Patents by Inventor Dustin J. VanStee

Dustin J. VanStee 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: 20130191700
    Abstract: According to exemplary embodiments, a system, method, and computer program product are provided for BER-based wear leveling in a SSD. A block-level BER value for a block in the SSD is determined. An adjusted PE cycle count for the block is incremented or decremented based on the block-level BER value. Wear leveling is then performed in the SSD based on the adjusted PE cycle count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. Griffin, Dustin J. Vanstee
  • Publication number: 20130151914
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for a flash array test engine. The flash array test engine includes a circuit. The circuit is configured to generate test workloads in a test mode for testing a flash device array, where each of the test workloads includes specific addresses, data, and command patterns to be sent to the flash device array. The circuit is configured to accelerate wear in the flash device array, via the test workloads, at an accelerated rate relative to general system workloads that are not part of the test mode. The circuit is configured to vary a range of conditions for the flash device array to determine whether each of the conditions passes or fails and to store failure data and corresponding failure data address information for the flash device array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David D. Cadigan, Thomas J. Griffin, Archana Shetty, Gary A. Tressler, Dustin J. Vanstee
  • Patent number: 8214580
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a drive life and a capacity of a solid state drive (SSD), the SSD comprising a plurality of memory devices includes determining a desired drive life for the SSD; determining a utilization for the SSD; and allocating a portion of the plurality of memory devices as available memory and a portion of the plurality of memory devices as spare memory based on the desired drive life and the utilization. An SSD with an adjustable drive life and capacity includes a plurality of memory devices; and a memory allocation module configured to: determine a desired drive life for the SSD; determine a utilization for the SSD; and allocate a portion of the plurality of memory devices as available memory and a portion of the plurality of memory devices as spare memory based on the desired drive life and the utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Gary A. Tressler, Dustin J. Vanstee
  • Patent number: 8015426
    Abstract: A system and method for providing voltage power gating. The system includes a device for providing voltage power gating. The device includes logic circuitry, a mechanism for receiving a control signal associated with the logic circuitry and a selector. The control signal indicates an active state or an idle state of the logic circuitry. The selector enables a power source to the logic circuitry in response to the control signal indicating the active state. The selector also disables the power source to the logic circuitry in response to the control signal indicating the idle state. Thus, the power source is dynamically eliminated from the logic circuitry on the device when it is in the idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dustin J. VanStee, Thomas J. Griffin, Leonard M. Greenberg
  • Patent number: 7984222
    Abstract: Systems for providing performance monitoring in a memory system. The memory system includes a memory controller, a plurality of memory devices, a memory bus and a memory hub device. The memory controller receives and responds to memory access requests. The memory bus is in communication with the memory controller. The memory hub device is in communication with the memory bus. The memory hub device includes a memory interface for transferring one or more of address, control and data information between the memory hub device and the memory controller via the memory bus. The memory hub device also includes a memory device interface for communicating with the memory devices. The memory hub device further includes a performance monitor for monitoring and reporting one or more of memory bus utilization, memory device utilization, and performance characteristics over defined intervals during system operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Carl E. Love, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Patent number: 7979616
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a configurable command sequence for a memory interface device (MID). The system includes a MID intended for use in a cascade interconnect system and in communication with one or more memory devices. The MID includes a first connection to a high speed bus operating at a first data rate, a second connection to the high speed bus, an alternate communication means and logic. The first connection to the high speed bus includes receiver circuitry operating at the first data rate. The alternate communication means operates at a second data rate that is slower than the first data rate. The logic facilitates receiving commands via the first connection from the high speed bus operating at the first data rate and using a first command sequence. The logic also facilitates receiving the commands via the alternate communication means using a second command sequence which differs from the first command sequence in the speed in which the commands are transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Elianne A. Bravo, Kevin C. Gower, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Patent number: 7954021
    Abstract: A method for flash sparing on a solid state drive (SSD) includes detecting a failure from a primary memory device; determining if a failure threshold for the primary memory device has been reached; and, in the event the failure threshold for the primary memory device has been reached: quiescing the SSD; and updating an entry in a sparing map table to replace the primary memory device with a spare memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Gary A. Tressler, Dustin J. Vanstee, Andrew D. Walls
  • Publication number: 20110099419
    Abstract: A method for flash sparing on a solid state drive (SSD) includes detecting a failure from a primary memory device; determining if a failure threshold for the primary memory device has been reached; and, in the event the failure threshold for the primary memory device has been reached: quiescing the SSD; and updating an entry in a sparing map table to replace the primary memory device with a spare memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Gary A. Tressler, Dustin J. Vanstee, Andrew D. Walls
  • Publication number: 20110099320
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a drive life and a capacity of a solid state drive (SSD), the SSD comprising a plurality of memory devices includes determining a desired drive life for the SSD; determining a utilization for the SSD; and allocating a portion of the plurality of memory devices as available memory and a portion of the plurality of memory devices as spare memory based on the desired drive life and the utilization. An SSD with an adjustable drive life and capacity includes a plurality of memory devices; and a memory allocation module configured to: determine a desired drive life for the SSD; determine a utilization for the SSD; and allocate a portion of the plurality of memory devices as available memory and a portion of the plurality of memory devices as spare memory based on the desired drive life and the utilization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Gary A. Tressler, Dustin J. Vanstee
  • Patent number: 7669086
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing collision detection in a memory system including a memory system for storing and retrieving data for a processing system. The memory system includes resource scheduling conflict logic for monitoring one or more memory resources for detecting resource scheduling conflicts. The memory system also includes error reporting logic for generating an error signal in response to detecting a resource scheduling conflict at one or more of the memory resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Thomas J. Griffin, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Patent number: 7624225
    Abstract: A system and method for providing SDRAM mode register shadowing in a memory system. A system includes a memory interface device adapted for use in a memory system. The memory interface device includes an interface to one or more ranks of memory devices, and each memory device includes one or more types of mode registers. The memory interface device also includes an interface to a memory bus for receiving commands from a memory controller. The commands include a mode register set command specifying a new mode register setting for one or more ranks of memory devices and a mode register type. The memory interface device further includes a mode register shadow module to capture settings applied to the mode registers. The module includes a shadow register for each type of mode register and a shadow log for each type of mode register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Thomas J. Griffin, Kirk D. Lamb, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Patent number: 7606988
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a dynamic memory buffer bank policy. Embodiments include a hub device for selecting a bank page policy. The hub device includes an input command stream interface and a bank page policy module. The input command stream interface detects commands from a memory controller that are directed to one or more memory devices that are connected to the hub device. The bank page policy module independently analyzes the commands to determine access patterns to the memory devices and for dynamically selecting between an open bank page policy and a closed bank page policy for the memory devices based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Patent number: 7603526
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing dynamic memory pre-fetch. Embodiments include a hub device including an input command stream interface and an adaptive pre-fetch logical unit (APLU). The input command stream interface detects commands from a memory controller directed to one or more memory devices that are connected to the hub device. The APLU independently analyzes the commands to determine access patterns to the memory devices. The APLU also dynamically selects between enabling a pre-fetch function and disabling the pre-fetch function for the memory devices based on the results of the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dustin J. VanStee, Kevin C. Gower
  • Publication number: 20090245008
    Abstract: A system and method for providing voltage power gating. The system includes a device for providing voltage power gating. The device includes logic circuitry, a mechanism for receiving a control signal associated with the logic circuitry and a selector. The control signal indicates an active state or an idle state of the logic circuitry. The selector enables a power source to the logic circuitry in response to the control signal indicating the active state. The selector also disables the power source to the logic circuitry in response to the control signal indicating the idle state. Thus, the power source is dynamically eliminated from the logic circuitry on the device when it is in the idle state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dustin J. VanStee, Thomas J. Griffin, Leonard M. Greenberg
  • Publication number: 20090119466
    Abstract: Systems for providing performance monitoring in a memory system. The memory system includes a memory controller, a plurality of memory devices, a memory bus and a memory hub device. The memory controller receives and responds to memory access requests. The memory bus is in communication with the memory controller. The memory hub device is in communication with the memory bus. The memory hub device includes a memory interface for transferring one or more of address, control and data information between the memory hub device and the memory controller via the memory bus. The memory hub device also includes a memory device interface for communicating with the memory devices. The memory hub device further includes a performance monitor for monitoring and reporting one or more of memory bus utilization, memory device utilization, and performance characteristics over defined intervals during system operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Carl E. Love, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Patent number: 7493439
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing performance monitoring in a memory system. Embodiments include a memory system for storing and retrieving data for a processing system. The memory system includes a memory controller, a plurality of memory devices, a memory bus and a memory hub device. The memory controller receives and responds to memory access requests. The memory bus is in communication with the memory controller. The memory hub device is in communication with the memory bus. The memory hub device includes a memory interface for transferring one or more of address, control and data information between the memory hub device and the memory controller via the memory bus. The memory hub device also includes a memory device interface for communicating with the memory devices. The memory hub device further includes a performance monitor for monitoring and reporting one or more of memory bus utilization, memory device utilization, and performance characteristics over defined intervals during system operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Carl E. Love, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Publication number: 20080320191
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a configurable command sequence for a memory interface device (MID). The system includes a MID intended for use in a cascade interconnect system and in communication with one or more memory devices. The MID includes a first connection to a high speed bus operating at a first data rate, a second connection to the high speed bus, an alternate communication means and logic. The first connection to the high speed bus includes receiver circuitry operating at the first data rate. The alternate communication means operates at a second data rate that is slower than the first data rate. The logic facilitates receiving commands via the first connection from the high speed bus operating at the first data rate and using a first command sequence. The logic also facilitates receiving the commands via the alternate communication means using a second command sequence which differs from the first command sequence in the speed in which the commands are transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Elianne A. Bravo, Kevin C. Gower, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Publication number: 20080235444
    Abstract: A system and method for providing SDRAM mode register shadowing in a memory system. A system includes a memory interface device adapted for use in a memory system. The memory interface device includes an interface to one or more ranks of memory devices, and each memory device includes one or more types of mode registers. The memory interface device also includes an interface to a memory bus for receiving commands from a memory controller. The commands include a mode register set command specifying a new mode register setting for one or more ranks of memory devices and a mode register type. The memory interface device further includes a mode register shadow module to capture settings applied to the mode registers. The module includes a shadow register for each type of mode register and a shadow log for each type of mode register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Thomas J. Griffin, Kirk D. Lamb, Dustin J. VanStee
  • Publication number: 20080183903
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing dynamic memory pre-fetch. Embodiments include a hub device including an input command stream interface and an adaptive pre-fetch logical unit (APLU). The input command stream interface detects commands from a memory controller directed to one or more memory devices that are connected to the hub device. The APLU independently analyzes the commands to determine access patterns to the memory devices. The APLU also dynamically selects between enabling a pre-fetch function and disabling the pre-fetch function for the memory devices based on the results of the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dustin J. VanStee, Kevin C. Gower
  • Publication number: 20080183977
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a dynamic memory buffer bank policy. Embodiments include a hub device for selecting a bank page policy. The hub device includes an input command stream interface and a bank page policy module. The input command stream interface detects commands from a memory controller that are directed to one or more memory devices that are connected to the hub device. The bank page policy module independently analyzes the commands to determine access patterns to the memory devices and for dynamically selecting between an open bank page policy and a closed bank page policy for the memory devices based on the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin C. Gower, Dustin J. VanStee