Data storage device and method including selecting a number of victim memory regions for garbage collection based on erase counts and the number of candidate memory regions

Abstract

A data storage device and method for operating the data storage device are disclosed. The data storage device includes a memory device including a plurality of memory regions, and a controller for selecting one or more candidate memory regions among the plurality of memory regions based on erase counts of the plurality of memory regions, and determining an adjustment value based on the number of candidate memory regions. The controller selects a number of victim memory regions among the one or more candidate memory regions, and performs a garbage collection operation on the selected number of victim memory regions. The number of victim memory regions may be equal to or less than the adjustment value, for example. The controller may determine whether candidate memory regions exist for which garbage collection has not been performed, and may select victim memory regions depending on amounts of valid data stored therein and a number of free memory regions. The controller may also determine a mode value based on the number of free memory regions.