Reducing a number of close operations on open blocks in a flash memory

A memory system comprising

• a flash memory comprising a plurality of blocks of flash memory cells, wherein each block is configured to store data;
• and
• a flash memory controller configured to:
• divide the flash memory storage into virtual segments, wherein each virtual segment includes blocks of flash memory cells,
• receive a request to write data to a memory location designated by a memory identifier,
• map the memory identifier to a desired segment from among the virtual segments,
• retrieve a previously open segment from among the virtual segments and a previously open block from a collection tracking open blocks,
• when the desired segment matches the previously open segment and the previously open block can store the requested data, write the requested data to the previously open block, and
• when the desired segment is different from the previously open segment, to close the previously open block, configured to write the requested data to a block in the desired segment, and to update the collection with the block in the desired segment.

A non-transitory computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

• divide the flash memory storage into virtual segments, wherein each virtual segment includes blocks of flash memory cells;
• receive a request to write data to a memory location designated by a memory identifier;
• map the memory identifier to a desired segment from among the virtual segments;
• retrieve a previously open segment from among the virtual segments and a previously open block from a collection tracking open blocks;
• when the desired segment matches the previously open segment and the previously open block can store the requested data, write the requested data to the previously open block;
• and
• when the desired segment is different from the previously open segment, closing the previously open block, writing the requested data to a block in the desired segment, and updating the collection with the block in the desired segment.