Storage device, controller and controller operation method with improved program operation efficiency

A controller comprising:

• a volatile memory;
• a data storage module configured to store user data input from outside the controller in the volatile memory;
• and
• a program control module configured to, when an execution command is input from a host device in a state that a size of the user data stored in the volatile memory is smaller than a unit program size:
• select one or more meta data from among a plurality of meta data according to a difference between the size of the user data and the unit program size, respective sizes of the plurality of meta data, and respective priorities of the plurality of meta data;
• produce final data by concatenating the user data and the one or more meta data, and control an operation of programming the final data into an externally located non-volatile memory,
• wherein selecting the one or more meta data includes selecting a portion of a first meta data among the plurality of meta data when a size of a second meta data of the plurality of meta data is less than a size of the first meta data and a priority of the first meta data is greater than a priority of the second meta data.

A storage device comprising:

• a non-volatile memory;
• a volatile memory storing user data to be programmed into the non-volatile memory;
• and
• a controller configured to, when an execution command is received from a host device in a state that a size of the user data stored in the volatile memory is smaller than a unit program size:
• select one or more meta data from among a plurality of meta data according to a difference between the size of the user data and the unit program size, respective sizes of the plurality of meta data, and respective priorities of the plurality of meta data;
• produce final data by concatenating the user data and the one or more meta data;
• and
• program the final data into the non-volatile memory,
• wherein selecting the one or more meta data includes selecting a portion of a first meta data among the plurality of meta data when a size of a second meta data of the plurality of meta data is less than a size of the first meta data and a priority of the first meta data is greater than a priority of the second meta data.