| abstract |
A data storage device includes a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of memory blocks and page buffers for data input/output, the page buffers being electrically connected to the plurality of memory blocks, respectively, and a controller configured to, when a number of free memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold number, select, as a candidate source memory block group, memory blocks each having a number of valid pages equal to or less than a predetermined number within the nonvolatile memory, select, as a source memory block, a memory block having a minimum amount of time required to read valid data from the valid page within the candidate source memory block group and perform a garbage collection operation to the source memory block. |