Patent ID: 7457910
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A mass storage device, comprising: re-programmable non-volatile memory cells, the memory cells being arranged in a plurality of blocks of memory cells that are erasable together and which are connected together in a plurality of series strings to define rows of memory cells for storing data, wherein the memory cells are divided into at least two memory partitions including a first memory partition and a second memory partition, and each memory partition has a system area and a data area; and a memory controller embedded within the mass storage device and coupled to access the re-programmable non-volatile memory cells, the memory controller adapted to receive data via a logical interface from an external host system; wherein the memory controller is adapted to re-allocate memory storage space from the first memory partition to the second memory partition using a mapping table, wherein the mapping table includes a virtual block address for each of the first memory partition and the second memory partition, wherein memory storage space re-allocated from the first memory partition to the second memory partition appears contiguous to the external host.