Patent ID: 7721040

Claim:
A memory system comprising: a first nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks; a volatile memory; and a controller of the first nonvolatile memory, wherein the controller is operative to: store a first copy of a management table in only a first portion of the plurality of blocks, wherein the plurality of blocks includes the first portion and a second portion; store a second copy of the management table in a volatile memory of the memory system; wherein the management table includes data associated with a first state of the memory system, wherein the first state is associated with a first time; store, in only a second portion of the plurality of blocks, a future information data structure, the future information structure including a record related to an event of the memory system, wherein the event is expected to occur subsequent to the storing of the future information data structure; and respond to an occurrence of the event at a second time that is subsequent to the storing of the future information data structure, wherein responding includes: modifying the second copy of the management table in the volatile memory in accordance with the future information data structure, wherein the modification is accomplished without scanning the non-volatile memory to determine which blocks of the plurality of blocks are unused blocks; deciding whether to update the first copy of the management table; and in response to a positive decision to update the first copy of the management table, updating the first copy of the management table in accordance with the future information data structure without scanning the non-volatile memory.