Abstract:
The method for using a nonvolatile memory (1) having a plurality of cells (14), each of which stores a datum, is based upon the steps of performing an modification operation of erasing/programming (22) the data of the memory; verifying (23) the correctness of the data of the memory cells; and, if the step of verifying (23) has revealed at least one incorrect datum, correcting on-th-field (46) the incorrect datum, using an error correcting code. The verification (23) of the correctness of the data is performed by determining (23) the number of memory cells storing an incorrect datum; if the number of memory cells storing the incorrect datum is less than or equal to a threshold (46), the erroneous datum is corrected by the error correction code; otherwise, new erasing/programming pulses are supplied.
Abstract:
The memory device (20) has a memory block (1), formed by a plurality of standard sectors (15) and a redundancy portion (2); a control circuit (3), which controls programming and erasing of the data of the memory cells; and a correctness verifying circuit (7) for the data stored in the memory cells. The correctness verifying circuit (7) is enabled by the control circuit (3) and generates an incorrect-datum signal in the event of detection of at least one non-functioning cell. The control circuit moreover activates redundancy, enabling the redundancy portion (2) and storing redundancy data in a redundancy-memory stage (5b) in the presence of an incorrect datum. Various solutions are presented that implement column, row and sector redundancy, both in case of erasing and programming.
Abstract:
The self-repair method for a nonvolatile memory (1) intervenes at the end of an operation of modification, selected between programming and erasing, in the event of detection of just one non-functioning cell (14a, 14c), and carries out redundancy of the non-functioning cell. To this end, the memory array (15) is divided into a basic portion (20), formed by a plurality of memory cells (14a) storing basic data, and into a on-the-field redundancy portion (21), said on-the-field redundancy portion (21) being designed to store redundancy data including a correct content of the non-functioning cell, the address of the non-functioning cell, and an activated redundancy flag. The redundancy is activated only after applying a preset maximum number of modification pulses and uses a purposely designed redundancy replacement circuit (12) and a purposely designed redundancy data verification circuit (7b).