Patent ID: 8291178

Claim:
A machine-implemented method for categorizing a plurality of to-be-categorized storage units of a storage medium, the machine-implemented method comprising the steps of: a) using at least one processor to write categorizing data for filling each of the to-be -categorized storage units of the storage medium; b) using the at least one processor to determine a data access time of each of at least some of the to-be-categorized storage units by reading the categorizing data therein and to record the data access times of said at least some of the to-be-categorized storage units; and c) using the at least one processor to categorize the to-be-categorized storage units into a plurality of groups that respectively correspond to a plurality of data access speed categories with reference to the data access times recorded in step b), the groups including a group corresponding to fast data access speed, and a group corresponding to slow data access speed; wherein step c) includes the sub-steps of: c-1) using the at least one processor to compute an average of the data access times of the to-be-categorized storage units; c-2) using the at least one processor to compare the data access time of each of the to-be-categorized storage units with the average; and c-3) for each of the to-be-categorized storage units, using the at least one processor to categorize the to-be-categorized storage unit into the group corresponding to fast data access speed if it is revealed by the comparison of sub-step c-2) that the data access time thereof is not greater than the average, and into the group corresponding to slow data access speed if it is revealed by the comparison of sub-step c-2) that the data access time thereof is greater than the average.