Patents by Inventor Jimmy G. Foster, Sr.

Jimmy G. Foster, Sr. 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: 20120299640
    Abstract: Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by blowing fuses on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the blown fuses into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by blowing fuses on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 8315068
    Abstract: Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by blowing fuses on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the blown fuses into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by blowing fuses on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20120286431
    Abstract: Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by opening switches on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the open switches into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by opening switches on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 8310841
    Abstract: Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by opening switches on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the open switches into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by opening switches on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 8258619
    Abstract: An integrated circuit die stack including a first integrated circuit die mounted upon a substrate, the first die including pass-through vias (‘PTVs’) composed of conductive pathways through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and a second integrated circuit die, identical to the first die, shifted in position with respect to the first die and mounted upon the first die, with the PTVs in the first die connecting signal lines from the substrate through the first die to through silicon vias (‘TSVs’) in the second die composed of conductive pathways through the second die connected to electronic circuitry on the second die; with the TSVs and PTVs disposed upon each identical die so that the positions of the TSVs and PTVs on each identical die are translationally compatible with respect to the TSVs and PTVs on the other identical die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20120218024
    Abstract: An integrated circuit die stack including a first integrated circuit die mounted upon a substrate, the first die including pass-through vias (‘PTVs’) composed of conductive pathways through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and a second integrated circuit die, identical to the first die, shifted in position with respect to the first die and mounted upon the first die, with the PTVs in the first die connecting signal lines from the substrate through the first die to through silicon vias (‘TSVs’) in the second die composed of conductive pathways through the second die connected to electronic circuitry on the second die; with the TSVs and PTVs disposed upon each identical die so that the positions of the TSVs and PTVs on each identical die are translationally compatible with respect to the TSVs and PTVs on the other identical die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20120199337
    Abstract: A heat sink for dissipating a thermal load is disclosed that includes one or more heat sink bases configured around a central axis of the heat sink so as to define an interior space, at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load, a thermal transport connected to the at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load so as to distribute the thermal load in the heat sink, and heat-dissipating fins connected to each heat sink base, the heat-dissipating fins extending from each heat sink base into the interior space of the heat sink, each heat-dissipating fin shaped according to the location of the heat-dissipating fin with respect to the location of the thermal load and the location of the distributed thermal load in the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. FOSTER, SR., Donna C. HARDEE, Don S. KEENER, Robert R. WOLFORD
  • Patent number: 8230908
    Abstract: A heat sink for dissipating a thermal load is disclosed that includes one or more heat sink bases configured around a central axis of the heat sink so as to define an interior space, at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load, a thermal transport connected to the at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load so as to distribute the thermal load in the heat sink, and heat-dissipating fins connected to each heat sink base, the heat-dissipating fins extending from each heat sink base into the interior space of the heat sink, each heat-dissipating fin shaped according to the location of the heat-dissipating fin with respect to the location of the thermal load and the location of the distributed thermal load in the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Donna C. Hardee, Don S. Keener, Robert R. Wolford
  • Publication number: 20120173653
    Abstract: A computer program product and computer implemented method are provided for migrating a virtual machine between servers. The virtual machine is initially operated on a first server, wherein the first server accesses the virtual machine image over a network at a memory location within fabric attached memory. The virtual machine is migrated from the first server to a second server by flushing data to the virtual machine image from cache memory associated with the virtual machine on the first server and providing the state and memory location of the virtual machine to the second server. The virtual machine may then operate on the second server, wherein the second server accesses the virtual machine image over the network at the same memory location within the fabric attached memory without copying the virtual machine image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick M. Bland, John M. Borkenhagen, Thomas M. Bradicich, Dhruv M. Desai, Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Joseph J. Jakubowski, Randolph S. Kolvick, Makoto Ono
  • Patent number: 8102651
    Abstract: Method and apparatus providing airflow through a chassis including an upstream column of memory modules and a downstream column of memory modules. The airflow is divided into first and second separate airflow streams extending from an upstream end of the upstream column to a downstream end of the downstream column. The first airflow stream is guided into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column and to avoid contact with any memory module in the downstream column. The second airflow stream is guided to avoid contact with any memory module in the upstream column and into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column. The improved cooling enables the extended use of a single memory module per channel, even though the thermal load on such a memory module is greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick M. Bland, Vinod Kamath, Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Ivan R. Zapata
  • Publication number: 20110192577
    Abstract: A heat sink for dissipating a thermal load is disclosed that includes one or more heat sink bases configured around a central axis of the heat sink so as to define an interior space, at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load, a thermal transport connected to the at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load so as to distribute the thermal load in the heat sink, and heat-dissipating fins connected to each heat sink base, the heat-dissipating fins extending from each heat sink base into the interior space of the heat sink, each heat-dissipating fin shaped according to the location of the heat-dissipating fin with respect to the location of the thermal load and the location of the distributed thermal load in the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: JIMMY G. FOSTER, SR., DONNA C. HARDEE, DON S. KEENER, ROBERT R. WOLFORD
  • Patent number: 7992021
    Abstract: A power-managed server and method for managing power consumption is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a power-managed server data processing system is provided among a plurality of server data processing systems which comprises a power management communication port to communicatively couple the power-managed server data processing system to a power management server data processing system of the plurality of server data processing systems. The power-managed server data processing system of the described embodiment further comprises a system management processor coupled to the power management communication port which comprises power-managed logic configured to transmit power management data to the power management server data processing system and to receive a power management command utilizing the power management communication port. Moreover, the power management command is generated utilizing the power management data, and the power management data comprises power management capability data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sumanta K. Bahali, Warren D. Bailey, Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Gregory D. Sellman
  • Patent number: 7984326
    Abstract: Memory downsizing in a computer memory subsystem, the subsystem including one or more channels of computer memory with each channel including several Dual In-line Memory Modules (‘DIMMs’) and each DIMM capable of on-die termination (‘ODT’). Memory downsizing according to embodiments of the present invention includes identifying, during a memory initialization test in a Power On Self Test (‘POST’) by a firmware module, a defective DIMM of a particular channel in the computer memory subsystem and disabling, by the firmware module, the defective DIMM, including enabling ODT for the defective DIMM without disabling any non-defective DIMMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick M. Bland, Jimmy G. Foster, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20110160916
    Abstract: Computing devices have fan speeds governing airflows through the computing devices. The rack has a maximum airflow associated with a cooling component for the rack. The computing devices transmit their current airflows. A sum of the current airflows is determined. Where the sum is greater than the maximum airflow, the fan speeds of one or more selected computing devices are decreased. The fan speeds of lower priority computing devices may be reduced before the fan speeds higher priority computing devices are reduced. Fan speed reduction may be achieved in a centralized manner, by employing a centralized management component, or in a decentralized manner, without employing a centralized management component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Sumanta K. Bahali, Vinod Kamath, Jimmy G. Foster, SR.
  • Publication number: 20110109381
    Abstract: An integrated circuit die stack including a first integrated circuit die mounted upon a substrate, the first die including pass-through vias (‘PTVs’) composed of conductive pathways through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and a second integrated circuit die, identical to the first die, rotated with respect to the first die and mounted upon the first die, with the PTVs in the first die connecting signal lines from the substrate through the first die to through silicon vias (TSVs') in the second die composed of conductive pathways through the second die connected to electronic circuitry on the second die; with the TSVs and PTVs disposed upon each identical die so that the positions of the TSVs and PTVs on each identical die are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the TSVs and PTVs on the other identical die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20110108972
    Abstract: An integrated circuit die stack including a first integrated circuit die mounted upon a substrate, the first die including pass-through vias (‘PTVs’) composed of conductive pathways through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and a second integrated circuit die, identical to the first die, shifted in position with respect to the first die and mounted upon the first die, with the PTVs in the first die connecting signal lines from the substrate through the first die to through silicon vias (‘TSVs’) in the second die composed of conductive pathways through the second die connected to electronic circuitry on the second die; with the TSVs and PTVs disposed upon each identical die so that the positions of the TSVs and PTVs on each identical die are translationally compatible with respect to the TSVs and PTVs on the other identical die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20110110064
    Abstract: Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by blowing fuses on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the blown fuses into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by blowing fuses on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20110110065
    Abstract: Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by opening switches on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the open switches into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by opening switches on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20110080700
    Abstract: Method and apparatus providing airflow through a chassis including an upstream column of memory modules and a downstream column of memory modules. The airflow is divided into first and second separate airflow streams extending from an upstream end of the upstream column to a downstream end of the downstream column. The first airflow stream is guided into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column and to avoid contact with any memory module in the downstream column. The second airflow stream is guided to avoid contact with any memory module in the upstream column and into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column. The improved cooling enables the extended use of a single memory module per channel, even though the thermal load on such a memory module is greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick M. Bland, Vinod Kamath, Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Ivan R. Zapata
  • Publication number: 20100293410
    Abstract: Memory downsizing in a computer memory subsystem, the subsystem including one or more channels of computer memory with each channel including several Dual In-line Memory Modules (‘DIMMs’) and each DIMM capable of on-die termination (‘ODT’). Memory downsizing according to embodiments of the present invention includes identifying, during a memory initialization test in a Power On Self Test (‘POST’) by a firmware module, a defective DIMM of a particular channel in the computer memory subsystem and disabling, by the firmware module, the defective DIMM, including enabling ODT for the defective DIMM without disabling any non-defective DIMMs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick M. Bland, Jimmy G. Foster, SR.