Patent ID: 8059456

Claim:
A method of storing data in a memory device comprising memory cells comprising: (a) programming a first set of the memory cells to a first threshold voltage level, which is not a highest threshold voltage level for the memory cells of the memory device, for storing a first most significant bit pattern of a number of bits wherein the number of bits of the first most significant bit pattern is at least two bits; and programming a second set of the memory cells to a second threshold voltage level, which is at least two threshold voltage levels below the first threshold voltage level, for storing a second most significant bit pattern of the same number of bits as the first most significant bit pattern; and (b) after performing step (a), programming a first subset of the first set of memory cells to a third threshold voltage level which is higher than the first threshold voltage level for storing a first least significant bit pattern of a number of bits, and programming a second subset of the second set of memory cells to a fourth threshold voltage level, which is higher than the second threshold voltage level and less than the first threshold voltage level for storing a second least significant bit pattern of the same number of bits as the first least significant bit pattern.