Patents by Inventor Robert E. Palmer

Robert E. Palmer 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: 11960344
    Abstract: A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton, Andrew M. Fuller
  • Patent number: 11955971
    Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a signal transmitter and a sampling circuit coupled to the signal transmitter, wherein the sampling circuit is to sample output voltage levels of an output of the signal transmitter at different respective times. The integrated circuit further comprises a measurement circuit coupled to the sampling circuit, wherein the measurement circuit is to compare the output voltage levels of the output of the signal transmitter to corresponding reference voltages to identify a first time when a first output voltage level equals a first reference voltage and a second time when a second output voltage level equals a second reference voltage. A time difference between the first time and the second time is used to configure a slew rate adjustment control of the signal transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Palmer, Andrew Fuller, Hsuan-Jung Su
  • Patent number: 11941256
    Abstract: A system includes a memory controller and a memory device having a command interface, refresh circuitry, control logic, and a plurality of memory banks, each with a plurality of rows of memory cells. The command interface is operable to receive a refresh command from a memory controller and the refresh circuitry is configured to perform one or more refresh operations to refresh data stored in at least one bank of the plurality of memory banks during a refresh time interval in response to the refresh command from the memory controller. The control logic is to configure the command interface to enter a calibration mode during the refresh time interval, and the command interface is configured to perform a calibration operation in the calibration mode during the refresh time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton
  • Patent number: 11763865
    Abstract: A first-in-first-out (FIFO) storage structure within an integrated-circuit component is loaded with qualification values corresponding to respective pairs of edges expected within a timing strobe signal transmitted to the integrated-circuit component. The qualification values are sequentially output from the FIFO storage structure during respective cycles of the timing strobe signal and a gate signal is either asserted or deasserted during the respective cycles of the timing strobe signal according to the qualification values output from the FIFO storage structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Fuller, Robert E. Palmer, Thomas J. Giovannini, Michael D. Bucher, Thoai Thai Le
  • Publication number: 20230244293
    Abstract: A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton, Andrew M. Fuller
  • Patent number: 11677391
    Abstract: A latency controller within an integrated circuit device retimes command-stream-triggered control and timing signals into endpoint timing domains having respective time-varying phase offsets relative to a reference clock by iteratively estimating and logging the phase offsets independently of commands streaming into the integrated circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Palmer, Andrew M. Fuller, William F. Stonecypher
  • Patent number: 11595235
    Abstract: An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Palmer
  • Patent number: 11556164
    Abstract: A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton, Andrew M. Fuller
  • Patent number: 11507280
    Abstract: A system includes a memory controller and a memory device having a command interface and a plurality of memory banks, each with a plurality of rows of memory cells. The memory controller transmits an auto-refresh command to the memory device. Responsive to the auto-refresh command, during a first time interval, the memory device performs refresh operations to refresh the memory cells and the command interface of the memory device is placed into a calibration mode for the duration of the first time interval. Concurrently, during at least a portion of the first time interval, the memory controller performs a calibration of a data interface circuit of the memory device. The auto-refresh command may specify an order in which memory banks of the memory device are to be refreshed, such that the memory device sequentially refreshes a respective row in the plurality of memory banks in the specified bank order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton
  • Publication number: 20220291848
    Abstract: A system includes a memory controller and a memory device having a command interface, refresh circuitry, control logic, and a plurality of memory banks, each with a plurality of rows of memory cells. The command interface is operable to receive a refresh command from a memory controller and the refresh circuitry is configured to perform one or more refresh operations to refresh data stored in at least one bank of the plurality of memory banks during a refresh time interval in response to the refresh command from the memory controller. The control logic is to configure the command interface to enter a calibration mode during the refresh time interval, and the command interface is configured to perform a calibration operation in the calibration mode during the refresh time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton
  • Publication number: 20220255550
    Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a signal transmitter and a sampling circuit coupled to the signal transmitter, wherein the sampling circuit is to sample output voltage levels of an output of the signal transmitter at different respective times. The integrated circuit further comprises a measurement circuit coupled to the sampling circuit, wherein the measurement circuit is to compare the output voltage levels of the output of the signal transmitter to corresponding reference voltages to identify a first time when a first output voltage level equals a first reference voltage and a second time when a second output voltage level equals a second reference voltage. A time difference between the first time and the second time is used to configure a slew rate adjustment control of the signal transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Robert E. Palmer, Andrew Fuller, Hsuan-Jung Su
  • Publication number: 20210399929
    Abstract: An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventor: Robert E. Palmer
  • Patent number: 11127444
    Abstract: A first-in-first-out (FIFO) storage structure within an integrated-circuit component is loaded with qualification values corresponding to respective pairs of edges expected within a timing strobe signal transmitted to the integrated-circuit component. The qualification values are sequentially output from the FIFO storage structure during respective cycles of the timing strobe signal and a gate signal is either asserted or deasserted during the respective cycles of the timing strobe signal according to the qualification values output from the FIFO storage structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Fuller, Robert E. Palmer, Thomas J. Giovannini, Michael D. Bucher, Thoai Thai Le
  • Patent number: 11082268
    Abstract: An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Palmer
  • Publication number: 20210232203
    Abstract: A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton, Andrew M. Fuller
  • Publication number: 20210091985
    Abstract: An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventor: Robert E. Palmer
  • Patent number: 10901485
    Abstract: A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton, Andrew M. Fuller
  • Publication number: 20200348859
    Abstract: A system includes a memory controller and a memory device having a command interface and a plurality of memory banks, each with a plurality of rows of memory cells. The memory controller transmits an auto-refresh command to the memory device. Responsive to the auto-refresh command, during a first time interval, the memory device performs refresh operations to refresh the memory cells and the command interface of the memory device is placed into a calibration mode for the duration of the first time interval. Concurrently, during at least a portion of the first time interval, the memory controller performs a calibration of a data interface circuit of the memory device. The auto-refresh command may specify an order in which memory banks of the memory device are to be refreshed, such that the memory device sequentially refreshes a respective row in the plurality of memory banks in the specified bank order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton
  • Patent number: 10826733
    Abstract: An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Palmer
  • Publication number: 20200220753
    Abstract: An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventor: Robert E. Palmer