The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 04, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1993
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
39549704 ; 39518204 ; 379 88 ;
Abstract
A directory for a plurality of information items stored in an electronic memory device is not retained in a continuous error-free portion of memory. Instead the memory area of the device is divided into blocks, with each block being assigned to no more than one information item. Each block is required to have a 'recoverable' portion of memory that need not be error-free but from which original data can be accurately read, with the assistance of an error correction algorithm, despite the presence of certain error(s). Directory data for a block are stored in such block, thereby markedly reducing the length of a continuous portion of memory needed to store the directory data.