Patent ID: 6940766

Claim:
A method comprising: generating a defect matrix to identify defects in a memory array that is arranged in rows and columns, in which the defect matrix is used to commence determining a solution that is to replace rows and columns having defects with redundant rows and columns; (i) performing a first loop iteration by: identifying a defective row that has more defects than a number of available redundant columns remaining for replacement as a must-replace row; replacing the must-replace row with a redundant row if the must-replace row is identified; and updating the defect matrix and decrementing a number of available redundant rows remaining if the must-replace row is identified and replaced by a redundant row; (ii) performing a second loop iteration by: identifying a defective column that has more defects than a number of available redundant rows remaining for replacement as a must-replace column; replacing the must-replace column with a redundant column if the must-replace column is identified; and updating the defect matrix and decrementing a number of available redundant columns remaining if the must-replace column is identified and replaced by a redundant column; (iii) cycling through the first loop and second loop iterations until no further must-replace row or must-replace column is identified, or until no redundant row or column is left to respectively replace an identified must-replace row or must-replace column; and (iv) performing recursively to update the defect matrix by replacing a row or column still containing a defect with remaining redundant rows and columns, until all defects are removed to provide a solution to replace defective rows and columns or until no further redundant rows and columns are available for replacement, in which the solution to replace defective rows and columns is not available.