Patents by Inventor Christopher E. Cox

Christopher E. Cox 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: 10482947
    Abstract: A multi-die memory device having fixed bandwidth interfaces can selectively connect portions of the interfaces of the multiple memory dies as a memory channel for the multi-die device. The selective application of the interface bits of the memory dies enables the application of ECC (error checking and correction) in memory devices that otherwise have insufficient connectors to exchange ECC information. The device includes circuitry to selectively apply CAS (column address select) signals to the memory dies to selectively connect the connectors of the memory dies. CAS selection can provide various configurations in which selected bits of a first memory die interface are combined with selected bit or bits of a second memory die interface to provide the device interface. The memory dies can operate in byte mode to apply only half of their data I/O (input/output) interface, with CAS doubled up to provide access to the memory arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cox, Uksong Kang, Nagi Aboulenein
  • Patent number: 10430335
    Abstract: A cache controller with a pattern recognition mechanism can identify patterns in cache lines. Instead of transmitting the entire data of the cache line to a destination device, the cache controller can generate a meta signal to represent the identified bit pattern. The cache controller transmits the meta signal to the destination in place of at least part of the cache line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Saher Abu Rahme, Christopher E. Cox, Joydeep Ray
  • Patent number: 10416912
    Abstract: A chip select training mode (CSTM) enables a memory subsystem to train a chip select signal separately from command bus training. A memory device and a memory controller can connect via a command bus including a chip select signal line. Instead of training the chip select along with other signal lines of the command bus, a CSTM mode enables the memory subsystem to more accurately train the chip select. The memory device can be triggered for CSTM mode with a command, and then train voltage margining for the CS signal line to align chip select signaling with the memory subsystem clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Christopher P. Mozak, Christopher E. Cox
  • Patent number: 10395722
    Abstract: A system provides a mailbox communication register for communication between a host and a mode register. The mode register is to store configuration information, and write of configuration information to the mode register by the host takes less time than a read of the configuration information from the mode register by the host. The communication register is separate from the mode register and provides a location to store the configuration information for a read by the host. In response to a read request by the host, the mode register can copy the configuration information to the communication register and allow the host to read the register based on different timing rules than those that apply to the mode register. Instead of reading directly from a register that has timing variance between read and write, the host can read from a communication register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cox, Bill Nale
  • Publication number: 20190252009
    Abstract: A memory subsystem is enabled with a write pattern command. The write pattern command can have a different command encoding from other write commands. The write pattern command triggers a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device to write a data pattern that is internally generated, instead of a bit pattern on the data signal lines of the data bus. The internally generated data pattern can be read from a register, such as a mode register. In response to a write pattern command, the DRAM device provides the write pattern data from the register to the memory array to write. Thus, the memory controller does not need to send the data to the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Uksong KANG, Christopher E. COX
  • Publication number: 20190245309
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a connector to connect a printed circuit board (PCB) with a memory device, where the connector includes a housing couplable with the PCB; a first signal pin coupled with the housing, where the first signal pin includes a first portion that includes a first curve, and a second portion that extends from the first portion and includes a second curve; and a second signal pin coupled with the housing, where the second signal pin includes a third portion that includes a third curve, and a fourth portion that extends from the third portion and includes a fourth curve, where the first curve is curved in a first opposite direction relative to the third curve, and where the second curve is curved in a second opposite direction relative to the fourth curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Jaejin Lee, Jun Liao, Xiang Li, George Vergis, Christopher E. Cox
  • Publication number: 20190228813
    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: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Bill NALE, Christopher E. COX
  • Publication number: 20190229473
    Abstract: A device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and a shield for the PCB. The shield can reduce high frequency electromagnetic frequency (EMF) noise generated by one or more components of the PCB. The PCB includes pads to interface with a corresponding connector. For example, for a dual inline memory module (DIMM) PCB, the PCB includes pads to insert into a DIMM connector. The shield includes a gap in its perimeter that aligns with clips in the corresponding connector. The gaps will correspond to similar features of the PCB that interface with the corresponding connector to allow the shield to attach to the PCB. The shield includes lock fingers to extend from a connector-facing edge of the shield to interface with the corresponding connector to align the shield with the corresponding connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Jaejin LEE, Jun LIAO, Xiang LI, Christopher E. COX
  • Publication number: 20190213148
    Abstract: Examples include techniques to access or operate a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) via one or multiple data channels. In some examples, memory devices at or on the DIMM may be accessed via one or more data channels. The one or more data channels arranged such that the DIMM is configured to operate in a dual channel mode that includes two data channels or to operate in a single channel mode that includes a single data channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Bill NALE, Christopher E. COX, Kuljit S. BAINS, George VERGIS, James A. McCALL, Chong J. ZHAO, Suneeta SAH, Pete D. VOGT, John R. GOLES
  • Publication number: 20190163393
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a memory controller having an interface to communicate with a memory. The memory controller comprising logic circuitry to specify one of multiple possible write values to the memory during a write operation with multiple bits of a command that is sent on a command address bus that emanates from the interface. The memory to write any one of the possible write values into its storage cells while the memory interface is in a power saving state wherein the specified one write value is not articulated by the memory controller on a data bus of the interface as part of the write operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Christopher P. MOZAK
  • Publication number: 20190103154
    Abstract: A system provides a mailbox communication register for communication between a host and a mode register. The mode register is to store configuration information, and write of configuration information to the mode register by the host takes less time than a read of the configuration information from the mode register by the host. The communication register is separate from the mode register and provides a location to store the configuration information for a read by the host. In response to a read request by the host, the mode register can copy the configuration information to the communication register and allow the host to read the register based on different timing rules than those that apply to the mode register. Instead of reading directly from a register that has timing variance between read and write, the host can read from a communication register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Bill NALE
  • Patent number: 10249351
    Abstract: A memory subsystem is enabled with a write pattern command. The write pattern command can have a different command encoding from other write commands. The write pattern command triggers a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device to write a data pattern that is internally generated, instead of a bit pattern on the data signal lines of the data bus. The internally generated data pattern can be read from a register, such as a mode register. In response to a write pattern command, the DRAM device provides the write pattern data from the register to the memory array to write. Thus, the memory controller does not need to send the data to the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Uksong Kang, Christopher E. Cox
  • Publication number: 20190096468
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes configuring first register space to establish ODT values of a data strobe signal trace of a DDR data bus. The method also includes configuring second register space to establish ODT values of a data signal trace of the DDR data bus. The ODT values for the data strobe signal trace are different than the ODT values for the data signal trace. The ODT values for the data strobe signal do not change when consecutive write operations of the DDR bus write to different ranks of a same DIMM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: James A. McCALL, Christopher P. MOZAK, Christopher E. COX, Yan FU, Robert J. FRIAR, Hsien-Pao YANG
  • Patent number: 10242727
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods include an active mode to accommodate read/write operations of a memory device and a self-refresh mode to accommodate recharging of voltage levels representing stored data when read/write operations are idle. At least one register source provides a first voltage level and a second voltage level that is less than the first voltage level. With such a configuration, during the active mode, the memory device operates at the first voltage level as provided by the at least one register source, and during the self-refresh mode, the memory device operates at the second voltage level as provided by the at least one register source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cox, Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
  • Publication number: 20190043557
    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: June 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Bill NALE
  • Publication number: 20190042131
    Abstract: In a computer system, a multilevel memory includes a near memory device and a far memory device, which are byte addressable. The multilevel memory includes a controller that receives a data request including original tag information. The controller includes routing hardware to selectively provide alternate tag information for the data request to cause a cache hit or a cache miss to selectively direct the request to the near memory device or to the far memory device, respectively. The controller can include selection circuitry to select between the original tag information and the alternate tag information to control where the data request is sent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Lakshminarayana PAPPU, Christopher E. COX, Navneet DOUR, Asaf RUBINSTEIN, Israel DIAMAND
  • Publication number: 20190042382
    Abstract: A system includes test control circuitry in parallel with power control circuitry. The power control circuitry enables a core processor and memory interface drivers responsive to a reset. The test control circuitry can enable the memory interface drivers separately from the core processor to enable testing of the connections to the memory devices. The test control circuitry is triggered separately from the other power control circuitry, and can be protected to allow only secured access for testing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Lakshminarayana PAPPU, Navneet DOUR, Christopher E. COX
  • Patent number: 10176138
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for configuring an integrated circuit to couple to, and exchange data with, a hardware interface. In an embodiment, the integrated circuit comprises a data channel including a plurality of bits, configuration logic, and a plurality of contacts including a first contact group and a second contact group. In response to a signal indicating connectivity of the integrated circuit to the interface, a mode of the configuration logic is selected to couple the plurality of bits to one of the first contact group and the second contact group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cox, Kuljit S. Bains
  • Publication number: 20180348838
    Abstract: Examples include techniques to change a mode of operation for a memory device. Examples include using information stored at a memory array of the memory device to program mode registers at the memory device to change the mode of operation to a first mode of operation that corresponds to a frequency set point associated with dynamic voltage and frequency scaling for a processor coupled with the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Uksong KANG
  • Patent number: 10146711
    Abstract: Examples include techniques to access or operate a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) via one or multiple data channels. In some examples, memory devices at or on the DIMM may be accessed via one or more data channels. The one or more data channels arranged such that the DIMM is configured to operate in a dual channel mode that includes two data channels or to operate in a single channel mode that includes a single data channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Nale, Kuljit S. Bains, George Vergis, Christopher E. Cox, James A. McCall, Chong J. Zhao, Suneeta Sah, Pete D. Vogt, John R. Goles