Patent ID: 8151039

Claim:
A method for controlling flash memory, using a flash memory controller to perform a data read operation on a flash memory to read data, and a control interface existing between said flash memory and said flash memory controller, said control interface comprising: a ready/busy (RB) signal, a chip enable (CE) signal, an address latch enable (ALE) signal, a command latch enable (CLE) signal, a read enable (REN) signal, a write enable (WEN) signal, a write protect (WPN) and an input/output (IO) bus, wherein said method realizes said data read operation without using said RB signal, and comprises the steps of: (a) using said control interface to transmit a read command to said flash memory; (b) reading a state register of said flash memory, said state register comprising a state bit, said state bit indicating whether said flash memory has finished said read command or not; (c) determining level of said state bit, if said state bit is at a first level, returning to step (b), and if said state bit is at a second level, proceeding to step (d); (d) performing a state data switch on said flash memory; (e) repeatedly lowering said REN signal to low level and raising said REN signal to high level to capture memory data on said IO; and (f) accomplishing said data read operation; wherein said state data switch in step (d) comprises serially inputting a plurality of commands including a random data out command.