Patent ID: 7697345

Claim:
A method of programming for a nonvolatile memory, which comprises a plurality of word lines, each of which is coupled with memory cells, and is adapted to perform an erase operation and a program operation, wherein in the erase operation, all of the memory cells coupled to a selected word line shift into an erase state, wherein in the program operation, a first part of said memory cells coupled to the selected word line are in a corresponding state in accordance with first data before performing the program operation and a second part of said memory cells coupled the selected word line are in the erase state, wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving second data, quantity of which is 512 byte, to be programmed to the second part of memory cells coupled to the selected word line, merging the first data already programmed in the first part of the memory cells and the second data to be programmed in the second part of the memory cells, and programming the second data to the second part of memory cells coupled to the selected word line, the first part of memory cells coupled the selected word line remaining in the corresponding state in accordance with the first data before performing the program operation by programming a merged data to the memory cells coupled with the selected word line.