Patents by Inventor Andre Schaefer

Andre Schaefer 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: 9921640
    Abstract: Magnetically enhanced inductors integrated with microelectronic devices at chip-level. In embodiments, magnetically enhanced inductors include a through substrate vias (TSVs) with fill metal to carry an electrical current proximate to a magnetic layer disposed on a substrate through which the TSV passes. In certain magnetically enhanced inductor embodiments, a TSV fill metal is disposed within a magnetic material lining the TSV. In certain magnetically enhanced inductor embodiments, a magnetically enhanced inductor includes a plurality of interconnected TSVs disposed proximate to a magnetic material layer on a side of a substrate. In embodiments, voltage regulation circuitry disposed on a first side of a substrate is integrated with one or more magnetically enhanced inductors utilizing a TSV passing through the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Uwe Zillmann, Andre Schaefer, Ruchir Saraswat, Telesphor Kamgaing, Paul B. Fischer, Guido Droege
  • Patent number: 9911689
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming a through-body-via (TBV) isolated coaxial capacitor in a semiconductor die. In some embodiments, a cylindrical capacitor provided using the disclosed techniques may include, for example, a conductive TBV surrounded by a dielectric material and an outer conductor plate. The TBV and outer plate can be formed, for example, so as to be self-aligned with one another in a coaxial arrangement, in accordance with some embodiments. The disclosed capacitor may extend through the body of a host die such that its terminals are accessible on the upper and/or lower surfaces thereof. Thus, in some cases, the host die can be electrically connected with another die to provide a die stack or other three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC), in accordance with some embodiments. In some instances, the disclosed capacitor can be utilized, for example, to provide integrated capacitance in a switched-capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin J. Lee, Ruchir Saraswat, Uwe Zillmann, Nicholas P. Cowley, Andre Schaefer, Rinkle Jain, Guido Droege
  • Patent number: 9768148
    Abstract: A stacked memory with interface providing offset interconnects. An embodiment of memory device includes a system element and a memory stack coupled with the system element, the memory stack including one or more memory die layers. Each memory die layer includes first face and a second face, the second face of each memory die layer including an interface for coupling data interface pins of the memory die layer with data interface pins of a first face of a coupled element. The interface of each memory die layer includes connections that provide an offset between each of the data interface pins of the memory die layer and a corresponding data interface pin of the data interface pins of the coupled element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pete Vogt, Andre Schaefer, Warren Morrow, John Halbert, Jin Kim, Kenneth Shoemaker
  • Publication number: 20170040255
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming a through-body-via (TBV) isolated coaxial capacitor in a semiconductor die. In some embodiments, a cylindrical capacitor provided using the disclosed techniques may include, for example, a conductive TBV surrounded by a dielectric material and an outer conductor plate. The TBV and outer plate can be formed, for example, so as to be self-aligned with one another in a coaxial arrangement, in accordance with some embodiments. The disclosed capacitor may extend through the body of a host die such that its terminals are accessible on the upper and/or lower surfaces thereof. Thus, in some cases, the host die can be electrically connected with another die to provide a die stack or other three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC), in accordance with some embodiments. In some instances, the disclosed capacitor can be utilized, for example, to provide integrated capacitance in a switched-capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: KEVIN J. LEE, RUCHIR SARASWAT, UWE ZILLMANN, NICHOLAS P. COWLEY, ANDRE SCHAEFER, RINKLE JAIN, GUIDO DROEGE
  • Publication number: 20170011779
    Abstract: An apparatus such as heterogeneous device includes at least a first die and a second die. The apparatus further includes a first inductive element, a second inductive element, and switch control circuitry. The switch control circuitry is disposed in the first die. The switch control circuitry controls current through the first inductive element to produce a first voltage. The first voltage powers the first die. The second inductive element is coupled to the first inductive element. The second inductive element produces a second voltage to power the second die. The first die and second die can be fabricated in accordance with different technologies and in which the first die and second die withstand different maximum voltages. A magnitude of the first voltage can be greater than a magnitude of the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Guido Droege, Andre Schaefer, Uwe Zillmann
  • Publication number: 20160306566
    Abstract: Embodiments including systems, methods, and apparatuses associated with reordering data retrieved from a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). A memory controller may be configured to receive an instruction from a central processing unit (CPU) and, based on the instruction, retrieve a sequential data from a DRAM. The memory controller may then be configured to reorder the sequential data and place the reordered data in one or more locations of a vector register file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Shih-Lien L. Lu, Chun Shiah, Bordoou Rong, Andre Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9472249
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed for accessing a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) array. In some examples, sub-arrays of a DRAM bank may be capable of opening multiple pages responsive to a same column address strobe. In other examples, sub-arrays of a DRAM bank may be arranged such that input/output (IO) bits may be routed in a serialized manner over an IO wire. For these other examples, the IO wire may pass through a DRAM die including the DRAM bank and/or may couple to a memory channel or bus outside of the DRAM die. Other examples are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andre Schaefer, Jen-Chieh Yeh, Pei-Wen Luo
  • Patent number: 9391453
    Abstract: An apparatus such as heterogeneous device includes at least a first die and a second die. The apparatus further includes a first inductive element, a second inductive element, and switch control circuitry. The switch control circuitry is disposed in the first die. The switch control circuitry controls current through the first inductive element to produce a first voltage. The first voltage powers the first die. The second inductive element is coupled to the first inductive element. The second inductive element produces a second voltage to power the second die. The first die and second die can be fabricated in accordance with different technologies and in which the first die and second die withstand different maximum voltages. A magnitude of the first voltage can be greater than a magnitude of the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Guido Droege, Andre Schaefer, Uwe Zillmann
  • Patent number: 9361970
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus having a segment wordline enable coupled to logic to selectively disable ones of a number of segment wordline drivers. The logic may partition a page of the apparatus to reduce power consumed through activation of the disabled ones of the number of segment wordlines. Other embodiments may be disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Andre Schaefer, John B. Halbert
  • Patent number: 9311983
    Abstract: A refresh voltage control engine selectively applies different high voltages to use in refresh operations. The control engine can detect that a portion of a memory device needs to be refreshed, and determine that the refresh cycle time is too short for a state of the portion of the memory device. The memory device typically has an associated refresh cycle time or time between refreshes based on the device and system architecture. The control engine can generate one or more control signals to cause the system to apply an overcharge refresh to overcharge the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation to extend the refresh cycle time for the portion of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Andre Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9287196
    Abstract: Resonant clocking for three-dimensional stacked devices. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a stack including integrated circuit dies; and through silicon vias through at least one of the dies, wherein at least a first through silicon via of the through silicon vias includes a capacitive structure or an inductive structure, the first through silicon via being formed in a first die of the plurality of dies. The apparatus includes a resonant circuit, the first through silicon via used as a first circuit element of the resonant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ruchir Saraswat, Uwe Zillmann, Andre Schaefer, Tor Lund-Larsen
  • Patent number: 9263422
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide capacitive AC coupling inter-layer communications for 3D stacked modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Guido Droege, Niklas Linkewitsch, Andre Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9229466
    Abstract: A voltage regulator for one or more dies in a multi-stack integrated circuit includes an inductor located on a die, a voltage controller that is electrically coupled to the inductor and is also located on the die, and a capacitor that is electrically coupled to the inductor and the voltage controller and is also located on the die. The inductor defines an interior space and the voltage controller and the capacitor are located within the interior space of the inductor. The inductor can be a lateral inductor or a through layer via inductor. The multi-stack integrated circuit may have multiple dies. A voltage controller may be electrically coupled to each of the dies, although it may be located on only one of the dies. Alternatively, separate voltage controllers may be electrically coupled to each of the multiple dies and may be located on each of the respective dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ruchir Saraswat, Andre Schaefer, Uwe Zillman, Andreas Duevel, Valluri Rao, Telesphor Kamgaing, Harish Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 9230614
    Abstract: Separate microchannel voltage domains in a stacked memory architecture An embodiment of a memory device includes a memory stack including one or more coupled memory dies, wherein a first memory die of the memory stack includes multiple microchannels, and a logic chip coupled with the memory stack, the logic chip including a memory controller. Each of the microchannels includes a separate voltage domain, and a voltage level is controlled for each of the plurality of microchannels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Andre Schaefer, Ruchir Saraswat
  • Publication number: 20150380072
    Abstract: A refresh voltage control engine selectively applies different high voltages to use in refresh operations. The control engine can detect that a portion of a memory device needs to be refreshed, and determine that the refresh cycle time is too short for a state of the portion of the memory device. The memory device typically has an associated refresh cycle time or time between refreshes based on the device and system architecture. The control engine can generate one or more control signals to cause the system to apply an overcharge refresh to overcharge the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation to extend the refresh cycle time for the portion of the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventor: ANDRE SCHAEFER
  • Publication number: 20150357011
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed for accessing a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) array. In some examples, sub-arrays of a DRAM bank may be capable of opening multiple pages responsive to a same column address strobe. In other examples, sub-arrays of a DRAM bank may be arranged such that input/output (IO) bits may be routed in a serialized manner over an IO wire. For these other examples, the IO wire may pass through a DRAM die including the DRAM bank and/or may couple to a memory channel or bus outside of the DRAM die. Other examples are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ANDRE SCHAEFER, JEN-CHIEH YEH, PEI-WEN LUO
  • Publication number: 20150317228
    Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating write tracking for following data eye movements across changing thermal conditions in memory systems according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes monitoring movements of a valid data eye associated with a memory device of a plurality of memory devices of a memory system at a computing system. The monitoring may include initiating write commands during one or more refresh periods associated with the valid data eye. The method may include determining drifting in the movement of the data eye, and correcting the drifting based on adjusting one or more existing phase interpolator values associated with the movements of the data eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsun Ho LIU, Andre Schaefer, Hoi M. Ng, Guy R. Murray, Oleg Mikulchenko, Xiaofang Gao
  • Patent number: 9135982
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed for accessing a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) array. In some examples, sub-arrays of a DRAM bank may be capable of opening multiple pages responsive to a same column address strobe. In other examples, sub-arrays of a DRAM bank may be arranged such that input/output (IO) bits may be routed in a serialized manner over an IO wire. For these other examples, the IO wire may pass through a DRAM die including the DRAM bank and/or may couple to a memory channel or bus outside of the DRAM die. Other examples are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andre Schaefer, Jen-Chieh Yeh, Pei-Wen Luo
  • Patent number: 9086881
    Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating write tracking for following data eye movements across changing thermal conditions in memory systems according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes monitoring movements of a valid data eye associated with a memory device of a plurality of memory devices of a memory system at a computing system. The monitoring may include initiating write commands during one or more refresh periods associated with the valid data eye. The method may include determining drifting in the movement of the data eye, and correcting the drifting based on adjusting one or more existing phase interpolator values associated with the movements of the data eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tsun Ho Liu, Andre Schaefer, Hoi M. Ng, Guy R. Murray, Oleg Mikulchenko, Xiaofang Gao
  • Patent number: 9087559
    Abstract: Memory sense amplifier voltage modulation. An embodiment of a an apparatus includes a memory including a sense amplifier; a first node for an high voltage rail for the sense amplifier and a second node for a low voltage rail for the sense amplifier; one or more elements to provide a first voltage to the first node and a second voltage to the second node; and a voltage control engine to control the one or more elements, where the voltage control engine is to independently set a value of the first voltage and a value of the second voltage over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Andre Schaefér