Patent ID: 7826267

Claim:
A method of reading a select non-volatile memory cell from an array of such non-volatile memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein each cell in the same column share a first local bit line to one side and share a second local bit line to another side, wherein alternating local bit lines are connected to a first global bit line and other alternating local bit lines are connected to a second global bit line with the global bit lines connected to a sense amplifier, said method comprising: precharging said global bit lines and local bit lines to a precharged voltage; connecting one of said first or second global bit lines to a lower voltage, wherein said one global bit line connected to the lower voltage also connects to the local bit line for sensing the select non-volatile memory cell; and detecting the state of the select non-volatile memory cell by detecting the sense amplifier connected to the global bit line, other than the one global bit line.