Patents by Inventor Gary L. Howe

Gary L. Howe 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: 10496310
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a shift skip. An example apparatus comprises a plurality of sensing circuitries, comprising respective sense amplifiers and respective compute components. A controller is configured to, responsive to a mask data unit associated with a first sensing circuitry having a particular value, cause a data value to be shifted from a second sensing circuitry to a third sensing circuitry without shifting the data value to the first sensing circuitry, wherein the first sensing circuitry is physically located between the second sensing circuitry and the third sensing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe, Harish N. Venkata
  • Publication number: 20190348123
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a plurality of memory banks, a plurality of mode registers that may control an operational mode associated with each of the plurality of memory banks, and a set of global wiring lines coupled to each of the plurality of mode registers. The set of global wiring lines may include a first global wiring line to transmit data to each of the plurality of mode registers, a second global wiring line to transmit an address signal to each of the plurality of mode registers, a third global wiring line to transmit a read command signal to each of the plurality of mode registers, and a fourth global wiring line to transmit a write command signal to each of the plurality of mode registers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Thanh K. Mai, Gary L. Howe
  • Patent number: 10402116
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory array that includes multiple memory cells. The memory device may also include multiple sense amplifiers that, in operation, may each be connected to one or more memory cells. The sense amplifiers may be designed to assist in writing logical zeros to the multiple memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byung S. Moon, Harish N. Venkata, Gary L. Howe, Myung Ho Bae
  • Patent number: 10403364
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a plurality of memory banks, a plurality of mode registers that may control an operational mode associated with each of the plurality of memory banks, and a set of global wiring lines coupled to each of the plurality of mode registers. The set of global wiring lines may include a first global wiring line to transmit data to each of the plurality of mode registers, a second global wiring line to transmit an address signal to each of the plurality of mode registers, a third global wiring line to transmit a read command signal to each of the plurality of mode registers, and a fourth global wiring line to transmit a write command signal to each of the plurality of mode registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Thanh K. Mai, Gary L. Howe
  • Patent number: 10387046
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods to transfer data between banks of memory cells. An example includes a plurality of banks of memory cells and a controller coupled to the plurality of subarrays configured to cause transfer of data between the plurality of banks of memory cells via internal data path operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Thanh K. Mai, Gary L. Howe, Daniel B. Penney
  • Patent number: 10387299
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to shifting data. An example apparatus comprises a cache coupled to an array of memory cells and a controller. The controller is configured to perform a first operation beginning at a first address to transfer data from the array of memory cells to the cache, and perform a second operation concurrently with the first operation, the second operation beginning at a second address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20190179552
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory array, which may also include, multiple memory cells. The memory device may also include one or more counters designed to generate internal memory addresses to sequentially access the memory cells and facilitate writing logical zeros to all of the memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Byung S. Moon, Gary L. Howe, Harish N. Venkata, David R. Brown
  • Publication number: 20190179560
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory array that includes multiple memory cells. The memory device may also include multiple sense amplifiers that, in operation, may each be connected to one or more memory cells. The sense amplifiers may be designed to assist in writing logical zeros to the multiple memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Byung S. Moon, Harish N. Venkata, Gary L. Howe, Myung Ho Bae
  • Publication number: 20190161341
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory array including a plurality of memory cells and a die stack including at least a portion of the plurality of memory cells. The memory device may also include multiple temperature sensors each designed to output a temperature code corresponding to the temperature of a respective die of the die stack. One die of the die stack is then designed to output the temperature code corresponding to the hottest die of the die stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventor: Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20190164593
    Abstract: A memory device includes a data write circuitry. The data write circuitry is configured to capture a first write command received via an external input/output (I/O) interface. The data write circuitry is further configured to generate a first internal write start (InternalWrStart) in a data strobe (DQS) domain after capture of the first write command. The data write circuitry is additionally configured to write a first one or more data bits into at least one memory bank based on the first InternalWrStart, wherein the first InternalWrStart is generated internally in the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, David R. Brown, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20190146869
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a memory bank and a plurality of mode registers that communicatively couple to each of the plurality of memory banks. The plurality of mode registers may include a pattern of data stored therein. The semiconductor device may also include a bank control that receives a write pattern command that causes the bank control to write the pattern of data into the memory bank, send a signal to a multiplexer to couple the plurality of mode registers to the memory bank, and write the pattern of data to the memory bank via the plurality of mode registers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventor: Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20190066790
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a plurality of memory banks, a plurality of mode registers that may control an operational mode associated with each of the plurality of memory banks, and a set of global wiring lines coupled to each of the plurality of mode registers. The set of global wiring lines may include a first global wiring line to transmit data to each of the plurality of mode registers, a second global wiring line to transmit an address signal to each of the plurality of mode registers, a third global wiring line to transmit a read command signal to each of the plurality of mode registers, and a fourth global wiring line to transmit a write command signal to each of the plurality of mode registers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Thanh K. Mai, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20190065082
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for memory array accessibility can include an apparatus with an array of memory cells. The array can include a first portion accessible by a controller of the array and inaccessible to devices external to the apparatus. The array can include a second portion accessible to the devices external to the apparatus. The array can include a number of registers that store row address that indicate which portion of the array is the first portion. The apparatus can include the controller configured to access the number of registers to allow access to the second portion by the devices external to the apparatus based on the stored row addresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20180349052
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a shift skip. An example apparatus comprises a plurality of sensing circuitries, comprising respective sense amplifiers and respective compute components. A controller is configured to, responsive to a mask data unit associated with a first sensing circuitry having a particular value, cause a data value to be shifted from a second sensing circuitry to a third sensing circuitry without shifting the data value to the first sensing circuitry, wherein the first sensing circuitry is physically located between the second sensing circuitry and the third sensing circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe, Harish N. Venkata
  • Patent number: 10013197
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a shift skip. An example apparatus comprises a plurality of sensing circuitries, comprising respective sense amplifiers and respective compute components. A controller is configured to, responsive to a mask data unit associated with a first sensing circuitry having a particular value, cause a data value to be shifted from a second sensing circuitry to a third sensing circuitry without shifting the data value to the first sensing circuitry, wherein the first sensing circuitry is physically located between the second sensing circuitry and the third sensing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe, Harish N. Venkata
  • Publication number: 20180024769
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for write address tracking. An example apparatus can include an array of memory cells and a cache coupled to the array. The example apparatus can include tracking circuitry coupled to the cache. The tracking circuitry can be configured to track write addresses of data written to the cache.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Gary L. Howe, Timothy P. Finkbeiner
  • Publication number: 20180024926
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to shifting data. An example apparatus comprises a cache coupled to an array of memory cells and a controller. The controller is configured to perform a first operation beginning at a first address to transfer data from the array of memory cells to the cache, and perform a second operation concurrently with the first operation, the second operation beginning at a second address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Gary L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20170371539
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods to transfer data between banks of memory cells. An example includes a plurality of banks of memory cells and a controller coupled to the plurality of subarrays configured to cause transfer of data between the plurality of banks of memory cells via internal data path operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Thanh K. Mai, Gary L. Howe, Daniel B. Penney
  • Patent number: 6944079
    Abstract: The present technique relates to a method and apparatus for detecting a change in a data signal at a buffer device. In the buffer device, first stage comparators may be adapted to receive a data signal and either a first voltage timing reference (VTR) signal or a complimentary VTR signal. The first stage comparators may each deliver an output signal to second stage comparators. Each of the second stage comparators receives the output signal from each of the first stage comparators. From the first stage comparator signals, the second stage comparators produce an output signal, such as a first output signal and a second output signal. These output signals from the second stage comparators are differential signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary L. Howe
  • Patent number: 6826092
    Abstract: An improved predriver circuit for an output buffer is provided that can enable the output buffer to operate well within maximum and minimum IOL current specifications at lower internally regulated voltages. The predriver circuit comprises a limiter device configured to limit or otherwise regulate the maximum gate voltage provided to the gate of the pull-down transistor device. As a result, the pull-down transistor device can be sized optimally to provide additional margin to exceed the minimum IOL specification, while also improving the margin under the maximum IOL specification. The device is configured to limit the maximum gate voltage of the output pull-down transistor device to less than the maximum external power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Duc Ho, Gary L. Howe