
60
S29PL-J
S29PL-J_00_A9 September 22, 2006
D a t a
S h e e t
( A d v a n c e
I n f o r m a t i o n )
15.8
Erase Suspend/Erase Resume Commands
The Erase Suspend command, B0h, allows the system to interrupt a sector erase operation and then read 
data from, or program data to, any sector not selected for erasure. The bank address is required when writing 
this command. This command is valid only during the sector erase operation, including the 80 μs time-out 
period during the sector erase command sequence. The Erase Suspend command is ignored if written during 
the chip erase operation or Embedded Program algorithm. 
When the Erase Suspend command is written during the sector erase operation, the device requires a 
maximum of 35 μs to suspend the erase operation. However, when the Erase Suspend command is written 
during the sector erase time-out, the device immediately terminates the time-out period and suspends the 
erase operation. Addresses are “don’t-cares” when writing the Erase suspend command.
After the erase operation has been suspended, the bank enters the erase-suspend-read mode. The system 
can read data from or program data to any sector not selected for erasure. (The device “erase suspends” all 
sectors selected for erasure.) Reading at any address within erase-suspended sectors produces status 
information on DQ7–DQ0. The system can use DQ7, or DQ6 and DQ2 together, to determine if a sector is 
actively erasing or is erase-suspended. Refer to 
Write Operation Status
  on page 64
 for information on these 
status bits.
After an erase-suspended program operation is complete, the bank returns to the erase-suspend-read mode. 
The system can determine the status of the program operation using the DQ7 or DQ6 status bits, just as in 
the standard Word Program operation. Refer to 
Write Operation Status
  on page 64
 for more information.
In the erase-suspend-read mode, the system can also issue the autoselect command sequence. The device 
allows reading autoselect codes even at addresses within erasing sectors, since the codes are not stored in 
the memory array. When the device exits the autoselect mode, the device reverts to the Erase Suspend 
mode, and is ready for another valid operation. Refer to 
Table 10.9, 
Secured Silicon Sector Addresses
on page 39
 and 
Autoselect Command Sequence
  on page 56
 for details. 
To resume the sector erase operation, the system must write the Erase Resume command (address bits are 
don’t care). The bank address of the erase-suspended bank is required when writing this command. Further 
writes of the Resume command are ignored. Another Erase Suspend command can be written after the chip 
has resumed erasing. 
If the Persistent Sector Protection Mode Locking Bit is verified as programmed without margin, the Persistent 
Sector Protection Mode Locking Bit Program Command should be reissued to improve program margin.
If the 
Secured Silicon Sector Protection Bit is verified as programmed without margin, the Secured Silicon Sector 
Protection Bit Program Command should be reissued to improve program margin.
μμ
After programming a 
PPB, two additional cycles are needed to determine whether the PPB has been programmed with margin. If 
the PPB has been programmed without margin, the program command should be reissued to improve the 
program margin. Also note that the total number of PPB program/erase cycles is limited to 100 cycles. 
Cycling the PPBs beyond 100 cycles is not guaranteed.
After erasing the PPBs, two additional cycles are needed to determine whether the PPB has been erased 
with margin. If the PPBs has been erased without margin, the erase command should be reissued to improve 
the program margin. The programming of either the PPB or DYB for a given sector or sector group can be 
verified by writing a Sector Protection Status command to the device.
Note that there is no single command to independently verify the programming of a DYB for a given sector 
group.