Method and system for managing data in non-volatile memory

A method for managing data storage in a non-volatile memory system, the method comprising:

• receiving data at a controller of the non-volatile memory system;
• determining a data classification for the received data from a predetermined plurality of data classifications to assign the received data;
• writing the received data to an open data block having only data of a same data classification as the determined data classification;
• upon completely programming the open data block, associating an epoch indicator with the open data block to create a closed block, the epoch indicator defining a time period within which the closed block and a plurality of additional closed blocks were created;
• and
• determining if the time period has expired and, if the time period has expired, changing the epoch indicator;
• and
• associating subsequent closed blocks with the changed epoch indicator until a next time period expires.

A non-volatile memory system comprising:

• a non-volatile memory having a plurality of memory blocks, wherein all blocks containing valid data are exclusively associated with a respective one of a plurality of data types and one of a plurality of epoch indicators, each epoch indicator defining a different time period within which data in an associated plurality of blocks was received from a host;
• and
• a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory, the controller configured to:
• detect a block reclaim trigger;
• in response to detecting the block reclaim trigger, select a previously programmed block as a source block;
• and
• relocate valid data from the selected source block only to a relocation block exclusively associated with a same data type and a same epoch indicator as associated with the selected source block.

A non-volatile memory system comprising:

• a non-volatile memory having a plurality of memory blocks;
• and
• a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory, the controller configured to:
• receive data from a host;
• determine a data classification for the received data from a predetermined plurality of data classifications to assign the received data;
• write the received data to an open data block having only data of a same data classification as the determined data classification;
• upon completely programming the open data block, store an association of an epoch indicator with the open data block in a data structure in the non-volatile memory system to create a closed block, the epoch indicator defining a time period within which the closed block and a plurality of additional closed blocks are created;
• and
• upon detecting a block reclaim trigger:
• select a previously programmed block as a source block;
• and
• relocate valid data from the selected source block only to a relocation block exclusively associated with a same data type and a same epoch indicator as associated with the selected source block.