Patent US5956742A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5956742A
Expired / Lapsed
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Methods for queuing and absorbing erase commands in a nonvolatile memory device
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 1997-03-14
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Granted: 1999-09-21
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Expires: 2017-03-14
Abstract
Abstract A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory utilizes placeholder commands to prevent the depth of an operation queue from limiting the number of block erase commands that can be queued at one time. The method includes the step of storing a first erase command in the operation queue. The first erase command is designated as a placeholder erase command if no placeholder command is stored in the operation queue. Each of the first and placeholder erase commands designates at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased. Each block has a corresponding status indicator. If a placeholder erase command is already stored in the operation queue, then 1) the corresponding status indicator for the block designated by the first erase command is set to indicate that the first erase command is an absorbed erase command, and 2) the first erase command is removed from the operation queue. If a program command designating the same block as any of the placeholder and absorbed erase commands is stored in the operation queue, then 1) an erase operation for the same block is performed; 2) the corresponding status indicator for the same block is cleared; and 3) the program command is executed. If the program command does not designate the same block as any of the placeholder and absorbed erase commands, then 1) the program command is executed; and 2) the program command is removed from the operation queue.
Inventors
- 👤 Mickey Lee Fandrich
- 👤 Richard Joseph Durante
- 👤 Geoffrey Alan Gould
- 👤 Timothy Wade Goodell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:25
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/06; G11C16/10; G11C16/14; G11C16/16; G11C2216/00; G11C2216/12; G11C2216/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of: a) storing a first erase command in an operation queue; b) performing the following steps, if a placeholder erase command is already stored in the operation queue, wherein each of the first and placeholder erase commands designates at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased, wherein each block has a corresponding status indicator: i) setting the corresponding status indicator for the block designated by the first erase command to indicate that the first erase command is an absorbed erase command; and ii) removing the first erase command from the operation queue; and c) designating the first erase command as the placeholder erase command if no placeholder erase command is stored in the operation queue.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of: a) storing a first erase command in an operation queue; b) performing the following steps, if a placeholder erase command is already stored in the operation queue, wherein each of the first and placeholder erase commands designates at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased, wherein each block has a corresponding status indicator: i) setting the corresponding status indicator for the block designated by the first erase command to indicate that the first erase command is an absorbed erase command; and ii) removing the first erase command from the operation queue; and c) designating the first erase command as the placeholder erase command if no placeholder erase command is stored in the operation queue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: d) storing a program command in the operation queue; e) performing the following steps, if the program command designates a same block as any one of the placeholder and absorbed erase commands: 1) executing an erase operation for the same block; 2) clearing the corresponding status indicator for the same block associated with the absorbed erase command, if the same block is associated with the absorbed erase command; and 3) executing the program command.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: d) storing a program command in the operation queue; e) performing the following steps, if the program command does not designate a same block as any one of the placeholder and absorbed erase commands: 1) executing the program command; and 2) removing the program command from the operation queue.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: d) erasing the block associated with the placeholder erase command; and e) erasing the block associated with the absorbed erase command.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: d) storing a second erase command in the operation queue; e) setting the corresponding status indicator for the block designated by the second erase command; and f) removing the second erase command from the operation queue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the nonvolatile memory is a flash electrically erasable programmable read only memory.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of individually erasable blocks, comprising the steps of: a) storing a first erase command in an operation queue; b) storing a subsequent second erase command in the operation queue, wherein the first and second erase commands designate at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased, wherein each block has a corresponding status indicator; c) setting the corresponding status indicator for the block associated with the second erase command; and d) removing the second erase command from the operation queue.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of individually erasable blocks, comprising the steps of: a) storing a first erase command in an operation queue; b) storing a subsequent second erase command in the operation queue, wherein the first and second erase commands designate at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased, wherein each block has a corresponding status indicator; c) setting the corresponding status indicator for the block associated with the second erase command; and d) removing the second erase command from the operation queue.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of: e) setting the corresponding status indicator for the block associated with the first erase command; and f) performing an erase operation on each block having the set corresponding status indicator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of: e) storing a program command in a second location of the operation queue, wherein the first erase command is stored in a first location of the operation queue; f) determining an execution priority for the operation queue; g) executing a higher priority command; h) executing a lower priority command.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the operation queue has two storage locations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the nonvolatile memory is a flash electrically erasable programmable read only memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of: e) storing a program command in the operation queue, wherein the first erase command is stored in a first location of the operation queue, wherein the program command is stored in a second location of the operation queue; f) determining which of the first and second locations is storing a priority command and which is storing a non-priority command; and g) executing the priority command.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of: h) removing the priority command from the operation queue, wherein the priority command is the program command.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of: i) executing the non-priority command; and j) removing the non-priority command from the operation queue.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14 wherein step i) further comprises the step of executing each of the first and second erase commands, if the non-priority command is the first erase command.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of individually erasable blocks, comprising the steps of: a) storing a first erase command as a placeholder erase command in an operation queue; b) absorbing consecutive subsequent erase commands, wherein the first and subsequent erase commands designate at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased, wherein the following steps are performed to absorb each consecutive subsequent erase command: 1) storing the subsequent erase command in the operation queue; 2) setting a status indicator for a block associated with the subsequent erase command; and 3) removing the subsequent erase command from the operation queue.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of queuing erase commands for a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of individually erasable blocks, comprising the steps of: a) storing a first erase command as a placeholder erase command in an operation queue; b) absorbing consecutive subsequent erase commands, wherein the first and subsequent erase commands designate at least one block of the nonvolatile memory to be erased, wherein the following steps are performed to absorb each consecutive subsequent erase command: 1) storing the subsequent erase command in the operation queue; 2) setting a status indicator for a block associated with the subsequent erase command; and 3) removing the subsequent erase command from the operation queue.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of: c) storing a program command in the operation queue; d) executing the program command; e) returning to step b) to continue to absorb consecutive erase commands subsequent to the program command.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the nonvolatile memory is a flash electrically erasable programmable read only memory.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-09-20 | 2003-03-22 | 2003-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-09-20 | 2007-03-22 | 2007-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-09-20 | 2011-03-22 | 2011-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |