Patent ID: 8879317

Claim:
A method of decoding data stored in a data storage device, the data storage device including a non-volatile memory having a three-dimensional (3D) memory configuration that includes memory cells and circuitry associated with operating the memory cells, the memory cells including a target group of memory cells, wherein each memory cell of the target group of memory cells stores one or more data bits by having a physical characteristic of the memory cell set to a corresponding range of values, and wherein the data bits stored in the cells of the target group of memory cells affect physical characteristics of a second group of memory cells, the method comprising: sensing the memory cells in the second group and generating information about the physical characteristics of the memory cells of the second group; decoding data bits stored in the memory cells of the second group; sensing the memory cells in the target group and generating information about the physical characteristics of the memory cells of the target group; and decoding data bits stored in the memory cells of the target group according to the information about the physical characteristics of the memory cells of the second group, according to the decoded data bits of the second group, and according to the information about the physical characteristics of the memory cells of the target group.