Patent ID: 8189386
Filing Date: 2012-05-29
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A programming method for a multi-level cell non-volatile memory device, the programming method comprising: performing a programming operation to program memory cells of the memory device, the memory cells being multi-level cells; when the programmed memory cells are determined to include one or more memory cells that failed to be programmed and when a current program loop is a maximum program loop, determining whether a number of the one or more memory cells that failed to be programmed corresponds to a number of memory cells that can successfully undergo ECC (error checking and correction); when the number of the one or more memory cells that failed to be programmed is less than or equal to the number of the memory cells that can successfully undergo ECC, reading multi-bit data from a memory cell that failed to be programmed and examining the bits of the multi-bit data read from the memory cell that failed to be programmed so as to determine whether a number of error bits of the multi-bit data read from the memory cell that failed to be programmed can successfully undergo ECC; and when the number of error bits of the memory cell that failed to be programmed can successfully undergo ECC, ending a programming operation.