Patents by Inventor John B. Halbert

John B. Halbert 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: 11010304
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory is described. The method includes sensing first bits from a first activated column associated with a first sub-word line structure simultaneously with the sensing of second bits from a second activated column associated with a second sub-word line structure. The method also includes providing the first bits at a same first bit location within different read words of a burst read sequence and providing the second bits at a same second bit location within the different read words of the burst read sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Uksong Kang, Kjersten E. Criss, Rajat Agarwal, John B. Halbert
  • Patent number: 10949296
    Abstract: A memory subsystem enables managing error correction information. A memory device internally performs error detection for a range of memory locations, and increments an internal count for each error detected. The memory device includes ECC logic to generate an error result indicating a difference between the internal count and a baseline number of errors preset for the memory device. The memory device can provide the error result to an associated host of the system to expose only a number of errors accumulated without exposing internal errors from prior to incorporation into a system. The memory device can be made capable to generate internal addresses to execute commands received from the memory controller. The memory device can be made capable to reset the counter after a first pass through the memory area in which errors are counted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Halbert, Kuljit S. Bains
  • Patent number: 10810079
    Abstract: An error check and scrub (ECS) mode enables a memory device to perform error checking and correction (ECC) and count errors. An associated memory controller triggers the ECS mode with a trigger sent to the memory device. The memory device includes multiple addressable memory locations, which can be organized in segments such as wordlines. The memory locations store data and have associated ECC information. In the ECS mode, the memory device reads one or more memory locations and performs ECC for the one or more memory locations based on the ECC information. The memory device counts error information including a segment count indicating a number of segments having at least a threshold number of errors, and a maximum count indicating a maximum number of errors in any segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Halbert, Kuljit S. Bains
  • Patent number: 10572343
    Abstract: A memory device is configured to provide internal or on-die ECC (error checking and correction or error correction coding). In such a system, the code matrix can be managed as four quadrants of (N/4) bits, with two adjacent quadrants in an (N/2)-bit segment or portion. The N codes of the matrix correspond to the N bits of a data word to be protected by the ECC. The code matrix includes M codes corresponding to the M ECC check bits. The memory device includes internal ECC circuitry to perform ECC in the DRAM device with the ECC bits and code matrix in response to a request to access the data word. The codes in a quadrant steer an aliased bit to a quadrant other than an adjacent quadrant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Halbert, Kjersten E. Criss
  • Patent number: 10522207
    Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to performance of additional refresh operations during self-refresh mode. An embodiment of a memory device includes one or more memory banks, a mode register set, the mode register set including a first set of mode register bits, and a control logic to provide control operations for the memory device, the operations including refresh operations for the one or more memory banks in a refresh credit mode. The control logic is to perform one or more extra refresh cycles in response to receipt of a self-refresh command, the self-refresh command to provide current refresh status information, and is to store information in the first set of mode register bits regarding a modified refresh status after the performance of the one or more extra refresh cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, Shay Fux, John B. Halbert
  • Patent number: 10496473
    Abstract: Error correction in a memory subsystem includes a memory device generating internal check bits after performing internal error detection and correction, and providing the internal check bits to the memory controller. The memory device performs internal error detection to detect errors in read data in response to a read request from the memory controller. The memory device selectively performs internal error correction if an error is detected in the read data. The memory device generates check bits indicating an error vector for the read data after performing internal error detection and correction, and provides the check bits with the read data to the memory controller in response to the read request. The memory controller can apply the check bits for error correction external to the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Debaleena Das, Bill Nale, Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
  • Patent number: 10489083
    Abstract: Flexible command addressing for memory. An embodiment of a memory device includes a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM); and a system element coupled with the DRAM, the system element including a memory controller for control of the DRAM. The DRAM includes a memory bank, a bus, the bus including a plurality of pins for the receipt of commands, and a logic, wherein the logic provides for shared operation of the bus for a first type of command and a second type of command received on a first set of pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
  • Patent number: 10459809
    Abstract: A stacked memory chip device is described. The stacked memory chip device includes a plurality of stacked memory chips. The stacked memory chip device includes read/write logic circuitry to service read/write requests for cache lines kept within the plurality of stacked memory chips. The stacked memory chip device includes data protection circuitry to store information to protect substantive data of cache lines in the plurality of stacked memory chips, where, the information is kept in more than one of the plurality of stacked memory chips, and where, any subset of the information that protects respective substantive information of a particular one of the cache lines is not stored in a same memory chip with the respective substantive information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hussein Alameer, Uksong Kang, Kjersten E. Criss, Rajat Agarwal, Wei Wu, John B. Halbert
  • Publication number: 20190304953
    Abstract: A stacked memory with interface providing offset interconnects. An embodiment of memory device includes a system element and a memory stack coupled with the system element, the memory stack including one or more memory die layers. Each memory die layer includes first face and a second face, the second face of each memory die layer including an interface for coupling data interface pins of the memory die layer with data interface pins of a first face of a coupled element. The interface of each memory die layer includes connections that provide an offset between each of the data interface pins of the memory die layer and a corresponding data interface pin of the data interface pins of the coupled element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Pete D. VOGT, Andre SCHAEFER, Warren MORROW, John B. HALBERT, Jin KIM, Kenneth D. SHOEMAKER
  • Publication number: 20190096472
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory chip is described. The method includes specially requesting additional refreshes for weak storage cells of the memory chip that deplete their charge more rapidly than other storage cells of the memory chip. The additional refreshes are added to a distributed baseline refresh command sequence that is applied to the weak storage cells and the other storage cells. The distributed baseline refresh command sequence has a refresh rate that is determined from charge depletion characteristics of the other storage cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Uksong KANG, John B. HALBERT
  • 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: 20190073261
    Abstract: An error check and scrub (ECS) mode enables a memory device to perform error checking and correction (ECC) and count errors. An associated memory controller triggers the ECS mode with a trigger sent to the memory device. The memory device includes multiple addressable memory locations, which can be organized in segments such as wordlines. The memory locations store data and have associated ECC information. In the ECS mode, the memory device reads one or more memory locations and performs ECC for the one or more memory locations based on the ECC information. The memory device counts error information including a segment count indicating a number of segments having at least a threshold number of errors, and a maximum count indicating a maximum number of errors in any segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: John B. HALBERT, Kuljit S. BAINS
  • Patent number: 10210925
    Abstract: A memory controller issues a targeted refresh command. A specific row of a memory device can be the target of repeated accesses. When the row is accessed repeatedly within a time threshold (also referred to as “hammered” or a “row hammer event”), physically adjacent row (a “victim” row) may experience data corruption. The memory controller receives an indication of a row hammer event, identifies the row associated with the row hammer event, and sends one or more commands to the memory device to cause the memory device to perform a targeted refresh that will refresh the victim row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert, Christopher P. Mozak, Theodore Z. Schoenborn, Zvika Greenfield
  • Publication number: 20190042449
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory is described. The method includes sensing first bits from a first activated column associated with a first sub-word line structure simultaneously with the sensing of second bits from a second activated column associated with a second sub-word line structure. The method also includes providing the first bits at a same first bit location within different read words of a burst read sequence and providing the second bits at a same second bit location within the different read words of the burst read sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Uksong KANG, Kjersten E. CRISS, Rajat AGARWAL, John B. HALBERT
  • Publication number: 20190004909
    Abstract: A stacked memory chip device is described. The stacked memory chip device includes a plurality of stacked memory chips. The stacked memory chip device includes read/write logic circuitry to service read/write requests for cache lines kept within the plurality of stacked memory chips. The stacked memory chip device includes data protection circuitry to store information to protect substantive data of cache lines in the plurality of stacked memory chips, where, the information is kept in more than one of the plurality of stacked memory chips, and where, any subset of the information that protects respective substantive information of a particular one of the cache lines is not stored in a same memory chip with the respective substantive information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Hussein ALAMEER, Uksong KANG, Kjersten E. CRISS, Rajat AGARWAL, Wei WU, John B. HALBERT
  • Publication number: 20180336943
    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: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher E. COX, Kuljit S. BAINS, John B. HALBERT
  • Patent number: 10127101
    Abstract: An error check and scrub (ECS) mode enables a memory device to perform error checking and correction (ECC) and count errors. An associated memory controller triggers the ECS mode with a trigger sent to the memory device. The memory device includes multiple addressable memory locations, which can be organized in segments such as wordlines. The memory locations store data and have associated ECC information. In the ECS mode, the memory device reads one or more memory locations and performs ECC for the one or more memory locations based on the ECC information. The memory device counts error information including a segment count indicating a number of segments having at least a threshold number of errors, and a maximum count indicating a maximum number of errors in any segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John B Halbert, Kuljit S Bains
  • Patent number: 10121532
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to provide write access to a memory device. In an embodiment, a memory controller sends commands to a memory device which comprises multiple memory banks. The memory controller further sends a signal specifying that the commands include back-to-back write commands each to access the same memory bank. In response to the signal, the memory device buffers first data of a first write command, wherein the first data is buffered at least until the memory device receives second data of a second write command. Error correction information is calculated for a combination of the first data and second data, and the combination is written to the memory bank. In another embodiment, buffering of the first data and combining of the first data with the second data is performed, based on the signal from the memory controller, in lieu of read-modify-write processing of the first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
  • Patent number: 10108512
    Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to validation of memory on-die error correction code. An embodiment of a memory device includes one or more memory arrays for the storage of data; control logic to control operation of the memory device; and ECC (error correction code) logic, including ECC correction logic to correct data and ECC generation logic to generate ECC code bits and store the ECC bits in the one or more memory arrays. In a validation mode to validate operation of the ECC logic, the control logic is to allow generation of ECC code bits for a first test value and disable generation of ECC code bits for a second test value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Halbert, Kuljit S. Bains
  • Patent number: 10109340
    Abstract: Memory subsystem refresh management enables commands to access one or more identified banks across different bank groups with a single command. Instead of sending commands identifying a bank or banks in separate bank groups by each bank group individually, the command can cause the memory device to access banks in different bank groups. The command can be a refresh command. The command can be a precharge command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert, Nadav Bonen, Tomer Levy