Patent ID: 8861270

Claim:
A method to store an approximate value in a multi-level cell, the method comprising: receiving a first signal that represents a first digital value to be stored in the multi-level cell; receiving a first signal that indicates the first digital value is to be written as the approximate value in the multi-level cell; providing at least one programming pulse to the multi-level cell until a first sensed analog value from the multi-level cell is within a first range of values; receiving a second signal that represents a second digital value to be stored in the multi-level cell; receiving a second signal that indicates the second digital value is to be written as a precise value in the multi-level cell; and providing at least one programming pulse to the multi-level cell until a second sensed analog value from the multi-level cell is within a second range of values, wherein the first range of values is wider than a second range of values.