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:
Sep. 21, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 03, 1997
Vishram Prakash Dalvi, Folsom, CA (US);
Rodney R Rozman, Placerville, CA (US);
Christopher John Haid, Folsom, CA (US);
Jerry Kreifels, El Dorado Hills, CA (US);
Joseph Tsang, Folsom, CA (US);
Jeff Evertt, Folsom, CA (US);
Jahanshir J Javanifard, Sacramento, CA (US);
Jeffrey J Peterson, Folsom, CA (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of writing to flash memory cells in a flash memory device. The flash memory device includes a first memory array and a second independent memory array. The first memory array includes memory blocks each having a memory cell. The second independent memory array includes block lock-bits each corresponding to one of the memory blocks. The method of writing to a memory cell in one of the memory blocks of the first memory array includes the steps of issuing a command to write to the memory cell, determining if a corresponding block lock-bit in the second independent memory array is set, and writing to the memory cell if the corresponding block lock-bit is not set.