Patent ID: 8879322

Claim:
A method comprising: in a data storage device that includes a controller coupled to a non-volatile memory having a three-dimensional (3D) configuration and circuitry associated with operation of memory cells of the non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory including a group of storage elements, wherein each storage element includes a memory cell of the non-volatile memory that is configured to store multiple data bits, performing: sending data from the controller to the non-volatile memory; storing first bits corresponding to a first portion of the data into the group of storage elements during a first write stage, wherein each storage element of the group of storage elements stores at least one bit of the first bits upon completion of the first write stage; sending second bits corresponding to a second portion of the data to a second memory without sending the first bits to the second memory; and retrieving the second bits from the second memory and storing at least the second bits into the group of storage elements during a second write stage.