Scheme for finding and checking whether page units in one block are empty pages by using flash memory device based on smaller search range

Abstract

A flash memory controller of a storage device is coupled to a flash memory device of the storage device through a specific communication interface and includes an input/output (I/O) circuit and a processor. The I/O circuit sends commands and data between the flash memory device and the processor The processor controls the I/O circuit to send a specific boundary check command signal or a specific boundary check set-feature signal via the specific communication interface to the flash memory device, to make the flash memory device read out more page data of multiple page units from a specific block in the memory cell array based on a smaller search range and to make the flash memory device determine whether the multiple page units are empty pages, the search range defined by a start page address stored in the flash memory device.