Patent ID: 8041882

Claim:
Method for writing to a flash memory, wherein the flash memory has a specified maximum program time and a specified typical program time and provides one or more signals indicating if a programming cycle is finished, the method comprising the steps of specifying an effective program time that is above typical program time and below maximum program time; writing first data to the flash memory, wherein a programming cycle is associated with the writing; after the specified effective program time, evaluating said one or more signals indicating if the programming cycle is finished; if the programming cycle is finished, writing at least second data to the flash memory; if the programming cycle is not finished, writing the at least second data to a buffer memory and marking the at least second data in the buffer memory not to be overwritten; if further data are to be stored, repeating the previous steps starting from the step of writing the first data to the flash memory; determining a free location in the flash memory; and after said repeating the previous steps, copying the at least second data from the buffer memory to the determined location in the flash memory, wherein the at least second data may be erased from the buffer memory.