Abstract: A data writing method for writing data from a host system into a flash memory chip is provided. The method includes configuring a plurality of logical page addresses, grouping the logical page addresses into a plurality of logical blocks, and recording the data dispersion degree of each of the logical blocks. The method also includes receiving write-in data from the host system, identifying a logical block that a logical page address to be written by the host system belongs to, and writing the write-in data into the flash memory chip according to the data dispersion degree of the logical block, wherein the data dispersion degree of each of the logical blocks is not larger than a logical block data dispersion degree threshold value. Accordingly, the method can effectively reduce the time for executing a host write command.

Abstract: A block management method for managing a multi level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory is provided, wherein the MLC NAND flash memory has a plurality of physical blocks grouped into at least a data area and a spare area, each of the physical blocks has a plurality of pages divided into a plurality of upper pages, and a plurality of lower pages with a writing speed thereof being greater than that of the upper pages. The block management method includes configuring a plurality of logical blocks for being accessed by a host, recording the logical block belonging to a frequently accessed block and executing a special mode to use the lower pages of at least two physical blocks of the MLC NAND flash memory for storing data of one logical block belonging to the frequently accessed block. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the access speed of a storage system.

Abstract: A memory management method for managing physical units of a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided. In the method, the physical units are grouped into at least a data area and a free area. The method includes obtaining empty physical units from the free area to configure a first global random area and obtaining empty physical units from the data area to configure a second global random area. The method further includes using the physical units of the first global random area to write updated data, and using the physical units of the second global random area to write other updated data after the physical units of the first global random area are written full of the updated data. Accordingly, the method can increase the storage space of a global random area, and thereby reduces data merging operations and shortens the time for executing a write command.

Abstract: A method for giving a read command to a flash memory chip to read data to be accessed by a host system is provided. The method includes receiving a host read command; determining whether the received host read command follows a last host read command; if yes, giving a cache read command to read data from the flash memory chip; and if no, giving a general read command and the cache read command to read data from the flash memory chip. Accordingly, the method can effectively reduce time needed for executing the host read commands by using the cache read command to combine the host read commands which access continuous physical addresses and pre-read data stored in a next physical address.

Abstract: A flash memory storage system and a data writing method thereof are provided. The flash memory storage system includes a controller, a connector, a cache memory, a SLC NAND flash memory and a MLC NAND flash memory. When the controller receives data to be written into the MLC NAND flash memory from a host system, the data is temporarily stored in the cache memory first and then is written into the MLC NAND flash memory from the cache memory. And, the controller may backup the data stored in the cache memory to the SLC NAND flash memory. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a response time for a flush command, thereby improving a performance of the flash memory storage system.

Abstract: A flash memory storage system including a flash memory chip, a connector, and a flash memory controller is provided. The flash memory controller configures a plurality of logical addresses and maps the logical addresses to a part of the physical addresses in the flash memory chip, and a host system uses a file system to access the logical addresses. Besides, the flash memory controller identifies a deleted logical address among the logical addresses and marks data in the physical address mapped to the deleted logical address as invalid data.

Abstract: A multi level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory storage system is provided. A controller of the MLC NAND flash memory storage system declares it a signal level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory chip to a host system connected thereto and provides a plurality of SLC logical blocks to the host system. When the controller receives a write command and a user data from the host system, the controller writes the user data into a page of a MLC physical block and records the page of the SLC logical block corresponding to the page of the MLC physical block. When the controller receives an erase command from the host system, the controller writes a predetermined data into the page of the MLC physical block mapped to the SLC logical block to be erased, wherein the predetermined data has the same pattern as a pattern of the erased page.

Abstract: A data accessing method, and a storage system and a controller using the same are provided. The data accessing method is suitable for a flash memory storage system having a data perturbation module. The data accessing method includes receiving a read command from a host and obtaining a logical block to be read and a page to be read from the read command. The data accessing method also includes determining whether a physical block in a data area corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block and transmitting a predetermined data to the host when the physical block corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block. Thereby, the host is prevented from reading garbled code from the flash memory storage system having the data perturbation module.

Abstract: A data writing method for moving data in a plurality of flash memory modules during a write command of a host system is executed is provided, wherein each of the flash memory modules has a plurality of physical blocks. The present data writing method includes transferring first data received from the host system to one of the flash memory modules and writing the first data into the physical blocks of the flash memory module according to the write command. The present data writing method also includes moving at least one second data in the physical blocks of another one of the flash memory modules during the first data is written. Thereby, when the host system is about to write data into the other flash memory module, the time for executing the write command is effectively reduced.

Abstract: A data management method, a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus are provided. The method includes grouping a plurality of physical units of a rewritable non-volatile memory module into at least a data area and a free area. The method also includes configuring a plurality of logical units for mapping a part of the physical units. The method further includes receiving at least two pieces of update data, which are corresponding to different logical pages of the logical units. The method further includes getting a physical unit from the physical units. The method further includes writing the at least two pieces of update data into the same one physical page of the gotten physical unit. Accordingly, the use efficiency of the physical units could be improved.

Abstract: A memory storage device, a memory controller thereof, and a method for programming data thereof are provided. The memory storage device comprises a rewritable non-volatile memory chip having a plurality of rewritable non-volatile memory modules, and each rewritable non-volatile memory module comprises a plurality of physical blocks. The method includes receiving a write command from a host system, and a logical address corresponding to the write command belongs to a predetermined logical address range. The method also includes determining whether a suitable memory module has not stored any data belonging to the predetermined logical address range exists in all rewritable non-volatile memory modules. The method further includes writing a writing data corresponding to the write command into the suitable memory module if it is existent.

Abstract: A data writing method for writing updated data from a host into a memory module is provided. Herein, some physical units of the memory module are gotten to be global random physical units for storing data from the host. The method includes determining whether the updated data is sequential data and determining whether a logical page corresponding to the updated data is a start logical page. The method further includes getting a blank physical unit from the physical units as a new global random physical unit and writing the updated data into the new global random physical unit when the updated data is the sequential data and the logical page corresponding to the updated data is the start logical page. Accordingly, the method can write updated data belonging to the same logical unit into the same physical unit, thereby shortening the time for executing write commands.

Abstract: A data reading method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided, wherein the rewritable non-volatile memory module has a plurality of physical pages. The data reading method includes grouping the physical pages into a plurality of physical page groups and configuring a corresponding threshold voltage set for each of the physical page groups. The data reading method also includes respectively reading data from the physical pages of the physical page groups by using the corresponding threshold voltage sets. The data reading method further includes when data read from one of the physical pages of one of the physical page groups cannot be corrected by using an error checking and correcting (ECC) circuit, updating the threshold voltage set corresponding to the physical page group.

Abstract: A memory storage device, a memory controller thereof, and a method for responding host commands are provided. The memory storage device has a flash memory chip and a buffer memory. The present method includes receiving a write command issued by a host system and determining whether the write command causes the memory storage device to trigger a data moving procedure. If the write command does not cause the memory storage device to trigger the data moving procedure, the present method further includes sending an acknowledgement message corresponding to the write command to the host system after data corresponding to the write command is completely transferred to the buffer memory.

Abstract: A data accessing method, and a storage system and a controller using the same are provided. The data accessing method is suitable for a flash memory storage system having a data perturbation module. The data accessing method includes receiving a read command from a host and obtaining a logical block to be read and a page to be read from the read command. The data accessing method also includes determining whether a physical block in a data area corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block and transmitting a predetermined data to the host when the physical block corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block. Thereby, the host is prevented from reading garbled code from the flash memory storage system having the data perturbation module.

Abstract: A data management method, a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus are provided. The method includes grouping physical units of a rewritable non-volatile memory module into at least a data area and a free area. The method also includes configuring logical units for mapping to the physical units of the data area and writing update data belonging to the logical pages of the logical units orderly into the physical pages of physical units gotten from the free area. The method further includes configuring root units for the logical pages, configuring an entry chain for each of the root units and building entries on the entry chains for recording update information of the updated logical pages, wherein each of the logical pages corresponds to a root unit. Accordingly, the table size for storing the update information is effectively reduced and the time for searching valid data is effectively shortened.

Abstract: A data writing method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided, the rewritable non-volatile memory module has a plurality of physical blocks, each of the physical blocks has a plurality of physical pages, a portion of the physical blocks are mapped to a plurality of logical blocks, and each of the logical blocks has a plurality of logical pages. The data writing method includes receiving data, and the data has a plurality of data bits and belongs to one of the logical pages. The data writing method also includes determining whether each of the data bits is a specific value. The data writing method further includes not writing the data into the physical pages when each of the data bits is the specific value. Thereby, the performance of a memory storage apparatus is improved.

Abstract: A block management method for managing physical blocks of a rewritable non-volatile memory, and a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus using the same are provided. The method includes grouping the physical blocks into at least a data area, a free area, and a replacement area, and grouping the physical blocks of the data area and the free area into a plurality of physical units. The method also includes when one of the physical blocks belonging to of the physical units of the data area becomes a bad physical block, getting a physical block from the replacement area and replacing the bad physical block with the gotten physical block. The method further includes associating a physical unit that contains no valid data in the free area with the replacement area. Thereby, the physical blocks can be effectively managed and the access efficiency can be improved.

Abstract: A data writing method, and a flash storage system and a controller using the same are provided. The method includes grouping the physical blocks of a flash memory into the physical blocks of a data area, a spare area and a special area. The method also includes writing the update data into the corresponding physical block of the special area when the update data is the single accessing unit. The method may include moving a part of valid data in a physical block mapping a logical block where the update data is belonged into a physical block of the spare area during each data writing command. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the response time for each data writing command, thereby preventing a time-out problem caused by a flash memory having a large erasing unit configured at the flash storage system.

Abstract: A data writing method for a non-volatile memory is provided, wherein the non-volatile memory includes a data area and a spare area. In the data writing method, a plurality of blocks in a substitution area of the non-volatile memory is respectively used for substituting a plurality of blocks in the data area, wherein data to be written into the blocks in the data area is written into the blocks in the substitution area, and the blocks in the substitution area are selected from the spare area of the non-volatile memory. A plurality of temporary blocks of the non-volatile memory is used as a temporary area of the blocks in the substitution area, wherein the temporary area is used for temporarily storing the data to be written into the blocks in the substitution area.