Patents by Inventor Alan Jeremy BECKER

Alan Jeremy BECKER 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: 11210186
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a non-associative memory comprising a plurality of storage locations, and error recovery storage to store at least one error recovery entry providing a recovery value for a corresponding storage location of the non-associative memory. Control circuitry is responsive to a non-associative memory read request specifying a target address of a storage location of the non-associative memory, when the error recovery storage includes a valid matching error recovery entry for which the corresponding storage location is the storage location identified by the target address, to return the recovery value stored in the valid matching error recovery entry as a response to the non-associative memory read request, instead of information stored in the storage location identified by the target address. This enables the apparatus to continue to function even if hard errors occur in a storage location of the non-associative memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Peter Vrabel, Alan Jeremy Becker
  • Publication number: 20210035653
    Abstract: Apparatus comprises memory circuitry having a plurality of addressable memory entries storing respective data items and associated error protection codes; memory error protection circuitry to generate the error protection code for a data item stored to the memory circuitry, the error protection code for a given data item stored to the memory circuitry depending upon at least the given data item and a memory address defining a memory entry to which the given data item is stored, and to perform a check operation to check for consistency between a retrieved data item, the memory address defining a memory entry from which the given data item is retrieved and the error protection code associated with the retrieved data item; memory built-in self-test circuitry to test the memory and memory error protection circuitry; and access circuitry to provide an indirect access path between the memory built-in self-test circuitry a memory which accesses the memory circuitry via the memory error protection circuitry and a dir
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy BECKER, Loïc PIERRON
  • Patent number: 10910082
    Abstract: Apparatus comprises memory circuitry having a plurality of addressable memory entries storing respective data items and associated error protection codes; memory error protection circuitry to generate the error protection code for a data item stored to the memory circuitry, the error protection code for a given data item stored to the memory circuitry depending upon at least the given data item and a memory address defining a memory entry to which the given data item is stored, and to perform a check operation to check for consistency between a retrieved data item, the memory address defining a memory entry from which the given data item is retrieved and the error protection code associated with the retrieved data item; memory built-in self-test circuitry to test the memory and memory error protection circuitry; and access circuitry to provide an indirect access path between the memory built-in self-test circuitry a memory which accesses the memory circuitry via the memory error protection circuitry and a dir
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy Becker, Loïc Pierron
  • Publication number: 20200285550
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a non-associative memory comprising a plurality of storage locations, and error recovery storage to store at least one error recovery entry providing a recovery value for a corresponding storage location of the non-associative memory. Control circuitry is responsive to a non-associative memory read request specifying a target address of a storage location of the non-associative memory, when the error recovery storage includes a valid matching error recovery entry for which the corresponding storage location is the storage location identified by the target address, to return the recovery value stored in the valid matching error recovery entry as a response to the non-associative memory read request, instead of information stored in the storage location identified by the target address. This enables the apparatus to continue to function even if hard errors occur in a storage location of the non-associative memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Peter VRABEL, Alan Jeremy BECKER
  • Patent number: 10521338
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of memory device. In one aspect, bit positions of a portion of a memory array may be placed in a first value state. Values to be written to the bit positions may be determined subsequent to placement of the bit positions in the first value state. Values at selected ones of the bit positions may then be changed from the first value state to a second value state while maintaining remaining unselected ones of the bit positions in the first value state so that the bit positions store or represent the values determined to be written to the bit positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: ARM Ltd.
    Inventors: Joel Thornton Irby, Mudit Bhargava, Alan Jeremy Becker
  • Patent number: 10311963
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprises at least one memory configured to store data; processing circuitry to access data in the at least one memory. Memory built-in self-test (MBIST) circuitry has an interface to access the at least one memory and is configured to perform a test procedure for testing at least one target memory location of the at least one memory. The test procedure involves at least writing test data to the target memory location. Diagnostic circuitry executes a diagnostic procedure to generate diagnostic data in response to processing operations carried out by the processing circuitry. The MBIST circuitry is configured to control writing of the diagnostic data generated by the diagnostic circuitry to memory locations in a temporarily reserved memory region comprising at least a portion of the at least one memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Mark Gerald LaVine, Alan Jeremy Becker
  • Publication number: 20180349264
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for operation of memory device. In one aspect, bit positons of a portion of a memory array may be placed in a first value state. Values to be written to the bit positions may be determined subsequent to placement of the bit positions in the first value state. Values at selected ones of the bit positions may then be changed from the first value state to a second value state while maintaining remaining unselected ones of the bit positions in the first value state so that the bit positions store or represent the values determined to be written to the bit positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Joel Thornton Irby, Mudit Bhargava, Alan Jeremy Becker
  • Publication number: 20180308560
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprises at least one memory configured to store data; processing circuitry to access data in the at least one memory; memory built-in self-test (MBIST) circuitry having an interface to access the at least one memory and being configured to perform a test procedure for testing at least one target memory location of the at least one memory, the test procedure comprising at least writing test data to the target memory location; and diagnostic circuitry to execute a diagnostic procedure to generate diagnostic data in response to processing operations carried out by the processing circuitry; in which the MBIST circuitry is configured to control writing of the diagnostic data generated by the diagnostic circuitry to memory locations in a temporarily reserved memory region comprising at least a portion of the at least one memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Mark Gerald LaVINE, Alan Jeremy BECKER
  • Patent number: 9984766
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a memory and memory protection circuitry for providing an operational path to the memory during operational use of the memory. A memory built-in self-test controller 34 performs built-in self-test operations upon the memory using either an indirect test access path to the memory via the memory protection circuitry or a direct test access path to the memory which bypasses the memory protection circuitry. Thus, the correct operation of the memory protection circuitry itself can be tested in addition to the correct operation of the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy Becker, Peter Logan Harrod
  • Patent number: 9449717
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus has at least one memory and processing circuitry. A memory built-in self-test (MBIST) interface receives a MBIST request indicating that a test procedure is to be performed for testing at least one target memory location. Control circuitry detects the MBIST request and reserves for testing at least one reserved memory location including the target memory location. During the test procedure, the memory continues servicing memory transactions issued by the processing circuitry that target a memory location other than the reserved location reserved by the control circuitry. The processing circuitry is stalled if it attempts to access a reserved memory location. Testing consists of short bursts of transactions which occur infrequently. In this way, MBIST testing may continue while the processor is operation in the field with reduced performance impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy Becker, Chiloda Ashan Senerath Pathirane, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Publication number: 20150371718
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus has at least one memory and processing circuitry. A memory built-in self-test (MBIST) interface receives a MBIST request indicating that a test procedure is to be performed for testing at least one target memory location. Control circuitry detects the MBIST request and reserves for testing at least one reserved memory location including the target memory location. During the test procedure, the memory continues servicing memory transactions issued by the processing circuitry that target a memory location other than the reserved location reserved by the control circuitry. The processing circuitry is stalled if it attempts to access a reserved memory location. Testing consists of short bursts of transactions which occur infrequently. In this way, MBIST testing may continue while the processor is operation in the field with reduced performance impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Alan Jeremy BECKER, Chiloda Ashan Senerath PATHIRANE, Robert Campbell AITKEN