Patent US5479637A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5479637A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and device for updating information elements in a memory

Assignee: Gemplus SA
•
Filing: 1991-08-28
•
Granted: 1995-12-26
•
Expires: 2011-08-28
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations. An initial value D0 has been written at a first location E0 of the memory, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state. The method includes: writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the initial value of the string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in El, the written value in E1 does not match D1; erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in El, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1 and before erasing, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode. The plurality of memory locations are written serially according to successive updatings.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gilles Lisimaque
  • 👤 Pierre Paradinas

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 07:56
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G07F7/0806; G07F7/0813; G07F7/082; G11; G11C; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/06; G11C16/10; G11C16/102; G11C16/105; G11C7/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 244 words
A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes, for each kind of elements, two memory locations, wherein an initial value D0 of an information element has been written at a first location E0 of the memory of the two locations for that element, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state, the method comprising: writing a new value D1 at the other location E1 of the memory for that element, E1 being determined by the parity of the rank of a first blank state bit of the string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; and writing a bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state subsequent to said last programmed state bit, to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode, wherein locations E0 and E1 are written alternately according to successive updatings.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 244 words
A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes, for each kind of elements, two memory locations, wherein an initial value D0 of an information element has been written at a first location E0 of the memory of the two locations for that element, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state, the method comprising: writing a new value D1 at the other location E1 of the memory for that element, E1 being determined by the parity of the rank of a first blank state bit of the string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; and writing a bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state subsequent to said last programmed state bit, to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode, wherein locations E0 and E1 are written alternately according to successive updatings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 51 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the memory is an erasable re-recordable memory and includes, for each of a plurality of information elements to be updated, a memory location E to which the information element is transferred from E1 after verifying that the written value in E1 matches the value D1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
Method according to claim 2, wherein writing the new value D1 includes writing an address A(E) of the memory location E into which the information element will be transferred.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
Method according to claim 3, wherein a logic indicator b associated with the transference of the information element to E is positioned in a first logic state before writing a new value D1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
Method according to claim 2, wherein a logic indicator b associated with the transference of the information element to E is positioned in a first logic state before writing the new value D1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein said memory is a memory card.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
Method according to claim 3, wherein the memory card comprises a microprocessor and the method of updating the information element in the memory is implemented by a software program of the microprocessor of the memory card.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 77 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 233 words
A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations, wherein an initial value D0 has been written at a first location E0 of the memory, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state, the method comprising: writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the first blank state bit parity of the rank of a string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, and writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 233 words
A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations, wherein an initial value D0 has been written at a first location E0 of the memory, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state, the method comprising: writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the first blank state bit parity of the rank of a string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, and writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 77 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, the method further comprises: writing a control bit to a control bit first state before erasing the string of indicator bits entirely; verifying, the complete erasure of the string of indicator bits; and writing the control bit to a control bit second state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 12 words
Method according to claim 9, wherein said memory is a memory card.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 36 words
Method according to claim 11, wherein the memory card includes a microprocessor and the method of updating the information element in the memory is implemented by a software program of the microprocessor of the memory card.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 246 words
An updating device for updating information elements comprising: a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations; a string of indicator bits; means for writing an initial value D0 at a first location E0 of the memory; means for determining the location E0 by an initial value of the string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state; means for writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, the location E1 being determined by the first blank state bit parity of the rank of a of the string of logic indicator bits; means for verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; means for emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; means for erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and an automation designed to activate the different steps of the updating of the memory.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 246 words
An updating device for updating information elements comprising: a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations; a string of indicator bits; means for writing an initial value D0 at a first location E0 of the memory; means for determining the location E0 by an initial value of the string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state; means for writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, the location E1 being determined by the first blank state bit parity of the rank of a of the string of logic indicator bits; means for verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; means for emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; means for erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and an automation designed to activate the different steps of the updating of the memory.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
A device according to claim 13, further comprising a microprocessor connected to the memory, wherein the automation includes software implemented by the microprocessor connected to the memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
A device according to claim 13, wherein the memory includes control inputs and the automation is a circuit coupled to the control inputs of the memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 77 words
A device according to claim 13, wherein the string of indicator bits is a string of logic indicators without indeterminate state, said string of logic indicators being a value of binary elements without indeterminate state such that changing a binary element from the blank state to the programmed state does not effect other binary elements while, conversely, all the binary elements go from the programmed state to the blank state together by simultaneous erasure of the string.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 303 words
An updating device for updating information elements comprising: a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations; a string of indicator bits; means for writing an initial value D0 at a first location E0 of the memory; means for determining E0 by an initial value of the string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state; means for writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the parity of the rank of a of the string of logic indicator bits; means for verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; means for emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; means for erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; means for writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1 and before erasing, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and an automation designed to activate the different steps of the updating of the memory.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 303 words
An updating device for updating information elements comprising: a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations; a string of indicator bits; means for writing an initial value D0 at a first location E0 of the memory; means for determining E0 by an initial value of the string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state; means for writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the parity of the rank of a of the string of logic indicator bits; means for verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; means for emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; means for erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; means for writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1 and before erasing, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and an automation designed to activate the different steps of the updating of the memory.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 58 words
A device according to claim 17 further comprising means for transferring the information element from E1 to a memory location E after verifying that the written value in E1 matches the value D1, wherein the memory is an erasable re-recordable memory and includes, for each of a plurality of information elements to be updated, the memory location E.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
A device according to claim 18, further comprising a microprocessor connected to the memory, wherein the automation includes software implemented by the microprocessor connected to the memory.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 26 words
A device according to claim 18, wherein the memory includes control inputs and the automation is a circuit coupled to the control inputs of the memory.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 77 words
A device according to claim 18, wherein the string of indicator bits is a string of logic indicators without indeterminate state, said string of logic indicators being a value of binary elements without indeterminate state such that changing a binary element from the blank state to the programmed state does not effect other binary elements while, conversely, all the binary elements go from the programmed state to the blank state together by simultaneous erasure of the string.
Claim 26
Independent Claim 288 words
A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations, wherein an initial value D0 has been written at a first location E0 of the memory, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state, the method comprising: writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the parity of rank of a of the string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1 and before erasing, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode, wherein the plurality of memory locations are written serially according to successive updatings.
Claim 27
Independent Claim 288 words
A method for updating information elements in a memory which includes a plurality of memory locations, wherein an initial value D0 has been written at a first location E0 of the memory, E0 being determined by an initial value of a string of indicator bits, the initial value being defined by the parity of the rank of a last bit of the string of indicator bits in a programmed state, the method comprising: writing a new value D1 at another location E1 of the memory, E1 being determined by the parity of rank of a of the string of logic indicator bits; verifying the written value in E1 by comparing the written value in E1 with D1; emitting an error code to a processing unit, if, after verifying the written value in E1, the written value in E1 does not match D1; erasing the string of indicator bits entirely so that all of the indicator bits are in a blank state and writing the first bit to the programmed state, if, after verifying the written value in E1, i) all the indicator bits are in the programmed state and ii) the written value in E1 matches D1, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode; and writing a first bit of the string of indicator bits in a blank state to the programmed state if, after verifying the written value in E1 and before erasing, i) the value written in E1 matches D1 and ii) all the indicator bits are not in the programmed state, so as to make the value written in E1 accessible in a reading mode, wherein the plurality of memory locations are written serially according to successive updatings.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4442345A Cited
US4339804A Cited
US4493083A Cited
US4827115A Cited
EP0340981A2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-12-25 1999-06-26 1999-12-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-12-25 2003-06-26 2003-12-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-12-25 2007-06-26 2007-12-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag