Patents by Inventor Robert France

Robert France 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: 20090300318
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate logical block address (LBA) to physical block address (PBA) translations associated with a memory component(s) are presented. The disclosed subject matter employs an optimized block address (BA) component that can facilitate caching the LBA to PBA translations within a memory controller component based in part on a predetermined optimization criteria to facilitate improving the access of data associated with the memory component. The predetermined optimization criteria can relate to a length of time since an LBA has been accessed, a number of times the LBA has been access, a data size of data related to an LBA, and/or other factors. The LBA to PBA translations can be utilized to facilitate accessing the LBA and/or associated data using the cached translation, instead of performing various functions to determine the translation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20090172345
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate PBA and LBA translations associated with a memory component(s) are presented. A memory controller component facilitates determining which memory component, erase block, page, and data block contains a PBA in which a desired LBA and/or associated data is stored. The memory controller component facilitates control of performance of calculation functions, table look-up functions, and/or search functions to locate the desired LBA. The memory controller component generates a configuration sequence based in part on predefined optimization criteria to facilitate optimized performance of translations. The memory controller component and/or associated memory component(s) can be configured so that the translation attributes are determined in a desired order using the desired translation function(s) to determine a respective translation attribute based in part on the predefined optimization criteria. The LBA to PBA translations can be performed in parallel by memory components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20090172250
    Abstract: Systems and methods that can facilitate more optimized relocation of data associated with a memory are presented. In addition to a memory controller component, a memory manager component can be employed to increase available processing resources to facilitate more optimal execution of higher level functions. Higher level functions can be delegated to the memory manager component to allow execution of these higher level operations with reduced or no load on the memory controller component resources. A uni-bus or multi-bus architecture can be employed to further optimize data relocation operations. A first bus can be utilized for data access operations including read, write, erase, refresh, or combinations thereof, among others, while a second bus can be designated for higher level operations including data compaction, error code correction, wear leveling, or combinations thereof, among others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20090161430
    Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate bad block management in a memory device that comprises nonvolatile memory are presented. One or more memory blocks of a memory device are each associated with one or more additional, dedicated bits that facilitate indicating whether the associated memory block is defective. These additional bits, called bad block bits, can be stored in a hardware-based storage mechanism within the memory device. Once a defect is detected in a memory block, at least one of the associated bad block bits can be set to indicate that the memory block is defective. If at least one of the bad block bits associated with a memory block indicates a memory block is defective, access to the memory block can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France, Sunil Atri
  • Publication number: 20090150646
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate a search of a memory component(s) to locate a desired logical block address (LBA) associated with a memory location in a memory component are presented. Searches to locate a desired LBA(s) in a memory component(s) associated with a processor component are offloaded and controlled by the memory component(s). A search component searches pages in the memory array to facilitate locating a page of data associated with an LBA stored in the memory component. The search component can retrieve a portion of a page of data in a block in the memory component to facilitate determining whether the page contains an LBA associated with a command based in part on command information. The search component can search pages in the memory component until a desired page is located or a predetermined number of searches is performed without locating the desired page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Patent number: 6177360
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making an integrated circuit device comprising (i) a substrate, (ii) metallic circuit lines positioned on the substrate, and (iii) a dielectric material positioned on the circuit lines. The dielectric material comprises the condensation product of silsesquioxane in the presence of a photosensitive or thermally sensitive base generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Raymond Carter, Robert Frances Cook, Martha Alyne Harbison, Craig Jon Hawker, James Lupton Hedrick, Victor Yee-Way Lee, Eric Gerhard Liniger, Robert Dennis Miller, Willi Volksen, Do Yeung Yoon
  • Patent number: 5259852
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for manufacturing and protecting containers used in nurseries and horticulture, presenting an upper opening obturated by a cover for protecting the substrate previously filled in said container. Each container is subjected at least to an operation for fixing a sheet on its opening, thus closing it, at least an operation of perforating the sheet at its center, at least an operation of cutting the sheet to disconnect it from the web of sheet, and an operation for trimming the excess sheet by cutting it around the pot. These operations are carried out as the pots advance on a machine. The invention also relates to such a machine and to the containers produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Inventor: Robert Frances