Patents by Inventor James Brian Johnson

James Brian Johnson 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: 20240404581
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for interface techniques for stacked memory architectures are described. A semiconductor system, such as a memory system, may distribute memory access circuitry among multiple semiconductor dies of a stack. A first die of the system may include logic circuitry operable to configure a set of multiple first interface blocks of the first die. Each first interface block may include circuitry operable to communicate with one or more second interface blocks of one or more second dies of the system to access a respective set of one or more memory arrays of the one or more second dies. In some examples, the system may include a respective controller for each first interface block to support access operations via the first interface block. The system may also include non-volatile storage, one or more sensors, or a combination thereof to support various operations of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Ameen D. Akel, Brent Keeth, James Brian Johnson, Chun-Yi Liu, Shivasankar Gunasekaran, Paul A. Laberge, Gregory A. King, Sai Krishna Mylavarapu, Su Wei Lim, Nathan A. Eckel, Lance P. Johnson, Nathan D. Henningson
  • Publication number: 20240403165
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for information broadcast techniques for stacked memory architectures are described. A semiconductor system may include multiple instances of interface circuitry of a semiconductor die that are each operable for accessing a respective set of one or more memory arrays of one or more other semiconductor dies, as well as read-only storage for storing information that is common to the multiple instances of the interface circuitry. In some implementations, such read-only storage may include one-time programmable memory elements (e.g., fuses, antifuses) that are located in at least one of the one or more other semiconductor dies, and are accessible by each of the multiple instances of interface circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Nathan A. Eckel, James Brian Johnson, Paul A. Laberge
  • Publication number: 20240355371
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for data path signal amplification in coupled semiconductor systems are described. A semiconductor system may implement a first die including memory arrays and a second die including a host interface. The first die may include a first portion of a data path between the memory arrays and the host interface, including a first portion of data path signal amplification circuitry. The second die may include a second portion of the data path, including a second portion of data path signal amplification circuitry. The semiconductor system may implement fine-pitch interconnection between dies to support a relatively greater quantity of signal paths of the data path which, in some examples, may support reducing or eliminating serialization/deserialization circuitry associated with coarser interconnection. In some implementations, a semiconductor system may implement a switching component operable to switch between data paths having different amplification configurations of the dies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth, Kunal R. Parekh, Eiichi Nakano, Amy Rae Griffin
  • Publication number: 20240313098
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for transistor architectures in coupled semiconductor systems are described. A memory system may be formed from multiple semiconductor components (e.g., multiple dies, multiple wafers) that are coupled together, with different semiconductor components implementing different techniques for transistor formation. For example, a first die may include a memory array and first circuitry configured to access the memory array, and a second die coupled with the first die may include second circuitry configured to access the memory array. The first circuitry may include transistors formed in accordance with a first fabrication technique (e.g., to form a first type of transistors) and the second circuitry may include transistors formed in accordance with a second fabrication technique (e.g., to form a second type of transistors). The dies may be coupled in a manner that provides an electrical coupling between the first circuitry and the second circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth, Kunal R. Parekh, Eiichi Nakano, Amy Rae Griffin
  • Publication number: 20240237363
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for modular die configurations for multi-channel memory are described. A semiconductor component (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) may be configured with multiple rows and multiple columns of memory arrays, and associated channels. A row of memory arrays may be associated with a contact region extending along the row direction. The semiconductor component may also include control regions extending along the column direction between at least some of the columns of memory arrays. Each control region may include control circuitry for operating memory arrays on one or both sides of the control region. The channels and memory arrays of the semiconductor wafer may be grouped into one or more independently-operable memory dies, with each memory die having at least a portion of a control region and at least a portion of a contact region for operating the memory arrays of the memory die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth, Ameen D. Akel, Kunal R. Parekh, Amy Rae Griffin, Eiichi Nakano
  • Publication number: 20240194287
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for repair techniques for coupled host and memory dies are described. For example, to distribute memory access circuitry among multiple semiconductor dies of a stack, a first die may include a set of one or more memory arrays and a first portion of circuitry configured to access the set of memory arrays, and a second die may include a second portion of circuitry configured to access the set of memory arrays. The second portion of the circuitry (e.g., of the second die) may be configured to support various repair techniques for operations with the set of memory arrays, including techniques in response to column failures or serialization failures associated with the first die, or in response to contact or other interconnection failures with or between the first die and the second die, among other techniques that may be differentiated based on an attribution of error conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth, Kunal R. Parekh, Eiichi Nakano, Amy Rae Griffin
  • Publication number: 20240186274
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for thermal distribution techniques in coupled semiconductor systems are described. A semiconductor system may be formed by coupling various semiconductor components with one another, and may also implement a semiconductor material to support a thermal path having a thermal conductivity that is relatively close to a thermal conductivity through the coupled semiconductor components of the semiconductor system. Such a semiconductor material may be located in regions of the semiconductor system that are otherwise unoccupied by functional (e.g., electrically operable) semiconductor components and may, in some examples, be electrically inoperable (e.g., may lack functional circuitry). For implementations in which functional semiconductor components are directly coupled (e.g., by fusion bonding or hybrid bonding techniques), the semiconductor material may also be directly coupled with at least one of the semiconductor components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Amy Rae Griffin, Brent Keeth, Kunal R. Parekh, Eiichi Nakano, James Brian Johnson, Ameen D. Akel
  • Publication number: 20240176523
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for coupled host and memory dies are described. For example, to distribute memory access circuitry among multiple semiconductor dies of a stack, a first die may include a set of one or more memory arrays and a first portion of the circuitry configured to access the set of memory arrays, and a second die may include a second portion of the circuitry configured to access the set of memory arrays. The first portion and the second portion of the circuitry configured to access a set of memory arrays may be communicatively coupled between the dies using various interconnection techniques, such as a fusion of conductive contacts of the respective memory dies. In some examples, the second die may also include the host itself (e.g., a host processor).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth, Kunal R. Parekh, Eiichi Nakano, Amy Rae Griffin, Ameen D. Akel
  • Publication number: 20240071556
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for memory with parallel main and test interfaces are described. A memory die may be configured with parallel interfaces that may individually (e.g., separately) support evaluation operations (e.g., before or as part of assembly in a multiple-die stack) or access operations (e.g., after assembly in a multiple die stack). For example, a memory die may include a first set of one or more contacts that support communicating signaling with or via another memory die in a multiple-die stack. The memory die may also include a second set of one or more contacts that support probing for pre-assembly evaluations, which may be electrically isolated from the first set of contacts. By implementing such parallel interfaces, evaluation operations may be performed using the second set of contacts without damaging the first set of contacts, which may improve capabilities for supporting a multiple-die stack in a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Kunal R. Parekh, Brent Keeth, Eiichi Nakano, Amy Rae Griffin
  • Patent number: 11893245
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for multi-purpose signaling for a memory system are described. One or more signal paths of between a host device and a memory device may be configured to support shared pathways between multiple channels and to support multiple functions. For example, a signal path may be configured to communicate a state signal for an initialization sequence of the memory device, an error signal for the memory device to indicate that errors have occurred, or a low-power signal for the host device to request that the memory device enter a low-power mode, or a combination thereof. The signal path may be shared between two or more channels of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 11837318
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for clock locking for frame-based communications of memory devices are described. A memory system may include a memory device and a host device. The memory device may receive one or more frames of data from the host device, the one or more frames of data communicated by the host device using a first frame clock. The memory device may generate a second frame clock aligned with the one or more frames on receiving the one or more frames and align one or more operations of the memory device with the second frame clock. In some examples, the host device may receive a second set of frames from the memory device based on transmitting the first set of frames. The host device may align one or more operations of the host device with the second set of frames received from the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James Brian Johnson
  • Patent number: 11797186
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for latency offset for frame-based communications are described. A memory system may include a host device and a memory device that communicate using frames based on a frame period of a frame clock. The memory device may receive a read command and a write command from the host device, and determine a read latency and a write latency corresponding to the received commands. The memory device may also determine an additional offset latency to add to the write latency to avoid bus contention between read data and write data associated with the read command and the write command, respectively. The offset latency may correspond to an integer quantity of clock periods, which may be less than the frame period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 11614875
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein for a reconfigurable memory device that is configurable based on the type of interposer used to couple the memory device with a host device. The reconfigurable memory device may include a plurality components for a plurality of configurations. Various components of the reconfigurable memory die may be activated/deactivated based on what type of interposer is used in the memory device. For example, if a first type of interposer is used (e.g., a high-density interposer), the data channel may be eight data pins wide. In contrast, if second type of interposer is used (e.g., an organic-based interposer), the data channel may be four data pins wide. As such, a reconfigurable memory device may include data pins and related drivers that are inactive in some configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Keeth, James Brian Johnson
  • Patent number: 11580049
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein for a training procedure that identifies a frame boundary and generates a frame clock to identify the beginning and the end of a frame. After the frame training procedure is complete, a memory device may be configured to execute a frame synchronization procedure to identify the beginning of a frame based on the frame clock without the use of headers or other information within the frame during an active session of the memory device. During an activation time period after a power-up event, the memory device may initiate the frame training procedure. Once the frames are synchronized, the memory device may be configured to use that frame clock during an entire active session (e.g., until a power-down event) to identify the beginning of a frame as part of a frame synchronization procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth
  • Publication number: 20220404985
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for multi-purpose signaling for a memory system are described. One or more signal paths of between a host device and a memory device may be configured to support shared pathways between multiple channels and to support multiple functions. For example, a signal path may be configured to communicate a state signal for an initialization sequence of the memory device, an error signal for the memory device to indicate that errors have occurred, or a low-power signal for the host device to request that the memory device enter a low-power mode, or a combination thereof. The signal path may be shared between two or more channels of the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth
  • Publication number: 20220374039
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for clock locking for frame-based communications of memory devices are described. A memory system may include a memory device and a host device. The memory device may receive one or more frames of data from the host device, the one or more frames of data communicated by the host device using a first frame clock. The memory device may generate a second frame clock aligned with the one or more frames on receiving the one or more frames and align one or more operations of the memory device with the second frame clock. In some examples, the host device may receive a second set of frames from the memory device based on transmitting the first set of frames. The host device may align one or more operations of the host device with the second set of frames received from the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventor: James Brian Johnson
  • Patent number: 11392299
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for multi-purpose signaling for a memory system are described. One or more signal paths of between a host device and a memory device may be configured to support shared pathways between multiple channels and to support multiple functions. For example, a signal path may be configured to communicate a state signal for an initialization sequence of the memory device, an error signal for the memory device to indicate that errors have occurred, or a low-power signal for the host device to request that the memory device enter a low-power mode, or a combination thereof. The signal path may be shared between two or more channels of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 11373691
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for clock locking for frame-based communications of memory devices are described. A memory system may include a memory device and a host device. The memory device may receive one or more frames of data from the host device, the one or more frames of data communicated by the host device using a first frame clock. The memory device may generate a second frame clock aligned with the one or more frames on receiving the one or more frames and align one or more operations of the memory device with the second frame clock. In some examples, the host device may receive a second set of frames from the memory device based on transmitting the first set of frames. The host device may align one or more operations of the host device with the second set of frames received from the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology Inc.
    Inventor: James Brian Johnson
  • Publication number: 20220121609
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein for a training procedure that identifies a frame boundary and generates a frame clock to identify the beginning and the end of a frame. After the frame training procedure is complete, a memory device may be configured to execute a frame synchronization procedure to identify the beginning of a frame based on the frame clock without the use of headers or other information within the frame during an active session of the memory device. During an activation time period after a power-up event, the memory device may initiate the frame training procedure. Once the frames are synchronized, the memory device may be configured to use that frame clock during an entire active session (e.g., until a power-down event) to identify the beginning of a frame as part of a frame synchronization procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 11226920
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein for a training procedure that identifies a frame boundary and generates a frame clock to identify the beginning and the end of a frame. After the frame training procedure is complete, a memory device may be configured to execute a frame synchronization procedure to identify the beginning of a frame based on the frame clock without the use of headers or other information within the frame during an active session of the memory device. During an activation time period after a power-up event, the memory device may initiate the frame training procedure. Once the frames are synchronized, the memory device may be configured to use that frame clock during an entire active session (e.g., until a power-down event) to identify the beginning of a frame as part of a frame synchronization procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Brian Johnson, Brent Keeth