Patents by Inventor Charles A. Kilmer

Charles A. Kilmer 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: 20160239663
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, computer program product, and system for monitoring a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) device to detect and respond to a cryogenic attack. A processor receives a set of memory information about a DRAM device. The processor then determines a set of error indicators by processing the memory information using a set of decision parameters. The error indicators are then compared to an attack syndrome to determine if the DRAM is experiencing a cryogenic attack. If the DRAM is experiencing a cryogenic attack, access to the DRAM device is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Michael B. Healy, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule
  • Publication number: 20160224412
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an approach for monitoring the health and predicting the failure of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) devices with embedded error-correcting code (ECC). Additional registers are embedded on the DRAM device to store information about the DRAM, such as the number and location of soft errors detected by the device. When the DRAM device detects a soft error, it will update the information stored in the additional registers. A controller compares the information stored in the additional registers to associated thresholds. In some embodiments, after comparing the information to the associated thresholds, the controller may determine whether to schedule a repair action. In other embodiments, the controller may determine whether to alert the memory controller that the DRAM may be failing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Michael B. Healy, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule
  • Publication number: 20160180899
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing row hammer avoidance in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a computer system. Hammer detection logic identifies a hit count of repeated activations at a specific row in the DRAM. Monitor and control logic receiving an output of the hammer detection logic compares the identified hit count with a programmable threshold value. Responsive to a specific count as determined by the programmable threshold value, the monitor and control logic captures the address where a selected row hammer avoidance action is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Anil B. Lingambudi, Warren E. Maule, Diyanesh B.C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Publication number: 20160180900
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing row hammer avoidance in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a computer system. Hammer detection logic identifies a hit count of repeated activations at a specific row in the DRAM. Monitor and control logic receiving an output of the hammer detection logic compares the identified hit count with a programmable threshold value. Responsive to a specific count as determined by the programmable threshold value, the monitor and control logic captures the address where a selected row hammer avoidance action is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Anil B. Lingambudi, Warren E. Maule, Diyanesh Babu C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Patent number: 9298395
    Abstract: According to one embodiment a memory system includes a circuit card and a separable area array connector on the circuit card. The system also includes a memory device positioned on the circuit card, wherein the memory device is configured to communicate with a main processor of a computer system via the area array connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Paul W. Coteus, Shawn A. Hall, Hillery C. Hunter, Douglas J. Joseph, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule, Todd E. Takken
  • Patent number: 9263157
    Abstract: A method for testing a stacked memory device having a plurality of memory chips connected to and arranged on top of a logic chip for a connection defect is disclosed. The method may include testing a memory chip by writing a data value into a first location in the memory chip, reading a data value from the first location, detecting a first bit error and recording a bit number of the first bit error. The method may also include testing the memory chip by writing a data value into a second location in the memory chip, reading a data value from the second location in the memory chip, detecting a second bit error and recording a bit number of the second bit error. The method may also include replacing a connection common to the first and second bit errors with a spare connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Warren E. Maule, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20160036466
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method for adaptive error correction in a memory system includes reading data from a memory array of a non-volatile memory device in the memory system. Error correcting logic checks the data for at least one error condition stored in the memory array. Based on determining that the at least one error condition exists, a write-back indicator is asserted by the error correcting logic to request correction of the at least one error condition. Based on determining that the at least one error condition does not exist, accesses of the memory array continue without asserting the write-back indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: John K. DeBrosse, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule, Rona Yaari
  • Publication number: 20160034350
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method for adaptive error correction in a memory system includes reading data from a memory array of a non-volatile memory device in the memory system. Error correcting logic checks the data for at least one error condition stored in the memory array. Based on determining that the at least one error condition exists, a write-back indicator is asserted by the error correcting logic to request correction of the at least one error condition. Based on determining that the at least one error condition does not exist, accesses of the memory array continue without asserting the write-back indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: John K. DeBrosse, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule, Rona Yaari
  • Patent number: 9251894
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a device and methods of accessing the device. The device can include a plurality of memory cells, each cell including a plurality of resistive memory components each designed to store data as resistance and an access transistor configured to control access to the plurality of resistive memory components. A wordline is configured to enable access to the set of resistor memory components by enabling the access transistor. A plurality of bitlines are each connected to a respective and different set of resistive memory components from each of the plurality of memory cells. A bitline controller is configured to access the plurality of resistive memory components by applying a first voltage to a first set of the plurality of bitlines and a second voltage to a second set of bitlines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule
  • Publication number: 20150357033
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a device and methods of accessing the device. The device can include a plurality of memory cells, each cell including a plurality of resistive memory components each designed to store data as resistance and an access transistor configured to control access to the plurality of resistive memory components. A wordline is configured to enable access to the set of resistor memory components by enabling the access transistor. A plurality of bitlines are each connected to a respective and different set of resistive memory components from each of the plurality of memory cells. A bitline controller is configured to access the plurality of resistive memory components by applying a first voltage to a first set of the plurality of bitlines and a second voltage to a second set of bitlines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule
  • Patent number: 9189327
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a plurality of memory devices and a memory controller operatively coupled to the memory devices. The memory controller is configured to partition write data into a plurality of data blocks, where each data block is associated with one of the memory devices. The memory controller is further configured to generate an instance of a local error-correcting code (ECC) corresponding to each data block, and merge each data block with the corresponding instance of the local ECC to form an encoded data block for each memory device. Additionally, the memory controller is configured to write each encoded data block to the memory devices such that each memory device stores one of the data blocks with the corresponding instance of the local ECC. A global ECC and a local ECC of the global ECC can also be included in the memory system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul W. Coteus, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule, Kenneth L. Wright
  • Patent number: 9159410
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a device and methods of accessing the device. The device can include a plurality of memory cells, each cell including a plurality of resistive memory components each designed to store data as resistance and an access transistor configured to control access to the plurality of resistive memory components. A wordline is configured to enable access to the set of resistor memory components by enabling the access transistor. A plurality of bitlines are each connected to a respective and different set of resistive memory components from each of the plurality of memory cells. A bitline controller is configured to access the plurality of resistive memory components by applying a first voltage to a first set of the plurality of bitlines and a second voltage to a second set of bitlines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule
  • Patent number: 9146883
    Abstract: A memory device may be equipped with quick erase capability to secure the contents of the memory device. The quick erase capability may effectively permanently disable access to data stored in the memory device instantaneously upon a command being issued, making all previous data written to the memory device unreadable. The quick erase capability may allow use of the memory device for new write operations and for reading the newly written data immediately once the erase command is received and executed. The quick erase capability may begin a physical erase process of data not newly written without altering other aspects of the quick erase. Aspects may be accomplished with one or more bits per row in a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Warren E. Maule
  • Patent number: 9146882
    Abstract: A memory device may be equipped with quick erase capability to secure the contents of the memory device. The quick erase capability may effectively permanently disable access to data stored in the memory device instantaneously upon a command being issued, making all previous data written to the memory device unreadable. The quick erase capability may allow use of the memory device for new write operations and for reading the newly written data immediately once the erase command is received and executed. The quick erase capability may begin a physical erase process of data not newly written without altering other aspects of the quick erase. Aspects may be accomplished with one or more bits per row in a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Warren E. Maule
  • Publication number: 20150212885
    Abstract: Error checking and correcting (ECC) may be performed in an on-chip memory where an error is corrected by a controller and not the on-chip memory. The controller may be flagged to show that an error has occurred and where it has occurred in the memory. The controller may access ECC bits associated with the error and may fix incorrect data. The error checking may be done in parallel with read operations of the memory so as to lower latency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul W. Coteus, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Warren E. Maule, Vipinchandra Patel
  • Patent number: 9087612
    Abstract: Errors on a dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”) having an error correcting decoder (“ECC”) can be detected by the ECC when reading a row of the DRAM. The ECC includes error correcting code logic. If errors are detected that cannot be corrected by the ECC logic, test control logic determines weak cell information for the row, evaluates the errors using the weak cell information, and may correct the errors. The weak cell information may include weak cell locations and failure values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
  • Publication number: 20150179280
    Abstract: A method for testing a stacked memory device having a plurality of memory chips connected to and arranged on top of a logic chip for a connection defect is disclosed. The method may include testing a memory chip by writing a data value into a first location in the memory chip, reading a data value from the first location, detecting a first bit error and recording a bit number of the first bit error. The method may also include testing the memory chip by writing a data value into a second location in the memory chip, reading a data value from the second location in the memory chip, detecting a second bit error and recording a bit number of the second bit error. The method may also include replacing a connection common to the first and second bit errors with a spare connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Warren E. Maule, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20150179285
    Abstract: A method for testing a stacked memory device having a plurality of memory chips connected to and arranged on top of a logic chip for a connection defect is disclosed. The method may include testing a memory chip by writing a data value into a first location in the memory chip, reading a data value from the first location, detecting a first bit error and recording a bit number of the first bit error. The method may also include testing the memory chip by writing a data value into a second location in the memory chip, reading a data value from the second location in the memory chip, detecting a second bit error and recording a bit number of the second bit error. The method may also include replacing a connection common to the first and second bit errors with a spare connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Kilmer, Warren E. Maule, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Patent number: 9064602
    Abstract: A method, system and memory controller are provided for implementing memory devices with sub-bank architecture in a computer system. An array is divided into sub-blocks having odd bit lines and even bit lines. The sub-blocks are alternated with rows of sense amplifiers; wherein a particular row of sense amplifiers connects only to odd bit lines and a next row of sense amplifiers connects only to even bit lines. More than one word line for a sub-block is allowed to be active at the same time, where a first active word line will select memory cells connected to even bit lines and a second active word line will select memory cells connected to odd bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Warren E. Maule
  • Patent number: 9058896
    Abstract: A refresh of a DRAM having at least a fast and a slow refresh rate includes encoding a pointer on a row or rows with refresh information, reading the refresh information, and incrementing a fast refresh address counter with the refresh information. The refresh may be performed by encoding one or more cells on a row that may require a fast refresh, one or more cells on a group of rows that may require a fast refresh, or one or more cells on a row that may not require a fast refresh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-Hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras, Moinuddin K. Qureshi