Patent ID: 7706183

Claim:
A method for reading a nonvolatile memory array including an array of memory cells, each memory cell including a substrate, a control gate, a charge storage element, a source region and a drain region, comprising: receiving, at an address register, a read command including an address for a memory cell in the array of memory cells and an indication regarding whether the read command is a full page read command or a partial page read command; identifying a starting address for a page including the received address, the page including multiple rows of memory cells in the array of memory cells; setting the address register to the starting address for the page; determining whether all memory cells in a selected row in the page are in a non-programmed state; determining whether the received read command indicates that the read command is a partial page read command when it is determined that all memory cells in the selected row in the page are in a non-programmed state; and outputting data indicative of a non-programmed state of the selected row in the page when it is determined that the read command is a partial page read command.