Non-volatile memory devices and control methods therefor

• US 9,483,212 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Motion Incorporated California (Silicon Motion)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Motion Incorporated California (Silicon Motion)
• Inventors: Ke, Kuan-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): ELMORE, STEPHEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/614,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/154, 711/156, 711/158, 711/165, 711/221, 365/185.33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0616 in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A non-volatile memory device is provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a non-volatile memory, a connection interface, and a controller. The non-volatile memory is divided into a plurality of physical blocks. Each physical block is divided into a plurality of physical pages. The connection interface is connected to a host. The controller is connected to the connection interface. When the controller performs a block-reconfiguration operation, the controller re-adjusts a position in the physical blocks where data is disposed to obtain a usable physical block. Movement of one portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is performed when the controller operates an initial operation. Movement of another portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is performed when the controller processes a read command from the host.

Claims

1. A non-volatile memory device comprising:

a non-volatile memory divided into a plurality of physical blocks, wherein each physical block is divided into a plurality of physical pages; and

a connection interface connected to a host; and

a controller connected to the connection interface,

wherein when the controller performs a block-reconfiguration operation, the controller re-adjusts a position where data is disposed in the physical blocks to obtain a usable physical block, and

wherein movement of a first portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is performed when the controller operates an initial operation, and movement of a second portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is performed when the controller processes a read command from the host.

2. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller completes the initial operation in a process time, and the controller performs the movement of the first portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation in remaining time excluding the process time of the initial operation.

3. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 2, wherein in different situations, the initial operation requires different time lengths, and an amount of data related the first portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is different.

4. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the initial operation comprises a recovery process which is performe for an abnormal status.

5. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein movement of a third portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is perform when the controller processes a write command from the host.

6. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein during the block-reconfiguration operation, some physical pages in some physical blocks are found and integrated into one physical block to release usable space in the physical blocks.

7. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller records relationship between logic blocks and physical blocks by a table, and the table is updated when the block reconfiguration operation is performed.

8. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein after the block reconfiguration operation, the controller selects one physical block to serve as an operation physical block, and when the controller receives a write command from the host, the controller writes data corresponding to the write command into the operation physical block.

9. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory device is a flash memory.

10. The non-volatile memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory device is a flash hard disk.

11. A control method of a controller for a non-volatile memory device, wherein the non-volatile memory device comprises a non-volatile memory and connection interface, the non-volatile memory is divided into a plurality of physical blocks, each physical block is divided into a plurality of physical pages, the connection interface is connected to a host, and when the controller controls the non-volatile memory device, the control method comprises:

when the controller performs a block-reconfiguration operation, re-adjusting a position where data is disposed in the physical blocks to obtain a usable physical block, and

performing movement of a first portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation when the controller operates an initial operation, and performing movement of a second portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation when the controller processes a read command from the host.

12. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller completes the initial operation in a process time, and the controller performs the movement of the first portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation in remaining time excluding the process time of the initial operation.

13. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 12, wherein in different situations, the initial operation requires different time lengths, and an amount of data related the first portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is different.

14. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the initial operation comprises a recovery process which is performed for an abnormal status.

15. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein movement of a third portion of the data related to the block-reconfiguration operation is performed when the controller processes a write command from the host.

16. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein during the block-reconfiguration operation, some physical pages in some physical blocks are found and integrated into one physical block to release usable space in the physical blocks.

17. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller records relationship between logic blocks and the physical blocks by a table, and the table is updated when the block reconfiguration operation is performed.

18. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein after the block reconfiguration operation, the controller selects one physical block to serve as an operation physical block, and when the controller receives a write command from the host, the controller writes data corresponding to the write command into the operation physical block.

19. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the non-volatile memory device is a flash memory.

20. The control method of the controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the non-volatile memory device is a flash hard disk.