Patent ID: 7171513
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a semiconductor memory having an array of non-volatile memory cells divided into a plurality of blocks that individually include a minimum number of memory cells that are erasable together, the blocks of memory cells being further divided into a plurality of pages that individually have a capacity to store at least one unit of user data plus a plurality of bytes of overhead data, a method of operating the memory, comprising: programming a plurality of units of user data into the pages of at least one of the blocks of memory cells in successive adjacent physical locations therein including the capacity provided in the pages for storing the plurality of bytes of overhead data and across boundaries of the pages, continuing to program the units of user data into the pages of said one block until a number of units of user data have been programmed into said one block that exceed a number units that the plurality of pages that said one block would store if user data were not being stored in the capacity of the pages provided in said one block for storing the plurality of bytes of overhead data, thereby to store an increased number of units of user data in the block, and storing, in another one of the plurality of blocks different from said one block, a plurality of bytes of overhead data associated with the units of user data stored in said one block.