Patent ID: 8392670

Claim:
A storage device comprising: a plurality of flash boxes, each of the plurality of flash boxes including a plurality of flash memory chips for storing data and a flash controller configured to control an operation of the plurality of flash memory chips; and a storage controller configured to send a read/write command to the plurality of flash memory boxes, wherein the storage controller is configured to send a querying command before sending the read/write command to a first flash box of the plurality of flash boxes, wherein, in response to receiving the querying command, a first flash controller of the first flash box determines whether the first flash controller can process the read/write command during execution of an internal process or not so that the first flash controller determines whether or not the first flash controller can execute a subsequent read/write command, and sends a reply command indicating whether or not permission is granted to send the read/write command based on the determination, and wherein the storage controller waits to send the read/write command to the first flash box until the reply command indicating permission to send the read/write command is received.