Patents by Inventor Michele M. Franceschini

Michele M. Franceschini 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: 20140317336
    Abstract: A queued, byte addressed system and method for accessing flash memory and other non-volatile storage class memory, and potentially other types of non-volatile memory (NVM) storage systems. In a host device, e.g., a standalone or networked computer, having attached NVM device storage integrated into a switching fabric wherein the NVM device appears as an industry standard OFED™ RDMA verbs provider. The verbs provider enables communicating with a ‘local storage peer’ using the existing OpenFabrics RDMA host functionality. User applications issue RDMA Read/Write directives to the ‘local peer (seen as a persistent storage) in NVM enabling NVM memory access at byte granularity. The queued, byte addressed system and method provides for Zero copy NVM access. The methods enables operations that establish application private Queue Pairs to provide asynchronous NVM memory access operations at byte level granularity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Blake G. Fitch, Michele M. Franceschini, Lars Schneidenbach, Bernaard Metzler
  • Publication number: 20140317219
    Abstract: A queued, byte addressed system and method for accessing flash memory and other non-volatile storage class memory, and potentially other types of non-volatile memory (NVM) storage systems. In a host device, e.g., a standalone or networked computer, having attached NVM device storage integrated into a switching fabric wherein the NVM device appears as an industry standard OFED™ RDMA verbs provider. The verbs provider enables communicating with a ‘local storage peer’ using the existing OpenFabrics RDMA host functionality. User applications issue RDMA Read/Write directives to the ‘local peer (seen as a persistent storage) in NVM enabling NVM memory access at byte granularity. The queued, byte addressed system and method provides for Zero copy NVM access. The methods enables operations that establish application private Queue Pairs to provide asynchronous NVM memory access operations at byte level granularity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Blake G. Fitch, Michele M. Franceschini, Lars Schneidenbach, Bernard Metzler
  • Patent number: 8868978
    Abstract: Discarded memory devices unfit for an original purpose can be reclaimed for reuse for another purpose. The discarded memory devices are tested and evaluated to determine the level of performance degradation therein. A set of an alternate usage and an information encoding scheme to facilitate a reuse of the tested memory device is identified based on the evaluation of the discarded memory device. A memory chip controller may be configured to facilitate usage of reclaimed memory devices by enabling a plurality of encoding schemes therein. Further, a memory device can be configured to facilitate diagnosis of the functionality, and to facilitate usage as a discarded memory unit. Waste due to discarded memory devices can be thereby reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Ashish Jagmohan, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Mayank Sharma
  • Patent number: 8861266
    Abstract: A method for operating a phase change memory that includes initializing a memory cell that includes: a first conductive electrode having a length greater than its width and an axis aligned with the length; a second conductive electrode having an edge oriented at an angle to the axis of the first conductive electrode; an insulator providing a separation distance between an end of the first conductive electrode and the edge of the second conductive electrode; and a phase change material covering a substantial portion of the first conductive electrode and at least a portion of the second conductive electrode. The initializing the memory cell includes creating a first amorphous material region in the phase change material. An active crystalline material region is created inside the first amorphous material region. Information is stored in the memory cell by creating a second amorphous material region inside the active crystalline material region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, John P. Karidis
  • Patent number: 8862944
    Abstract: Isolation of faulty links in a transmission medium including a method that includes receiving an atomic data unit via a multi-link transmission medium that has a plurality of transmission links. An error condition is detected and it is determined that the error condition is isolated to a single transmission link. It is determined if the single transmission link has been isolated previously as a failing transmission link a specified number of times within an interval specified by a timer. If the single transmission link has been isolated previously as a failing transmission link a specified number of times within an interval specified by a timer then: identifying the single transmission link as a faulty transmission link; resetting the timer; and outputting an identifier of the single transmission link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Dodson, Frank D. Ferraiolo, Michele M. Franceschini, Ashish Jagmohan, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Kenneth L. Wright, Lisa C. Gower
  • Patent number: 8848471
    Abstract: A method for determining an optimized refresh rate involves testing a refresh rate on rows of cells, determining an error rate of the rows, evaluating the error rate of the rows; and repeating these steps for a decreased refresh rate until the error rate is greater than a constraint, at which point a slow refresh rate is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
  • Publication number: 20140223120
    Abstract: A memory device may be equipped with quick erase capability to secure the contents of the memory device. The quick erase capability may effectively permanently disable access to data stored in the memory device instantaneously upon a command being issued, making all previous data written to the memory device unreadable. The quick erase capability may allow use of the memory device for new write operations and for reading the newly written data immediately once the erase command is received and executed. The quick erase capability may begin a physical erase process of data not newly written without altering other aspects of the quick erase. Aspects may be accomplished with one or more bits per row in a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Warren E. Maule
  • Publication number: 20140223117
    Abstract: A memory device may be equipped with quick erase capability to secure the contents of the memory device. The quick erase capability may effectively permanently disable access to data stored in the memory device instantaneously upon a command being issued, making all previous data written to the memory device unreadable. The quick erase capability may allow use of the memory device for new write operations and for reading the newly written data immediately once the erase command is received and executed. The quick erase capability may begin a physical erase process of data not newly written without altering other aspects of the quick erase. Aspects may be accomplished with one or more bits per row in a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Warren E. Maule
  • Publication number: 20140195765
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing attachment of a user mode foreign device to a memory channel in a computer system. A user mode foreign device is attached to the memory channel using memory mapping of device registers and device buffers to the processor address space. The storage capacity on the device is doubly mapped in the address space creating separate control and data address spaces to allow user mode processes to control the device therefore eliminating the need for software system calls. A processor Memory Management Unit (MMU) coordinates multiple user processes accessing the device registers and buffers providing address space protection of each of interfaces, shifting device protection to the processor MMU from system software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bulent Abali, Michele M. Franceschini, Luis A. Lastras-Montano
  • Publication number: 20140185397
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing memory in an electronic system is described. The method includes determining a failure in an element of the memory array that is repairable by a redundant element. The method may further include using a latch to identify the redundant element. The method may also include that upon an event, using a value in the latch in an eFuse which subsequently selects the redundant element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano
  • Publication number: 20140185398
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing memory in an electronic system is described. The method includes determining a failure in an element of the memory array that is repairable by a redundant element. The method may further include using a latch to identify the redundant element. The method may also include that upon an event, using a value in the latch in an eFuse which subsequently selects the redundant element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano
  • Patent number: 8769374
    Abstract: Multi-write endurance and error control coding of non-volatile memories including a method for receiving write data and a write address of a memory page in a memory. The write data is partitioned into a plurality of sub-blocks, each sub-block including q bits of the write data. Error correction bits are generated at the computer in response to the sub-blocks and to an error correction code (ECC). At least one additional sub-block containing the error correction bits are appended to the partitioned write data and a write word is generated. The write word is generated by performing for each of the sub-blocks: selecting a codeword such that the codeword encodes the sub-block and is consistent with current electrical charge levels of the plurality of memory cells associated with the memory page; concatenating the selected codewords to form the write word; and writing the write word to the memory page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Ashish Jagmohan
  • Publication number: 20140164820
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a method for preventing errors in a DRAM (dynamic random access memory) due to weak cells that includes determining the location of a weak cell in a DRAM row, receiving data to write to the DRAM, and encoding the data into a bit vector to be written to memory. For each weak cell location, the corresponding bit from the bit vector is equal to the reliable logic state of the weak cell and the bit vector is longer than the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
  • Publication number: 20140164871
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a method for correcting errors on a DRAM having an ECC which includes writing data to a DRAM row, reading data from the DRAM row, detecting errors in the data that cannot be corrected by the DRAM's ECC, determining erasure information for the row, evaluating the errors using the erasure information, and correcting the errors in the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
  • Publication number: 20140164692
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a method for preventing errors in a DRAM (dynamic random access memory) due to weak cells that includes determining the location of a weak cell in a DRAM row, receiving data to write to the DRAM, and encoding the data into a bit vector to be written to memory. For each weak cell location, the corresponding bit from the bit vector is equal to the reliable logic state of the weak cell and the bit vector is longer than the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
  • Publication number: 20140164874
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a method for correcting errors on a DRAM having an ECC which includes writing data to a DRAM row, reading data from the DRAM row, detecting errors in the data that cannot be corrected by the DRAM's ECC, determining erasure information for the row, evaluating the errors using the erasure information, and correcting the errors in the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
  • Publication number: 20140136769
    Abstract: Solid-state storage management for a system, the management including establishing, externally to a solid-state storage board, a correspondence between a first logical address and a first physical address on solid-state storage devices located on the solid-state storage board. The solid-state storage devices include a plurality of physical memory locations identified by physical addresses. The correspondence between the first logical address and the first physical address is accepted by the solid-state storage board. The correspondence between the first logical address and the first physical address is stored in a location on a solid-state memory device that is accessible by an address translator module, the address translator module and the solid-state memory device located on the solid-state storage board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Ashish Jagmohan
  • Publication number: 20140136770
    Abstract: Persistent data storage with low latency is provided by a computer program product that includes computer program code configured for receiving a low latency store command that includes write data. The write data is written to a first memory device that is implemented by a nonvolatile solid-state memory technology characterized by a first access speed. It is acknowledged that the write data has been successfully written to the first memory device. The write data is written to a second memory device that is implemented by a volatile memory technology. At least a portion of the data in the first memory device is written to a third memory device when a predetermined amount of data has been accumulated in the first memory device. The third memory device is implemented by a nonvolatile solid-state memory technology characterized by a second access speed that is slower than the first access speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Blake G. Fitch, Michele M. Franceschini, Ashish Jagmohan, Todd Takken
  • Patent number: 8685785
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a phase change memory cell on a substrate. The method includes: etching a first trench in the substrate; depositing a first conductor layer in the first trench; depositing a first insulator layer over the first conductor layer in the first trench; etching a second trench in the substrate at an angle to the first trench; depositing a second insulator layer in the second trench; depositing a second conductor layer over the second insulator layer in the second trench; and depositing phase change material. The deposited phase change material is in contact with the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, John P. Karidis
  • Publication number: 20140063997
    Abstract: A refresh of a DRAM having at least a fast and a slow refresh rate includes encoding a pointer on a row or rows with refresh information, reading the refresh information, and incrementing a fast refresh address counter with the refresh information. The refresh may be performed by encoding one or more cells on a row that may require a fast refresh, one or more cells on a group of rows that may require a fast refresh, or one or more cells on a row that may not require a fast refresh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-Hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras, Moinuddin K. Qureshi