Patent ID: 8811086

Claim:
A flash memory device, comprising: a controller configured to determine, a plurality of fixed zones associated with a memory array, each of the plurality of fixed zones having an associated pass voltage, the plurality of fixed zone being equally divided, and each fixed zone including a plurality of word lines; higher, M, and lower, N, word-line address bits based on an input word-line address, a selected area of the memory array based on the higher and lower word-line address bits, the selected area including one of the plurality of fixed zones, and an unselected area of the memory array based on the selected area, the unselected area including one or more of the plurality of fixed zones; and a high voltage generator configured to, provide a first pass voltage to a word line of the selected area, and provide a second pass voltage to a word line of the unselected area, such that the unselected word lines of the fixed zones that correspond to the selected area have the same pass voltage regardless of which one of the plurality word lines is selected.