Patents by Inventor Clifford A. Zitlaw

Clifford A. Zitlaw 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: 11971832
    Abstract: A method can include: receiving a plurality of consecutive commands on a unidirectional command-address (CA) bus input of a discrete nonvolatile memory (NVM) device, the commands being synchronous with a timing clock; for each received command, determining if the command is an express read (NVR) command, if a command is determined to be an NVR command, determining if a next consecutive command is an NVR command, wherein consecutive NVR commands form an NVR command sequence; in response to the no more than the NVR command sequence, accessing read data stored in NVM cells of the NVM device; and driving the read data on parallel data input/outputs (I/Os) of the NVM device in a burst of data values, the data values of the burst being output in synchronism with rising and falling edges of the timing clock; wherein the CA bus input includes a plurality of parallel CA signal inputs. Related memory devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner, Hans Van Antwerpen, Morgan Andrew Whately
  • Patent number: 11841764
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving, via control lines of a parallel interface of a memory device, a first command and a first read command including one or more bits indicative of a first selection that causes a selector circuit to select data from a data memory portion of the memory device; providing, via data lines of the parallel interface, first data from the data memory portion using the selector circuit, where the provided first data is associated with the first read command; receiving, via the control lines, a second command and a second read command including one or more bits indicative of a second selection that causes the selector circuit to select data from an ECC memory portion; and providing, via the data lines, first ECC values from the ECC memory portion using the selector circuit, where the first ECC values are associated with the first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Yuichi Ise, Clifford Zitlaw, Nobuaki Hata
  • Publication number: 20230342034
    Abstract: A method can include, in a default mode of a memory device, decoding command data received on a unidirectional command address (CA) bus of a memory interface according to a first standard. In response to decoding a mode enter command, placing the memory device into an alternate management mode. In the alternate management mode, receiving alternate command data on the CA bus, and in response to receiving a command execute indication on the CA bus, decoding alternate command data according to a second standard to execute an alternate command. In response to decoding a mode exit command received on the CA bus according to the first standard, returning the memory device to the default mode. The memory interface comprises the CA bus and a data bus, and the CA bus and data bus comprise a plurality of parallel input connections. Corresponding devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nobuaki Hata, Clifford Zitlaw, Yuichi Ise, Stephan Rosner
  • Patent number: 11722467
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) device coupled to a host, the NVM device including a processing device to: receive a communication packet from a server via the host computing system that is coupled to the NVM device and communicatively coupled to the server, the communication packet comprising clear text data that requests to initiate secure communications; perform a secure handshake with the server, via communication through the host computing system, using a secure protocol that generates a session key; receive data, via the host computing system, from the server within a secure protocol packet, wherein the data is inaccessible to the host computing system; authenticate the data using secure protocol metadata of the secure protocol packet; optionally decrypt, using the session key, the data to generate plaintext data; and store the plaintext data in NVM storage elements of the NVM device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Sergey Ostrikov, Stephan Rosner, Clifford Zitlaw
  • Publication number: 20230195564
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving, via control lines of a parallel interface of a memory device, a first command and a first read command including one or more bits indicative of a first selection that causes a selector circuit to select data from a data memory portion of the memory device; providing, via data lines of the parallel interface, first data from the data memory portion using the selector circuit, where the provided first data is associated with the first read command; receiving, via the control lines, a second command and a second read command including one or more bits indicative of a second selection that causes the selector circuit to select data from an ECC memory portion; and providing, via the data lines, first ECC values from the ECC memory portion using the selector circuit, where the first ECC values are associated with the first data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Yuichi Ise, Clifford Zitlaw, Nobuaki Hata
  • Patent number: 11562781
    Abstract: A method can include, in an integrated circuit device: at a unidirectional command-address (CA) bus having no more than four parallel inputs, receiving a sequence of no less than three command value portions; latching each command value portion in synchronism with rising edges of a timing clock; determining an input command from the sequence of no less than three command value portions; executing the input command in the integrated circuit device; and on a bi-directional data bus having no more than six data input/outputs (IOs), outputting and inputting sequences of data values in synchronism with rising and falling edges of the timing clock. Corresponding devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner, Avi Avanindra
  • Patent number: 11537389
    Abstract: A method can include storing first instruction data in a first region of a nonvolatile memory device; mapping addresses of the first region to predetermined memory address spaces of a processor device; executing the first instruction data from the first region with the processor device; receiving second instruction data for the processor device. While the first instruction data remains available to the processor device, the second instruction data can be written into a second region of the nonvolatile memory device. By operation of the processor device, addresses of the second region can be remapped to the predetermined memory address spaces of the processor device; and executing the second instruction data from the second region with the processor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Stephan Rosner, Sergey Ostrikov, Clifford Zitlaw, Yuichi Ise
  • Patent number: 11422968
    Abstract: A method can include, by operation of a host device, initiating a first transaction with at least a first device on a serial bus in synchronism with a clock, the first transaction having a predetermined response latency. The host device can initiate a second transaction on the serial bus in synchronism with the clock signal during the response latency. The first transaction and second transaction can be completed on the serial bus in synchronism with the clock. The serial bus is configured to transmit instruction data identifying transactions, target data identifying a destination for transactions, and data for transactions. Corresponding devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner
  • Patent number: 11411747
    Abstract: A device can include a plurality of regions, each region including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells; a permission store configured to store a set of permission values, including at least one permission value for each region in a nonvolatile fashion; and access control circuits configured to control access to each region according to the permission value for the region, including one or more of requiring authentication to access the region, encrypting data read from the region, and decrypting data for storage in the region. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Hans Van Antwerpen, Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner, Yoav Yogev, Sandeep Krishnegowda, Steven Wilson
  • Publication number: 20220231995
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) device coupled to a host, the NVM device including a processing device to: receive a communication packet from a server via the host computing system that is coupled to the NVM device and communicatively coupled to the server, the communication packet comprising clear text data that requests to initiate secure communications; perform a secure handshake with the server, via communication through the host computing system, using a secure protocol that generates a session key; receive data, via the host computing system, from the server within a secure protocol packet, wherein the data is inaccessible to the host computing system; authenticate the data using secure protocol metadata of the secure protocol packet; optionally decrypt, using the session key, the data to generate plaintext data; and store the plaintext data in NVM storage elements of the NVM device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Sergey Ostrikov, Stephan Rosner, Clifford Zitlaw
  • Patent number: 11316687
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for programming a plurality of nonvolatile memory (NVM) devices. Each NVM device self-generates and stores a unique encryption key. Each NVM device concurrently receives an image from a multiple-device programming system to which all the NVM devices are communicatively coupled. Each NVM device encrypts the received image using such NVM device's unique encryption key to produce a unique encrypted image for each NVM device. Each NVM device stores its unique encrypted image within a nonvolatile memory of such NVM device. The unique encryption key can then be securely transferred to a host device for decrypting the image accessed from one of the NVM devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Markus Unseld, Sandeep Krishnegowda, Daisuke Nakata, Shinsuke Okada, Stephan Rosner
  • Publication number: 20220107908
    Abstract: A method can include: receiving a plurality of consecutive commands on a unidirectional command-address (CA) bus input of a discrete nonvolatile memory (NVM) device, the commands being synchronous with a timing clock; for each received command, determining if the command is an express read (NVR) command, if a command is determined to be an NVR command, determining if a next consecutive command is an NVR command, wherein consecutive NVR commands form an NVR command sequence; in response to the no more than the NVR command sequence, accessing read data stored in NVM cells of the NVM device; and driving the read data on parallel data input/outputs (I/Os) of the NVM device in a burst of data values, the data values of the burst being output in synchronism with rising and falling edges of the timing clock; wherein the CA bus input includes a plurality of parallel CA signal inputs. Related memory devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner, Hans Van Antwerpen, Morgan Andrew Whately
  • Publication number: 20210279200
    Abstract: A method can include, by operation of a host device, initiating a first transaction with at least a first device on a serial bus in synchronism with a clock, the first transaction having a predetermined response latency. The host device can initiate a second transaction on the serial bus in synchronism with the clock signal during the response latency. The first transaction and second transaction can be completed on the serial bus in synchronism with the clock. The serial bus is configured to transmit instruction data identifying transactions, target data identifying a destination for transactions, and data for transactions. Corresponding devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner
  • Patent number: 11106604
    Abstract: Example apparatus, systems, and methods receive a request for data associated with an address and responsively access a memory array to obtain the data. Embodiments transition a bus from a first state to a second state and after the transitioning of the bus, drive the data onto the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Clifford Zitlaw
  • Publication number: 20210234708
    Abstract: A device can include a plurality of regions, each region including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells; a permission store configured to store a set of permission values, including at least one permission value for each region in a nonvolatile fashion; and access control circuits configured to control access to each region according to the permission value for the region, including one or more of requiring authentication to access the region, encrypting data read from the region, and decrypting data for storage in the region. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Van Antwerpen, Clifford Zitlaw, Stephan Rosner, Yoav Yogev, Sandeep Krishnegowda, Steven Wilson
  • Publication number: 20210026620
    Abstract: A method can include storing first instruction data in a first region of a nonvolatile memory device; mapping addresses of the first region to predetermined memory address spaces of a processor device; executing the first instruction data from the first region with the processor device; receiving second instruction data for the processor device. While the first instruction data remains available to the processor device, the second instruction data can be written into a second region of the nonvolatile memory device. By operation of the processor device, addresses of the second region can be remapped to the predetermined memory address spaces of the processor device; and executing the second instruction data from the second region with the processor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan Rosner, Sergey Ostrikov, Clifford Zitlaw, Yuichi Ise
  • Publication number: 20200301856
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods are provided that facilitate employing a variable read latency on a serial memory bus. In an aspect, a memory can utilize an undefined amount of time to obtain data from a memory array and prepare the data for transfer on the serial memory bus. The serial memory bus can be driven to a defined state. When data is ready for transfer, the memory can assert a start bit on the serial memory bus to notify a host prior to initiating the data transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Clifford Zitlaw
  • Publication number: 20200287716
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for programming a plurality of nonvolatile memory (NVM) devices. Each NVM device self-generates and stores a unique encryption key. Each NVM device concurrently receives an image from a multiple-device programming system to which all the NVM devices are communicatively coupled. Each NVM device encrypts the received image using such NVM device's unique encryption key to produce a unique encrypted image for each NVM device. Each NVM device stores its unique encrypted image within a nonvolatile memory of such NVM device. The unique encryption key can then be securely transferred to a host device for decrypting the image accessed from one of the NVM devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford Zitlaw, Markus Unseld, Sandeep Krishnegowda, Daisuke Nakata, Shinsuke Okada, Stephan Rosner
  • Patent number: 10338826
    Abstract: Systems and methods embed a random-access non-volatile memory array in a managed-NAND system to execute the boot code or other time-sensitive applications. By embedding this random-access non-volatile memory in the managed-NAND system, either on the memory controller chip or as a separate chip within the managed-NAND system package, an application may be read with fast initial access time, alleviating the slow access time limitations of NAND Flash technology. Depending on the size of the application, the system may be configured to read the whole application content or only a time-critical portion from this embedded random-access non-volatile memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Sylvain Dubois, Stephan Rosner, Clifford A. Zitlaw
  • Patent number: 9710191
    Abstract: Data associated with a logical block address (LBA) may be received from a host system to be stored in the memory array. The LBA may be translated to a physical block address (PBA) by determining a first portion of the PBA and a second portion of the PBA. The data from the host system may be stored in the buffer space after determining the first portion of the PBA and before determining the second portion of the PBA. The data from the buffer space may be flushed to the memory array after determining the second portion of the PBA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Edelhaeuser, Clifford A. Zitlaw, Jeremy Mah