Memory device and method of operating the same

A method of operating a memory device, the memory device including a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells and page buffers coupled to the memory cell array through respective bit lines, the method comprising:

• sensing data stored in the memory cell array and storing sensed data in a main latch between the main latch and a cache latch included in each of the page buffers, when the memory device performs a cache read operation;
• determining, after all of the sensed data has been stored in the main latch, whether a cache read command has been received from an external device;
• and
• determining a time point at which a discharge operation is to be performed after the sensing of the data and a time point at which a data transfer operation of transferring the data stored in the main latch to the cache latch is to be performed, based on whether the cache read command has been received.

A memory device comprising:

• a memory cell array;
• a peripheral circuit suitable for discharging the memory cell array during a cache read operation;
• a main latch suitable for latching read data sensed from the memory cell array;
• a cache latch suitable for latching read data transferred from the main latch to output the read data to an external;
• and
• a control logic suitable for transferring the read data from the main latch to the cache latch during a discharge in response to a cache read command provided before or during the discharge.