Patents Examined by John Trimmings
  • Patent number: 8707147
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for decoding data stored on a data storage medium. A disclosed decoding method and decoder include a radial incoherence (RI) detector that increases the probability of detecting RI and improves the decoding performance in terms of the bit error rate of the decoded signal. RI is detected by comparing an input signal to the decoder against a RI threshold value and generating a RI-type signal. The RI detector may include a filter for filtering out noise and error in the RI-type signal, an adaptive threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon the RI-type signal, a transition-based threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon each transition in the input signal, or a path-based threshold unit that adjusts the RI threshold value based upon a best surviving path corresponding to the input signal, in combination or alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Zaihe Yu, Michael Madden
  • Patent number: 8707129
    Abstract: A method of feedback in a wireless transmit receive unit includes providing a precoding matrix index (PMI), error checking the (PMI) to produce an error check (EC) bit, coding the PMI and the EC bit and transmitting the coded PMI and EC bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Kyle Jung-Lin Pan
  • Patent number: 8707134
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a data storage apparatus comprises a channel controller, an encoding module, and a data controller. The channel controller configured to control data input and output to and from nonvolatile memories for channels. The encoding module configured to generate encoded data for an interchannel error correction process, using data stored in each of the nonvolatile memories. The data controller configure to manage the encoded data in units of logical blocks when the channel controller writes the encoded data in parallel to the channels, and to allocate parity data contained in the encoded data to planes of the same channel in each logical block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kyosuke Takahashi, Motohiro Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 8707141
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a process determines a size of a video unit (e.g., frame) to transmit from a sender to a receiver across a communication channel for an associated video stream, and also determines an updated packet loss rate on the channel. In response, the process may dynamically determine both a number N of video data packets and a number M of forward error correction (FEC) packets to transmit for the video unit based on the size of the video unit, the updated packet loss rate on the channel, and an error resilience requirement for the video stream. In an illustrative embodiment, N and M are determined during transmission of the video stream through a look-up operation into a table indexed by the size of the video unit and the updated packet loss rate as co-indices, the co-indices co-indexing a pre-determined N and M pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rui Zhang, Qiyong Liu, Bo Ling, Siping Tao
  • Patent number: 8694841
    Abstract: A method to enable defect margining of a disk drive may comprise executing a data access command on a target sector on the disk drive. Upon encountering a data access error at the target sector, an address of the target sector may be added to an error list. The address of the target sector in the error list may then be converted to a physical location on the disk drive. A thermal asperity scan may be performed at and around the physical location and, upon detecting a thermal asperity, and at least sectors around the detected thermal asperity may be margined, and the data stored within the margined sectors may be relocated. Instead of sectors, entire tracks may be margined and the data stored therein relocated to a spare or reserve location, one track at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Heon Ho Chung, Chun Sei Tsai, Carl E. Barlow, Kenneth J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8671329
    Abstract: An electronic circuit (200) for use with an accessing circuit (110) that supplies a given address and a partial write data portion and also has dummy cycles. The electronic circuit (200) includes a memory circuit (230) accessible at addresses, an address buffer (410), a data buffer (440) coupled to the memory circuit (230), and a control circuit (246) operable in the dummy cycles to read data from the memory circuit (230) to the data buffer (440) from a next address location in the memory circuit (230) and to store that next address in the address buffer (410).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sanjay Kumar, Amit Kumar Dutta, Rubin A. Parekhji, Srivaths Ravi
  • Patent number: 8671319
    Abstract: An operating system independent JTAG debugging system implemented to run in a web browser. The software executing in the browser identifies the JTAG enabled components in the target system that is to be tested, and automatically downloads the latest versions of the appropriate software, JTAG drivers and configuration information from a test server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen Yee Shun Lau, Vikas Varshney
  • Patent number: 8667368
    Abstract: A page buffer for a NAND memory array has a data register and a cache register that are suitably organized and operated to eliminate gaps and discontinuities in the output data during a continuous page read. The cache register may be organized in two portions, and the page data in the cache may be output from the cache portions in alternation. ECC delay may be eliminated from the output by performing the ECC computation on one cache portion while the other is being output. The data register may also be organized in two portions corresponding to the cache portions, so that data may be transferred to one cache portion while the other is being output. In a variation, the continuous page read may be done without ECC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Anil Gupta, Oron Michael, Robin John Jigour
  • Patent number: 8661303
    Abstract: An operating system independent JTAG debugging system implemented to run in a web browser. The software executing in the browser identifies the JTAG enabled components in the target system that is to be tested and automatically downloads the latest versions of the appropriate software and drivers from a test server database, together with any applicable patches and software updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen Yee Shun Lau, Vikas Varshney
  • Patent number: 8661399
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide for creating a built-in-self-test (BIST) organizational file for an integrated circuit (IC) chip. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a design file including a hierarchy of memory modules, each module including a plurality of memory wrappers; scanning each memory wrapper in each hierarchical level of memory modules for a BIST type; creating, based on the hierarchical level and the BIST type, an ordered list of memory wrappers; adding, based on the BIST type, a BIST engine for each memory wrapper listed in the ordered list; and adding a plurality of references statements to the ordered list to create the BIST organizational file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Monroe, Michael R. Ouellette, Douglas E. Sprague
  • Patent number: 8659959
    Abstract: An advanced memory having improved performance, reduced power and increased reliability. A memory device includes a memory array, a receiver for receiving a command and associated data, error control coding circuitry for performing error control checking on the received command, and data masking circuitry for preventing the associated data from being written to the memory array in response to the error control coding circuitry detecting an error in the received command. Another memory device includes a programmable preamble. Another memory device includes a fast exit self-refresh mode. Another memory device includes auto refresh function that is controlled by the characteristic device. Another memory device includes an auto refresh function that is controlled by a characteristic of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kyu-Hyoun Kim, George L. Chiu, Paul W. Coteus, Daniel M. Dreps, Kevin C. Gower, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Warren E. Maule
  • Patent number: 8656253
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module generating preliminary dispersed storage network (DSN) storage information for data to be stored in a DSN. The method continues with the DS processing module accessing DSN storage information regarding other data stored in the DSN and comparing the preliminary DSN storage information for the data with the DSN storage information regarding the other data. When at least a portion of the data has compatible preliminary DSN storage information with DSN storage information of at least a portion of the other data, the method continues with the DS processing module generating DSN storage information for remaining portions of the data to produce remaining portions DSN storage information and generating DSN storage information for the data based on the DSN storage information of the at least the portion of the other data and the remaining portions DSN storage information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch
  • Patent number: 8656236
    Abstract: Techniques related to remotely boundary scanning of an integrated circuit embedded in a target computing system are disclosed herein. In an example, a host computing system includes a first peripheral port and a second peripheral port. A port-to-port boundary scan assembly is to interface boundary scan data between the first and the second peripheral ports. Thereby the boundary scan data can be routed from the second peripheral bus to the target computing system via a network port at the host computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kamran H Casim, Russ W Herrell, Martin Goldstein
  • Patent number: 8656252
    Abstract: A non-volatile storage device includes one or more non-volatile memories for storing data, and a memory controller for carrying out the control of the non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes the plurality of blocks, which are erase units, and the block includes the plurality of pages, which are write units of data, in each of the blocks at least one set of pages existing which include at least two pages sharing one word line. The memory controller configures a plurality of error correcting groups, each including at least one data page, which is a page for storing data, and at least one error correcting code page for storing a code for error correcting calculation of the data page, and assigns a page of a separate word line with respect to each of the data page and the error correcting page in the same error correcting group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu So, Toshiyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 8650461
    Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a memory that includes multiple memory blocks, specifying at a first time a first over-provisioning overhead, and storing data in the memory while retaining in the memory blocks memory areas, which do not hold valid data and whose aggregated size is at least commensurate with the specified first over-provisioning overhead. Portions of the data from one or more previously-programmed memory blocks containing one or more of the retained memory areas are compacted. At a second time subsequent to the first time, a second over-provisioning overhead, different from the first over-provisioning overhead, is specified, and data storage and data portion compaction is continued while complying with the second over-provisioning overhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ofir Shalvi, Naftali Sommer, Yoav Kasorla
  • Patent number: 8650451
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for stochastic stream decoding of binary LDPC codes. For example, a data decoder circuit is discussed that includes a number of variable nodes and check nodes, with serial connections between the variable nodes and the check nodes. The variable nodes are each operable to perform a real-valued computation of a variable node to check node message for each neighboring check node. The check nodes are operable to perform a real-valued computation of a check node to variable node message for each neighboring variable node. The messages are passed iteratively between the variable nodes and the check nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Anantha Raman Krishnan, Nenad Miladinovic, Yang Han, Shaohua Yang
  • Patent number: 8650453
    Abstract: A cost function is obtained. For each of a plurality of groups of nodes, the cost function is evaluated by obtaining, for a given group of nodes, one or more reliability values associated with the given group of nodes; the one or more reliability values include sign and magnitude. For a given group of nodes, a reliability value with a smallest magnitude is selected where the evaluated cost function for the given group of nodes is set to the smallest magnitude. One of the plurality of groups of nodes is selected based at least in part on the evaluated cost functions. Error correction decoding related processing is performed on the selected group of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: SK hynix memory solutions inc.
    Inventors: Kin Man Ng, Lingqi Zeng, Yu Kou, Kwok W. Yeung
  • Patent number: 8645796
    Abstract: Dynamic pipeline cache error correction includes receiving a request to perform an operation that requires a storage cache slot, the storage cache slot residing in a cache. The dynamic pipeline cache error correction also includes accessing the storage cache slot, determining a cache hit for the storage cache slot, identifying and correcting any correctable soft errors associated with the storage cache slot. The dynamic cache error correction further includes updating the cache with results of corrected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ekaterina M. Ambroladze, Michael Fee, Edward T. Gerchman, Arthur J. O'Neill, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8645795
    Abstract: The present invention provides a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that can optimize a timing of performing an error detection and correction process to shorten a processing time. Upon receiving a write request to a memory cell array including a variable resistive element where information is stored based on a resistance state of a variable resistor, an input/output buffer outputs write data to a write control unit and an ECC control unit. The write control unit performs a data write process of writing divided data, obtained by dividing the write data into a predetermined number of data, to the databanks. The ECC control unit generates a first error correction code by performing an error correction code generation process to the write data or the divided data, in parallel with the data write process. The write control unit performs a code write process of writing first test data into an ECC bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Ishihara, Yoshiaki Tabuchi
  • Patent number: 8645779
    Abstract: A method for scan testing an integrated circuit that includes a plurality of on-chip logic modules includes configuring the integrated circuit for module level scan testing and chip level scan testing by way of an external automatic test pattern generator (ATPG) tool. The ATPG tool generates first and second sets of test patterns for module level and chip level scan testing of the integrated circuit. The ATPG tool generates the second set of test patterns by excluding the design faults which have already been targeted during the module level scan testing, from the first set of test patterns and reduces the overall time required for scan testing the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajan Aggarwal, Ashutosh Anand, Ankit Bhargava, Mishika Singla, Prashant K. Sonone