Patent
1995-12-01
1997-01-07
Black, Thomas G.
395800, G06F 1730
Patent
active
055926690
ABSTRACT:
A non-volatile semiconductor memory that is erasable only in blocks is described. Each bit of the non-volatile semiconductor memory cannot be overwritten from a first logical state to a second logical state without a prior erasure. Each bit of the non-volatile semiconductor memory can be overwritten from a second logical state to a first logical state without a prior erasure. The non-volatile semiconductor memory comprises an active block for storing a first file, a reserve block for storing a second file, and a directory block. The second file is a copy of the first file. The copy is made during a clean-up operation prior to erasure of the active block. The directory block comprises a directory entry for identifying the first file.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4279024 (1981-07-01), Schrenk
patent: 4430727 (1984-02-01), Moore et al.
patent: 4456971 (1984-06-01), Fukuda et al.
patent: 4511964 (1985-04-01), Georg et al.
patent: 4642759 (1987-02-01), Foster
patent: 4644494 (1987-02-01), Muller
patent: 4718041 (1988-01-01), Baglee et al.
patent: 4755939 (1988-07-01), Watson
patent: 4757533 (1988-07-01), Allen et al.
patent: 4775932 (1989-10-01), Oxley et al.
patent: 4797810 (1989-01-01), McEntee
patent: 4800520 (1989-01-01), Ijima
patent: 4802117 (1989-01-01), Chrosny et al.
patent: 4896262 (1990-01-01), Wayama et al.
patent: 4958315 (1990-07-01), Balch
patent: 4984149 (1991-01-01), Iwashita et al.
patent: 5012425 (1991-04-01), Brown
patent: 5047989 (1991-09-01), Canepa et al.
patent: 5053990 (1991-10-01), Kreifels et al.
patent: 5070474 (1991-12-01), Tuma et al.
patent: 5077737 (1991-12-01), Leger et al.
patent: 5101490 (1992-03-01), Getson, Jr. et al.
patent: 5111385 (1992-05-01), Hattori
patent: 5131089 (1992-07-01), Cole
patent: 5163021 (1992-11-01), Mehrotra et al.
patent: 5193184 (1993-03-01), Belsan et al.
patent: 5200959 (1993-04-01), Gross et al.
patent: 5210866 (1993-05-01), Milligan et al.
patent: 5226168 (1993-06-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5268870 (1993-12-01), Harari
patent: 5297029 (1994-03-01), Nakai et al.
patent: 5297148 (1994-03-01), Harari et al.
patent: 5301288 (1994-04-01), Newman et al.
patent: 5321834 (1994-06-01), Weiser et al.
patent: 5341339 (1994-08-01), Wells
patent: 5392427 (1995-02-01), Barrett et al.
patent: 5398142 (1995-03-01), Davy
French Patent Office Preliminary Search Report, dated Oct. 19, 1995, for French counterpart patent Application No. 9116233.
K. Robinson, "Trends in Flash Memory System Design," Wescon Conference, Record 34, Nov. 1990, pp. 468-472.
Ron Wilson, "1-Mbit Flash Memories Seek Their Role in System Design," Computer Design, vol. 28, No. 5, Mar. 1, 1989, pp. 30-31.
Bernard C. Cole, "Seeq Pushes Flash Memory to 1 Megabit," Electronics, vol. 62, No. 3, Mar., 1989, p. 85.
Bernard C. Cole, "How the US is Leading the Way in Strategic Nonvolatile Technology," Electronics, vol. 62, No. 3, Mar. 1989, pp. 80-83.
Carl Olsen, "Letters From Around the World With a Laptop," PC Computing, vol. 2, No. 7, Jul. 1989,. pp. 108-122.
Michael C. Markowitz, "Nonvolatile Memories," EDN, vol. 34, No. 18, Sep. 1, 1989, pp. 94-100, 102, 104.
Daly et al., "Lightweight Laptops Make Hefty Boasts," Computerworld, Sep. 18, 1989, p. 1.
Michael Bloom, "A Memory to Remember," ESD: The Electronic System Design Magazine, vol. 19, No. 10, Oct. 1989, pp. 38-42.
Jonathan Matzkin, "Tiny, Powerful Poqet PC Tips the Scales at 1 lb.," PC Magazine, vol. 8, No. 19, Nov. 14, 1989, pp. 33, 35.
Alfred Rosenblatt, "Make Room For Pocket Computers," Electronics, vol. 62, No. 11, Nov., 1989, pp. 93-96.
D. A. Patterson, J. L. Hennessy, and D. Goldberg, Computer Architecture a Quantitative Approach, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., p. 519 (1990).
R. D. Pashley and S. K. Lai, Flash Memories: The Best of Two Worlds, IEEE Spectrum, pp. 30-33 (Dec. 1989).
M. A. Levy and D. Elbert, Solutions for High Density Applications Using Intel Flash Memory (Oct. 1990), 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-297 through 6-344 (1990).
S. Zales, Flash Memory Outshines ROM and EPROM, EETimes (May 1990), 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-411 through 6-416 (1990).
R. Pashley, Nonvolatility: Semiconductor vs. Magnetic, IEEE, International Solid-State Circuits Conference (Feb. 17, 1988), 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-393 and 6-394 (1990).
M. Levy, Flash Memory Operates 10-20 Times Longer, Computer Technology Review (Aug. 1990), 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-417 and 6-418 (1990).
D. Lammers, PC Standard in the Cards, EETimes (May 1990), 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-407 through 6-410 (1990).
Memory Breakthrough Drives Minaturization, Portable Computing (Oct. 1990) 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-419 and 6-420 (1990).
S. Baker, Silicon Bits, The Memory Driver, 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, p. 6-399 (1990).
D. Verner, Designing an Updatable BIOS Using Flash Memory, 1991 Memory Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-248 through 6-296 (Oct. 1990).
Data Sheets for the iMC001FLKA and the iMC004FLKA, 1991 Memory Products Handbook, Intel Corporation, pp. 6-143 through 6-202 (Oct. 1990).
C. Townsend, Advanced MS-DOS Expert Techniques for Programmers pp. 1-63 (Howard W. Sams & Company 1989).
Elbert Dale K.
Levy Markus A.
Robinson Kurt B.
Black Thomas G.
Intel Corporation
Lintz Paul R.
LandOfFree
File structure for a non-volatile block-erasable semiconductor f does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with File structure for a non-volatile block-erasable semiconductor f, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and File structure for a non-volatile block-erasable semiconductor f will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1773627