Patents by Inventor Steven C. Woo

Steven C. Woo 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: 11609816
    Abstract: Multiple independent point-to-point memory channels are operated, by at least one controller, in parallel to form a wider memory channel. The memory components on these point-to-point channels include the ability to connect to multiple (e.g., 2) instances of these independent memory channels. The controller operates multiple instances of the wider channels with the memory components configured in a clamshell mode. A single memory component is also operated in clamshell mode to provide error correction code information, independently of the other wider channels, to multiple instances of the wider memory channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Kedia, Kartik Dayalal Kariya, Sreeja Menon, Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20230081231
    Abstract: Row addresses received by a module are mapped before being received by the memory devices of the module such that row hammer affects different neighboring row addresses in each memory device. Thus, because the mapped respective, externally received, row addresses applied to each device ensure that each set of neighboring rows for a given row address received by the module is different for each memory device on the module, row hammering of a given externally addressed row spreads the row hammering errors across different externally addressed rows on each memory device. This has the effect of confining the row hammer errors for each row that is hammered to a single memory device per externally addressed neighboring row. By confining the row hammer errors to a single memory device, the row hammer errors are correctible using a SDDC scheme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Taeksang SONG, Steven C. WOO, Torsten PARTSCH
  • Publication number: 20230072394
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory controller, a plurality of serial data buffers, and a plurality of memory devices. The memory controller issues packetized commands and data to the serial data buffers. The serial data buffers each apply a different remapping function to remap an input command address in the packetized commands to respective remapped memory addresses that are different for each serial data buffer. The serial data buffers then issue commands to the memory devices using the remapped addresses. The remapping functions may be designed to mitigate row hammer effects. The serial data buffers may furthermore apply transformations to read and write data to facilitate encryption and decryption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Haywood, Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20220413768
    Abstract: A memory module supports multiple memory channel modes, each including a double-date-rate (DDR) data channel supported by an independent command-and-address (CA) channel. In a two-channel mode, the memory module supports two DDR data channels using two respective DDR CA channels. Each CA channel includes a corresponding set of CA links. In a four-channel mode, the memory module supports two pairs of DDR data channels, each pair supported by a pair of independent CA channels. Memory commands issued in the four-channel mode are time interleaved to share one of the sets of CA links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Dongyun Lee, Steven C. Woo
  • Patent number: 11526632
    Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling secure memory transactions in a memory controller are disclosed. Responsive to determining that an incoming request is for a secure memory transaction, the incoming request is placed in a secure request container. The memory container then enters a state where re-ordering between requests for secure memory transactions placed in the secure request container and requests for non-secure memory transactions from other containers is prevented in a scheduling queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. Hampel, Liji Gopalakrishnan, John Eric Linstadt, Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20220366960
    Abstract: A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas J. Giovannini, Alok Gupta, Ian Shaeffer, Steven C. Woo
  • Patent number: 11488018
    Abstract: One or more neural network layers are implemented by respective sets of signed multiply-accumulate units that generate dual analog result signals indicative of positive and negative product accumulations, respectively. The two analog result signals and thus the positive and negative product accumulations are differentially combined to produce a merged analog output signal that constitutes the output of a neural node within the subject neural network layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20220335283
    Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit for an artificial neural network is integrated with a high-bandwidth memory. The neural network includes a systolic array of interconnected processing elements, including upstream processing elements and downstream processing elements. Each processing element includes input/output port pairs for concurrent forward and back propagation. The processing elements can be used for convolution, in which case the input/output port pairs can support the fast and efficient scanning of kernels relative to activations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Steven C. Woo, Amogh Agrawal
  • Publication number: 20220269436
    Abstract: An integrated circuit that includes a set of one or more logic layers that are, when the integrated circuit is stacked in an assembly with the set of stacked memory devices, electrically coupled to a set of stacked memory devices. The set of one or more logic layers include a coupled chain of processing elements. The processing elements in the coupled chain may independently compute partial results as functions of data received, store partial results, and pass partial results directly to a next processing element in the coupled chain of processing elements. The processing elements in the chains may include interfaces that allow direct access to memory banks on one or more DRAMs in the stack. These interfaces may access DRAM memory banks via TSVs that are not used for global I/O. These interfaces allow the processing elements to have more direct access to the data in the DRAM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Mark D. KELLAM, Steven C. WOO, Thomas VOGELSANG, John Eric LINSTADT
  • Patent number: 11404103
    Abstract: A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Giovannini, Alok Gupta, Ian Shaeffer, Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20220237113
    Abstract: Computing devices, methods, and systems for switch-based free memory tracking in data center environments are disclosed. An exemplary switch integrated circuit (IC), which is used in a switched fabric or a network, can include a processing device and a tracking structure that is distributed with at least a second switch IC. The tracking structure tracks free memory units that are accessible in a first set of nodes by the second switch IC. The processing device receives a request for a number of free memory units. The processing device forwards the request to a node in the first set of nodes that has at least the number of free memory units or forwards the request to the second switch IC that has at least the number of free memory units or responds to the request with a response that indicates that the request could not be fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Steven C. Woo, Christopher Haywood, Evan Lawrence Erickson
  • Publication number: 20220237126
    Abstract: The creation, maintenance, and accessing of page tables is done by a virtual machine monitor running on a computing system rather than the guest operating systems. This allows page table walks to be completed in fewer memory accesses when compared to the guest operating system's maintenance of the page tables. In addition, the virtual machine monitor may utilize additional resources to offload page table access and maintenance functions from the CPU to another device, such as a page table management device or page table management node. Offloading some or all page table access and maintenance functions to a specialized device or node enables the CPU to perform other tasks during page table walks and/or other page table maintenance functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Steven C. WOO, Christopher HAYWOOD, Evan Lawrence ERICKSON
  • Publication number: 20220229601
    Abstract: An interconnected stack of one or more Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) die has a base logic die and one or more custom logic or processor die. The processor logic die snoops commands sent to and through the stack. In particular, the processor logic die may snoop mode setting commands (e.g., mode register set—MRS commands). At least one mode setting command that is ignored by the DRAM in the stack is used to communicate a command to the processor logic die. In response the processor logic die may prevent commands, addresses, and data from reaching the DRAM die(s). This enables the processor logic die to send commands/addresses and communicate data with the DRAM die(s). While being able to send commands/addresses and communicate data with the DRAM die(s), the processor logic die may execute software using the DRAM die(s) for program and/or data storage and retrieval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas VOGELSANG, Michael Raymond MILLER, Steven C. WOO
  • Publication number: 20220179556
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) memory device includes an array of storage cells configured into multiple banks. Interface circuitry receives refresh commands from a host memory controller to refresh the multiple banks for a first refresh mode. On-die refresh control circuitry selectively generates local refresh commands to refresh the multiple banks in cooperation with the host memory controller during a designated hidden refresh interval in a second refresh mode. Mode register circuitry stores a value indicating whether the on-die refresh control circuitry is enabled for use during the second refresh mode. The interface circuitry includes backchannel control circuitry to transmit a corrective action control signal during operation in the second refresh mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Raymond Miller, Steven C. Woo, Thomas Vogelsang
  • Patent number: 11341086
    Abstract: An array of processing elements are arranged in a three-dimensional array. Each of the processing elements includes or is coupled to a dedicated memory. The processing elements of the array are intercoupled to their nearest neighbor processing elements. A processing element on a first die may be intercoupled to a first processing element on a second die that is located directly above the processing element, a second processing element on a third die that is located directly below the processing element, and the four adjacent processing elements on the first die. This intercoupling allows data to flow from processing element to processing element in the three directions. These dataflows are reconfigurable so that they may be optimized for the task. The data flows of the array may be configured into one or more loops that periodically recycle data in order to accomplish different parts of a calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Amogh Agrawal, Thomas Vogelsang, Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20220156204
    Abstract: A DRAM includes at least four groups of memory cores and at least four memory access channel interfaces that, in a first mode, each respectively are to receive memory access commands, directed to a corresponding one of the groups of memory cores. One-half of the memory access channel interfaces are to, in a second mode, each respectively receive memory access commands, directed to a corresponding two of four of the groups of memory cores. The memory access channel interfaces to have electrical connection conductors that lie on opposing sides of at least one line of reflectional symmetry from a second one-half of the one-half of the at least four memory access channel interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Steven C. WOO, Torsten PARTSCH
  • Publication number: 20220138125
    Abstract: Processing elements include interfaces that allow direct access to memory banks on one or more DRAMs in an integrated circuit stack. These additional (e.g., per processing element) direct interfaces may allow the processing elements to have direct access to the data in the DRAM stack. Based on the size/type of operands being processed, and the memory bandwidth of the direct interfaces, rate calculation circuitry on the processor die determines the speed each processing element and/or processing nodes within each processing element are operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Steven C. WOO, Thomas VOGELSANG, Joseph James TRINGALI, Pooneh SAFAYENIKOO
  • Publication number: 20220137843
    Abstract: A memory system includes two or more memory controllers capable of accessing the same dynamic, random-access memory (DRAM), one controller having access to the DRAM or a subset of the DRAM at a time. Different subsets of the DRAM are supported with different refresh-control circuitry, including respective refresh-address counters. Whichever controller has access to a given subset of the DRAM issues refresh requests to the corresponding refresh-address counter. Counters are synchronized before control of a given subset of the DRAM is transferred between controllers to avoid a loss of stored data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Vogelsang, Steven C. Woo, Michael Raymond Miller
  • Patent number: 11308196
    Abstract: Pairing data associated with a second device may be received at a first device. The pairing data may be received from a server. A first authentication proof may be generated based on the pairing data received from the server. A second authentication proof may be received from the second device. Furthermore, an authentication status of the second device may be updated based on a comparison of the first authentication proof that is based on the pairing data received from the server and the second authentication proof that is received from the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Cryptography Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Che-Ming Jun, Matthew Evan Orzen, Joel Patrick Wittenauer, Steven C. Woo
  • Publication number: 20220083224
    Abstract: An interconnected stack of one or more Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) die also has one or more custom logic, controller, or processor die. The custom die(s) of the stack include direct channel interfaces that allow direct access to memory regions on one or more DRAMs in the stack. The direct channels are time-division multiplexed such that each DRAM die is associated with a time slot on a direct channel. The custom die configures a first DRAM die to read a block of data and transmit it via the direct channel using a time slot that is assigned to a second DRAM die. The custom die also configures the second memory device to receive the first block of data in its assigned time slot and write the block of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Raymond MILLER, Steven C. WOO, Thomas VOGELSANG