Patent ID: 9223696
Filing Date: 2015-12-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a data storage device including one or more nonvolatile memory devices, the method comprising: making a victim block list, the list including information identifying blocks of the memory devices for which a merge operation is to be performed; copying valid pages of the victim blocks included in the victim block list, to a merge block, the copying including combining least significant bit (LSB) and most significant bit (MSB) pages, among the valid pages in the victim blocks, into paired pages in the merge block; determining whether a victim block includes an erase-held valid page, which represents a LSB page, among the valid pages, that has not been combined into the paired pages in the merge block; selectively erasing one or more victim blocks included in the victim block list, wherein the one or more victim blocks are selected for erasing based on the one or more victim blocks not including the erase-held valid page; and updating the victim block list according to which victim blocks are selected for erasing.