Lower page only host burst writes

摘要

In a Multi Level Cell (MLC) memory array, a burst of data from a host may be written in only lower pages of a block in a rapid manner. Other data from a host may be written in lower and upper pages so that data is more efficiently arranged for long term storage.

主权项

1. A method of operating a block-erasable nonvolatile memory array comprising:
receiving data to be programmed in the block-erasable nonvolatile memory array from a host; determining, prior to programming the data in the block-erasable nonvolatile memory array, whether the data is burst data; if the data is burst data, programming the burst data as only lower page data along three or more word lines of at least one block configured as a Multi Level Cell (MLC) block; subsequently, only after the burst data from the host is programmed, copying additional data from outside the MLC block to fill upper pages of the MLC block while maintaining the burst data as lower page data in the MLC block; and if the data is not burst data, programming the data in Multi Level Cell (MLC) blocks as both lower page data and upper page data along word lines of the MLC blocks in accordance with a programming sequence in which lower page data is programmed one word line ahead of upper page data.