Patents by Inventor Dan Skinner

Dan Skinner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11914530
    Abstract: Memory having internal processors, and methods of data communication within such a memory are provided. In one embodiment, an internal processor may concurrently access one or more banks on a memory array on a memory device via one or more buffers. The internal processor may be coupled to a buffer capable of accessing more than one bank, or coupled to more than one buffer that may each access a bank, such that data may be retrieved from and stored in different banks concurrently. Further, the memory device may be configured for communication between one or more internal processors through couplings between memory components, such as buffers coupled to each of the internal processors. Therefore, a multi-operation instruction may be performed by different internal processors, and data (such as intermediate results) from one internal processor may be transferred to another internal processor of the memory, enabling parallel execution of an instruction(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, Todd A. Merritt, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20220350760
    Abstract: Memory having internal processors, and methods of data communication within such a memory are provided. In one embodiment, an internal processor may concurrently access one or more banks on a memory array on a memory device via one or more buffers. The internal processor may be coupled to a buffer capable of accessing more than one bank, or coupled to more than one buffer that may each access a bank, such that data may be retrieved from and stored in different banks concurrently. Further, the memory device may be configured for communication between one or more internal processors through couplings between memory components, such as buffers coupled to each of the internal processors. Therefore, a multi-operation instruction may be performed by different internal processors, and data (such as intermediate results) from one internal processor may be transferred to another internal processor of the memory, enabling parallel execution of an instruction(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, Todd A. Merritt, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 11403240
    Abstract: Memory having internal processors, and methods of data communication within such a memory are provided. In one embodiment, an internal processor may concurrently access one or more banks on a memory array on a memory device via one or more buffers. The internal processor may be coupled to a buffer capable of accessing more than one bank, or coupled to more than one buffer that may each access a bank, such that data may be retrieved from and stored in different banks concurrently. Further, the memory device may be configured for communication between one or more internal processors through couplings between memory components, such as buffers coupled to each of the internal processors. Therefore, a multi-operation instruction may be performed by different internal processors, and data (such as intermediate results) from one internal processor may be transferred to another internal processor of the memory, enabling parallel execution of an instruction(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, Todd A. Merritt, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20170024337
    Abstract: Memory having internal processors, and methods of data communication within such a memory are provided. In one embodiment, an internal processor may concurrently access one or more banks on a memory array on a memory device via one or more buffers. The internal processor may be coupled to a buffer capable of accessing more than one bank, or coupled to more than one buffer that may each access a bank, such that data may be retrieved from and stored in different banks concurrently. Further, the memory device may be configured for communication between one or more internal processors through couplings between memory components, such as buffers coupled to each of the internal processors. Therefore, a multi-operation instruction may be performed by different internal processors, and data (such as intermediate results) from one internal processor may be transferred to another internal processor of the memory, enabling parallel execution of an instruction(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, Todd A. Merritt, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 9477636
    Abstract: Memory having internal processors, and methods of data communication within such a memory are provided. In one embodiment, an internal processor may concurrently access one or more banks on a memory array on a memory device via one or more buffers. The internal processor may be coupled to a buffer capable of accessing more than one bank, or coupled to more than one buffer that may each access a bank, such that data may be retrieved from and stored in different banks concurrently. Further, the memory device may be configured for communication between one or more internal processors through couplings between memory components, such as buffers coupled to each of the internal processors. Therefore, a multi-operation instruction may be performed by different internal processors, and data (such as intermediate results) from one internal processor may be transferred to another internal processor of the memory, enabling parallel execution of an instruction(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, Todd A. Merritt, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 9164698
    Abstract: Memories having internal processors and methods of data communication within such memories are provided. One such memory may include a fetch unit configured to substantially control performing commands on a memory array based on the availability of banks to be accessed. The fetch unit may receive instructions including commands indicating whether data is to be read from or written to a bank, and the address of the data to be read from or written to the bank. The fetch unit may perform the commands based on the availability of the bank. In one embodiment, control logic communicates with the fetch unit when an activated bank is available. In another implementation, the fetch unit may wait for a bank to become available based on timers set to when a previous command in the activated bank has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 8930642
    Abstract: Embodiments of a multi-port memory device may include a plurality of ports and a plurality of memory banks some of which are native to each port and some of which are non-native to each port. The memory device may include a configuration register that stores configuration data indicative of the mapping of the memory banks to the ports. In response to the configuration data, for example, a steering logic may couple each of the ports either to one or all of the native memory banks or to one or all of the non-native memory banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Walker, Dan Skinner
  • Patent number: 8930643
    Abstract: Multi-port memory having an additional control bus for passing commands between ports have individual ports that can be configured to respond to a command received from an external control bus or to a command received from the additional control bus. This facilitates various combinations of ports to vary the bandwidth or latency of the memory to facilitate tailoring performance characteristics to differing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20140289482
    Abstract: Multi-port memory having an additional control bus for passing commands between ports have individual ports that can be configured to respond to a command received from an external control bus or to a command received from the additional control bus. This facilitates various combinations of ports to vary the bandwidth or latency of the memory to facilitate tailoring performance characteristics to differing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20140244948
    Abstract: Memories having internal processors and methods of data communication within such memories are provided. One such memory may include a fetch unit configured to substantially control performing commands on a memory array based on the availability of banks to be accessed. The fetch unit may receive instructions including commands indicating whether data is to be read from or written to a bank, and the address of the data to be read from or written to the bank. The fetch unit may perform the commands based on the availability of the bank. In one embodiment, control logic communicates with the fetch unit when an activated bank is available. In another implementation, the fetch unit may wait for a bank to become available based on timers set to when a previous command in the activated bank has been performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 8769213
    Abstract: Multi-port memory having an additional control bus for passing commands between ports have individual ports that can be configured to respond to a command received from an external control bus or to a command received from the additional control bus. This facilitates various combinations of ports to vary the bandwidth or latency of the memory to facilitate tailoring performance characteristics to differing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 8719516
    Abstract: Memories having internal processors and methods of data communication within such memories are provided. One such memory may include a fetch unit configured to substantially control performing commands on a memory array based on the availability of banks to be accessed. The fetch unit may receive instructions including commands indicating whether data is to be read from or written to a bank, and the address of the data to be read from or written to the bank. The fetch unit may perform the commands based on the availability of the bank. In one embodiment, control logic communicates with the fetch unit when an activated bank is available. In another implementation, the fetch unit may wait for a bank to become available based on timers set to when a previous command in the activated bank has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20120314523
    Abstract: Embodiments of a multi-port memory device may include a plurality of ports and a plurality of memory banks some of which are native to each port and some of which are non-native to each port. The memory device may include a configuration register that stores configuration data indicative of the mapping of the memory banks to the ports. In response to the configuration data, for example, a steering logic may couple each of the ports either to one or all of the native memory banks or to one or all of the non-native memory banks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Walker, Dan Skinner
  • Patent number: 8250312
    Abstract: Embodiments of a multi-port memory device may include a plurality of ports and a plurality of memory banks some of which are native to each port and some of which are non-native to each port. The memory device may include a configuration register that stores configuration data indicative of the mapping of the memory banks to the ports. In response to the configuration data, for example, a steering logic may couple each of the ports either to one or all of the native memory banks or to one or all of the non-native memory banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Walker, Dan Skinner
  • Publication number: 20110093665
    Abstract: Memories having internal processors and methods of data communication within such memories are provided. One such memory may include a fetch unit configured to substantially control performing commands on a memory array based on the availability of banks to be accessed. The fetch unit may receive instructions including commands indicating whether data is to be read from or written to a bank, and the address of the data to be read from or written to the bank. The fetch unit may perform the commands based on the availability of the bank. In one embodiment, control logic communicates with the fetch unit when an activated bank is available. In another implementation, the fetch unit may wait for a bank to become available based on timers set to when a previous command in the activated bank has been performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20110093662
    Abstract: Memory having internal processors, and methods of data communication within such a memory are provided. In one embodiment, an internal processor may concurrently access one or more banks on a memory array on a memory device via one or more buffers. The internal processor may be coupled to a buffer capable of accessing more than one bank, or coupled to more than one buffer that may each access a bank, such that data may be retrieved from and stored in different banks concurrently. Further, the memory device may be configured for communication between one or more internal processors through couplings between memory components, such as buffers coupled to each of the internal processors. Therefore, a multi-operation instruction may be performed by different internal processors, and data (such as intermediate results) from one internal processor may be transferred to another internal processor of the memory, enabling parallel execution of an instruction(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Dan Skinner, Todd A. Merritt, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20110047311
    Abstract: Multi-port memory having an additional control bus for passing commands between ports have individual ports that can be configured to respond to a command received from an external control bus or to a command received from the additional control bus. This facilitates various combinations of ports to vary the bandwidth or latency of the memory to facilitate tailoring performance characteristics to differing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Dan Skinner, J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20100281227
    Abstract: Embodiments of a multi-port memory device may include a plurality of ports and a plurality of memory banks some of which are native to each port and some of which are non-native to each port. The memory device may include a configuration register that stores configuration data indicative of the mapping of the memory banks to the ports. In response to the configuration data, for example, a steering logic may couple each of the ports either to one or all of the native memory banks or to one or all of the non-native memory banks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Walker, Dan Skinner