Nonvolatile Memory Block Reclaim Based on Program-Erase Cycles

The patent changes the parameters of reclaim operations based on the number of program and erase cycles. For memory blocks with fewer P/E cycles, reclaim operations are performed more frequently with shorter intervals. For blocks with more P/E cycles, reclaim operations are performed less frequently with longer intervals. This dynamic parameter adjustment optimizes both data integrity and system performance by adapting the reclaim strategy to the actual wear state of each block.

The patent implements dynamic reclaim intervals based on the number of program and erase cycles of each memory block. Instead of using fixed intervals for all blocks, the system adjusts the reclaim interval dynamically - shorter intervals for blocks with fewer P/E cycles and longer intervals for blocks with more P/E cycles. This dynamic approach eliminates unnecessary reclaim operations on heavily used blocks while maintaining data integrity on lightly used blocks, significantly improving overall efficiency.

The patent applies different reclaim strategies to different memory blocks based on their individual characteristics, specifically the number of program and erase cycles. Instead of uniform treatment, each block receives a customized reclaim policy - blocks with fewer P/E cycles get more frequent reclaim operations while blocks with more P/E cycles get less frequent operations. This localized quality approach ensures data integrity coverage where needed while reducing overhead in blocks that don't require intensive reclaim operations.