Patent ID: 7415641

Claim:
A method of repairing a memory instance having a plurality (N) of main array column (MAC) portions and a redundancy array column (RAC) portion, wherein each of said MAC portions and said RAC portion is associated with a sense amplifier and write driver (SAWD) circuit block for operably coupling with one of N input/output (I/O) blocks provided for said memory instance, comprising: detecting that one of said MAC portions is faulty; decoupling said faulty MAC portion's SAWD circuit block from an I/O block associated therewith and shifting said faulty MAC portion's I/O block to a SAWD circuit block associated with a MAC portion immediately next to said faulty MAC portion on a selected side thereof; and successively shifting coupling relationships between SAWD circuit blocks and I/O blocks for each MAC portion disposed on said selected side of said faulty MAC portion until an I/O block associated with a MAC portion that is immediately next to said RAC portion is shifted to said RAC portion's SAWD circuit block.