Apparatus and method for managing bad blocks in a flash memory

Details Apparatus and method for managing bad blocks in a flash memory Apparatus and method for managing bad blocks in a flash memory

2007-11-13

2007-11-13

Elms, Richard T. (Department: 2824)

Static information storage and retrieval

Read/write circuit

Bad bit

C365S185110, C365S185330, C365S201000

Reexamination Certificate

active

11322317

ABSTRACT:
A method and an apparatus for managing bad blocks generated while a flash memory is being used. A method for managing a bad block in a flash memory includes (a) allocating a used area having a plurality of used blocks and a spare area having a plurality of spare blocks in the flash memory, and providing a block map page group including a plurality of block map pages in which mapping information to map a bad block generated in either of the used area or the spare block to a spare block, (b) having mapping information of the block map page reside among the block map page groups in the memory, and (c) mapping the bad block generated during a flash operation to an unused spare block found through the mapping information, updating the mapping information, and recording the updated mapping information on the block map page.

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Chinese Office Action dated Apr. 20, 2007 issued in CN Application No. 20041004364.6.

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