Patent EP0340981A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0340981A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Information storage apparatus and methods
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1989-04-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-04-28
Abstract
Abstract In a storage device incorporating an electrically erasable read only memory (1) or other data storage device capable of a limited number of total times of re-writing, a pointer is stored corresponding to the capacity of the memory (1), which pointer identifies a start position in the data storage device at which re-writing is to occur, and the pointer is incremented sequentially with each writing of the data storage device (1).
Inventors
- 👤 Harumi C/O Patents Division Hirose
- 👤 Toshizumi C/O Patents Division Ando
- 👤 Yoshiki C/O Patents Division Takekawa
- 👤 Toshiaki C/O Patents Division Isogawa
- 👤 Shingo C/O Patents Division Nakata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:21
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/06; G11C16/10; G11C16/102; G11C16/105; G11C16/34; G11C16/349; G11C16/3495
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
Apparatus for storing information in a memory device (1) capable of a finite total number of re-writings, the apparatus comprising; a plurality of data areas in said memory device (1); characterized by: a plurality of pointer areas corresponding to said data areas in said memory device (1) to show the order of using said data areas for reading and writing; and a control means (2, 3) for identifying the start position to re-write, and to change the contents of said pointer areas sequentially in accordance with writing data to said data areas.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus for storing information in a memory device (1) capable of a finite total number of re-writings, the apparatus comprising; a plurality of data areas in said memory device (1); characterized by: a plurality of pointer areas corresponding to said data areas in said memory device (1) to show the order of using said data areas for reading and writing; and a control means (2, 3) for identifying the start position to re-write, and to change the contents of said pointer areas sequentially in accordance with writing data to said data areas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said contents of said pointer areas are changed in accordance with a simple increasing series, at the time of each writing of data to said data areas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pointer areas are initialized when the power is turned ON.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said memory device (1) is an EEPROM (1).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said data areas and said pointer areas are located in the same memory device (1).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
114 words
Electronic apparatus (1) comprising: a system (12, 13, 14, 16) for performing various functions of said electronic apparatus (1); characterized by: storage means (15) for storing information concerning said apparatus in a memory device (15) capable of a finite total number of re-writings, and further comprising: a plurality of data areas in said memory device (15); a plurality of pointer areas corresponding to said data areas in said memory device (15) to show the order of using said data areas for reading and writing; and a control means for identifying the start position to re-write, and to change the contents of said pointer areas sequentially in accordance with writing data to said data areas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
Electronic apparatus (1) comprising: a system (12, 13, 14, 16) for performing various functions of said electronic apparatus (1); characterized by: storage means (15) for storing information concerning said apparatus in a memory device (15) capable of a finite total number of re-writings, and further comprising: a plurality of data areas in said memory device (15); a plurality of pointer areas corresponding to said data areas in said memory device (15) to show the order of using said data areas for reading and writing; and a control means for identifying the start position to re-write, and to change the contents of said pointer areas sequentially in accordance with writing data to said data areas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus (1) according to claim 6, wherein said stored information is accumulated working time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus (1) according to claim 7 wherein said stored information is accumulated working time in a predetermined mode of said apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus (1) according to claim 8 wherein said system is a video tape recorder and said predetermined mode is a recording mode or a reproducing mode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus (1) according to claim 6 wherein said apparatus (1) is a video camera (1) and said stored information is a white balance of said video camera (1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus (1) according to claim 7 including display means (16) and/or alarm means which is operative when said accumulated time is in a predetermined range or exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of storing information written in a memory device (1) having a plurality of data areas and a plurality of pointer areas corresponding to said data areas, said method being characterized by the steps of: identifying a start position for writing by reading said pointer areas; writing data in said data areas beginning from said start position; and changing the contents of said pointer areas sequentially in accordance with writing data to said data areas.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of storing information written in a memory device (1) having a plurality of data areas and a plurality of pointer areas corresponding to said data areas, said method being characterized by the steps of: identifying a start position for writing by reading said pointer areas; writing data in said data areas beginning from said start position; and changing the contents of said pointer areas sequentially in accordance with writing data to said data areas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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