Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and nonvolatile memory system

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising:

• a memory cell array including a plurality of electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory cells arranged in series, at least one of said memory cells storing data using a plurality of threshold levels;
• a number of times storage section storing a programming method switch number of step-up-times on which a first programming method and a second programming method are switched;
• a counter circuit counting a number of step-up-times when a programming voltage applied to said at least one memory cell is stepped up and outputting said number of step-up-times;
• a comparison circuit comparing said number of step-up-times with said programming method switch number of step-up-times and outputting a comparison result;
• a control signal generation circuit sets said first programming method or said second programming method based on a comparison result and outputting a control signal corresponding to said first programming method or said second programming method;
• and
• a voltage generation circuit generating said programming voltage and an intermediate voltage which are applied to said at least one memory cell based on said control signal.

A nonvolatile memory system comprising:

• a memory cell array including a plurality of electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory cells arranged in series, at least one said memory cells storing data using a plurality of threshold levels;
• a threshold level storage section storing a programming method switch threshold level on which a first programming method and a second programming method are switched;
• a comparison circuit comparing said programming method switch threshold level with a programming data threshold level and outputting a comparison result;
• a control signal generation circuit setting said first programming method or said second programming method based on said comparison result and outputting a control signal corresponding to said first programming method or said second programming method;
• a voltage generation circuit generating a programming voltage and an intermediate voltage which are applied to said at least one memory cell based on said control signal;
• and
• an external controller changing said programming method switch threshold level stored in said threshold level storage section according to a command inputted from an system apparatus.