Systems, methods and computer program products for operating a data processing system in which a file delete command is sent to an external storage device for invalidating data thereon

摘要

A data processing system that includes a host system and an external data storage device with an erase before write memory device thereon can be operated by sending a file delete command from the host to the data storage device for one or more files stored thereon. The file delete command may specify a logical address and data to be invalidated associated with the deleted file. The data storage device may identify one or more units of memory allocation in the erase before write memory as containing invalid data based on the specified logical address and data to be invalidated. The data storage device may maintain a data structure that associates physical addresses for units of memory allocation in the erase before write memory with indications of whether the units of memory allocation contain invalid data. The data structure may be used to mark units of memory allocation associated with deleted files as containing invalid data.

主权项

1. A method of operating a storage device that includes an erase before write memory device and a controller controlling the erase before write memory device, the method comprising:
maintaining a data structure, in the controller, that associates logical addresses received from an external device with physical addresses for units of memory allocation in the erase before write memory device, each of the units of memory allocation corresponding to a read/write operation unit of the erase before write memory device, and that includes indications of whether each data stored in the units of memory allocation corresponding to the physical addresses is invalid data deleted by an operating system driven on the external device; receiving a file delete command including a logical address invalidated from the operating system, the logical address being assigned to a physical address corresponding to at least one unit of memory allocation; and identifying the at least one unit of memory allocation in the erase before write memory as containing invalid data by updating the data structure in the controller, wherein the read/write operation unit and each unit of memory allocation is a page, and the data structure associates logical addresses with physical addresses by the unit of the page.