# US 2025/0094084 A1 · Storage device and operating method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0094084 A1 - Document ID: US20250094084A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/816,595 - Filed: 2024-08-27 - Published: 2025-03-20 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hyeongyu Cho; Inhae Kang; Sooyun Lee; Sangwook Yoo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250094084A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0614: {Improving the reliability of storage systems} - G06F 3/0659: {Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling} - G06F 3/0604: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management} - G06F 3/0634: {by changing the state or mode of one or more devices} - G06F 3/0679: {Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A storage device includes a storage controller and a non-volatile memory including a first memory region including first memory cells having a first data retention time and a second memory region including second memory cells having a second data retention time that is shorter than the first data retention time. Based on an erase request being received from a host in a first operation mode, the storage controller determines whether to switch from the first operation mode to a second operation mode. The storage controller programs program data in a memory region selected from the first memory region and the second memory region in the first operation mode, and the storage controller programs the program data in only the first memory region in the second operation mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage device comprising: a storage controller; and a non-volatile memory including a first memory region including first memory cells having a first data retention time and a second memory region including second memory cells having a second data retention time that is shorter than the first data retention time, wherein, based on an erase request being received from a host in a first operation mode, the storage controller is configured to determine whether to switch from the first operation mode to a second operation mode, wherein, the storage controller is configured to program program data in a memory region selected from the first memory region and the second memory region in the first operation mode, and wherein the storage controller is configured to program the program data in only the first memory region in the second operation mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the storage controller is configured to switch from the first operation mode to the second operation mode when a capacity of memory blocks of which data is requested to be erased is greater than a reference capacity and to maintain the first operation mode when the capacity is less than or equal to the reference capacity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The storage device of claim 2, wherein the reference capacity is a first reference ratio or more of a total capacity of the non-volatile memory. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein, based on a program request being received from the host in the second operation mode, the storage controller is configured to perform a compaction operation to compress the program data and to program the compressed program data in the first memory region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the storage controller is configured to switch from the first operation mode to the second operation mode when a capacity of memory blocks of which data is requested to be erased is greater than a reference capacity and when a valid page count (VPC) of the non-volatile memory is less than a first reference count, and to maintain the first operation mode when the capacity is less than or equal to the reference capacity or when the VPC is greater than or equal to the first reference count. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The storage device of claim 5, wherein the reference capacity is a first reference ratio or more of a total capacity of the non-volatile memory, and wherein the first reference count is less than a second reference ratio of a number of pages included in the non-volatile memory. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The storage device of claim 5, wherein, in the second operation mode, the storage controller is configured to switch from the second operation mode to the first operation mode based on the VPC being greater than a second reference count that is different from the first reference count, and to maintain the second operation mode when the VPC is less than or equal the second reference count. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The storage device of claim 7, wherein the reference capacity is a first reference ratio or more of a total capacity of the non-volatile memory, wherein the first reference count is less than a second reference ratio of a number of pages included in the non-volatile memory, and wherein the second reference count is a third reference ratio or more of a number of pages included in the first memory region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the first memory cells comprise memory cells that store data of less than n bits (n is a natural number of 2 or more), the second memory cells comprise memory cells that store data of n bits or more. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the first memory cells include single level cells (SLC) storing 1-bit data, and the second memory cells include multi-level cells (MLC) storing 2-bit data, triple level cells (TLC) storing 3-bit data, and quad level cells (QLC) storing 4-bit data. ### Claim 11 A storage device comprising: a storage controller; and a non-volatile memory including a first memory region including first memory cells having a first data retention time and a second memory region including second memory cells having a second data retention time that is less than the first data retention time, wherein, based on an erase request being received from a host in a first operation mode, the storage controller is further configured to switch from the first operation mode to a second operation mode when a capacity of memory blocks of which data is requested to be erased is greater than a reference capacity and a valid page count (VPC) of the non-volatile memory is less than a first reference count, and to maintain the first operation mode when the capacity is less than or equal to the reference capacity or the VPC is greater than or equal to the first reference count, wherein, when a program request is received from the host in the first operation mode, the storage controller is configured to program program data in a memory region selected from the first memory region and the second memory region, and wherein, when the program request is received from the host in the second operation mode, the storage controller is configured to program the program data only in the first memory region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage device of claim 11, wherein, when the program request is received from the host in the second operation mode, the storage controller is configured to perform a compaction operation on the program data to compress the program data and to program the compressed program data in the first memory region. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The storage device of claim 11, wherein, in the second operation mode, the storage controller is configured to switch from the second operation mode to the first operation mode based on whether the VPC is greater than a second reference count that is different from the first reference count, and to maintain the second operation mode when the VPC is less than or equal to the second reference count. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The storage device of claim 11, wherein the first memory cells comprise memory cells that store data of less than n bits (n is a natural number of 2 or more), the second memory cells comprise memory cells that store data of n bits or more. ### Claim 15 An operating method of a storage device including a non-volatile memory including a first memory region including first memory cells and a second memory region including second memory cells and a storage controller configured to program data or erase data in the non-volatile memory based on a request received from a host, the operating method comprising: receiving an erase request from the host in a first operation mode in which the program data is programmed in a memory region selected from the first memory region and the second memory region; determining whether a capacity of memory blocks of which data is requested to be erased is greater than a reference capacity; based on the capacity being less than or equal to the reference capacity, maintaining the first operation mode; based on the capacity being greater than the reference capacity, determining whether a valid page count (VPC) of the non-volatile memory is less than a first reference count; based on the VPC being greater than or equal to the first reference count, maintaining the first operation mode; and based on the VPC being less than the first reference count, switching from the first operation mode to a second operation mode in which the program data is programmed only in the first memory region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The operating method of claim 15, wherein the reference capacity is a first reference ratio or more of a total capacity of the non-volatile memory, and wherein the first reference count is less than a second reference ratio of a number of pages included in the non-volatile memory. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The operating method of claim 15, further comprising, in the second operation mode, performing a compaction operation on the program data to compress the program data and programing the compressed program data in the first memory region. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The operating method of claim 15, further comprising, in the second operation mode, determining whether the VPC is greater than a second reference count, and switching from the second operation mode to the first operation mode when the VPC is greater than the second reference count; and maintaining the second operation mode when the VPC is less than or equal to the second reference count. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The operating method of claim 18, wherein the reference capacity is a first reference ratio or more of a total capacity of the non-volatile memory, wherein the first reference count is less than a second reference ratio of a number of pages included in the non-volatile memory, and wherein the second reference count is a third reference ratio or more of a number of pages included in the first memory region. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The operating method of claim 15, wherein the first memory cells comprise memory cells that store data of less than n bits (n is a natural number of 2 or more), the second memory cells comprise memory cells that store data of n bits or more.