Patent ID: 6792065
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: G11C,H03K

Abstract:
A method of counting using a digital counter that uses non-volatile memories as storage cells, each said cell capable of storing either a first state or a second state, comprising the steps of:a) organizing the cells into two groups, a more significant group (MSG) with J cells that function as a counter and a less significant group (LSG) with K cells that function as a rotary counter, with J being any integer greater than one and K being any integer greater than three; b) organizing the LSG into L subgroups with M cells in each subgroup, where M being any integer greater than one and M multiplied by L being equal to K, wherein every cell in every LSG subgroup is in the first state; c) representing A first ordinal number by having a first cell in a first LSG subgroup set to a second state; d) representing a subsequent set of ordinal numbers by successively setting a first cell in each remaining LSG subgroups to the second state; e) representing a next set of ordinal numbers by successively resetting the second state in the first cell of first LSG subgroup back to the first state and continue resetting with all remaining LSG subgroups except the Lth LSG subgroup; f) representing next two ordinal numbers by sequentially setting a second bit in the first LBG group to the second state and resetting the first cell in the Lth LSG subgroup back to the first state; g) representing subsequent ordinal numbers by repeating the above described pattern of setting and resetting of a particular cell in each LSG subgroup until every cell in each LSG subgroup has been set and reset exactly once; and h) incrementing the more significant group (MSG) of J cells by one while the less significant group (LSG) of K cells starts over again, beginning with the first ordinal number as described in step c.