Patents Assigned to Rambus
-
Patent number: 10176562Abstract: An optical method of measuring motion employs a phase grating that produces a diffraction pattern responsive to light from an imaged scene. First and second images of the diffraction pattern are captured and compared to produce an image comparison. Apparent motion is then calculated from the image comparison.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Patrick R. Gill, David G. Stork, Patrick R. Johnstone
-
Patent number: 10175396Abstract: Described are imaging systems that employ diffractive structures as focusing optics optimized to detect visual edges (e.g., slits or bars). The diffractive structures produce edge responses that are relatively insensitive to wavelength, and can thus be used to precisely measure edge position for panchromatic sources over a wide angle of view. Simple image processing can improve measurement precision. Field-angle measurements can be made without the aid of lenses, or the concomitant cost, bulk, and complexity.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: David Geoffrey Stork, Mehjabin Sultana Monjur, Leonidas Spinoulas, Patrick R. Gill
-
Patent number: 10178329Abstract: In an integrated-circuit image sensor having a pixel array, a first subframe readout policy is selected from among a plurality of subframe readout policies, each of the subframe readout policies specifying a first number of subframes of image data to be readout from the pixel array for each output image frame and respective exposure durations for each of the first number of subframes of image data, wherein a shortest one of the exposure durations is uniform for each of the subframe readout policies. Each of the first number of subframes of image data is read out from the pixel array following the respective exposure durations thereof while applying a respective analog readout gain. The analog readout gain applied during readout of at least a first subframe of the first number of subframes is scaled according to a ratio of the shortest one of the exposure durations to the exposure duration of the first subframe.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas Vogelsang, Craig M. Smith
-
Patent number: 10168954Abstract: A system for interfacing with a co-processor or input/output device is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the system includes a computer processing unit, a memory module, a memory bus that connects the computer processing unit and the the memory module, and a co-processing unit or input/output device, wherein the memory bus also connects the co-processing unit or input/output device to the computer processing unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Michael L. Takefman, Maher Amer, Riccardo Badalone
-
Patent number: 10169258Abstract: A mother board topology including a processor operable to be coupled to one or more communication channels for communicating commands. The topology includes a first communication channel electrically coupling a first set of two or more dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) and a first primary data buffer on a mother board. The topology includes a second communication channel electrically coupling a second set of two or more DIMMs and a second primary data buffer on the mother board. The topology includes a third channel electrically coupling the first primary data buffer, the primary second data buffer, and the processor.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Chi-Ming Yeung, Yoshie Nakabayashi, Thomas Giovannini, Henry Stracovsky
-
Patent number: 10169257Abstract: A method and system for direct memory transfers between memory modules are described that includes sending a request to a first memory module and storing the data sent on a memory bus by the first memory module into a second memory module. The direct transfer of data between the first and second memory modules reduces power consumption and increases performance.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Steven Woo, David Secker
-
Patent number: 10170170Abstract: In a multirank memory system in which the clock distribution trees of each rank are permitted to drift over a wide range (e.g., low power memory systems), the fine-interleaving of commands between ranks is facilitated through the use of techniques that cause each addressed rank to properly sample commands intended for that rank, notwithstanding the drift. The ability to perform such “microthreading” provides for substantially enhanced memory capacity without sacrificing the performance of single rank systems. This disclosure provides methods, memory controllers, memory devices and system designs adapted to these ends.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely K. Tsern, Brian S. Leibowitz, Wayne Frederick Ellis, Akash Bansal, John Welsford Brooks, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
-
Patent number: 10161788Abstract: A sensing device projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the point-spread response distributes spatial modulations over a relatively large area on the array. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. An image-change detector incorporating such a sensing device uses very little power because only a small number of active pixels are required to cover a visual field.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2015Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: David Geoffrey Stork, Evan Lawrence Erickson, Patrick R. Gill, James Tringali
-
Patent number: 10165209Abstract: A sequence of control voltage levels are applied to a control signal line capacitively coupled to a floating diffusion node of a pixel to sequentially adjust a voltage level of the floating diffusion node. A pixel output signal representative of the voltage level of the floating diffusion node is compared with a reference voltage to identify a first control voltage level of the sequence of control voltage levels for which the voltage level of the floating diffusion node exceeds the reference voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2015Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: John Ladd, Michael Guidash, Craig M. Smith, Thomas Vogelsang, Jay Endsley, Michael T. Ching, James E. Harris
-
Patent number: 10157660Abstract: A memory is disclosed that includes a logic die having first and second memory interface circuits. A first memory die is stacked with the logic die, and includes first and second memory arrays. The first memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The second memory array couples to the second interface circuit. A second memory die is stacked with the logic die and the first memory die. The second memory die includes third and fourth memory arrays. The third memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The fourth memory array couples to the second memory interface circuit. Accesses to the first and third memory arrays are carried out independently from accesses to the second and fourth memory arrays.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2017Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li
-
Patent number: 10157657Abstract: A method of refreshing a memory is disclosed. The method includes accessing from active memory an active memory map. The active memory map is generated by software and identifies addresses corresponding to the active memory and associated refresh criteria for the addresses. The refresh criteria are evaluated for a portion of the active memory, and an operation initiated to refresh a portion of the active memory is based on the refresh criteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Hongzhong Zheng, James Tringali, Frederick A. Ware
-
Patent number: 10152408Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for “leveling” or averaging out more evenly the number of activate/precharge cycles seen by the rows of a memory component, so that one or more particular rows are not excessively stressed (relative to the other rows). In one embodiment, a memory controller includes remapping facilities arranged to move data stored in a physical row from RPK to RPK? and modify the mapping from logical row RLK while minimizing impact on normal read/write operations. Remapping operations may be scheduled relative to refresh or other maintenance operations. Remapping operations may be conditionally deferred so as to minimize performance impact.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2014Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Craig E. Hampel
-
Patent number: 10154220Abstract: Multiple image data subframes corresponding to respective portions of an exposure interval are generated within a sensor device of an image system. Depending on whether the exposure interval exceeds one or more exposure time thresholds, data representative multiple image data subframes are output from the image sensor device in one of at least two formats, including a first format in which each of the subframes of image data is output in its entirety, and a second format in which a logical combination of at least two of the subframes of image data is output instead of the at least two of the subframes of image data such that the total volume of image data output from the image sensor device is reduced relative to the first format.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2016Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas Vogelsang, Jay Endsley, Michael Guidash, Craig M. Smith
-
Patent number: 10149383Abstract: The embodiments described herein describe technologies for memory systems. One implementation of a memory system includes a motherboard substrate with multiple module sockets, at least one of which is populated with a memory module. A first set of data lines is disposed on the motherboard substrate and coupled to the module sockets. The first set of data lines includes a first subset of point-to-point data lines coupled between a memory controller and a first socket and a second subset of point-to-point data lines coupled between the memory controller and a second socket. A second set of data lines is disposed on the motherboard substrate and coupled between the first socket and the second socket. The first and second sets of data lines can make up a memory channel.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Rambus, Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Suresh Rajan
-
Patent number: 10146445Abstract: A memory is disclosed comprising a first memory portion, a second memory portion, and an interface, wherein the memory portions are electrically isolated from each other and the interface is capable of receiving a row command and a column command in the time it takes to cycle the memory once. By interleaving access requests (comprising row commands and column commands) to the different portions of the memory, and by properly timing these access requests, it is possible to achieve full data bus utilization in the memory without increasing data granularity.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventor: Billy Garrett, Jr.
-
Patent number: 10146608Abstract: During system initialization, each data buffer device and/or memory device on a memory module is configured with a unique (at least to the module) device identification number. In order to access a single device (rather than multiple buffers and/or memory devices), a target identification number is written to all of the devices using a command bus connected to all of the data buffer devices or memory devices, respectively. The devices whose respective device identification numbers do not match the target identification number are configured to ignore future command bus transactions (at least until the debug mode is turned off.) The selected device that is configured with a device identification number matching the target identification number is configured to respond to command bus transactions.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2016Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Giovannini, Catherine Chen, Scott C. Best, John Eric Linstadt, Frederick A. Ware
-
Patent number: 10133338Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a memory device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes a clock receiver circuit that receives an external clock signal and provides an internal clock signal. The memory device also includes a delay-locked loop circuit (DLL) having an input, and a circuit that receives the internal clock signal. The circuit selects which pulses of the internal clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL, such that no more than two clock pulses selected from at least three consecutive pulses of the external clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL during a predetermined interval.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Dinesh Patil, Amir Amirkhany, Farrukh Aquil, Kambiz Kaviani, Frederick A. Ware
-
Patent number: 10133676Abstract: Embodiments related to a cache memory that supports tagless addressing are disclosed. Some embodiments receive a request to perform a memory access, wherein the request includes a virtual address. In response, the system performs an address-translation operation, which translates the virtual address into both a physical address and a cache address. Next, the system uses the physical address to access one or more levels of physically addressed cache memory, wherein accessing a given level of physically addressed cache memory involves performing a tag-checking operation based on the physical address. If the access to the one or more levels of physically addressed cache memory fails to hit on a cache line for the memory access, the system uses the cache address to directly index a cache memory, wherein directly indexing the cache memory does not involve performing a tag-checking operation and eliminates the tag storage overhead.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2011Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Hongzhong Zheng, Trung A. Diep
-
Patent number: 10135566Abstract: A receiver frontend having a high-frequency AC-coupled path in parallel to a low-frequency feed-forward path for baseline correction. The low-frequency path blocks the DC common-mode voltage of the input differential signal pair, but passes low-frequency differential signal components (e.g., long strings of a single value, or disparities in the number of 1's and 0's over a long period of time.) The low-frequency path can include a passive network for level shifting and extending the range of acceptable common-mode input voltages. The low-frequency path can also include a differential (e.g., transconductance) amplifier to isolate the common-mode input voltage from the output of the baseline wander correction circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventor: Reza Navid
-
Patent number: 10136090Abstract: An image sensor architecture with multi-bit sampling is implemented within an image sensor system. A pixel signal produced in response to light incident upon a photosensitive element is converted to a multiple-bit digital value representative of the pixel signal. If the pixel signal exceeds a sampling threshold, the photosensitive element is reset. During an image capture period, digital values associated with pixel signals that exceed a sampling threshold are accumulated into image data.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas Vogelsang, Michael Guidash, Song Xue, Maxim Smirnov, Craig M. Smith, Jay Endsley, James E. Harris