HALF BLOCK MANAGEMENT FOR FLASH STORAGE DEVICES
First Claim
1. An operating method for a memory, comprising:
- maintaining, for an array of memory cells including erasable blocks of memory cells in the array, status data for a plurality of sub-blocks of the erasable blocks, the status data indicating whether the sub-blocks are currently accessible and whether the sub-blocks are invalid; and
in response to a request to erase a selected sub-block of a particular erasable block, updating the status data of the selected sub-block based on the status data of the other sub-block or sub-blocks of the particular erasable block.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for managing block erase operations is provided for an array of memory cells including erasable blocks of memory cells in the array. The method comprises maintaining status data for a plurality of sub-blocks of the erasable blocks of the array. The status data indicate whether the sub-blocks are currently accessible and whether the sub-blocks are invalid. The method comprises, in response to a request to erase a selected sub-block of a particular erasable block, issuing an erase command to erase the particular block if the other sub-blocks of the particular erasable block are invalid, else updating the status data to indicate that the selected sub-block is invalid.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An operating method for a memory, comprising:
-
maintaining, for an array of memory cells including erasable blocks of memory cells in the array, status data for a plurality of sub-blocks of the erasable blocks, the status data indicating whether the sub-blocks are currently accessible and whether the sub-blocks are invalid; and in response to a request to erase a selected sub-block of a particular erasable block, updating the status data of the selected sub-block based on the status data of the other sub-block or sub-blocks of the particular erasable block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A memory apparatus comprising:
computer-readable non-transitory memory storing software executable to; maintain, for an array of memory cells including erasable blocks of memory cells in the array, status data for a plurality of sub-blocks of the erasable blocks, the status data indicating whether the sub-blocks are currently accessible and whether the sub-blocks are invalid; and in response to a request to erase a selected sub-block of a particular erasable block, update the status data of the selected sub-block based on the status data of the other sub-block or sub-blocks of the particular erasable block. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
14. An apparatus comprising:
-
an array of memory cells including erasable blocks of memory cells in the array; and a processor coupled to the array, including logic to; maintain status data for a plurality of sub-blocks of the erasable blocks, the status data indicating whether the sub-blocks are currently accessible and whether the sub-blocks are invalid; and in response to a request to erase a selected sub-block of a particular erasable block, update the status data of the selected sub-block based on the status data of the other sub-block or sub-blocks of the particular erasable block. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification