File management of one-time-programmable nonvolatile memory devices

• US 6,950,918 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lexar Media Incorporated (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Estakhri, Petro
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Mano
• Assistant Examiner(s): Namazi, Mehdi
• Application Number:
  US10/136,583
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/168, 711/161, 365/189.04, 365/185.11, 714/710
• US Class Current: 711/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0688 Non-volatile semiconductor memory arrays

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention includes a digital equipment system comprising a host for sending commands to read or write files having sectors of information, each sector having and being modifyable on a bit-by-bit, byte-by-byte or word-by-word basis. The host being operative to receive responses to the commands. The digital equipment further including a controller device responsive to the commands and including one-time-programmable nonvolatile memory for storing information organized into sectors, based on commands received from the host, and upon commands from the host to re-write a sector, the controller device for re-writing said sector on a bit-by-bit, byte-by-byte or word-for-word basis.

Claims

1. A nonvolatile memory system comprising:

a. One or more one-time programmable (OTP) devices organized into sectors for storing a first entire sector of information, said first entire sector of information including user and overhead information and being written for the first time by a host;

b. a nonvolatile memory device organized into sectors for storing a second entire sector of information, said second entire sector of information including user and overhead information and being re-written by the host; and

c. a controller device coupled to the OTP devices and the nonvolatile memory device, said controller causing storage of the first entire sector of information that is being written within the OTP devices while causing storage of the second entire sector of information being re-written within the nonvolatile memory,

wherein use of the OTP allows for an inexpensive manufacturing of the nonvolatile memory system.

2. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller maintains a pointer for identifying the location of the re-written sector within the nonvolatile memory device.

3. A nonvolatile memory system comprising:

a. one or more one-time programmable (OTP) devices organized into sectors for storing a first entire sector of information, said first entire sector of information including user and overhead information and being written by a host;

b. a nonvolatile memory device organized into sectors for storing a second entire sector of information, said second entire sector of information including user and overhead information and being re-written by the host; and

c. a controller device coupled to the OTP devices and the nonvolatile memory device, said controller causing storage of the first entire sector of information that is being written within the OTP devices while causing storage of the entire second sector of information being re-written within the nonvolatile memory,

wherein use of the OTP allows for an inexpensive manufacturing of the nonvolatile memory system.

4. A nonvolatile memory device as recited in claim 3 wherein the first entire sector of information being written to the OTP devices is being written for the first time by the host.

5. A nonvolatile memory system as recited in claim 3 wherein said controller maintains a pointer for identifying the location of the re-written sector within the nonvolatile memory device.