REDUCING PROGRAMMING TIME OF MEMORY DEVICES USING DATA ENCODING

An apparatus for data storage includes an interface for communicating with a memory, and encoding circuitry. The memory incurs a first bit-programming duration in programming a first bit value, and incurs a second bit-programming duration, longer than the first bit-programming duration, in programming a second bit value opposite from the first bit value. The encoding circuitry is configured to receive input data words for storage in the memory, to encode the input data words so as to produce respective encoded data words, wherein the encoded data words are (i) larger than the input data words by multiple bits, but (ii) are programmed in the memory with a shorter programming duration than the input data words, and to send the encoded data words via the interface for storage in the memory.