IP Library Granted Patent US 7,620,792
Granted Patent B2
US 7,620,792 · App. 11/507,650 · Granted Nov 17, 2009

Processing system, memory and methods for use therewith

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,620,792
App. No.
11/507,650
Granted
Nov 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory includes an array of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. An address transform module receives a logical address including a logical column address and logical row address, and transforms the logical address into a physical address having a physical row address and a physical column address. An address decoder module accesses an individual memory cell of the array of memory cells based on the physical address.

Claims (55)

1. A processing system comprising:

an array of one-time writable memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns for storing a plurality of operational instructions in a program region of the array, and wherein the array includes a test region;

an address transform module comprising a plurality of exclusive-or gates, the address transform module for receiving a logical address including a logical column address and a logical row address, and for transforming the logical address into a physical address having a physical row address and a physical column address based in an exclusive-or of the logical row address and the logical column address;

an address decoder module, operatively coupled to the address transform module and the array of memory cells, for accessing an individual memory cell of the array of memory cells based on the physical address; and

a processing module for executing the plurality of operational instructions.

2. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having a single logical column address into a plurality of physical addresses having a plurality of different physical column addresses.

3. The processing system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of physical addresses correspond to a plurality of individual memory cells along a diagonal of the array of memory cells.

4. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having N different logical row addresses to a plurality of physical addresses having N different physical column addresses.

5. The processing system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of physical addresses have N different physical row addresses.

6. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having a single logical row address into a plurality of physical addresses having a plurality of different physical row addresses.

7. The processing system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of physical addresses correspond to a plurality of individual memory cells along a diagonal of the array of memory cells.

8. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having N different logical column addresses to a plurality of physical addresses having N different physical row addresses.

9. The processing system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of physical addresses have N different column addresses.

10. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the physical row address includes the exclusive-or of the logical row address and the logical column address.

11. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the physical column address includes the exclusive-or of the logical row address and the logical column address.

12. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the test region includes a diagonal of the array.

13. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the test region corresponds to a plurality physical addresses having a plurality of different physical row addresses and a plurality of different physical column addresses.

14. A memory comprising: an array of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; an address transform including a plurality of exclusive-or gates wherein the address transformation module for receiving a logical address including a logical column address and logical row address, and for transforming the logical address into a physical address having a physical row address and a physical column address; wherein the address transform module generates a physical address based on an exclusive-or of a logical row address of a corresponding logical address and a logical column address of the corresponding logical address; and an address decoder module, operatively coupled to the address transform module and the array of memory cells, for accessing an individual memory cell of the array of memory cells based on a physical address of the plurality of physical addresses.

15. The memory of claim 14 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having a single logical column address into a plurality of physical addresses having a plurality of different physical column addresses.

16. The memory of claim 15 wherein the plurality of physical addresses correspond to a plurality of individual memory cells along a diagonal of the array of memory cells.

17. The memory of claim 14 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having N different logical row addresses to a plurality of physical addresses having N different physical column addresses.

18. The memory of claim 17 wherein the plurality of physical addresses have N different physical row addresses.

19. The memory of claim 14 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having a single logical row address into a plurality of physical addresses having a plurality of different physical row addresses.

20. The memory of claim 19 wherein the plurality of physical addresses correspond to a plurality of individual memory cells along a diagonal of the array of memory cells.

21. The memory of claim 14 wherein the address transform module is operable to transform a plurality of logical addresses having N different logical column addresses to a plurality of physical addresses having N different logical row addresses.

22. The memory of claim 21 wherein the plurality of physical addresses have N different physical column addresses.

23. The memory of claim 14 wherein the physical row address includes the exclusive-or of the logical row address and the logical column address.

24. The memory of claim 14 wherein the physical column address includes the exclusive-or of the logical row address and the logical column address.

25. The memory of claim 14 wherein the array of memory cells includes an array of one-time writable memory cells.

26. The memory of claim 14 wherein a plurality of one-time writable memory cells in a test region.

27. The memory of claim 14 wherein the plurality of one-time writable memory cells in the test region include a diagonal of the array.

28. The memory of claim 14 wherein the plurality of one-time writable memory cells in the test region correspond to a plurality physical addresses having a plurality of different physical row addresses and a plurality of different physical column addresses.

29. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of logical addresses, each of the plurality of logical addresses including a logical column address and logical row address;

transforming the plurality of logical addresses into a plurality of physical addresses including a physical column address and a physical row address, each physical address being generated based in an exclusive-or of a corresponding logical row address and a corresponding logical column address; and

accessing a plurality of individual memory cells of an array of memory cells based on the plurality of physical addresses.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of transforming includes transforming a plurality of logical addresses having a single logical column address into a plurality of physical addresses having a plurality of different physical column addresses.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the plurality of physical addresses correspond to a plurality of individual memory cells along a diagonal of the array of memory cells.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of transforming includes transforming a plurality of logical addresses having N different logical row addresses to a plurality of physical addresses having N different physical column addresses.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the plurality of physical addresses have N different physical row addresses.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of transforming includes transforming a plurality of logical addresses having a single logical row address into a plurality of physical addresses having a plurality of different physical row addresses.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the plurality of physical addresses correspond to a plurality of individual memory cells along a diagonal of the array of memory cells.

36. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of transforming includes transforming a plurality of logical addresses having N different logical column addresses to a plurality of physical addresses having N different physical row addresses.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the plurality of physical addresses have N different column addresses.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical column address includes the exclusive-or of the logical row address and the logical column address.

39. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of logical addresses include a plurality of logical test addresses and the step of transforming transforms the plurality of logical test addresses into a plurality of physical test addresses, and wherein the memory cells are one-time writable memory cells, the method further comprising:

writing a plurality of individual memory cells of the array of one-time writable memory cells in a test region of the array based on the plurality of physical test addresses.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the plurality of one-time writable memory cells in the test region include a diagonal of the array.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the plurality physical test addresses have a plurality of different row addresses and a plurality of different column addresses.

42. The method of claim 39 further comprising the step of:

writing a plurality of operational instructions for a processing module in a program region of the array of one-time writable memory cells;

wherein the program region does not intersect the test region.

43. The method of claim 39 further comprising the step of:

writing a plurality of data for a processing module in a data region of the array of one-time writable memory cells;

wherein the data region does not intersect the test region.

Assignments (14)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 31, 2017
From: SIGMATEL, INC.
To: SIGMATEL, LLC
Reel/Frame 043735/0306 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 26, 2017
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 043328/0351 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 037354 FRAME: 0773. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PATENT RELEASE. Recorded Aug 15, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, LLC
Reel/Frame 039723/0777 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037355/0838 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0773 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0734 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037355/0723 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 12, 2013
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031626/0218 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 17, 2013
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 030628/0636 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 10, 2010
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024358/0439 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 16, 2010
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 024079/0406 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 15, 2010
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 024079/0082 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 9, 2008
From: SIGMATEL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 021212/0372 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2006
From: MAUPIN, PATRICK EVAN
To: SIGMATEL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018360/0234 →