Patents by Inventor Matthew A. Prather

Matthew A. Prather 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: 20250103333
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods related to commands to transfer data and/or perform logic operations are described. For example, a command that identifies a location of data and a target for transferring the data may be issued to a memory device. Or a command that identifies a location of data and one or more logic operations to be performed on that data may be issued to a memory device. A memory module may include different memory arrays (e.g., different technology types), and a command may identify data to be transferred between arrays or between controllers for the arrays. Commands may include targets for data expressed in or indicative of channels associated with the arrays, and data may be transferred between channels or between memory devices that share a channel, or both. Some commands may identify data, a target for the data, and a logic operation for the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20250078884
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for buffer configurations for communications between memory dies and a host device are described. A memory device may include a buffer having a first interface coupled with a host device and a second interface coupled with a memory die of the memory device. The first interface may communicate information with the host device at a first frequency and according to a first signaling scheme, and the second interface may communicate information with the memory die at a second frequency and according to a second signaling scheme. The first frequency may be higher than the second frequency, and the second signaling scheme may include a greater quantity of voltage levels than the first signaling scheme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Sujeet V. Ayyapureddi, Brent Keeth, Matthew A. Prather
  • Patent number: 12229449
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing background operations in memory. A memory device can be configured to perform background operations while another memory device in a memory system and/or on a common memory module is busy performing commands received from a host coupled to the memory system and/or common memory module. An example apparatus can include a first memory device, wherein the first memory device can include an array of memory cells and a controller configured to perform a background operation on the first memory device in response to detecting a command from a host to a second memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Patent number: 12197766
    Abstract: Methods for operating a memory system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving first data to be written at a logical address of a memory array, storing the first data at a first physical address corresponding to the logical address, and remapping the logical address to a second physical address, for example, using a soft post package repair operation. The method can further include receiving second data different from the first data to be written at the logical address, storing the second data at the second physical address, and remapping the logical address to the first physical address. In some embodiments, the method can comprise storing first and second ECC data corresponding to the first and second data, respectively. The method can further comprise outputting the first data and/or the second ECC data in response to a read request corresponding to the logical address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall J. Rooney, Matthew A. Prather, Neal J. Koyle
  • Patent number: 12170127
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for buffer configurations for communications between memory dies and a host device are described. A memory device may include a buffer having a first interface coupled with a host device and a second interface coupled with a memory die of the memory device. The first interface may communicate information with the host device at a first frequency and according to a first signaling scheme, and the second interface may communicate information with the memory die at a second frequency and according to a second signaling scheme. The first frequency may be higher than the second frequency, and the second signaling scheme may include a greater quantity of voltage levels than the first signaling scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sujeet V. Ayyapureddi, Brent Keeth, Matthew A. Prather
  • Patent number: 12164919
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods related to commands to transfer data and/or perform logic operations are described. For example, a command that identifies a location of data and a target for transferring the data may be issued to a memory device. Or a command that identifies a location of data and one or more logic operations to be performed on that data may be issued to a memory device. A memory module may include different memory arrays (e.g., different technology types), and a command may identify data to be transferred between arrays or between controllers for the arrays. Commands may include targets for data expressed in or indicative of channels associated with the arrays, and data may be transferred between channels or between memory devices that share a channel, or both. Some commands may identify data, a target for the data, and a logic operation for the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240393860
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to power management in memory. Memory devices with multiple input/output ports may have the ports separately managed to transfer data from the various to a host or other components of the module based on certain power management signaling or constraints. For example, a memory device with multiple ports may be managed to transfer data to a host from one set of ports in response to power management (or other) signaling, and the device may be managed to transfer other data to another memory device in response to different power management (or other signaling). Power management may be done onboard a memory module with or without direction from a host. Power management may be performed by a dedicated integrated circuit. Data may be transferred from or between different classes of memory devices, using different ports, based on power management, e.g., criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240370336
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for a memory device (e.g., DRAM) including an error check and scrub (ECS) procedure in conjunction with refresh operations are described. The ECS procedure may include read/modify-write cycles when errors are detected in code words. In some embodiments, the memory device may complete the ECS procedure over multiple refresh commands, namely by performing a read (or read/modify) portion of the ECS procedure while a first refresh command is executed, and by performing a write portion of the ECS procedure while a second refresh command is executed. The ECS procedure described herein may facilitate avoiding signaling conflicts or interferences that may occur between the ECS procedure and other memory operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Randall J. Rooney, Matthew A. Prather
  • Patent number: 12135600
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to power management in memory. Memory devices with multiple input/output ports may have the ports separately managed to transfer data from the various to a host or other components of the module based on certain power management signaling or constraints. For example, a memory device with multiple ports may be managed to transfer data to a host from one set of ports in response to power management (or other) signaling, and the device may be managed to transfer other data to another memory device in response to different power management (or other signaling). Power management may be done onboard a memory module with or without direction from a host. Power management may be performed by a dedicated integrated circuit. Data may be transferred from or between different classes of memory devices, using different ports, based on power management, e.g., criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240354028
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for metadata communication by a memory device are described. The memory device may receive first data from a first memory die of the memory device and second data from a second memory die of the memory device. The memory device may receive first metadata for the first data from the first memory die and second metadata for the second data from the second memory die. The memory device may combine the first metadata from the first memory die and the second metadata from the second memory die into a set of metadata. And the memory device may transmit the set of metadata to a host device via a pin, such as a metadata pin, allocated for a set of memory dies that includes at least the first memory die and the second memory die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Sujeet V. Ayyapureddi, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240311001
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for managing power consumption of a memory system using loopback are described. When a memory system is in a first state (e.g., a deactivated state), a host device may send a signal to change one or more components of the memory system to a second state (e.g., an activated state). The signal may be received by one or more memory devices, which may activate one or more components based on the signal. The one or more memory devices may send a second signal to a power management component, such as a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), using one or more techniques. The second signal may be received by the PMIC using a conductive path running between the memory devices and the PMIC. Based on receiving the second signal or some third signal that is based on the second signal, the PMIC may enter an activated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas H. Kinsley, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240290409
    Abstract: Memory devices may be assigned enumeration values that uniquely identify the memory devices in a multi-memory device system. In some examples, the enumeration value is assigned by programming one or more fuses in the memory device. In some examples, a post-package repair operation may be used to program the fuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240289219
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a memory array including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is provided. The apparatus further comprises circuitry configured to perform an error detection operation on the memory array to determine a raw count of detected errors, to compare the raw count of detected errors to a threshold value to determine an over-threshold amount, to scale the over-threshold amount according to a scaling algorithm to determine a scaled error count, and to store the scaled error count in a user-accessible storage location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew A. Prather, Randall J. Rooney
  • Patent number: 12067276
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a command bus in memory. A memory module may be equipped with multiple memory media types that are responsive to perform various operations in response to a common command. The operations may be carried out during the same clock cycle in response to the command. An example apparatus can include a first number of memory devices coupled to a host via a first number of ports and a second number of memory devices each coupled to the first number of memory devices via a second number of ports, wherein the second number of memory devices each include a controller, and wherein the first number of memory devices and the second number of memory devices can receive a command from the host to perform the various (e.g., the same or different) operations, sometime concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Patent number: 12056008
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for a memory device (e.g., DRAM) including an error check and scrub (ECS) procedure in conjunction with refresh operations are described. The ECS procedure may include read/modify-write cycles when errors are detected in code words. In some embodiments, the memory device may complete the ECS procedure over multiple refresh commands, namely by performing a read (or read/modify) portion of the ECS procedure while a first refresh command is executed, and by performing a write portion of the ECS procedure while a second refresh command is executed. The ECS procedure described herein may facilitate avoiding signaling conflicts or interferences that may occur between the ECS procedure and other memory operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Inventors: Randall J. Rooney, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240256182
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing background operations in memory. A memory device can be configured to perform background operations while another memory device in a memory system and/or on a common memory module is busy performing commands received from a host coupled to the memory system and/or common memory module. An example apparatus can include a first memory device, wherein the first memory device can include an array of memory cells and a controller configured to perform a background operation on the first memory device in response to detecting a command from a host to a second memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240231824
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods related to commands to transfer data and/or perform logic operations are described. For example, a command that identifies a location of data and a target for transferring the data may be issued to a memory device. Or a command that identifies a location of data and one or more logic operations to be performed on that data may be issued to a memory device. A memory module may include different memory arrays (e.g., different technology types), and a command may identify data to be transferred between arrays or between controllers for the arrays. Commands may include targets for data expressed in or indicative of channels associated with the arrays, and data may be transferred between channels or between memory devices that share a channel, or both. Some commands may identify data, a target for the data, and a logic operation for the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Matthew A. Prather
  • Publication number: 20240203479
    Abstract: Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices and systems in which a memory device can include a voltage regulator for adjusting a supply voltage to an output voltage and providing the output voltage to other devices external to the memory device (e.g., other memory devices in the same memory system, processors, graphics chipsets, other logic circuits, expansion cards, etc.). A memory device may comprise one or more external inputs configured to receive a supply voltage having a first voltage level; a voltage regulator configured to receive the supply voltage from the one or more external inputs and to output an output voltage having a second voltage level different from the first voltage level; one or more memories configured to receive the output voltage from the voltage regulator; and one or more external outputs configured to supply the output voltage to one or more connected devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew A. Prather, Thomas H. Kinsley
  • Publication number: 20240203464
    Abstract: Memory devices, memory systems, and methods of operating the same are disclosed in which a memory device, in response to receiving a mode register read (MRR) command directed to one or more write-only bits of a mode register, reads data indicative of a status of the memory device about the memory device from one or more cells of a memory array of the memory device that are different from the write-only mode register. The data can include device settings, environmental conditions, usage statistics, metadata, feature support, feature implementation, device status, temperature, etc. The status information mode can be optionally enabled or disabled. The memory devices can include DDR5 DRAM memory devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew A. Prather, Randall J. Rooney
  • Publication number: 20240170035
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for staggering refresh operations to memory arrays in different dies of a three-dimensional stacked (3DS) memory device are described. A 3DS memory device may include one die or layer of that controls or regulates commands, including refresh commands, to other dies or layers of the memory device. For example, one die of the 3DS memory may delay a refresh command when issuing the multiple concurrent memory refreshes would cause some problematic performance condition, such as high peak current, within the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew A. Prather, Thomas H. Kinsley