Patents by Inventor Daniel B. Penney

Daniel B. Penney 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).

  • Publication number: 20220013156
    Abstract: A memory device includes a command interface configured to receive a write command and internal write adjust (IWA) circuitry. The IWA circuitry is configured to receive the write command from the command interface, generate an internal write signal (IWS) based upon the received write command and train a data strobe (DQS) signal to generate a DQS signal having a set amount of phase alignment with a clock (CLK) of the memory device to capture a data signal (DQ) using the IWS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Patent number: 11222689
    Abstract: Devices and methods include receiving write command at a command interface of the semiconductor device to write data to memory. An external data strobe is received at a data strobe pin of the semiconductor device. The received external data strobe is divided into multiple phases using phase division circuitry to divide the data strobe into multiple phases to be used in writing the data to the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel B. Penney
  • Publication number: 20210407583
    Abstract: The address of victim rows may be determined based on rows that are accessed in a memory. The victim addresses may be stored and associated with a count for every time a victim row is “victimized.” When the count for a victim row reaches a threshold, the victim row may be refreshed to preserve data stored in the row. After the victim row has been refreshed, the count may be reset. When a victim row is accessed, the count may also be reset. The counts may be adjusted for closer victim rows (e.g., +/?1) at a faster rate than counts for more distant victim rows (e.g., +/?2). This may cause closer victim rows to be refreshed at a higher rate than more distant victim rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Jason M. Brown, Nathaniel J. Meier, Timothy B. Cowles, Jiyun Li
  • Publication number: 20210398592
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for determining extremum numerical values. Numerical values may be stored in files of a stack, with each bit of the numerical value stored in a content addressable memory (CAM) cell of the file. Each file may be associated with an accumulator circuit, which provides an accumulator signal. An extremum search operation may be performed where a sequence of comparison bits are compared in a bit-by-bit fashion to each bit of the numerical values. The accumulator circuits each provide an accumulator signal which indicates if the numerical value in the associated file is an extremum value or not. Examples of extremum search operations include finding a maximum of the numerical values and a minimum of the numerical values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Jason M. Brown
  • Patent number: 11182085
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for memory array accessibility can include an apparatus with an array of memory cells. The array can include a first portion accessible by a controller of the array and inaccessible to devices external to the apparatus. The array can include a second portion accessible to the devices external to the apparatus. The array can include a number of registers that store row address that indicate which portion of the array is the first portion. The apparatus can include the controller configured to access the number of registers to allow access to the second portion by the devices external to the apparatus based on the stored row addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20210343324
    Abstract: An apparatus may include multiple memory devices. Each memory device may include multiple memory banks. Addresses of accessed word lines for a particular portion of memory and the number of times those word lines are accessed may be tracked by each memory device. When a memory device determines that an accessed word line is an aggressor word line, the memory device alerts other memory devices of the apparatus. The memory devices may then perform targeted refresh operations on victim word lines of the aggressor word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jason M. Brown, Daniel B. Penney
  • Patent number: 11158373
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for determining extremum numerical values. Numerical values may be stored in files of a stack, with each bit of the numerical value stored in a content addressable memory (CAM) cell of the file. Each file may be associated with an accumulator circuit, which provides an accumulator signal. An extremum search operation may be performed where a sequence of comparison bits are compared in a bit-by-bit fashion to each bit of the numerical values. The accumulator circuits each provide an accumulator signal which indicates if the numerical value in the associated file is an extremum value or not. Examples of extremum search operations include finding a maximum of the numerical values and a minimum of the numerical values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Jason M. Brown
  • Patent number: 11158364
    Abstract: The address of victim rows may be determined based on rows that are accessed in a memory. The victim addresses may be stored and associated with a count for every time a victim row is “victimized.” When the count for a victim row reaches a threshold, the victim row may be refreshed to preserve data stored in the row. After the victim row has been refreshed, the count may be reset. When a victim row is accessed, the count may also be reset. The counts may be adjusted for closer victim rows (e.g., +/?1) at a faster rate than counts for more distant victim rows (e.g., +/?2). This may cause closer victim rows to be refreshed at a higher rate than more distant victim rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Jason M. Brown, Nathaniel J. Meier, Timothy B. Cowles, Jiyun Li
  • Publication number: 20210319826
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that include an interamble data strobe (DQS) counter configured to count cycles between write operations. The interamble DQS counter includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) reset mask circuit configured to generate a DFE reset enable signal and a DFE reset timing generator configured to generate timing signals for the DFE reset. The systems and methods also include a DFE reset generator configured to receive the DFE reset enable signal and the timing signals from the interamble DQS counter, to use the DFE reset enable signal and the timing signals to generate DFE reset signals for a plurality of DQS phases; and to transmit the DFE reset signals to the plurality of DQS phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: William Chad Waldrop, Daniel B. Penney
  • Patent number: 11145353
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that include an interamble data strobe (DQS) counter configured to count cycles between write operations. The interamble DQS counter includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) reset mask circuit configured to generate a DFE reset enable signal and a DFE reset timing generator configured to generate timing signals for the DFE reset. The systems and methods also include a DFE reset generator configured to receive the DFE reset enable signal and the timing signals from the interamble DQS counter, to use the DFE reset enable signal and the timing signals to generate DFE reset signals for a plurality of DQS phases; and to transmit the DFE reset signals to the plurality of DQS phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William Chad Waldrop, Daniel B. Penney
  • Patent number: 11144241
    Abstract: A host device and memory device function together to perform internal write leveling of a data strobe with a write command within the memory device. The memory device includes a command interface configured to receive write commands from the host device. The memory device also includes an input-output interface configured to receive the data strobe from the host device. The memory device also includes internal write circuitry configured to launch an internal write signal based at least in part on the write commands. The launch of the internal write signal is based at least in part on an indication from the host device that indicates when to launch the internal write signal relative to a cas write latency (CWL) for the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 11139008
    Abstract: A memory device includes a command interface configured to receive a write command and internal write adjust (IWA) circuitry. The IWA circuitry is configured to receive the write command from the command interface, generate an internal write signal (IWS) based upon the received write command and train a data strobe (DQS) signal to generate a DQS signal having a set amount of phase alignment with a clock (CLK) of the memory device to capture a data signal (DQ) using the IWS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Patent number: 11139015
    Abstract: An apparatus may include multiple memory devices. Each memory device may include multiple memory banks. Addresses of accessed word lines for a particular portion of memory and the number of times those word lines are accessed may be tracked by each memory device. When a memory device determines that an accessed word line is an aggressor word line, the memory device alerts other memory devices of the apparatus. The memory devices may then perform targeted refresh operations on victim word lines of the aggressor word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason M. Brown, Daniel B. Penney
  • Publication number: 20210304808
    Abstract: A multi-phase clock generator has a set of transistors, a first latch, and a second latch. The set of transistors may be arranged in a sense amplifier latch architecture, in which the set of transistors include a first inverter and a second inverter. The first inverter may provide a first phase data strobe signal and the second inverter may provide a second phase data strobe signal. The first latch and the second latch are coupled to the set of transistors. The set of transistors may receive a first portion of current at the first inverter and a second portion of current at the second inverter. The set of transistors may amplify the first portion of current in response to the first portion being greater than the second portion. The set of transistors may also drive the first phase data strobe signal using the amplified first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Parthasarathy Gajapathy, Brian J. Ladner
  • Publication number: 20210304809
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that provide protection from undesired latching that may be caused by indeterminate interamble periods in an input/output (DQS) signal. Interamble compensation circuitry may filter out interamble states of the DQS signal from provision to downstream components that use the DQS signal to identify data latching times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: William C. Waldrop, Daniel B. Penney
  • Publication number: 20210241805
    Abstract: A memory device includes a command interface configured to receive a write command and internal write adjust (IWA) circuitry. The IWA circuitry is configured to receive the write command from the command interface, generate an internal write signal (IWS) based upon the received write command and train a data strobe (DQS) signal to generate a DQS signal having a set amount of phase alignment with a clock (CLK) of the memory device to capture a data signal (DQ) using the IWS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20210241813
    Abstract: Memory devices receive a data signal and an accompanying data strobing signal, which informs the device that data is ready for latching. The data strobing signal enables capturing the data while the data signal transitions from a logic high to a logic low or vice versa, resulting in an indeterminate output (e.g., between 0 and 1). The indeterminate value may cause metastability in memory operations using the indeterminate output. To prevent or reduce metastability, a cascaded timing arbiter latch includes cascaded alternating NAND timing arbiters and NOR timing arbiters. In some embodiments, these logic gates are connected to transistors above and below the cascaded timing arbiters. The cascaded timing arbiters and/or transistors provide amplification on a feedback path of the latch. In other embodiments, the cascaded timing arbiters are isolated by inverters and are not connected to transistors. This embodiment reduces capacitive loading on nodes of the internal feedback path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Wiliiam C. Waldrop
  • Publication number: 20210173557
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods to transfer data between banks of memory cells. An example includes a plurality of banks of memory cells and a controller coupled to the plurality of subarrays configured to cause transfer of data between the plurality of banks of memory cells via internal data path operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Thanh K. Mai, Gary L. Howe, Daniel B. Penney
  • Publication number: 20210173770
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to shifting data. An example apparatus comprises a cache coupled to an array of memory cells and a controller. The controller is configured to perform a first operation beginning at a first address to transfer data from the array of memory cells to the cache, and perform a second operation concurrently with the first operation, the second operation beginning at a second address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Patent number: 10991416
    Abstract: Systems and methods may involve circuitry that receives a first transition of a clocking signal. The circuitry may also to enable a compensation circuit characterized by a capacitance in response to the first transition of the clocking signal and may receive subsequent transitions of the clocking signal. The circuitry may also apply the capacitance to the subsequent transitions of the clocking signal after enabling the compensation circuit to generate a compensated clocking signal characterized by an adjusted duty cycle relative to a duty cycle of the clocking signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Ladner, Daniel B. Penney