Patent ID: 6870768

Claim:
A memory system, comprising: an array of rows and columns of re-programmable non-volatile memory cells that include charge storage elements that individually store levels of charge indicative of data stored therein, wherein a degree of field coupling exists between the charge storage elements of memory cells of adjacent rows, and programming circuits that successively program memory cells of individual rows of a unit of rows by causing the memory cells of a first row to be programmed and verified to have intermediate data storage charge levels along with an indication that the intermediate levels have been used, by thereafter causing the memory cells of a second row adjacent the first row to be programmed and verified to have intermediate data storage charge levels along with an indication that the intermediate levels have been used, by thereafter causing the memory cells of the first row to be further programmed and verified to have final data storage charge levels along with an indication that the final levels have been used, by thereafter causing the memory cells of a third row adjacent the second row to be programmed and verified to have intermediate data storage charge levels along with an indication that the intermediate levels have been used, by thereafter causing the memory cells of the second row to be further programmed and verified to have final data storage charge levels along with an indication that the final levels have been used, and that repeats this process row-by-row until all the rows of the unit have been programmed to the final data storage charge levels.