Flash EEPROM system with simultaneous multiple data sector programming and storage of physical block characteristics in other designated blocks
First Claim
1. A method of operating a memory system having an array of re-programmable non-volatile memory cells organized into distinct blocks of a plurality of simultaneously erasable memory cells that are capable of storing a given quantity of data, comprising:
- utilizing a map of logical block addresses into corresponding physical addresses of the blocks that groups the logical block addresses into a plurality of distinct non-overlapping ranges of continuous logical block addresses; and
accessing at least one of the physical blocks in response to a logical block address received by the memory system by identifying at least one of the plurality of ranges in which the received logical block address exists and the physical address of the block being accessed that corresponds to the received logical block address within the identified range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-volatile memory system is formed of floating gate memory cells arranged in blocks as the smallest unit of memory cells that are erasable together. One feature is the storage in separate blocks of the characteristics of a large number of blocks of cells in which user data is stored. According to another feature, multiple sectors of user data are stored at one time by alternately streaming chunks of data from the sectors to multiple memory blocks. Yet another feature, for memory systems having multiple memory integrated circuit chips, provides a single system record that includes the capacity of each of the chips and assigned contiguous logical address ranges of user data blocks within the chips which the memory controller accesses when addressing a block, making it easier to manufacture a memory system with memory chips having different capacities.
156 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of operating a memory system having an array of re-programmable non-volatile memory cells organized into distinct blocks of a plurality of simultaneously erasable memory cells that are capable of storing a given quantity of data, comprising:
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utilizing a map of logical block addresses into corresponding physical addresses of the blocks that groups the logical block addresses into a plurality of distinct non-overlapping ranges of continuous logical block addresses; and accessing at least one of the physical blocks in response to a logical block address received by the memory system by identifying at least one of the plurality of ranges in which the received logical block address exists and the physical address of the block being accessed that corresponds to the received logical block address within the identified range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification