Patent ID: 7440327

Claim:
A non-volatile storage system, comprising: a set of non-volatile storage elements; a set of word lines in communication with the set of non-volatile storage elements; and one or more control circuits in communication with the set of non-volatile storage elements and the set of word lines, the one or more control circuits: a) in connection with performing a sense operation on at least one non-volatile storage element associated with a first word line, determine whether or not there is at least one non-volatile storage element associated with a second word line which is in a programmed state, b) apply a first voltage to the second word line while performing the sense operation when the one or more control circuits determine that there is at least one non-volatile storage element associated with the second word line which is in a programmed state, and c) apply a second voltage to the second word line while performing the sense operation when the one or more control circuits determine that there is not at least one non-volatile storage element associated with the second word line which is in a programmed state.