Method and system for managing block reclaim operations in a multi-layer memory

摘要

A multi-later memory and method for operation is disclosed. The memory includes at least one flash memory die having multiple layers and a controller configured to execute block reclaim operations in a layer of the flash memory die until a net gain of at least one additional free block has been made in the layer. The method may include relocating data from reclaim blocks to relocation blocks within the same layer, or within a same partition in the same layer until a net gain of one free block has been achieved and an integer number of relocation blocks has been filled with relocated data. The method may also include moving data from reclaim blocks in a first layer into destination blocks in a second layer until a net gain of at least one free block has been achieved in the first layer.

主权项

1. A method of managing data comprising:
in a memory system having an interface for receiving data from a host, a flash memory die having a plurality of memory layers where each layer comprises a different bit per cell capacity, and a controller in communication with the interface and the flash memory die, the controller:
determining that a reclaim operation is necessary to free a block of memory in a layer of the memory die, wherein the layer comprises a plurality of partitions, each of the plurality of partitions in the layer comprising programmed blocks having only a respective predetermined data type;in response to determining that the reclaim operation is necessary, relocating valid data from reclaim blocks in the layer into at least one relocation block in the layer, each of the reclaim blocks having valid data and obsolete data, wherein relocating valid data from reclaim blocks in the layer further comprises only relocating valid data from reclaim blocks in a particular partition of the layer into at least one relocation block in the particular partition; andconcluding the reclaim operation in the layer only after both relocating data from the reclaim blocks to fill only an integer number of relocation blocks and relocating sufficient data from the reclaim blocks to provide a net increase of at least one block to a pool of free blocks in the layer.