Patent ID: 8861269

Claim:
A method of operating non-volatile storage, comprising: programming a lower page bit into a selected non-volatile storage element on a NAND string, the selected non-volatile storage element having a first neighbor on one side of the NAND string and a second neighbor non-volatile storage element on the other side of the NAND string; programming an upper page bit into the first neighbor after programming the lower page bit into the selected non-volatile storage element; sensing the selected non-volatile storage element after programming the upper page bit into the first neighbor and prior to programming an upper page bit into the second neighbor, the sensing comprising: applying a read reference voltage to a control gate of the selected non-volatile storage element; applying a first read pass voltage to a control gate of the first neighbor non-volatile storage element while applying the read reference voltage, the first read pass voltage is a delta greater than a read pass voltage that is applied to the first neighbor non-volatile storage element when reading the selected non-volatile storage element when an upper page bit is programmed on both neighbors; applying a second read pass voltage to a control gate of the second neighbor non-volatile storage element, the second read pass voltage is the delta less than a read pass voltage that is applied to the second neighbor non-volatile storage element when reading the selected non-volatile storage element when an upper page bit is programmed on both neighbors; and sensing the NAND string in response to applying the read reference voltage, the first read pass voltage and the second read pass voltage.