decreasing the time required to perform write operations to blocks and increasing overall system performance.