Reduced-power programming of multi-level cell (MLC) memory

An electronic device comprising:

• a multi-level cell memory comprising a plurality of m-level cells, m being an integer greater than 2, the m-level multi-level cell memory adapted to store a codeword in the plurality of m-level cells, an m-level cell being capable of being programmed to a first one of the m levels using a smaller quantity of energy than is required to program the m-level cell to a second one of the m levels, the second level being higher than the first level;
• and
• a decoder adapted to:
• read a p-symbol codeword from the multi-level cell memory, the p-symbol codeword stored in p m-level cells, each cell storing one symbol, the p-symbol codeword corresponding to an n-bit segment of encoded data, n being an integer substantially equal to p·log2m;
• and
• determine a corresponding k-bit segment of raw data for the p-symbol codeword, k being an integer less than n, the corresponding p-symbol codeword having been selected for the k-bit segment of raw data based on the amount of energy required to store the corresponding p-symbol codeword in the multi-level cell memory.

A method for programming a multi-level cell memory having a plurality of m-level cells, in an electronic device further comprising an encoder, wherein m is an integer greater than 2, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving, by the encoder, a k-bit segment of raw data;
• (b) determining, by the encoder, a corresponding p-symbol codeword for the k-bit segment of raw data based on the amount of energy required to store the corresponding p-symbol codeword in the multi-level cell memory, wherein:
• (1) the corresponding p-symbol codeword corresponds to an n-bit segment of encoded data;
• (2) n is an integer substantially equal to p·log2 m;
• and
• (3) k is an integer less than n;
• and
• (c) storing, by the multi-level cell memory, the p-symbol codeword using p m-level cells, wherein:
• (1) each cell stores one symbol;
• and
• (2) programming an m-level cell to a first one of the m levels requires less energy than programming the m-level cell to a second one of the m levels, the second level being higher than the first level.