Patent ID: 8429493

Claim:
A method for operating a memory, comprising: storing data in a plurality of analog memory cells that are fabricated on a first semiconductor die by writing input storage values to a group of the analog memory cells; after storing the data, reading multiple output storage values from each of the analog memory cells in the group using respective, different threshold sets of read thresholds, thus providing multiple output sets of the output storage values corresponding respectively to the threshold sets; preprocessing the multiple output sets of the output storage values by circuitry that is fabricated on the first semiconductor die, to produce preprocessed data; and providing the preprocessed data to a memory controller, which is fabricated on a second semiconductor die that is different from the first semiconductor die, so as to enable the memory controller to reconstruct the data stored in the group of the analog memory cells responsively to the preprocessed data; wherein preprocessing the multiple output sets comprises estimating a statistical property of the output storage values, and wherein providing the preprocessed data comprises providing the estimated statistical property to the memory controller; wherein the statistical property comprises one or more of: a mean of the output storage values, a variance of the output storage values, a number of the analog memory cells in the group whose output storage values are within a given range of values, a Probability Density Function (PDF) of the output storage values, a histogram of the output storage values, a Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) of the output storage values, and an inverse CDF of the output storage values.