Data management for a flash storage device

Abstract

A flash storage device for transferring data to and from a host. The flash storage uses a controller to data transfer in the flash storage device, a buffer to temporarily store data for transfer between the host and the flash storage device, a first table for maintaining storage information relating to the flash storage; and a second table for maintaining information relating to the association of virtual sectors to the logical sectors, wherein the controller transfers data between the host and the flash storage and updates the first table and the second table to reflect the transfer of the data. The first table and the second table contain include addressing and status information for a more efficient and improved data transfer.

1 . A flash storage device, comprising: 
 a flash storage comprising physical storage blocks, wherein physical storage blocks are associated with virtual blocks, wherein physical storage blocks comprise one or more physical storage sectors, and wherein virtual blocks comprise one or more virtual sectors;    a controller for managing data transfer in the flash storage device;    a buffer for storing data for transfer between a host and the flash storage device, wherein the host sends and receives logical blocks comprising one or more logical sectors, and wherein logical sectors are associated with virtual sectors;    a first table for maintaining storage information relating to the flash storage; and    a second table for maintaining information relating to the association of virtual sectors to the logical sectors,    wherein the controller transfers data between the host and the flash storage and updates the first table and the second table to reflect the transfer of the data.    
   
   
       2 . The flash storage device of  claim 1 , wherein each physical storage block is provided with one first table and one second table.  
   
   
       3 . The flash storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the first table contains an indicator of a free location in the physical storage block for writing data.  
   
   
       4 . The flash storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the first table contains an indicator of whether the physical storage block is full.  
   
   
       5 . The flash storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the first table contains a physical status of the physical storage block, wherein the physical status indicates whether the physical storage block is in a good or bad condition.  
   
   
       6 . The flash storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the first table contains an identification of the virtual block associated with the physical storage block.  
   
   
       7 . A method of managing data in a flash storage device, comprising: 
 providing a flash storage comprising physical storage blocks, wherein physical storage blocks are associated with virtual blocks, wherein physical storage blocks comprise one or more physical storage sectors, and wherein virtual blocks comprise one or more virtual sectors;    providing a controller for managing data transfer in the flash storage device;    providing a buffer for storing data for transfer between a host and the flash storage device, wherein the host sends and receives logical blocks comprising one or more logical sectors, and wherein logical sectors are associated with virtual sectors;    providing a first table for maintaining storage information relating to the flash storage; and    providing a second table for maintaining information relating to the association of virtual sectors to the logical sectors,    wherein the controller transfers data between the host and the flash storage and updates the first table and the second table to reflect the transfer of the data.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each physical storage block is provided with one first table and one second table.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first table contains an indicator of a free location in the physical storage block for writing data.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first table contains an indicator of whether the physical storage block is full.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first table contains a physical status of the physical storage block, wherein the physical status indicates whether the physical storage block is in a good or bad condition.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first table contains an identification of the virtual block associated with the physical storage block.  
   
   
       13 . A flash storage device for receiving data from and sending data to a host device, wherein the host sends and receives logical blocks comprising one or more logical sectors, and wherein logical sectors are associated with virtual sectors, comprising: 
 a flash storage comprising physical storage blocks, wherein physical storage blocks are associated with virtual blocks, wherein physical storage blocks comprise one or more physical storage sectors, and wherein virtual blocks comprise one or more virtual sectors;    a first table for maintaining storage information relating to the flash storage; and    a second table for maintaining information relating to the association of virtual sectors to the logical sectors,    wherein the flash storage device transfers data between the host and the flash storage and updates the first table and the second table to reflect the transfer of the data.    
   
   
       14 . The flash storage device of  claim 13 , wherein each physical storage block is provided with one first table and one second table.  
   
   
       15 . The flash storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the first table contains an indicator of a free location in the physical storage block for writing data.  
   
   
       16 . The flash storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the first table contains an indicator of whether the physical storage block is full.  
   
   
       17 . The flash storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the first table contains a physical status of the physical storage block, wherein the physical status indicates whether the physical storage block is in a good or bad condition.  
   
   
       18 . The flash storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the first table contains an identification of the virtual block associated with the physical storage block.  
   
   
       19 . The flash storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the first table contains an identification of the virtual block associated with the physical storage block and an indicator of a free location in the physical storage block for writing data.  
   
   
       20 . The flash storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the second table is maintained in a random access memory.