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:
Aug. 14, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 16, 1998
STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
A method is for self-test and correction of errors due to a loss charge for a flash memory including an array or matrix of cells (bits), organized in rows and columns, erasable and programmable by whole sectors in which the matrix is divided. The method is implemented by realizing at least one additional row and at least one additional column of cells for each memory sector, storing parity codes in the additional row and column, and carrying out periodically a self-test routine and eventual correction routine including the following steps: repeating the sequential reading per bytes and parity check; verifying the consistency of the parity value with the value stored in the respective parity bit; and if the verification is negative, retaining the current row address and proceeding to sequentially verify column parity starting from the first column until identifying the column for which the verification yields a negative result, and if the failed bit so identified is “1” reprogramming it to “0”.