Patent ID: 7321509

Claim:
A non-volatile memory system, comprising: a first set of non-volatile storage elements capable of storing data for at least a first grouping and a second grouping; a second set of non-volatile storage elements adjacent to said first set of non-volatile storage elements, said second set of non-volatile storage elements associated with at least four data states; and one or more managing circuits in communication with said set of non-volatile storage elements, said one or more managing circuits determine charge level data for said second set of non-volatile storage elements, said one or more managing circuits perform multiple read operations using different reference levels distinguishing between two adjacent data states, each of said first set of non-volatile storage elements choose to record information associated with one of said read operations based on charge level data for a respective adjacent non-volatile storage element of said second set of multi-state non-volatile storage elements, said recorded information indicates data values for said first grouping.