Computer system with nand flash memory for booting and storage

Abstract

A computer system includes a system controller with a central processing unit and a memory bus controller operating in a first interface mode; a system memory connected with the system controller through the system bus; a NAND flash memory for storing a system driving code, an operating system program and user data for the computer system; and an interface unit communicating with the system controller through the system bus in the first interface mode and communicating with the NAND flash memory in a second interface mode, the interface unit being synchronized with a clock signal generated therein in response to predetermined command and operating information. The NAND flash memory may be used for the system bootstrap, and data transmission to the system controller during reading or programming operations is performed successively to reduce the latency time on the read operation and the data loading time on the programming operation.

1 . A booting method for a computer system with a NAND flash memory comprising: 
 copying a system bootstrap code to a buffer from the NAND flash memory in response to a power applying detecting state;    initializing the computer system according to the system bootstrap code stored in the buffer;    copying an operating system code to a programmable memory from the NAND flash memory; and    executing the operating system code.    
   
   
       2 . A method for reading out data from a NAND flash memory in a computer system having a system controller and a buffer, the method comprising: 
 setting commands, addresses, and pages to be read out from the NAND flash memory;    copying data of a first page from the NAND flash memory to the buffer; and    copying data of a second page from the NAND flash memory to the buffer while transmitting the first page data from the buffer to the system controller.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 copying data of a N th  page to the buffer from the NAND flash memory while transmitting data of a (N−1) th  page until the copying of all the pages is completed.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data of the pages is transmitted successively.  
   
   
       5 . A method for programming data from a NAND flash memory in a computer system with a system controller and a buffer, the method comprising: 
 setting commands, addresses, and pages to be programmed to the NAND flash memory;    successively loading data necessary for the pages to be programmed from the system controller to the buffer; and    sequentially programming the pages by using the data loaded to the buffer.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein sequentially programming the pages comprises: 
 programming data from one page while the data for another page is being successively loaded to the buffer.