According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes: a first memory unit including first to fourth memory cells; a second memory unit including fifth to eighth memory cells; a first word line coupled to gates of the first and fifth memory cells; a second word line coupled to gates of the second and sixth memory cells; a third word line coupled to gates of the third and seventh memory cells; and a fourth word line coupled to gates of the fourth and eighth memory cells. In a write operation, writes to the fourth memory cell, the first memory cell, the eighth memory cell, and the fifth memory cell are executed in order.

A method for a pre-lockout read for a reverse order read operation with lockout mode is disclosed. The method comprises: performing a pre-lockout read at a first sensing level to determine which memory cells of the set of memory cells are on in response to the first sensing level being applied to a selected word line; performing a first sensing operation on the selected word line at a second sensing level including sensing memory cells of the set of memory cells determined to be off in response to the pre-lockout read; and performing a second sensing operation on the selected word line at a third sensing level including sensing memory cells of the set of memory cells determined to be on in response to the pre-lockout read, where the first sensing level is of a value between the second sensing level and the third sensing level.

A storage device may detect errors during data transfer. Upon detection of one or more data transfer errors, for example, the storage device can begin to scan pages within a plurality of memory devices for uncorrectable error correction codes. Once scanned, a range of pages within the plurality of memory devices with uncorrectable error correction codes associated with a write abort error may be determined. The stage of multi-pass programming achieved on each page within that range is then established. Once calculated, the previously aborted multi-pass programming of each page within the range of pages can continue until completion. Upon completion, normal operations may continue without discarding physical data location.

A method for reading data stored in a flash memory includes at least the following steps: controlling the flash memory to perform a plurality of read operations upon a plurality of memory cells included in the flash memory; obtaining a plurality of bit sequences read from the memory cells, respectively, wherein the read operations read bits of a predetermined bit order from the memory cells by utilizing different control gate voltage settings; and determining readout information of the memory cells according to binary digit distribution characteristics of the bit sequences.

A storage device may be configured to determine data states for a first set of memory cells, of an array of memory cells, that are part of a logical N−1 neighboring word line that is adjacent to a selected word line. The storage device may be further configured to determine a program voltage configuration based on the data states. The storage device may be further configured to determine, using the program voltage configuration, a program operation on the selected word line to iteratively program respective memory cells, of a second set of memory cells that are part of the selected word line. Determining the data states, determining the program voltage configuration, and performing the program operation may be repeated until a program stop condition is satisfied.

A method comprises determining a verify voltage for a next iteration of a verify operation to be performed on memory cells a first set of memory cells of a selected word line, and determining data states for a second set of memory cells of at least one neighboring word line. The method further comprises determining, based on the data states, a verify voltage configuration that includes bit line voltage biases or sense times, and performing the next iteration of the verify operation on the selected word line by using the verify voltage configuration to iteratively verify whether respective memory cells, of the second set of memory cells, have threshold voltages above the verify voltage, wherein determining the data states, determining the verify voltage configuration, and performing the next iteration are to be repeated until a program stop condition is satisfied.

A memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of strings. A method of programming the memory device includes programming a first row of the memory cells. The method also includes, after programing the first row of the memory cells, programming a second row of the memory cells. The second row is adjacent to the first row in a first string direction. The method further includes, after programming the second row of the memory cells, programming a third row of the memory cells. The third row is two rows apart from the second row in a second string direction opposite to the first string direction.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells; a first circuit configured to convert first data into second data relating to an order of thresholds of the memory cells; and a second circuit configured to perform a write operation on the memory cells based on the second data.

A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory configured to execute one of a plurality of read operations, including a first read operation and a second read operation, and a memory controller configured to issue a read command to the nonvolatile memory to cause the nonvolatile memory to execute one of the plurality of read operations. The memory controller is configured to receive a read request, estimate a reliability level of a result of a read operation to be executed by the nonvolatile memory to read data from a physical address specified in the read request, select one of the first and second read operations to be executed first in a read sequence corresponding to the read request by the nonvolatile memory based on the estimated reliability level, and instruct the nonvolatile memory to execute the selected read operation.

The invention provides a storage structure and an erase method thereof, capable of performing an erase operation on a plurality of memory blocks. The storage structure includes: a first storage body, a second storage body, a third storage body, and a controller. Memory blocks that are consecutively numbered are sequentially alternately stored in the first memory bank, the second memory bank, and the third memory bank, and the controller is configured to control each memory block to sequentially undergo a first process, a second process and a third process. The erase method includes: when a memory block Bi undergoes the third process, a memory block Bi+1 undergoes the second process, and a memory block Bi+2 undergoes the first process at the same time; where i ∈ [1, n−2]. Three adjacent blocks undergo the first process, the second process, and the third process simultaneously.