Memory controllers, storage devices, and operating methods of the storage devices

#This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0116356, filed on Sep. 20, 2019 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0017144, filed on Feb. 12, 2020 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

#The inventive concepts relate to storage devices, and more particularly, to memory controllers capable of managing defective memories, storage devices including the memory controllers, and operating methods of the storage devices.

#Recently, storage devices, such as a solid state drive (SSD), have been widely used, and the storage devices are used to store or move a large amount of data. Due to various reasons, some of the memories included in the storage devices may be exposed to progressive defects, and thus, an issue that the storage devices need to be replaced may occur.

#Example embodiments of the inventive concepts will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a storage system according to some example embodiments;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a memory controller according to some example embodiments;

#Hereinafter, some example embodiments of the inventive concepts are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

#It will be understood that elements, which may include devices and/or operations, and/or properties thereof may be recited herein as being “the same” or “equal” as other elements, and it will be further understood that elements and/or properties thereof recited herein as being “the same” as or “equal” to other elements may be “the same” as or “equal” to or “substantially the same” as or “substantially equal” to the other elements and/or properties thereof. Elements and/or properties thereof that are “substantially the same” as or “substantially equal” to other elements and/or properties thereof will be understood to include elements and/or properties thereof that are the same as or equal to the other elements and/or properties thereof within manufacturing tolerances and/or material tolerances. Elements and/or properties thereof that are the same or substantially the same as other elements and/or properties thereof may be structurally the same or substantially the same, functionally the same or substantially the same, and/or compositionally the same or substantially the same.

#It will be understood that elements, which may include devices and/or operations, and/or properties thereof described herein as being “substantially” the same encompasses elements and/or properties thereof that are the same within manufacturing tolerances and/or material tolerances and/or elements and/or properties thereof that have a relative difference in magnitude that is equal to or less than 10%. Further, regardless of whether elements and/or properties thereof are modified as “substantially,” it will be understood that these elements and/or properties thereof should be construed as including a manufacturing or operational tolerance (e.g., ±10%) around the stated elements and/or properties thereof (e.g., structures, properties of one or more elements, lengths, distances, parallel or perpendicular arrangement, or the like).