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:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
Sung-In Hong, Suwon, KR;
Young-Jun Choi, Kyunggi-do, KR;
Assignee:
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon, KR;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 1/604 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 1/604 ;
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for programming flash memories, each of which has a memory cell array divided into plural blocks. Each of the blocks is associated with block status information indicating whether it is valid. According to the programming method of the present invention, first, a parallel-programming process is performed for valid blocks of all of the flash memories. Then, a serial-programming process is performed for flash memories having invalid blocks. This enables the time required for programming flash memories with one or more invalid blocks to be reduced.