Patent ID: 7301839

Claim:
A method for reading data from a first set of non-volatile storage elements, comprising: performing a read operation on a second set of non-volatile storage elements, said second set of non-volatile storage elements are adjacent said first non-volatile storage element; providing a predetermined demarcation current to discriminate between data stored in said first set of non-volatile storage elements; sensing said first set of non-volatile storage elements in parallel during a first pass; identifying those non-volatile storage elements having conduction currents higher than said predetermined demarcation current; inhibiting conduction currents for those non-volatile storage elements having conduction currents higher than said predetermined demarcation current; sensing said first set of non-volatile storage elements in parallel during a second pass; storing and reporting data indicating a programmed value based on said sensing during said first pass for non-volatile storage elements of said first set of non-volatile storage elements adjacent to non-volatile storage elements of said second set of non-volatile storage elements that store information which does not provide a first indication; and storing and reporting data indicating a programmed value based on said sensing during said second pass for non-volatile storage elements of said first set of non-volatile storage elements adjacent to non-volatile storage elements of said second set of non-volatile storage elements that store information which provide said first indication.