Patents by Inventor James A. McCall

James A. McCall 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: 10617000
    Abstract: A system for a three-dimensional (“3D”) printed circuit board (“PCB”) to printed circuit board interface is provided. A first PCB includes first landing pads disposed on one or more edges of the first PCB. The first landing pads electrically couple to conductive pins or second landing pads disposed on a second PCB. The second landing pads may be disposed in a slot in the second PCB. The interface between the first landing pads and the second landing pads may provide various advantages over traditional PCB to PCB interfaces, such as, improved signal integrity, improved power integrity, increased contact density, decreased clock jitter, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Daqiao Du, Zhen Zhou, Jun Liao, James A. McCall, Xiang Li, Kai Xiao, Zhichao Zhang
  • Patent number: 10592445
    Abstract: Examples include techniques to access or operate a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) via one or multiple data channels. In some examples, memory devices at or on the DIMM may be accessed via one or more data channels. The one or more data channels arranged such that the DIMM is configured to operate in a dual channel mode that includes two data channels or to operate in a single channel mode that includes a single data channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Nale, Christopher E. Cox, Kuljit S. Bains, George Vergis, James A. McCall, Chong J. Zhao, Suneeta Sah, Pete D. Vogt, John R. Goles
  • Publication number: 20200081852
    Abstract: Dynamic bus inversion (DBI) for programmable levels of a ratio of ones and zeros. A transmitting device identifies a number and/or ratio of ones and zeros in a noninverted version of a signal to be transmitted (“noninverted signal”) and a number and/or ratio of ones and zeros in an inverted version of the signal (“inverted signal”). The transmitting device can calculate whether a difference of ones and zeros in the noninverted signal or a difference of ones and zeros in the inverted signal provides a calculated average ratio of ones to zeros closer to a target ratio. The transmitting device sends the signal that achieves provides the calculated average ratio closer to the target ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher P. MOZAK, James A. McCALL, Bryan K. CASPER
  • Patent number: 10552285
    Abstract: A memory subsystem manages memory I/O impedance compensation by the memory device monitoring a need for impedance compensation. Instead of a memory controller regularly sending a signal to have the memory device update the impedance compensation when a change is not needed, the memory device can indicate when it is ready to perform an impedance compensation change. The memory controller can send an impedance compensation signal to the memory device in response to a compensation flag set by the memory or in response to determining that a sensor value has changed in excess of a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: James A. McCall, Kuljit S. Bains
  • Patent number: 10541018
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes configuring first register space to establish ODT values of a data strobe signal trace of a DDR data bus. The method also includes configuring second register space to establish ODT values of a data signal trace of the DDR data bus. The ODT values for the data strobe signal trace are different than the ODT values for the data signal trace. The ODT values for the data strobe signal do not change when consecutive write operations of the DDR bus write to different ranks of a same DIMM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: James A. McCall, Christopher P. Mozak, Christopher E. Cox, Yan Fu, Robert J. Friar, Hsien-Pao Yang
  • Patent number: 10528515
    Abstract: An apparatus is described that includes a memory channel driver circuit having first driver circuitry to drive a data signal on a memory channel and second driver circuitry to drive an echo cancellation signal on the memory channel. The echo cancellation signal includes echo cancellation pulses that follow corresponding pulses of the data signal by an amount of time that causes the echo cancellation pulses to reduce reflections of the corresponding pulses of the data signal at a memory device that is coupled to the memory channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Qin Li, Changhong Lin, James A. McCall, Harry Muljono
  • Publication number: 20190392886
    Abstract: A memory subsystem triggers entry and exit of a memory device from low power mode with a chip select (CS) signal line. For a system where the command bus has no clock enable (CKE) signal line, the system can trigger low power modes with CS instead of CKE. The low power mode can include a powerdown state. The low power mode can include a self-refresh state. The memory device includes an interface to the command bus, and receives a CS signal combined with command encoding on the command bus to trigger a low power mode state change. The memory device can be configured to monitor the CS signal and selected other command signals while in low power mode. The system can send an ODT trigger while the memory device is in low power mode, even without a dedicated ODT signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Kuljit S. BAINS, Christopher P. MOZAK, James A. McCALL, Akshith VASANTH, Bill NALE
  • Publication number: 20190342990
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for mitigating signal deterioration in communications between two circuit boards. In an embodiment, a packaged device accommodates coupling to a first circuit board which, in turn, accommodates connection to a second circuit board. In one such embodiment, an amplifier circuit of the packaged device includes an amplifier circuit which comprises a variable resistor and an active circuit element coupled thereto. The device receives via one of the circuit boards a control signal and a voltage which configure the amplifier circuit to provide an impedance matching for communication between the circuit boards. In another embodiment, the device comprises multiple common gate amplifiers which are variously configurable each to provide a respective impedance matching for communications between a motherboard and a dual in-line memory module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Jun Liao, Xiang Li, Yunhui Chu, Jong-Ru Guo, James McCall
  • Patent number: 10467160
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes receiving DDR memory channel signals from a motherboard through a larger DIMM motherboard connector. The method includes routing the signals to one of first and second smaller form factor connectors. The method includes sending the DDR memory channel signals to a DIMM that is connected to the one of the first and second smaller form factor connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Xiang Li, Yunhui Chu, Jun Liao, George Vergis, James A. McCall, Charles C. Phares, Konika Ganguly, Qin Li
  • Patent number: 10437746
    Abstract: Dynamic bus inversion (DBI) for programmable levels of a ratio of ones and zeros. A transmitting device identifies a number and/or ratio of ones and zeros in a noninverted version of a signal to be transmitted (“noninverted signal”) and a number and/or ratio of ones and zeros in an inverted version of the signal (“inverted signal”). The transmitting device can calculate whether a difference of ones and zeros in the noninverted signal or a difference of ones and zeros in the inverted signal provides a calculated average ratio of ones to zeros closer to a target ratio. The transmitting device sends the signal that achieves provides the calculated average ratio closer to the target ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher P. Mozak, James A. McCall, Bryan K. Casper
  • Publication number: 20190288421
    Abstract: Embodiments may relate to a connector. The connector may include a plurality of connector pins that are to communicatively couple an element of a printed circuit board (PCB) with an element of an electronic device when the element of the PCB and the element of the electronic device are coupled with the connector. The connector may also include an active circuit that is communicatively coupled with a pin of the plurality of pins. The active circuit may be configured to match an impedance of the element of the PCB with an impedance of the element of the electronic device. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jong-Ru Guo, Yunhui Chu, Jun Liao, Kai Xiao, Jingbo Li, Yuanhong Zhao, Mo Liu, Beomtaek Lee, James A. McCall, Jaejin Lee, Xiaoning Ye, Zuoguo Wu, Xiang Li
  • Publication number: 20190213148
    Abstract: Examples include techniques to access or operate a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) via one or multiple data channels. In some examples, memory devices at or on the DIMM may be accessed via one or more data channels. The one or more data channels arranged such that the DIMM is configured to operate in a dual channel mode that includes two data channels or to operate in a single channel mode that includes a single data channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Bill NALE, Christopher E. COX, Kuljit S. BAINS, George VERGIS, James A. McCALL, Chong J. ZHAO, Suneeta SAH, Pete D. VOGT, John R. GOLES
  • Publication number: 20190139592
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for providing termination for a plurality of chips of a memory device. In an embodiment, a memory device is an integrated circuit (IC) package which includes a command and address bus and a plurality of memory chips each coupled thereto. Of the plurality of memory chips, only a first memory chip is operable to selectively provide termination to the command and address bus. Of the respective on-die termination control circuits of the plurality of memory chips, only the on-die termination control circuit of the first memory chip is coupled via any termination control signal line to any input/output (I/O) contact of the IC package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Kuljit S. BAINS, George VERGIS, James A. McCALL, Ge Chang
  • Publication number: 20190121754
    Abstract: Dynamic bus inversion (DBI) for programmable levels of a ratio of ones and zeros. A transmitting device identifies a number and/or ratio of ones and zeros in a noninverted version of a signal to be transmitted (“noninverted signal”) and a number and/or ratio of ones and zeros in an inverted version of the signal (“inverted signal”). The transmitting device can calculate whether a difference of ones and zeros in the noninverted signal or a difference of ones and zeros in the inverted signal provides a calculated average ratio of ones to zeros closer to a target ratio. The transmitting device sends the signal that achieves provides the calculated average ratio closer to the target ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher P. MOZAK, James A. McCALL, Bryan K. CASPER
  • Publication number: 20190102331
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes receiving DDR memory channel signals from a motherboard through a larger DIMM motherboard connector. The method includes routing the signals to one of first and second smaller form factor connectors. The method includes sending the DDR memory channel signals to a DIMM that is connected to the one of the first and second smaller form factor connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Xiang LI, Yunhui CHU, Jun LIAO, George VERGIS, James A. McCALL, Charles C. PHARES, Konika GANGULY, Qin LI
  • Publication number: 20190096468
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes configuring first register space to establish ODT values of a data strobe signal trace of a DDR data bus. The method also includes configuring second register space to establish ODT values of a data signal trace of the DDR data bus. The ODT values for the data strobe signal trace are different than the ODT values for the data signal trace. The ODT values for the data strobe signal do not change when consecutive write operations of the DDR bus write to different ranks of a same DIMM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: James A. McCALL, Christopher P. MOZAK, Christopher E. COX, Yan FU, Robert J. FRIAR, Hsien-Pao YANG
  • Publication number: 20190045622
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a semiconductor chip having cross-talk noise cancellation circuitry disposed between a disturber trace and a trace to be protected from cross-talk noise emanating from the disturber trace. The trace is to be coupled to a receiver disposed on a different semiconductor chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Jun LIAO, Zhen ZHOU, James A. McCALL, Jong-Ru GUO, Xiang LI, Yunhui CHU, Zuoguo WU
  • Publication number: 20190042162
    Abstract: A computing system is described. The computing system includes a memory controller having a double data rate memory interface. The double data rate memory interface has a first memory channel interface and a second memory channel interface. The computing system also includes a first DIMM slot and a second DIMM slot. The computing system also includes a first memory channel coupled to the first memory channel interface and the first DIMM slot, wherein the first memory channel's CA and DQ wires are not coupled to the second DIMM slot. The computing system also includes a second memory channel coupled to the second memory channel interface and the second DIMM slot, wherein the second memory channel's CA and DQ wires are not coupled to the first DIMM slot. The computing system also includes a back end memory channel that is coupled to the first and second DIMM slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Intel Corporationn
    Inventors: James A. McCALL, Suneeta SAH, George VERGIS, Dimitrios ZIAKAS, Bill NALE, Chong J. ZHAO, Rajat AGARWAL
  • Publication number: 20190043796
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an electro-mechanical interface having angled signal interconnects, wherein, the angling of the signal interconnects is to reduce noise coupling between the angled signal interconnects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Zhen ZHOU, Jun LIAO, Xiang LI, Kevin STONE, Tom DU, Tae-Young YANG, Ling ZHENG, James A. McCALL
  • Publication number: 20190042499
    Abstract: A DIMM is described. The DIMM includes circuitry to simultaneously transfer data of different ranks of memory chips on the DIMM over a same data bus during a same burst write sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: James A. McCALL, Rajat AGARWAL, George VERGIS, Bill NALE