Patent attributes
The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable heuristic aware garbage collection in storage systems (e.g., non-volatile data storage systems using one or more flash memory devices). In one aspect, a time parameter (e.g., dwell time) and/or heuristics (e.g., error count, error rate, number of reads, number of times programmed, etc.) are used in a garbage collection scheme. For example, in some implementations, the method of garbage collection for a storage medium in a storage system includes (1) determining a time parameter for a block in the storage medium, and (2) in accordance with a determination that the time parameter for the block is greater than a first threshold time, enabling garbage collection of the block.