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:
Jul. 15, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 02, 2001
Stella Matarrese, Fremont, CA (US);
Luca Giovanni Fasoli, Fremont, CA (US);
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and circuit are disclosed for replacing defective columns of flash memory cells in a flash memory device. The circuit includes a plurality of sets of storage elements, each set of storage elements being capable of identifying a single addressed column of memory cells is to be replaced or a main column line and regular columns of memory cells associated therewith to be replaced. In the event a main column line and the associated regular columns are identified for replacement by a set of storage elements, the set additionally indicates whether the regular columns are regular columns in a single block of memory cells or multiple blocks. Redundancy circuitry performs the replacement operation during a memory access operation based upon the information stored in the sets of storage elements.