Patents by Inventor Wayne S. Richardson
Wayne S. Richardson 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).
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Patent number: 10877511Abstract: A memory system in which a timing drift that would occur in distribution of a first timing signal for data transport in a memory device is determined by measuring the actual phase delays occurring in a second timing signal that has a frequency lower than that of the first timing signal and is distributed in one or more circuits mimicking the drift characteristics of at least a portion of distribution of the first timing signal. The actual phase delays are determined in the memory device and provided to a memory controller so that the phases of the timing signals used for data transport may be adjusted based on the determined timing drift.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Jun Kim, Pak Shing Chau, Wayne S. Richardson
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Patent number: 10878878Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2020Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Publication number: 20200294577Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Patent number: 10770124Abstract: A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an operational mode; a sub-mode within an operational mode; one or more CA interfaces as the active CA interface(s); a main CA interface from multiple active CA interfaces; and/or one or more data interfaces as the active data interfaces. The circuitry may perform these selection(s) based on one or more bits in one or more registers and/or one or more signals received on one or more pins.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Lawrence Lai, Fan Ho, David A. Secker, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Brian S. Leibowitz, Kyung Suk Oh
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Patent number: 10672450Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Patent number: 10622053Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2019Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: Rambus inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Patent number: 10614869Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Publication number: 20200106533Abstract: A method for calibrating a communication channel coupling first and second components includes transmitting a data signal from the first component to the second component on the communication channel, and sensing a characteristic, such as phase, of the data signal on the second component. Information about the sensed characteristic is fed back to the first component using an auxiliary channel. An adjustable parameter, such as phase, for the transmitter is adjusted on the first component in response to the information. Also, a characteristic of a data signal received from the transmitter on the second component is sensed and used to adjust an adjustable parameter for the receiver on the first component.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Jun Kim, Wayne S. Richardson, Glenn Chiu
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Publication number: 20200089270Abstract: A memory system in which a timing drift that would occur in distribution of a first timing signal for data transport in a memory device is determined by measuring the actual phase delays occurring in a second timing signal that has a frequency lower than that of the first timing signal and is distributed in one or more circuits mimicking the drift characteristics of at least a portion of distribution of the first timing signal. The actual phase delays are determined in the memory device and provided to a memory controller so that the phases of the timing signals used for data transport may be adjusted based on the determined timing drift.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Jun Kim, Pak Shing Chau, Wayne S. Richardson
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Patent number: 10496126Abstract: A memory system in which a timing drift that would occur in distribution of a first timing signal for data transport in a memory device is determined by measuring the actual phase delays occurring in a second timing signal that has a frequency lower than that of the first timing signal and is distributed in one or more circuits mimicking the drift characteristics of at least a portion of distribution of the first timing signal. The actual phase delays are determined in the memory device and provided to a memory controller so that the phases of the timing signals used for data transport may be adjusted based on the determined timing drift.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Jun Kim, Pak Shing Chau, Wayne S. Richardson
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Publication number: 20190339908Abstract: A micro-threaded memory device. A plurality of storage banks are provided, each including a plurality of rows of storage cells and having an access restriction in that at least a minimum access time interval must transpire between successive accesses to a given row of the storage cells. Transfer control circuitry is provided to transfer a first amount of data between the plurality of storage banks and an external signal path in response to a first memory access request, the first amount of data being less than a product of the external signal path bandwidth and the minimum access time interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Craig E. Hampel, Wayne S. Richardson, Chad A. Bellows, Lawrence Lai
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Patent number: 10439740Abstract: A method for calibrating a communication channel coupling first and second components includes transmitting a data signal from the first component to the second component on the communication channel, and sensing a characteristic, such as phase, of the data signal on the second component. Information about the sensed characteristic is fed back to the first component using an auxiliary channel. An adjustable parameter, such as phase, for the transmitter is adjusted on the first component in response to the information. Also, a characteristic of a data signal received from the transmitter on the second component is sensed and used to adjust an adjustable parameter for the receiver on the first component.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Jun Kim, Wayne S. Richardson, Glenn Chiu
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Patent number: 10431290Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Publication number: 20190206458Abstract: A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an operational mode; a sub-mode within an operational mode; one or more CA interfaces as the active CA interface(s); a main CA interface from multiple active CA interfaces; and/or one or more data interfaces as the active data interfaces. The circuitry may perform these selection(s) based on one or more bits in one or more registers and/or one or more signals received on one or more pins.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2018Publication date: July 4, 2019Applicant: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Lawrence Lai, Fan Ho, David A. Secker, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Brian S. Leibowitz, Kyung Suk Oh
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Patent number: 10331379Abstract: A micro-threaded memory device. A plurality of storage banks are provided, each including a plurality of rows of storage cells and having an access restriction in that at least a minimum access time interval must transpire between successive accesses to a given row of the storage cells. Transfer control circuitry is provided to transfer a first amount of data between the plurality of storage banks and an external signal path in response to a first memory access request, the first amount of data being less than a product of the external signal path bandwidth and the minimum access time interval.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Craig E. Hampel, Wayne S. Richardson, Chad A. Bellows, Lawrence Lai
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Publication number: 20190180813Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Publication number: 20190139598Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2018Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Patent number: 10262718Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a clock receiver to receive a clock signal and a plurality of mode registers to store parameter information associated with a plurality of operating clock frequencies of the clock signal. The plurality of clock frequencies include a first clock frequency and a second clock frequency. The memory device also includes a command interface to receive commands synchronously with respect to the clock signal. The command interface receives a command that instructs the DRAM device to change operation from the first clock frequency to the second clock frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Patent number: 10192598Abstract: A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an operational mode; a sub-mode within an operational mode; one or more CA interfaces as the active CA interface(s); a main CA interface from multiple active CA interfaces; and/or one or more data interfaces as the active data interfaces. The circuitry may perform these selection(s) based on one or more bits in one or more registers and/or one or more signals received on one or more pins.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Lawrence Lai, Fan Ho, David A. Secker, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Brian S. Leibowitz, Kyung Suk Oh
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Publication number: 20190027210Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty