Method and system for programming and inhibiting multi-level, non-volatile memory cells

A method of using a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, the method comprising:

• storing charge in the memory cells;
• continuing storing charge in the memory cells if no memory cell has reached or exceeded a first predetermined charge level, the first predetermined charge level representing at least two data bits;
• inhibiting storing charge in any memory cell that has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• determining whether all memory cells selected to store the first predetermined charge level have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• if at least one memory cell selected to store the first predetermined charge level has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells;
• if all memory cells selected to store the first predetermined charge level have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, determining whether all memory cells selected to store second or third predetermined charge levels have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• and
• if at least one memory cell selected to store second or third predetermined charge levels has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells until all memory cells selected to store second or third predetermined charge levels have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level.

A method of programming a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, the memory cells comprising a first set of one or more memory cells selected to store a charge level equal to or greater than a first predetermined charge level corresponding to a first set of data bits, a second set of one or more memory cells selected to store a charge level equal to or greater than a second predetermined charge level corresponding to a second set of data bits and a third set of one or more memory cells selected to store a charge level equal to or greater than a third predetermined charge level corresponding to a third set of data bits, the method comprising:

• simultaneously storing charge in the first, second and third sets of memory cells;
• continuing storing charge in the memory cells if no memory cell has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• inhibiting storing charge of any memory cell in the first, second and third sets that has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• determining whether all memory cells in the first set have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• and
• if at least one memory cell in the first set has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells.

A method of programming a plurality of non-volatile memory cells to have a plurality of threshold voltage levels, the method comprising:

• programming the memory cells with at least one voltage pulse;
• after at least one voltage pulse, continuing programming if no memory cell has reached or exceeded a first predetermined threshold voltage level, the first predetermined threshold voltage level representing a first set of data bits;
• inhibiting programming of any memory cell that has reached or exceeded the first predetermined threshold voltage level;
• determining whether all memory cells selected to store the first set of data bits have reached or exceeded the first predetermined threshold voltage level;
• if at least one memory cell selected to store the first set of data bits has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined threshold voltage level, continuing programming of uninhibited memory cells;
• if all memory cells selected to store the first set of data bits have reached or exceeded the first predetermined threshold voltage level, determining whether any memory cell has reached or exceeded a second predetermined threshold voltage level, the second predetermined threshold voltage level representing a second set of data bits;
• and
• inhibiting programming of any memory cell that has reached or exceeded the second predetermined threshold voltage level and continuing programming of uninhibited memory cells.

A method of using a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, the method comprising:

• storing charge in the memory cells;
• continuing storing charge in the memory cells if no memory cell has reached or exceeded a first predetermined charge level, the first predetermined charge level representing at least two data bits;
• inhibiting storing charge in any memory cell that has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• determining whether all memory cells selected to store the first predetermined charge level have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• if at least one memory cell selected to store the first predetermined charge level has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells;
• if all memory cells selected to store the first predetermined charge level have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, determining whether any memory cell selected to store second or third predetermined charge levels has reached or exceeded the second predetermined charge level;
• inhibiting storing charge in any memory cell that has reached or exceeded the second predetermined charge level;
• and
• if no memory cell selected to store second or third predetermined charge levels has reached or exceeded the second predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells.

A method of programming a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, the memory cells comprising a first set of one or more memory cells selected to store a charge level equal to or greater than a first predetermined charge level corresponding to a first set of data bits, a second set of one or more memory cells selected to store a charge level equal to or greater than a second predetermined charge level corresponding to a second set of data bits and a third set of one or more memory cells selected to store a charge level equal to or greater than a third predetermined charge level corresponding to a third set of data bits, the method comprising:

• simultaneously storing charge in the first, second and third sets of memory cells;
• continuing storing charge in the memory cells if no memory cell has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• inhibiting charging of any memory cell in the first, second and third sets that has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• determining whether all memory cells in the first set have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• if at least one memory cell in the first set has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells;
• if all memory cells in the first set have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, determining whether any memory cell in the second set has reached or exceeded the second predetermined charge level;
• and
• if at least one memory cell in the second set has not reached or exceeded the second predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells in the second and third sets.

A method of programming a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, the method comprising:

• storing charge in a first set and a second set of memory cells;
• continuing storing charge in the memory cells if no memory cell has reached or exceeded a first predetermined charge level, the first predetermined charge level representing at least two data bits;
• inhibiting storing charge in any memory cell that has reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• determining whether all memory cells in the first set of memory cells have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level;
• if at least one memory cell in the first set has not reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in uninhibited memory cells;
• and
• if all memory cells in the first set have reached or exceeded the first predetermined charge level, continuing storing charge in the first set of memory cells.

A method of programming a plurality of non-volatile memory cells in parallel from a common threshold level into at least first and second threshold levels as designated by data being stored in the memory cells, the method comprising:

• applying programming conditions to all of the plurality of memory cells designated for the first and second threshold levels;
• terminating application of the programming conditions to individual ones of the plurality of memory cells designated for the first and second threshold levels as the cells designated for the first and second threshold levels individually reach said first threshold level;
• after those of the memory cells designated for the first threshold level have all reached the first threshold level, applying programming conditions to those of the plurality of memory cells designated for the second threshold level;
• and
• terminating application of the programming conditions to individual ones of the plurality of memory cells designated for the second threshold level as the cells designated for the second threshold level individually reach said second threshold level.