Patent ID: 7991943

Claim:
A method for implementing one time programmable (OTP) memory functionality using erasable non-OTP flash memory in a system-on-chip (SoC), the method comprising: providing an SoC, wherein the SoC comprises an erasable non-OTP flash memory array in a blank state, wherein the erasable non-OTP flash memory array comprises a first block comprising an OTP write inhibit field, and wherein the OTP write inhibit field is deasserted; writing data to the first block, comprising setting the OTP write inhibit field to signify prohibition of subsequent writes to the first block; power cycling the SoC after said writing data to the first block; and latching at least a portion of the first block in a volatile memory, in response to said power cycling, including asserting an OTP write inhibit bit based on the OTP write inhibit field, after which the first block is not writeable, thereby implementing OTP memory functionality in the first block of the erasable non-OTP flash memory.