Patents by Inventor A. Kent Porterfield

A. Kent Porterfield 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: 9747029
    Abstract: Memory system controllers can include non-volatile memory control circuitry including a plurality of channel control circuits. Each of the plurality of channel control circuits can be configured to be coupled to a respective number of logical units (LUNs). Memory management circuitry can be coupled to the non-volatile memory control circuitry and configured to allocate a write block cluster for host writes based on an information width of a host bus and a protocol of the host bus. The write block cluster can include one block from fewer than all of the LUNs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 9514838
    Abstract: Memory controllers can include a switch and non-volatile memory control circuitry including channel control circuits coupled to the switch. The channel control circuits can coupled to logical units including blocks. Volatile memory and memory management circuitry including local memory can be coupled to the switch. The memory management circuitry can be configured to store health and status information for each of the blocks in a block table in the volatile memory, store a candidate block table that identifies a candidate block for a particular operation based on criteria in the local memory, update the health and status information for a particular block in the block table, compare the updated health and status information for the particular block with the candidate block according to the criteria, and update the candidate block table to identify the particular block in response to the comparison indicating that the particular block better satisfies the criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20150317080
    Abstract: Memory system controllers can include non-volatile memory control circuitry including a plurality of channel control circuits. Each of the plurality of channel control circuits can be configured to be coupled to a respective number of logical units (LUNs). Memory management circuitry can be coupled to the non-volatile memory control circuitry and configured to allocate a write block cluster for host writes based on an information width of a host bus and a protocol of the host bus. The write block cluster can include one block from fewer than all of the LUNs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 9170898
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatus (e.g., computing systems, memory systems, controllers, etc.) and methods for providing data integrity. One or more methods can include, for example: receiving a number of sectors of data to be written to a number of memory devices; appending first metadata corresponding to the number of sectors and including first integrity data to the number of sectors, the first metadata has a particular format; generating second integrity data to be provided in second metadata, the second integrity data corresponding to at least one of the number of sectors (wherein the second metadata has a second format); and generating third integrity data to be provided in the second metadata, the third integrity data including error data corresponding to the second integrity data and the at least one of the number of sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 9086983
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatus (e.g., computing systems, memory systems, controllers, etc.) and methods for providing data integrity. One or more methods can include, for example: receiving a number of sectors of data to be written to a number of memory devices; appending first metadata corresponding to the number of sectors and including first integrity data to the number of sectors, the first metadata has a particular format; generating second integrity data to be provided in second metadata, the second integrity data corresponding to at least one of the number of sectors (wherein the second metadata has a second format); and generating third integrity data to be provided in the second metadata, the third integrity data including error data corresponding to the second integrity data and the at least one of the number of sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 9076528
    Abstract: Memory system controllers can include non-volatile memory control circuitry including a plurality of channel control circuits. Each of the plurality of channel control circuits can be configured to be coupled to a respective number of logical units (LUNs). Memory management circuitry can be coupled to the non-volatile memory control circuitry and configured to allocate a write block cluster for host writes based on an information width of a host bus and a protocol of the host bus. The write block cluster can include one block from fewer than all of the LUNs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20150127973
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatus (e.g., computing systems, memory systems, controllers, etc.) and methods for providing data integrity. One or more methods can include, for example: receiving a number of sectors of data to be written to a number of memory devices; appending first metadata corresponding to the number of sectors and including first integrity data to the number of sectors, the first metadata has a particular format; generating second integrity data to be provided in second metadata, the second integrity data corresponding to at least one of the number of sectors (wherein the second metadata has a second format); and generating third integrity data to be provided in the second metadata, the third integrity data including error data corresponding to the second integrity data and the at least one of the number of sectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 8375259
    Abstract: Systems, controllers, and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller configured to receive patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20120311381
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatus (e.g., computing systems, memory systems, controllers, etc.) and methods for providing data integrity. One or more methods can include, for example: receiving a number of sectors of data to be written to a number of memory devices; appending first metadata corresponding to the number of sectors and including first integrity data to the number of sectors, the first metadata has a particular format; generating second integrity data to be provided in second metadata, the second integrity data corresponding to at least one of the number of sectors (wherein the second metadata has a second format); and generating third integrity data to be provided in the second metadata, the third integrity data including error data corresponding to the second integrity data and the at least one of the number of sectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent A. Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20120311232
    Abstract: Memory controllers can include a switch and non-volatile memory control circuitry including channel control circuits coupled to the switch. The channel control circuits can coupled to logical units including blocks. Volatile memory and memory management circuitry including local memory can be coupled to the switch. The memory management circuitry can be configured to store health and status information for each of the blocks in a block table in the volatile memory, store a candidate block table that identifies a candidate block for a particular operation based on criteria in the local memory, update the health and status information for a particular block in the block table, compare the updated health and status information for the particular block with the candidate block according to the criteria, and update the candidate block table to identify the particular block in response to the comparison indicating that the particular block better satisfies the criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent A. Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20120311231
    Abstract: Memory system controllers can include non-volatile memory control circuitry including a plurality of channel control circuits. Each of the plurality of channel control circuits can be configured to be coupled to a respective number of logical units (LUNs). Memory management circuitry can be coupled to the non-volatile memory control circuitry and configured to allocate a write block cluster for host writes based on an information width of a host bus and a protocol of the host bus. The write block cluster can include one block from fewer than all of the LUNs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent A. Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20120203945
    Abstract: Systems, controllers, and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller configured to receive patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 8171353
    Abstract: Systems, controllers and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller that receives patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data received through the read data lanes. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20110156792
    Abstract: Systems, controllers and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller that receives patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data received through the read data lanes. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 7895479
    Abstract: Systems, controllers and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller that receives patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data received through the read data lanes. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20100058124
    Abstract: Systems, controllers and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller that receives patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data received through the read data lanes. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 7624310
    Abstract: Systems, controllers and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller that receives patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data received through the read data lanes. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 7577830
    Abstract: A linked list is implemented in hardware. Various registers within the linked list are writeable until a control register is written, rendering the registers read-only. A computer peripheral includes the hardware linked list to provide a list of capabilities to a querying device. The linked list can be built, modified, or disabled by low level software, and then locked so that it appears as read-only to higher level software such as an operating system or device driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Publication number: 20090019323
    Abstract: Systems, controllers and methods are disclosed, such as an initialization system including a controller that receives patterns of read data coupled from a memory device through a plurality of read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of read data received through the read data lanes. The controller then adjusts the manner in which the read data received through the read data lanes during normal operation are divided into frames. The controller can also couple patterns of command/address bits to the memory device through a plurality of command/address lanes. The memory device can send the received command/address bits back to the controller through the read data lanes. The controller is operable to detect any lane-to-lane skew in the patterns of command/address bits received through the read data lanes to adjust the manner in which the command/address bits coupled through the command/address lanes during normal operation are divided into frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield
  • Patent number: 7318146
    Abstract: A linked list is implemented in hardware. Various registers within the linked list are writeable until a control register is written, rendering the registers read-only. A computer peripheral includes the hardware linked list to provide a list of capabilities to a querying device. The linked list can be built, modified, or disabled by low level software, and then locked so that it appears as read-only to higher level software such as an operating system or device driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Kent Porterfield