Patent ID: 7352628

Claim:
A non-volatile memory system, comprising: a plurality of non-volatile storage elements, capable of storing data in at least four physical states; managing circuitry in communication with said plurality of non-volatile storage elements, said managing circuitry receives a request to read a first non-volatile storage element and in response to said request, reads a second non-volatile storage element adjacent said first non-volatile storage element, said managing circuitry reads said first non-volatile storage element by applying a first reference to read said first non-volatile storage element at a level between a first programmed state and a second programmed state and applying a second reference to read said first non-volatile storage element at a level between said second programmed state and a third programmed state, said managing circuitry determines data of said first non-volatile storage element using a result of applying said first reference at a first level and a result of applying said second reference at a second level when said second non-volatile storage element is in a first subset of said physical states, said managing circuitry determines data of said first non-volatile storage element using a result of applying said first reference at said first level and a result of applying said second reference at a third level when said second non-volatile storage element is in a second subset of said physical states.