Patents by Inventor Robert Campbell Aitken

Robert Campbell Aitken 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: 20170103809
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of dual non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a pair of non-volatile memory device coupled in series may be placed in complementary memory states any one of multiple memory states in write cycles by controlling a current and a voltage applied to terminals of the non-volatile memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Azeez Bhavnagarwala, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Publication number: 20170084331
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of dual non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a pair of non-volatile memory device coupled in series may be placed in complementary memory states any one of multiple memory states in a write operation by controlling a current and a voltage applied to terminals of the non-volatile memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Azeez Bhavnagarwala, Robert Campbell Aitken, Lucian Shifren
  • Patent number: 9589636
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of dual non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a pair of non-volatile memory device coupled in series may be placed in complementary memory states any one of multiple memory states in a write operation by controlling a current and a voltage applied to terminals of the non-volatile memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ARM Ltd.
    Inventors: Azeez Bhavnagarwala, Robert Campbell Aitken, Lucian Shifren
  • Publication number: 20170045905
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to generation of programmable voltage references.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Bal S. Sandhu, George McNeil Lattimore, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Publication number: 20170047115
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a non-volatile memory device may be placed in any one of multiple memory states in a write operation by controlling a current and a voltage applied to terminals of the non-volatile memory device. For example, a write operation may apply a programming signal across terminals of non-volatile memory device having a particular current and a particular voltage for placing the non-volatile memory device in a particular memory state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Campbell Aitken, Lucian Shifren
  • Publication number: 20170047919
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to programmable current for correlated electron switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Bal S. Sandhu, George McNeil Lattimore, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Publication number: 20170046281
    Abstract: Encryption of data within a memory is provided by key generation circuitry which serves to generate a key as a function of the address within the memory being accessed and then encryption circuitry or decryption circuitry which serve respectively to encrypt or decrypt the data as a function of the key that has been generated based upon the address. The encryption and the decryption may be performed using a bitwise XOR operation. The key generation circuitry may have the form of physically unclonable function circuitry, which varies from instance to instance of implementation and that operates to generate the same key for the same address upon both write and read operations within the same instance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Vikas CHANDRA, Robert Campbell AITKEN
  • Patent number: 9558819
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a non-volatile memory device may be placed in any one of multiple memory states in a write operation by controlling a current and a voltage applied to terminals of the non-volatile memory device. For example, a write operation may apply a programming signal across terminals of non-volatile memory device having a particular current and a particular voltage for placing the non-volatile memory device in a particular memory state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: ARM Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Campbell Aitken, Lucian Shifren
  • Patent number: 9548118
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of dual non-volatile memory devices. In one aspect, a pair of non-volatile memory device coupled in series may be placed in complementary memory states any one of multiple memory states in write cycles by controlling a current and a voltage applied to terminals of the non-volatile memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ARM Ltd.
    Inventors: Azeez Bhavnagarwala, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Patent number: 9529671
    Abstract: An apparatus has a plurality of storage units. A parity generator is configured to generate a parity value in dependence on the respective values stored in the plurality of storage units. The parity generator is configured such that determination of the parity value is independent of a read access to the data stored the plurality of storage units. A detector is configured to detect a change in value of the parity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Vikas Chandra, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Patent number: 9483664
    Abstract: Encryption of data within a memory 6 is provided by key generation circuitry 12 which serves to generate a key as a function of the address within the memory 6 being accessed and then encryption circuitry 14 or decryption circuitry 16 which serve respectively to encrypt or decrypt the data as a function of the key that has been generated based upon the address. The encryption and the decryption may be performed using a bitwise XOR operation. The key generation circuitry may have the form of physically unclonable function circuitry, which varies from instance to instance of implementation and that operates to generate the same key for the same address upon both write and read operations within the same instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Vikas Chandra, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Patent number: 9449717
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus has at least one memory and processing circuitry. A memory built-in self-test (MBIST) interface receives a MBIST request indicating that a test procedure is to be performed for testing at least one target memory location. Control circuitry detects the MBIST request and reserves for testing at least one reserved memory location including the target memory location. During the test procedure, the memory continues servicing memory transactions issued by the processing circuitry that target a memory location other than the reserved location reserved by the control circuitry. The processing circuitry is stalled if it attempts to access a reserved memory location. Testing consists of short bursts of transactions which occur infrequently. In this way, MBIST testing may continue while the processor is operation in the field with reduced performance impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy Becker, Chiloda Ashan Senerath Pathirane, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Publication number: 20160078252
    Abstract: Encryption of data within a memory 6 is provided by key generation circuitry 12 which serves to generate a key as a function of the address within the memory 6 being accessed and then encryption circuitry 14 or decryption circuitry 16 which serve respectively to encrypt or decrypt the data as a function of the key that has been generated based upon the address. The encryption and the decryption may be performed using a bitwise XOR operation. The key generation circuitry may have the form of physically unclonable function circuitry, which varies from instance to instance of implementation and that operates to generate the same key for the same address upon both write and read operations within the same instance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Vikas CHANDRA, Robert Campbell AITKEN
  • Publication number: 20150371718
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus has at least one memory and processing circuitry. A memory built-in self-test (MBIST) interface receives a MBIST request indicating that a test procedure is to be performed for testing at least one target memory location. Control circuitry detects the MBIST request and reserves for testing at least one reserved memory location including the target memory location. During the test procedure, the memory continues servicing memory transactions issued by the processing circuitry that target a memory location other than the reserved location reserved by the control circuitry. The processing circuitry is stalled if it attempts to access a reserved memory location. Testing consists of short bursts of transactions which occur infrequently. In this way, MBIST testing may continue while the processor is operation in the field with reduced performance impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy BECKER, Chiloda Ashan Senerath PATHIRANE, Robert Campbell AITKEN
  • Publication number: 20150363268
    Abstract: An apparatus has a plurality of storage units. A parity generator is configured to generate a parity value in dependence on the respective values stored in the plurality of storage units. The parity generator is configured such that determination of the parity value is independent of a read access to the data stored the plurality of storage units. A detector is configured to detect a change in value of the parity value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Vikas CHANDRA, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Publication number: 20150363267
    Abstract: A data storage apparatus is provided which has a plurality of data storage units, each respective data storage unit configured to store a respective data bit of a data word. Stored data value parity generation circuitry is configured to generate a parity bit for the data word in dependence on the data bits of the data word stored in the plurality of data storage units. The stored data value parity generation circuitry is configured such that switching within the stored data value parity generation circuitry does not occur when the data word is read out from the plurality of data storage units. Transition detection circuitry is configured to detect a change in value of the parity bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Vikas CHANDRA, Robert Campbell AITKEN
  • Patent number: 8717078
    Abstract: A latching device includes input and output latching elements to receive and output data values wherein the input and output elements are configured to receive a first and second clocks, respectively. The clocks have the same frequency but are inverted. The elements are transparent and transmit data between an input and an output in response to the first value of a received clock and are opaque and hold the data value in response to a second value of the received clock, such that in response to the first and second clocks the input data value is clocked through the input and output elements to the output. The device includes a device for selecting an operational data value or a diagnostic data value for input to the input element in response to a value of a diagnostic enable signal indicating a functional mode or a diagnostic mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Sachin Satish Idgunji, Robert Campbell Aitken, Imran Iqbal
  • Publication number: 20130335128
    Abstract: A latching device includes input and output latching elements to receive and output data values wherein the input and output elements are configured to receive a first and second clocks, respectively. The clocks have the same frequency but are inverted. The elements are transparent and transmit data between an input and an output in response to the first value of a received clock and are opaque and hold the data value in response to a second value of the received clock, such that in response to the first and second clocks the input data value is clocked through the input and output elements to the output. The device includes a device for selecting an operational data value or a diagnostic data value for input to the input element in response to a value of a diagnostic enable signal indicating a functional mode or a diagnostic mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: ARM LIMITED
    Inventors: Sachin Satish IDGUNJI, Robert Campbell AITKEN, Imran IQBAL
  • Patent number: 8555124
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for detecting an approaching error condition within a data processing apparatus and includes a sequential storage structure arranged to latch an output signal generated by combinatorial circuitry dependent on a second clock signal. The sequential storage structure has a main storage element to latch a value of the output signal for provision to subsequent combinatorial circuitry. The sequential storage structure can be operated in either first or second modes of operation where, in the first mode, the predetermined timing window is ahead of a time at which the main storage element latches said value of the output signal enabling an approaching setup timing error to be detected. In the second mode, the predetermined timing window is after the time at which the main storage element latches said value of the output signal where an approaching hold timing error is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Sachin Satish Idgunji, Shidhartha Das, David Michael Bull, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Patent number: 8488369
    Abstract: A method is provided for altering distribution of a chosen characteristic of a plurality of memory cells forming a memory device. The method comprises identifying a subset of the memory cells whose value of the chosen characteristic is within a predetermined end region of the distribution, and then performing a burn-in process during which one or more operating parameters of the memory device are set to induce aging of the memory cells. During the burn-in process, for each memory cell in the subset, the value stored in that memory cell is fixed to a selected value which exposes that memory cell to a stress condition. In contrast, for each memory cell not in the subset, the value stored in that memory cell is alternated during the burn-in process in order to alleviate exposure of that memory cell to the stress condition. Such an approach allows a tightening of the distribution of the chosen characteristic, thus improving the worst case memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Vikas Chandra, Robert Campbell Aitken