Storage device and a method for defect scanning of the same

Abstract

A defect scan method is carried out to detect a defective portion in a storage medium of a storage device, the storage medium including multiple storage regions including a first storage region and a second storage region. The defect scan method includes scanning a part of the storage regions of the storage medium to detect a defective portion therein, before the storage device is connected to a host, a scanned storage region including the first storage region and a non-scanned storage region including the second storage region, mapping logical addresses to physical addresses of a non-defective portion of the first storage region, scanning the second storage region to detect a defective portion therein, after the storage device is connected to the host, and mapping logical addresses to physical addresses of a non-defective portion of the second storage region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting a defective portion in a storage medium of a storage device, the storage medium including multiple storage regions including a first storage region and a second storage region, the method comprising:
 scanning the first storage region of the storage medium to detect a defective portion therein, during an inspection process of the storage medium;   mapping logical addresses to physical addresses of the first storage region other than the defective portion, if any, during the inspection process of the storage medium; and   scanning the second storage region of the storage medium to detect a defective portion therein, after the storage device is connected to the host.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if a defective portion is detected in the second storage region, updating a mapping of logical addresses to physical addresses such that no logical address is mapped to a physical address of the defective portion in the second storage region.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first storage region includes a first part that ranges continuously from a smallest physical address to a first predetermined physical address, of the storage medium, and a second part that ranges continuously from a second predetermined physical address that is larger than the first predetermined physical address to a largest physical address, of the storage medium, and the second storage region ranges continuously from the first predetermined physical address to the second predetermined physical address, and   if a logical address designated by the host for data writing is mapped to a physical address of a non-scanned storage region of the second storage region, remapping said logical address to a physical address of a non-defective portion of the first storage region.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when an unwritten space in the second part of the first storage region is smaller than a certain size, scanning a part of the second storage region that ranges continuously from a third physical address that is between the first and second predetermined physical addresses and the second predetermined physical address.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the scanning of the second storage region is carried out when a predetermined period of time has passed after a last command was received from the host.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the scanning of the second storage region is terminated when a read command or a write command is received from the host.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 if the logical address designated by the host for data writing is mapped to the physical address of the non-scanned storage region of the second storage region, said logical address is remapped to a physical address of a non-defective portion of the second part of the first storage region.