Patent ID: 11894068
Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 17:
18. A non-volatile memory device, comprising:
a plurality of non-volatile memory cells each configured to hold a plurality of bits of data;
a sense amplifier including a sense node configured to connect to a first selected memory cell; and
one or more control circuits connected to the plurality of non-volatile memory cells and to the sense amplifier, the one or more control circuits configured to:
receive a read command;
in response to the read command, perform the read command in either a first mode or a second mode, where to perform the read command in the first mode the one or more control circuits are configured to:
bias a selected memory cell at a read voltage level;
pre-charge the sense node;
discharge the pre-charged sense node through the biased selected memory cell for a first sensing interval;
determine a first hard bit value for the selected memory cell based on an amount that the sense node discharges during the first sensing interval;
subsequent to discharging the sense node for the first sensing interval, continue discharging the pre-charged sense node through the biased selected memory cell for an additional sensing interval; and
determine a soft bit value for the first selected memory cell based on an amount that the sense node discharges during the combined first sensing interval and the additional sensing interval,

where to perform the read command in the second mode the one or more control circuits are configured to:
perform a read operation for distinguishing between the first data state and the second data state based on only a second hard bit read value, and

store parameter values for determining the first hard bit value and determining the soft bit values as offsets relative to parameter values configured for performing the read operation for distinguishing between the first data state and the second data state based on only the second hard bit read value.