METHOD FOR PERFORMING BLOCK MANAGEMENT USING DYNAMIC THRESHOLD, AND ASSOCIATED MEMORY DEVICE AND CONTROLLER THEREOF

• US 20110289260A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Motion Incorporated Taiwan (Silicon Motion)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Motion Incorporated Taiwan (Silicon Motion)
• Inventors: Wang, Chi-Lung, Lin, Chien-Cheng, Chen, Chia-Hsin
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/10 Address translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1016 Performance improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1044 Space efficiency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7201 Logical to physical mapping or translation of blocks or pages

Abstract

A method for performing block management is provided. The method is applied to a controller of a Flash memory, where the Flash memory includes a plurality of blocks. The method includes: adjusting a dynamic threshold according to at least one condition; and comparing a valid/invalid page count of a specific block of the plurality of blocks with the dynamic threshold to determine whether to erase the specific block. An associated memory device and a controller thereof are also provided, where the memory device includes the Flash memory and the controller. In particular, the controller includes a read only memory (ROM) arranged to store a program code, and further includes a microprocessor arranged to execute the program code to control access to the Flash memory and manage the plurality of blocks, where under control of the microprocessor, the controller operates according to the method.

Claims

1. A method for performing block management, the method being applied to a controller of a Flash memory, the Flash memory comprising a plurality of blocks, the method comprising:

adjusting a dynamic threshold according to at least one condition; and

comparing a valid/invalid page count of a specific block of the plurality of blocks with the dynamic threshold to determine whether to erase the specific block.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold according to a number of blank/used blocks within the plurality of blocks.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold according to a ratio of the number of the blank/used blocks to a number of the plurality of blocks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold according to whether a detected value regarding the controller/Flash memory falls within a specific range of a plurality of ranges.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the detected value represents a number of blank/used blocks within the plurality of blocks, or represents a ratio of the number of the blank/used blocks to a number of the plurality of blocks.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the detected value represents a busy/idle level of the controller.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one condition comprises a first condition of whether the detected value reaches a predetermined threshold;

and the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises;

increasing the dynamic threshold when the detected value reaches the predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises:

decreasing the dynamic threshold when the detected value does not reach the predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one condition comprises a second condition of whether the detected value is below another predetermined threshold;

and the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises;

decreasing the dynamic threshold when the detected value is below the other predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the detected value represents a number of blank blocks within the plurality of blocks.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises a condition of whether an event occurs;

and the step of adjusting the dynamic threshold according to the at least one condition further comprises;

when being triggered by the event, adjusting the dynamic threshold.

12. A memory device, comprising:

a Flash memory comprising a plurality of blocks; and

a controller arranged to access the Flash memory and manage the plurality of blocks, wherein the controller adjusts a dynamic threshold according to at least one condition, and compares a valid/invalid page count of a specific block of the plurality of blocks with the dynamic threshold to determine whether to erase the specific block.

13. The memory device of claim 12, wherein the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold according to a number of blank/used blocks within the plurality of blocks.

14. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold according to a ratio of the number of the blank/used blocks to a number of the plurality of blocks.

15. The memory device of claim 12, wherein the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold according to whether a detected value regarding the controller/Flash memory falls within a specific range of a plurality of ranges.

16. The memory device of claim 12, wherein the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold according to a number of blank/used blocks within the plurality of blocks.

17. The memory device of claim 12, wherein the at least one condition comprises a condition of whether an event occurs;

and when being triggered by the event, the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold.

18. A controller of a memory device, the controller being utilized for accessing a Flash memory comprising a plurality of blocks, the controller comprising:

a read only memory (ROM) arranged to store a program code; and

a microprocessor arranged to execute the program code to control access to the Flash memory and manage the plurality of blocks, wherein under control of the microprocessor, the controller adjusts a dynamic threshold according to at least one condition, and compares a valid/invalid page count of a specific block of the plurality of blocks with the dynamic threshold to determine whether to erase the specific block.

19. The controller of claim 18, wherein the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold according to whether a detected value regarding the controller/Flash memory falls within a specific range of a plurality of ranges.

20. The controller of claim 18, wherein the controller adjusts the dynamic threshold according to a number of blank/used blocks within the plurality of blocks.