Patents by Inventor Benjamin A Fox

Benjamin A Fox 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).

  • Setting controller termination in a memory controller and memory device interface in a communication bus
    Patent number: 8111564
    Abstract: A DRAM and memory controller are coupled during driver training to reduce mismatches. The impedances of the system are controlled through a termination at the controller to yield improvements in timing margins. The coupling of the components on a shared electrical bus through adjustment of the termination values during training removes known offset issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud
  • Setting controller VREF in a memory controller and memory device interface in a communication bus
    Patent number: 8102724
    Abstract: A memory device is connected through an interface to a memory controller. The controller's reference voltage is set based on a driver's impendence of the memory device during driver training. The voltage is applied to a reference resistor pair at the controller and changed until the voltage level switches. The voltage is then set at the reference resistor pair of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud
  • Setting memory controller driver to memory device termination value in a communication bus
    Patent number: 7990768
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for coupling a DRAM and a memory controller during driver training to reduce mismatches by controlling impedances within the system environment. A memory device initializes a bit level voltage on a data net. A driver impedance in a driving element in the controller is modified to yield improvements in timing margins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud
  • Setting memory device termination in a memory device and memory controller interface in a communication bus
    Patent number: 7978538
    Abstract: A memory device and memory controller are coupled during driver training to reduce mismatches. The impedances of the system are controlled through a termination at the memory device to yield improvements in timing margins. The coupling of the components on a shared electrical bus through adjustment of the termination values during training removes known offset issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud
  • Setting memory device VREF in a memory controller and memory device interface in a communication bus
    Patent number: 7974141
    Abstract: A memory device is connected through an interface to a memory controller. The memory device's reference voltage is set based on a driver's impedance of the memory device and the controller driver drive strength during driver training. The voltage is applied to a reference resistor pair at the memory device and changed until the voltage level switches. The voltage is then set at the reference resistor pair of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud
  • Calibration of memory driver with offset in a memory controller and memory device interface in a communication bus
    Patent number: 7848175
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for coupling a DRAM and a memory controller during driver training to reduce mismatches by controlling impedances within the system environment. The memory device, which is typically the device initializing a bit level voltage on a data net, is adjusted through altering what appears to be the reference voltage value to the memory device. A current driven to the memory device is varied in small increments while impedance training is rerun until a desired value is achieved to set the 0 level voltage on the data net.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud
  • Calibration of Memory Driver With Offset in a Memory Controller and Memory Device Interface in a Communication Bus
    Publication number: 20100188919
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for coupling a DRAM and a memory controller during driver training to reduce mismatches by controlling impedances within the system environment. The memory device, which is typically the device initializing a bit level voltage on a data net, is adjusted through altering what appears to be the reference voltage value to the memory device. A current driven to the memory device is varied in small increments while impedance training is rerun until a desired value is achieved to set the 0 level voltage on the data net.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin A Fox, William P Hovis, Thomas W Liang, Paul Rudrud