Method for detaching sectors in a flash EEPROM memory array
First Claim
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1. A method of releasing sectors of memory in a flash EEPROM memory array comprising the steps of:
- storing a list of sectors to be deleted in a first table,selecting a sector from the first table,searching a second table for a physical position of the sector,seeking the sector specified by the physical position in the flash EEPROM memory array,marking a header of the sector found as invalid,writing in free space in the flash EEPROM memory array without data a new header for the sector found,updating the second table with a new physical position of the new header for the sector, andrepeating the steps of selecting a sector from the first table until a selected number of sectors listed in the first table have been selected.
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Abstract
A process for releasing sectors of a flash EEPROM memory array which includes a plurality of individually erasable blocks and stores sectors of data in such blocks with a header providing a logical sector number, an indication of validity of data stored, and an indication of whether data is stored with the header. The process includes the steps of finding the header of a sector with data to be released, setting the indication of validity of the data stored to indicate that the data is invalid, and writing a new header for the sector to a new position in the array without data and with an indication that data is not attached.
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4 Claims
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1. A method of releasing sectors of memory in a flash EEPROM memory array comprising the steps of:
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storing a list of sectors to be deleted in a first table, selecting a sector from the first table, searching a second table for a physical position of the sector, seeking the sector specified by the physical position in the flash EEPROM memory array, marking a header of the sector found as invalid, writing in free space in the flash EEPROM memory array without data a new header for the sector found, updating the second table with a new physical position of the new header for the sector, and repeating the steps of selecting a sector from the first table until a selected number of sectors listed in the first table have been selected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification