Patent ID: 8386700

Claim:
A method of performing garbage collection operations in a system comprising a flash memory controller and a flash memory module made up of at least four groups of flash memory devices each having a plurality of flash memory areas, including performing for a respective group of the groups of flash memory devices the following steps: determining the number of flash memory areas of the respective group of flash memory devices that do not contain valid data; if the number is equal to or less than a first threshold, setting an indicator for the respective group of flash memory devices to a first state; when the indicator is in the first state, performing garbage collection operations for the respective group of flash memory devices, comprising copying data from a first flash memory area to a second flash memory area and erasing the first flash memory area, the first flash memory area and the second flash memory area each being associated with the respective group of the groups of flash memory devices; and incrementing an erase count associated with the first flash memory area and updating a table distinctly associated with the respective group of flash memory devices, wherein the distinctly associated table includes the erase count associated with the first flash memory area, and wherein each respective group of flash memory devices has associated therewith a distinct table that includes respective erase counts for distinct flash memory areas.