Patents by Inventor Duane R. Mills

Duane R. Mills 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: 20200159420
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10585597
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190392882
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to wear leveling for random access and ferroelectric memory are described. Non-volatile memory devices, e.g., ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) may utilize wear leveling to extend life time of the memory devices by avoiding reliability issues due to a limited cycling capability. A wear-leveling pool, or number of cells used for a wear-leveling application, may be expanded by softening or avoiding restrictions on a source page and a destination page within a same section of memory array. In addition, error correction code may be applied when moving data from the source page to the destination page to avoid duplicating errors present in the source page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190339866
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to on demand memory page size are described. A memory system may employ a protocol that supports on demand variable memory page sizes. A memory system may include one or more non-volatile memory devices that may each include a local memory controller configured to support variable memory page size operation. The memory system may include a system memory controller that interfaces between the non-volatile memory devices and a processor. The system memory controller may, for instance, use a protocol that facilitates on demand memory page size where a determination of a particular page size to use in an operation may be based on characteristics of memory commands and data involved in the memory command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Duane R. Mills, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20190332281
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10416903
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10410709
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating an electronic memory apparatus are described. A logic value stored in a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell is read onto a first sensing node of a sense amplifier. The reading is performed through a digit line coupling the FeRAM cell to the first sensing node, while the sense amplifier is in an inactive state. A second sensing node of the sense amplifier is biased to a reference voltage provided by a reference voltage source. The biasing is performed while reading the logic value stored in the FeRAM cell onto the first sensing node. The digit line is isolated from the first sensing node after the reading. The sense amplifier is activated, after isolating the digit line from the first sensing node, to amplify and sense a voltage difference between the first sensing node and the second sensing node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10394456
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to on demand memory page size are described. A memory system may employ a protocol that supports on demand variable memory page sizes. A memory system may include one or more non-volatile memory devices that may each include a local memory controller configured to support variable memory page size operation. The memory system may include a system memory controller that interfaces between the non-volatile memory devices and a processor. The system memory controller may, for instance, use a protocol that facilitates on demand memory page size where a determination of a particular page size to use in an operation may be based on characteristics of memory commands and data involved in the memory command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane R. Mills, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 10388351
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to wear leveling for random access and ferroelectric memory are described. Non-volatile memory devices, e.g., ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) may utilize wear leveling to extend life time of the memory devices by avoiding reliability issues due to a limited cycling capability. A wear-leveling pool, or number of cells used for a wear-leveling application, may be expanded by softening or avoiding restrictions on a source page and a destination page within a same section of memory array. In addition, error correction code may be applied when moving data from the source page to the destination page to avoid duplicating errors present in the source page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190066752
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to wear leveling for random access and ferroelectric memory are described. Non-volatile memory devices, e.g., ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) may utilize wear leveling to extend life time of the memory devices by avoiding reliability issues due to a limited cycling capability. A wear-leveling pool, or number of cells used for a wear-leveling application, may be expanded by softening or avoiding restrictions on a source page and a destination page within a same section of memory array. In addition, error correction code may be applied when moving data from the source page to the destination page to avoid duplicating errors present in the source page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190065051
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to on demand memory page size are described. A memory system may employ a protocol that supports on demand variable memory page sizes. A memory system may include one or more non-volatile memory devices that may each include a local memory controller configured to support variable memory page size operation. The memory system may include a system memory controller that interfaces between the non-volatile memory devices and a processor. The system memory controller may, for instance, use a protocol that facilitates on demand memory page size where a determination of a particular page size to use in an operation may be based on characteristics of memory commands and data involved in the memory command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Duane R. Mills, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20190042107
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190042109
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10198195
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20180137906
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a an electronic memory apparatus are described. A logic value stored in a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell is read onto a first sensing node of a sense amplifier. The reading is performed through a digit line coupling the FeRAM cell to the first sensing node, while the sense amplifier is in an inactive state. A second sensing node of the sense amplifier is biased to a reference voltage provided by a reference voltage source. The biasing is performed while reading the logic value stored in the FeRAM cell onto the first sensing node. The digit line is isolated from the first sensing node after the reading. The sense amplifier is activated, after isolating the digit line from the first sensing node, to amplify and sense a voltage difference between the first sensing node and the second sensing node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 9886991
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating an electronic memory apparatus are described. A logic value stored in a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell is read onto a first sensing node of a sense amplifier. The reading is performed through a digit line coupling the FeRAM cell to the first sensing node, while the sense amplifier is in an inactive state. A second sensing node of the sense amplifier is biased to a reference voltage provided by a reference voltage source. The biasing is performed while reading the logic value stored in the FeRAM cell onto the first sensing node. The digit line is isolated from the first sensing node after the reading. The sense amplifier is activated, after isolating the digit line from the first sensing node, to amplify and sense a voltage difference between the first sensing node and the second sensing node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 8331857
    Abstract: A Phase-Change Memory (PCM) coupled to receive power provided by near-field coupling to operate the PCM and receive factory programming data entered through the antenna for storage in the PCM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mostafa Naguib Abdulla, Hari Giduturi, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20110012670
    Abstract: A device with an in package power supply may be utilized to supply power to other components. As a result, the overall system size may be reduced and economies may be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Steven R. Eskildsen, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20100291867
    Abstract: A Phase-Change Memory (PCM) coupled to receive power provided by near-field coupling to operate the PCM and receive factory programming data entered through the antenna for storage in the PCM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Mostafa Naguib Abdulla, Hari Giduturi, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 7823279
    Abstract: A packaged device may be provided with an in package power supply. The in package power supply may be selectively coupled to another component when the packaged device is not active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Eskildsen, Duane R. Mills