Patents by Inventor Mark A. Owens

Mark A. Owens 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: 20090300411
    Abstract: A method and apparatus implement redundant memory access using multiple controllers for a memory system, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A first memory controller uses a first memory and a second memory controller uses the second memory as its respective primary address space, for storage and fetches. The second memory controller is also connected to the first memory. The first memory controller is also connected to the second memory. The first memory controller and the second memory controller, for example, are connected together by a processor communications bus. When one of the first memory controller or the second memory controller fails, then the other memory controller is notified. The other memory controller takes control of the memory for the failed controller, using the direct connection to that memory, and maintains coherence of both the first memory and second memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, John Michael Borkenhagen, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, William Paul Hovis, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7627711
    Abstract: A memory controller configured to control a daisy chain of memory chips. The memory controller receives read and write requests from a processor, determines a daisy chain of memory chips that the request is directed to, determines which memory chip in the chain of memory chips the request is directed to, and transmits an address/command word recognizable by the correct memory chip. The memory controller sends write data words to the daisy chain of memory chips that can be associated by the correct memory chip for writing into the correct memory chip. The memory controller receives read data words from the daisy chain of memory chips and returns the read data to the processor. The memory controller transmits a bus clock to the daisy chain of memory chips for controlling transmission of address/command words and data words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7620763
    Abstract: A memory chip having a data bus having a plurality of bits. The number of bits is apportioned between a read portion and a write portion. The write portion is dedicated to receiving data that is to be written into an array on the memory chip; the read portion is dedicated to driving data that has been read from the array on the memory chip. The apportionment is programmable. Apportionment can be specified by programming signal pins on the memory chip, connecting the signal pins to appropriate logical values. The apportionment can alternatively be specified by scanning apportionment information into the memory chip at bring up time. The apportionment and also alternatively be specified by receiving apportionment information in an address/command word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, John Michael Borkenhagen, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7617350
    Abstract: A carrier having at least one memory chip in a daisy chain of memory chips. A first carrier has at least a portion of an entire daisy chain of memory chips attached to the first carrier. An address/command bus input on the first carrier carries an address/command word to a first memory chip in the daisy chain of memory chips. If the first memory chip determines that the address/command word is not directed to the first memory chip, the first memory chip re-drives the address/command word to a second memory chip in the daisy chain of memory chips using a point to point address/command bus link. If there are no more memory chips on the first carrier, the address/command word is re-driven to a memory chip on a second carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Publication number: 20090273098
    Abstract: A particular chip is designed having a first variant (front side connected chip) of the chip and a second variant (back side connected chip). The first variant of the chip is attached to a carrier. The second variant of the chip is attached to the carrier inverted relative to the first variant of the chip. The first and second variants of the chip are attached to the carrier such that a vertical surface (side) of the first variant of the chip faces a corresponding vertical surface of the second variant of the chip. A circuit on the first variant of the chip is electrically connected to a corresponding circuit on the second variant of the chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Publication number: 20090242625
    Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) identifies and stores documents such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine then selectively recovers documents from storage and dispenses them to other users. The machine includes a central transport (70) wherein documents deposited in a stack are unstacked, oriented, and identified. Such documents are then routed to storage areas in recycling canisters (92, 94, 96, 98). When a user subsequently requests a dispense, documents stored in the storage areas are selectively picked therefrom and delivered to the user through an input/output area (50) of the machine. The control system (30) for the machine includes a terminal processor (548). Identification devices identify the type and character of a document, and distinguish genuine documents, such as genuine currency bills, from unidentifiable or suspect documents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: H. Thomas Graef, William D. Beskitt, Damon J. Blackford, Dale Blackson, Robert Bowser, Keith A. Drescher, Jeffrey Eastman, Matthew Force, Sean Haney, Michael Harty, Dale Horan, Andrew Junkins, Edward L. Laskowski, Ashok Modi, Mark Owens, Mike Ryan, Bill Schadt, David Schultz, Mike Theriault, Mark D. Smith
  • Patent number: 7577811
    Abstract: A memory controller for controlling a daisy chain of self timed memory chips. The memory controller has information as to how long each self timed memory chip in the daisy chain of memory chips takes to make a read access and a write access to an array on the self timed memory chip. The memory controller determines current access time information on a memory chip by sending a command to the memory chip. The memory chip returns a data word containing the current access time information. Alternatively, the memory controller transmits an address/command word to the memory chip and, after completing an access, transmits a responsive data word to the memory controller. The memory controller determines the access time information using the interval from transmission of the address/command word to reception of the responsive data word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7553696
    Abstract: A method and structure are provided for implementing component placement suspended within electrical pin grid array packages for enhanced electrical performance. A solder column grid array is coupled between a printed circuit board and a first level package. A component is connected between a predefined pair of adjacent columns in the solder column grid array suspended between the printed circuit board and the first level package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7545664
    Abstract: A memory system having a memory controller and a memory. The memory comprises one or more daisy chains of self timed memory chips. An address/command word is chained through a daisy chain of memory chips and is handled by one of the memory chips in the daisy chain of memory chips. Data to be written to a memory chip is sent as part of the address/command word, or is transferred on an outgoing data bus chain. Data read from a memory chip is transferred on an incoming data bus chain. Access timing on a memory chip is determined by a self time block on the memory chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7546410
    Abstract: A self timed memory chip having an apportionable data bus. Access timing to an array on the memory chip is dynamically determined by circuitry on the memory chip. A ring oscillator on the memory chip has a frequency that is indicative of how fast an array on the memory chip can be accessed. The ring oscillator includes a bit line that is periodically charged and a memory element that subsequently discharges the bit line. The memory chip has a data bus interface having a number of bits. The data bus interface has a first number of bits apportioned to write data and a second number of bits apportioned to read data. The first number of bits and the second number of bits is programmable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, John Michael Borkenhagen, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Publication number: 20090140039
    Abstract: An automated canister reloading machine is able to reload a currency canister removed from an ATM. The reloading machine includes a supply of currency notes. The reloading machine can transfer currency notes from the supply into a storage area of the canister. The canister includes a memory that can store data representative of information concerning the canister, such as data representative of the type and number of currency notes held in the canister. The reloading machine is able to update the canister memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Matthew Force, H. Thomas Graef, Robert Bowser, Jeffrey Eastman, Michael Harty, Andrew Junkins, Michael E. Lindroos, Mark Owens, Mike Ryan, Alan Looney, Roy Shirah
  • Publication number: 20090138832
    Abstract: Structures and a computer program product are provided for implementing enhanced wiring capability for electronic laminate packages. Electronic package physical design data are received. Instances of line width and space limit violations in the electronic package physical design data are identified. The identified instances of line width and space limit violations are evaluated using predefined qualified options and tolerance limitations and the electronic package physical design data are modified to optimize shapes to replace the instances of line width and space limit violations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson, Trevor Joseph Timpane
  • Publication number: 20090128397
    Abstract: The disclosed system and method for determining direction-of-arrival generally includes an antenna element and a processor. The antenna element may configured to generate a signal in response to an electromagnetic wave. The processor may be process the signal to determine the direction-of-arrival of the electromagnetic wave. Further, the direction-of-arrival may be determined based on an estimate of the direction-of-arrival of at least one of the electric field and the magnetic field of the electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventor: MARK A. OWENS
  • Patent number: 7518995
    Abstract: Method and system for managing frame traffic in a Fibre Channel network with plural switch elements with receive and transmit ports is provided. The method includes limiting a number of R_RDYs sent between frames, when frames are waiting to be transmitted at a given time, for minimizing a number of ordered sets transmitted between frames. The switch element includes a R_RDY control module that stores a number of R_RDYs that a port has to send, stores an actual number of R_RDYs that are sent since a last frame is transmitted; stores a number of R_RDYs that are sent between frames and this number of R_RDYs can be programmed to be less than two; and stores a threshold value that is less than or equal to a maximum R_RDY count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: QLOGIC, Corporation
    Inventors: Frank R. Dropps, Ernest G Kohlwey, Mark A. Owen
  • Patent number: 7494046
    Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) identifies and stores documents such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine then selectively recovers documents from storage and dispenses them to other users. The machine includes a central transport (70) wherein documents deposited in a stack are unstacked, oriented and identified. Such documents are then routed to storage areas in recycling canisters (92, 94, 96, 98). When a user subsequently requests a dispense, documents stored in the storage areas are selectively picked therefrom and delivered to the user through an input/output area (50) of the machine. The control system (30) for the machine includes a terminal processor (548). Identification devices identify the type and character of a document, and distinguish genuine documents, such as genuine currency bills, from unidentifiable or suspect documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: H. Thomas Graef, Mark D. Smith, Edward L. Laskowski, William D. Beskitt, Damon J. Blackford, Dale Blackson, Robert Bowser, Keith A. Drescher, Jeffrey Eastman, Matthew Force, Sean Haney, Michael Harty, Dale Horan, Andrew Junkins, Ashok Modi, Mark Owens, Mike Ryan, Bill Schadt, David Schultz, Mike Theriault
  • Publication number: 20090041029
    Abstract: Method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The method includes, inserting a time stamp value in a fibre channel frame that is received at a receive segment of the fibre channel switch element; determining if a timeout occurs after a frame arrives at a receive buffer; and processing the frame if the timeout occurred. The method also includes, determining if a delta time value, which provides an accumulated wait time for a frame, is present in frame data; subtracting the delta time stamp value from a global time stamp value and using the resulting time stamp value to determine frame timeout status in the fibre channel switch element. A timeout checker circuit declares a timeout after comparing a time stamp value that is inserted in a fibre channel frame with a programmed time out value and a global counter value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Frank R. Dropps, Craig M. Verba, Gary M. Papenfuss, Ernest G. Kohlwey, Mark A. Owen
  • Patent number: 7490186
    Abstract: A memory system having a memory controller and a daisy chain of memory chips. The memory controller is coupled to memory chips in the daisy chain of memory chips by an address/command bus chain. The memory controller is coupled to memory chips in the daisy chain of memory chips by a data bus chain having a number of data bus bits. The data bus chain has a first portion of data bus bits dedicated to transmitting write data from the memory controller to a memory chip. The data bus chain has a second portion of data bus bits dedicated to transmitting read data from a memory chip to the memory controller. Apportionment of data bus bits between the first portion and the second portion is programmable. Programming is done by pin connection, scanning of a value, or by request from a processor coupled to the memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, John Michael Borkenhagen, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7480201
    Abstract: A memory chip suitable for use in a daisy chain of memory chips. The memory chip receives an address/command word on a first input, determines if the address command word is directed to the memory chip; if so, the memory chip accesses an array on the memory chip. If not, the memory chip re-drives the address/command word on a first output. Write data is received as part of the address/command word or from a first data bus port. A bus clock is received and is used to receive and transmit information on the first input, the first output, the first data bus port and the second data bus port. The memory chip is incorporated into a design structure that is embodied in a computer readable medium used for designing, manufacturing, or testing the memory chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7472368
    Abstract: A method is provided for implementing vertically coupled noise control through a mesh plane in an electronic package design. Electronic package physical design data are received. Instances of vertically coupled noise in the electronic package physical design data are identified. The identified instances of vertically coupled noise are quantified. Then the electronic package physical design data are modified to limit the vertically coupled noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson
  • Patent number: 7472360
    Abstract: A method is provided for implementing enhanced wiring capability for electronic laminate packages. Electronic package physical design data are received. Instances of line width and space limit violations in the electronic package physical design data are identified. The identified instances of line width and space limit violations are evaluated using predefined qualified options and tolerance limitations and the electronic package physical design data are modified to optimize shapes to replace the instances of line width and space limit violations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Keith Bartley, Darryl John Becker, Paul Eric Dahlen, Philip Raymond Germann, Andrew Benson Maki, Mark Owen Maxson, Trevor Joseph Timpane