Patents by Inventor Bill Nale

Bill Nale 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).

  • Publication number: 20210264999
    Abstract: A memory chip is described. The memory chip includes row hammer threat detection circuitry. The memory chip includes an output. The memory chip includes backpressure signal generation circuitry coupled between the row hammer detection circuitry and the output. The backpressure signal generation signal is to generate a backpressure signal to be sent from the output in response to detection by the row hammer threat detection circuitry of a row hammer threat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Kuljit S. BAINS, Bill NALE, Jongwon LEE, Sreenivas MANDAVA
  • Publication number: 20210216238
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a register clock driver (RCD) semiconductor chip having first inputs to receive first command and address (CA) signals from a first sub-channel and first outputs to drive first and second instances of the CA information that are decoded from the first CA signals. The RCD semiconductor chip has second inputs to receive second command and address (CA) signals from a second sub-channel. The RCD semiconductor chip has a multiplexer having a first input channel to receive the first CA signals and a second input channel to receive the second CA signals. The RCD semiconductor chip has second outputs to drive third and fourth instances of the first CA information or first and second instances of the second CA information that are decoded from the second CA signals depending on which of the first and second input channels of the multiplexer is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Bill NALE, George VERGIS
  • Publication number: 20210151095
    Abstract: A memory device with internal row hammer mitigation couples to a memory controller. The memory controller or host can assist with row hammer mitigation by sending additional refresh cycles or refresh commands. In response to an extra refresh command the memory device can perform refresh for row hammer mitigation instead of refresh for standard data integrity. The memory controller can keep track of the number of activate commands sent to the memory device, and in response to a threshold number of activate commands, the memory controller sends the additional refresh command. With the extra refresh command the memory device can refresh the potential victim rows of a potential aggressor row, instead of simply refreshing a row that has not been accessed for a period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Bill NALE, Christopher E. COX
  • Publication number: 20210151083
    Abstract: Examples described herein relate to a device that includes: a first power rail to provide a signal from a power source to a reference supply voltage pin of a memory controller; a second power rail to provide a signal from the power source to an output buffer pin of the memory controller and to an output buffer pin of a central processing unit (CPU). In some examples, the second power rail is separate from the first power rail, during a high power state, the power source is to supply a same voltage to each of the reference supply voltage pin, the output buffer pin of the memory controller, and the output buffer pin of the CPU, and during a connected standby state, the power source is to reduce voltage provided to the output buffer pin of the memory controller and the output buffer pin of the CPU using the second power rail and maintain a voltage provided to the reference supply voltage pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Aiswarya M. PIOUS, Raji JAMES, Phani K. ALAPARTHI, George VERGIS, Bill NALE, Konika GANGULY
  • Publication number: 20210141692
    Abstract: A memory subsystem includes multiple memory resources connected in parallel, including a first memory resource and a second memory resource. The memory subsystem can split a portion of data into multiple sub-portions. Split into smaller portions, the system needs fewer ECC (error checking and correction) bits to provide the same level of ECC protection. The portion of data can include N ECC bits for error correction, and the sub-portions can each include a sub-portion of (N?M) ECC bits for error correction. The system can then use M bits of data for non-ECC purposes, such as metadata.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Rajat AGARWAL, Wei P. CHEN, Bill NALE, James A. McCALL
  • Patent number: 10997096
    Abstract: A memory subsystem enables per device addressability (PDA) to target configuration commands to one of multiple memory devices that share a select line or buffer devices that share an enable line. The system includes a host and multiple memory devices that can be coupled over a command bus and a data bus. The devices include a configuration or mode register to store a value to indicate whether PDA enumeration is enabled. When enabled, the host can provide an enumeration identifier (ID) command via the command bus with a signal via the data bus to assign an enumeration ID. After assignment of the enumeration ID, the host can send PDA commands via the command bus with the enumeration ID, without a signal on the data bus. Devices only process PDA commands that match their assigned enumeration ID, enabling the setting of device-specific configuration settings without needing to use the data bus on every PDA command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10963404
    Abstract: A DIMM is described. The DIMM includes circuitry to simultaneously transfer data of different ranks of memory chips on the DIMM over a same data bus during a same burst write sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: James A. McCall, Rajat Agarwal, George Vergis, Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10950288
    Abstract: A memory device with internal row hammer mitigation couples to a memory controller. The memory controller or host can assist with row hammer mitigation by sending additional refresh cycles or refresh commands. In response to an extra refresh command the memory device can perform refresh for row hammer mitigation instead of refresh for standard data integrity. The memory controller can keep track of the number of activate commands sent to the memory device, and in response to a threshold number of activate commands, the memory controller sends the additional refresh command. With the extra refresh command the memory device can refresh the potential victim rows of a potential aggressor row, instead of simply refreshing a row that has not been accessed for a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Nale, Christopher E. Cox
  • Publication number: 20210020224
    Abstract: A memory subsystem triggers entry and exit of a memory device from low power mode with a chip select (CS) signal line. For a system where the command bus has no clock enable (CKE) signal line, the system can trigger low power modes with CS instead of CKE. The low power mode can include a powerdown state. The low power mode can include a self-refresh state. The memory device includes an interface to the command bus, and receives a CS signal combined with command encoding on the command bus to trigger a low power mode state change. The memory device can be configured to monitor the CS signal and selected other command signals while in low power mode. The system can send an ODT trigger while the memory device is in low power mode, even without a dedicated ODT signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Kuljit S. BAINS, Christopher P. MOZAK, James A. McCALL, Akshith VASANTH, Bill NALE
  • Publication number: 20210005234
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes logic circuitry to multiplex on a data bus a first data burst, a second data burst, a third data burst and a fourth data burst having different respective base target addresses that respectively target a first memory rank, a second memory rank, a third memory rank and a fourth memory rank. A first data transfer for the first data burst occurs on a first edge of a first pulse of a data strobe signal for the data bus and a second data transfer for the second data burst occurs on a second edge of the first pulse of the data strobe signal. A third data transfer for the third data burst occurs on a first edge of a second pulse of the data strobe signal for the data bus and a fourth data transfer for the fourth data burst occurs on a second edge of the second pulse. The second pulse immediately follows the first pulse on the data strobe signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Duane E. GALBI, Bill NALE
  • Publication number: 20210005245
    Abstract: A memory device is described. The memory device includes logic circuitry to perform calibrations of resistive network terminations and data drivers of the memory device while the memory device is within a self refresh mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Bill NALE
  • Patent number: 10884941
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques to store data for critical chunk operations, such as by utilizing a spare lane, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to a memory controller that stores a portion of a critical chunk in a spare lane to enable the entire critical chunk to be stored in a half of the cache line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10884958
    Abstract: A DIMM is described. The DIMM includes circuitry to multiplex write data to different groups of memory chips on the DIMM during a same burst write sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rajat Agarwal, Bill Nale, Chong J. Zhao, James A. McCall, George Vergis
  • Patent number: 10872011
    Abstract: A memory subsystem includes a data bus to couple a memory controller to one or more memory devices. The memory controller and one or more memory devices transfer data for memory access operations. The data transfer includes the transfer of data bits and associated check bits over a transfer cycle burst. The memory devices include internal error checking and correction (ECC) separate from the system ECC managed by the memory controller. With a 2N transfer cycle for 2{circumflex over (?)}N data bits for a memory device, the memory devices can provide up to 2N memory locations for N+1 internal check bits, which can leave up to (2N minus (N+1)) extra bits to be used by the system for more robust ECC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, Bill Nale, Rajat Agarwal
  • Patent number: 10839887
    Abstract: A memory subsystem triggers entry and exit of a memory device from low power mode with a chip select (CS) signal line. For a system where the command bus has no clock enable (CKE) signal line, the system can trigger low power modes with CS instead of CKE. The low power mode can include a powerdown state. The low power mode can include a self-refresh state. The memory device includes an interface to the command bus, and receives a CS signal combined with command encoding on the command bus to trigger a low power mode state change. The memory device can be configured to monitor the CS signal and selected other command signals while in low power mode. The system can send an ODT trigger while the memory device is in low power mode, even without a dedicated ODT signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cox, Kuljit S. Bains, Christopher P. Mozak, James A. McCall, Akshith Vasanth, Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10810141
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that conducts a comparison between an identified capability of a memory device and memory usage rules associated with a processor. The memory usage rules are to identify allowed memory accesses by the processor. The technology further limits access by the processor to the memory device based upon the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mahesh S. Natu, Murugasamy K. Nachimuthu, Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10802532
    Abstract: Examples include techniques to mirror a command/address or interpret command/address logic at a memory device. A memory device located on a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) may include circuitry having logic capable of receiving a command/address signal and mirror a command/address or interpret command/address logic indicated in the command/address signal based on one or more strap pins for the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: George Vergis, Kuljit S. Bains, Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10795755
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for performing error handling operations using error signals A first error signal is asserted on an error pin on a bus to signal to a host memory controller that error handling operations are being performed by a memory module controller in response to detecting an error. Error handling operations are performed to return the bus to an initial state in response to detecting the error. A second error signal is asserted on the error pin on the bus to signal that error handling operations have completed and the bus is returned to the initial state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bill Nale, Jonathan C. Jasper, Murugasamy K. Nachimuthu, Jun Zhu, Tuan M. Quach
  • Patent number: 10783028
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for setting high address bits in a memory module. A memory module controller in the memory module, having pins to communicate on a bus, determines whether high address bits are available for the memory module, uses a predetermined value for at least one high address bit with addresses communicated from a host memory controller in response to determine that the high address bits are not available to address a first address space in the memory module, and uses values communicated from the host memory controller on at least one of the pins used for the at least one high address bit in response to determine that the high address bits are available to address a second address space, wherein the second address space is larger than the first address space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10747605
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for providing a host memory controller write credits for write commands. A host memory controller coupled to a memory module over a bus determines whether a read data packet returned from the memory module indicates at least one write credit and increments a write credit counter in response to determining that the read data packet indicates at least one write credit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bill Nale, Jun Zhu, Tuan M. Quach