Managing bad blocks in flash memory for electronic data flash card

Abstract

An electronic data flash card accessible by a host computer, includes a flash memory controller connected to a flash memory device, and an input-output interface circuit activated to establish a communication with the host. In an embodiment, the flash card uses a USB interface circuit for communication with the host. A flash memory controller includes an arbitrator for mapping logical addresses with physical block addresses, and for performing block management operations including: storing reassigned data to available blocks, relocating valid data in obsolete blocks to said available blocks and reassigning logical block addresses to physical block addresses of said available blocks, finding bad blocks of the flash memory device and replacing with reserve blocks, erasing obsolete blocks for recycling after relocating valid data to available blocks, and erase count wear leveling of blocks, etc. Furthermore, each flash memory device includes an internal buffer for accelerating the block management operations.