Patent ID: 7366022
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A non-volatile storage system, comprising: a set of non-volatile storage elements, including at least first and second subsets of non-volatile storage elements having respective threshold voltages that fall within a first threshold voltage distribution; and one or more managing circuits in communication with the first and second subsets of non-volatile storage elements, the one or more managing circuits receive a request to program data, and, responsive to the request: (a) program the at least first and second subsets of non-volatile storage elements so that a threshold voltage of at least a first non-volatile storage element of the first subset transitions to a second threshold voltage distribution which overlaps with the first threshold voltage distribution, and a threshold voltage of at least a second non-volatile storage element of the second subset transitions to a third threshold voltage distribution which is outside of the first and second voltage distributions, (b) track the threshold voltage of the at least a first non-volatile storage element to determine when it has transitioned to the second threshold voltage distribution, and (c) determine when to initiate a verification process for verifying when the threshold voltage of the at least a second non-volatile storage element transitions to the third threshold voltage distribution, responsive to the tracking.