Power-off recovery management for sector based flash media managers

摘要

A method of managing data in a flash EEPROM memory array allows all data to be recovered after power loss except new data in a sector in which the data content is being changed when power is lost. The method includes providing a block data structure and a plurality of sector data structures in each block of a flash EEPROM memory array, each data structure storing an indication of the operating state of the block or an associated physical sector of the array; changing the indication stored in the block data structure or the sector data structure when the operating state of the block or the associated sector changes; detecting the indication stored in the block data structure and the sector data structures when power is restored to a system which has lost power; and managing the flash EEPROM memory array depending on the indications detected.