US Patent No: 5,930,167

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Multi-state non-volatile flash memory capable of being its own two state write cache

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Abstract

A memory system including an array of flash EEPROM cells arranged in blocks of cells that are erasable together, with individual cells storing more than one bit of data as a result of operating the individual cells with more than two detectable threshold ranges or states. Any portion of the array in which data is not stored can be used as a write cache, where individual ones of the cells store a single bit of data by operating with only two detectable threshold ranges. Data coming into the memory is initially written in available blocks in two states since writing in more than two states takes significantly more time. At a later time, in the background, the cached data is read, compressed and written back into fewer blocks of the memory in multi-state for longer term storage at a reduced cost.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.PLANO, TX1506

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Chen, Jian San Jose, CA 1001 7089
Lee, Douglas J San Jose, CA 28 1733

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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APPLE INC. (44)
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SANDISK IL LTD. (21)
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SANDISK CORPORATION (17)
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KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA (5)
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ANOBIT TECHNOLOGIES (3)
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WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION (2)
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