Mass memory device based on a flash memory with multiple buffers

摘要

The mass memory device includes a flash memory (205) having a plurality of physical sectors, suitable to be erased individually, each one including a plurality of physical blocks and a method for emulating a random-access logical memory space having a plurality of logical sectors each one including a plurality of logical blocks, the logical sectors being grouped into at least one group. The method includes partitioning a random-access logical memory space into a plurality of logical sectors each one including a plurality of logical blocks, the logical sectors being grouped into at least one group of logical sectors; associating a corresponding data physical sector with each of the logical sectors and associating a plurality of corresponding buffer physical sectors with each group of logical sectors; setting at least one of the buffer physical sectors as an active buffer physical sector; writing each of the logical blocks into one of an available physical block of the corresponding data physical sector if the corresponding data physical sector is not full; and the corresponding active buffer physical sector if the corresponding data physical sector is full; setting another buffer physical sector as active, in response to the active buffer physical sector becoming full; and defragging each data physical sector which is full and associated with a logical sector having at least one logical block stored in the corresponding buffer physical sector which is full.