Patent ID: 8509000
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A method for operating non-volatile storage, comprising: establishing a first voltage on a common source line that is electrically connected to a plurality of NAND strings of non-volatile storage elements that are programmed to at least four states; establishing a second voltage on a first bit line that is associated with a first NAND string of the plurality of NAND strings, the first NAND string includes a first non-volatile storage element, the second voltage is less than the first voltage; establishing a third voltage on a second bit line that is associated with a second NAND string of the plurality of NAND strings, the second NAND string includes a second non-volatile storage element, the third voltage is less than the first voltage; establishing a fourth voltage on a word line that is associated with the plurality of NAND strings, the fourth voltage is established while the second voltage and the third voltage are established on the first and second bit lines; sensing a first condition of the first non-volatile storage element in response to establishing the second voltage on the word line to determine whether the threshold voltage of the first non-volatile storage element is above or below a first reference voltage; and sensing a second condition of the second non-volatile storage element in response to establishing the second voltage on the word line to determine whether the threshold voltage of the second non-volatile storage element is above or below a second reference voltage.