Patent ID: 6820185
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: G06F,G11C,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for identifying memory cells storing replacement data in a memory device, the method comprising:(a) providing a memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells, wherein some of the plurality of memory cells store previously-stored data and wherein memory cells adjacent to the memory cells that store the previously-stored data store an identification pattern; (b) storing replacement data to replace the previously-stored data by overwriting some of the memory cells storing the identification pattern with the replacement data, wherein the remaining memory cells storing the identification pattern are adjacent to the memory cells storing the replacement data; (c) identifying the memory cells storing the replacement data by identifying the remaining memory cells that are adjacent to the memory cells storing the identification pattern; and (d) reading the replacement data instead of the previously-stored data; wherein a set of memory cells storing the identification pattern are between the previously-stored data and the replacement data, and wherein (c) comprises identifying the memory cells storing the replacement data by identifying memory cells that are between the set of memory cells storing the identification pattern and the memory cells storing the identification pattern that are adjacent to the memory cells storing the replacement data.