Patents by Inventor Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
Robert J. Sonnelitter, III 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).
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Patent number: 9104581Abstract: A memory refresh requestor, a memory request interpreter, a cache memory, and a cache controller on a single chip. The cache controller configured to receive a memory access request, the memory access request for a memory address range in the cache memory, detect that the cache memory located at the memory address range is available, and send the memory access request to the memory request interpreter when the memory address range is available. The memory request interpreter configured to receive the memory access request from the cache controller, determine if the memory access request is a request to refresh a contents of the memory address range, and refresh data in the memory address range when the memory access request is a request to refresh memory.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michael Fee, Arthur J. O'Neill, Jr., Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 9021240Abstract: A system and method for controlling restarting of instruction fetching using speculative address computations in a processor are provided. The system includes a predicted target queue to hold branch prediction logic (BPL) generated target address values. The system also includes target selection logic including a recycle queue. The target selection logic selects a saved branch target value between a previously speculatively calculated branch target value from the recycle queue and an address value from the predicted target queue. The system further includes a compare block to identify a wrong target in response to a mismatch between the saved branch target value and a current calculated branch target, where instruction fetching is restarted in response to the wrong target.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2008Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Khary J. Alexander, Brian R. Prasky, Anthony Saporito, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8996819Abstract: A cache includes a cache pipeline, a request receiver configured to receive off chip coherency requests from an off chip cache and a plurality of state machines coupled to the request receiver. The cache also includes an arbiter coupled between the plurality of state machines and the cache pipe line and is configured to give priority to off chip coherency requests as well as a counter configured to count the number of coherency requests sent from the cache pipeline to a lower level cache. The cache pipeline is halted from sending coherency requests when the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2012Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Michael F. Fee, Arthur J. O'Neill, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8930628Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention manage a hierarchical store-through memory cache structure. A store request queue is associated with a processing core in multiple processing cores. At least one blocking condition is determined to have occurred at the store request queue. Multiple non-store requests and a set of store requests associated with a remaining set of processing cores in the multiple processing cores are dynamically blocked from accessing a memory cache in response to the blocking condition having occurred.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna P. Berger, Michael F. Fee, Christine C. Jones, Diana L. Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8850129Abstract: A system and computer implemented method for storing of data in the memory of a computer system in order at a fast rate is provided. The method includes launching a first store to memory. A wait counter is initiated. A second store to memory is speculatively launched when the wait counter expires. The second store to memory is cancelled when the second store achieves coherency prior to the first store to memory.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Norbert Hagspiel, Matthias Klein, Ulrich Mayer, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III, Gary E. Strait, Hanno Ulrich
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Patent number: 8751747Abstract: A method for managing cache memory including receiving an instruction fetch for an instruction stream in a cache memory, wherein the instruction fetch includes an instruction fetch reference tag for the instruction stream and the instruction stream is at least partially included within a cache line, comparing the instruction fetch reference tag to a previous instruction fetch reference tag, maintaining a cache replacement status of the cache line if the instruction fetch reference tag is the same as the previous instruction fetch reference tag, and upgrading the cache replacement status of the cache line if the instruction fetch reference tag is different from the previous instruction fetch reference tag, whereby the cache replacement status of the cache line is upgraded if the instruction stream is independently fetched more than once. A corresponding system and computer program product.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2008Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert J. Sonnelitter, III, Gregory W. Alexander, Brian R. Prasky
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Patent number: 8706970Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a cache includes a first command queue, a second command queue and an input controller configured to receive requests having a first command type and a second command type and to assign a first request having the first command type to the first command queue and a second command having the first command type to the second command queue in the event that the first command queue has not received an indication that a first dedicated buffer is available.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Diana L. Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8706972Abstract: A method of providing requests to a cache pipeline includes receiving a plurality of requests from one or more state machines at an arbiter, selecting one of the plurality of requests as a selected request, the selected request having been provided by a first state machine, determining that the selected request includes a mode that requires a first step and a second step, the first step including an access to a location in a cache, determining that the location in the cache is unavailable, and replacing the mode with a modified mode that only includes the second step.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Michael F. Fee, Kenneth D. Klapproth, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8671267Abstract: A pipelined processing device includes: a device controller configured to receive a request to perform an operation; a plurality of subcontrollers configured to receive at least one instruction associated with the operation, each of the plurality of subcontrollers including a counter configured to generate an active time value indicating at least a portion of a time taken to process the at least one instruction; a pipeline processor configured to receive and process the at least one instruction, the pipeline processor configured to receive the active time value; and a shared pipeline storage area configured to store the active time value for each of the plurality of subcontrollers.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ekaterina M. Ambroladze, Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Michael Fee, Christine C. Jones, Arthur J. O'Neill, Jr., Diana Lynn Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8639887Abstract: A mechanism for dynamically altering a request received at a hardware component is provided. The request is received at the hardware component, and the request includes a mode option. It is determined whether an action of the request requires an unavailable resource and it is determined whether the mode option is for the action requiring the unavailable resource. In response to the mode option being for the action requiring the unavailable resource, the action is automatically removed from the request. The request is passed for pipeline arbitration without the action requiring the unavailable resource.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Michael Fee, Kenneth D. Klapproth, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8635409Abstract: A method of providing requests to a cache pipeline includes receiving a plurality of requests from one or more state machines at an arbiter; selecting one of the plurality of requests as a selected request the selected request having been provided by a first state machine; determining that the selected request includes a mode that requires a first step and a second step, the first step including an access to a location in a cache; determining that the location in the cache is unavailable; and replacing the mode with a modified mode that only includes the second step.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Michael F. Fee, Kenneth D. Klapproth, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8566532Abstract: An apparatus for controlling access to a pipeline includes a plurality of command queues including a first subset of the plurality of command queues being assigned processes the commands of first command type, a second subset of the plurality of command queues being assigned to process commands of the second command type, and a third subset of the plurality of the command queues not being assigned to either the first subset or the second subset. The apparatus also includes an input controller configured to receive requests having the first command type and the second command type and assign requests having the first command type to command queues in the first subset until all command queues in the first subset are filled and then assign requests having the first command type to command queues in the third subset.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Garrett M. Drapala, Michael F. Fee, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8560803Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a cache includes a first command queue, a second command queue and an input controller configured to receive requests having a first command type and a second command type and to assign a first request having the first command type to the first command queue and a second command having the first command type to the second command queue in the event that the first command queue has not received an indication that a first dedicated buffer is available.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Diana L. Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8539158Abstract: A method for merging data including receiving a request from an input/output device to merge a data, wherein a merge of the data includes a manipulation of the data, determining that the data exists in a local cache memory that is in local communication with the input/output device, fetching the data to the local cache memory from a remote cache memory or a main memory if the data does not exist in the local cache memory, merging the data according to the request to obtain a merged data, and storing the merged data in the local cache, wherein the merging of the data is performed without using a memory controller within a control flow or a data flow of the merging of the data.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna Postles Dunn, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III, Gary E. Strait
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Patent number: 8522076Abstract: A pipelined processing device includes: a processor configured to receive a request to perform an operation; a plurality of processing controllers configured to receive at least one instruction associated with the operation, each of the plurality of processing controllers including a memory to store at least one instruction therein; a pipeline processor configured to receive and process the at least one instruction, the pipeline processor including shared error detection logic configured to detect a parity error in the at least one instruction as the at least one instruction is processed in a pipeline and generate an error signal; and a pipeline bus connected to each of the plurality of processing controllers and configured to communicate the error signal from the error detection logic.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ekaterina M. Ambroladze, Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Michael Fee, Arthur J. O'Neill, Jr., Diana Lynn Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8521960Abstract: A method, information processing device, and computer program product mitigate busy time in a hierarchical store-through memory cache structure. In one embodiment, a cache directory associated with a memory cache is divided into a plurality of portions each associated with a portion memory cache. Simultaneous cache lookup operations and cache write operations between the plurality of portions of the cache directory are supported. Two or more store commands are simultaneously processed in a shared cache pipeline communicatively coupled to the plurality of portions of the cache directory.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna P. Berger, Michael F. Fee, Christine C. Jones, Arthur J. O'Neill, Diana L. Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8495287Abstract: A method of debugging an embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) element of a processor core is provided. An aspect includes, based on an error occurring in the eDRAM element, stopping a functional clock, and not stopping a refresh clock. Another aspect includes, based on the functional clock being stopped, creating a fence signal that prevents all commands other than a refresh command, the refresh command being based on the refresh clock, from entering into the eDRAM element. Another aspect includes initializing a line fetch controller of the processor core with at least one of write data and read data. Another aspect includes restarting the functional clock. Another aspect includes performing at least one of write requests and read requests to the eDRAM element based on the at least one of the write data and the read data from the line fetch controller based on the functional clock.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Adam B. Collura, Michael Fee, Arthur J. O'Neill, Jr., Gerard M. Salem, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8478920Abstract: A mechanism for controlling data stream interruptions on a shared bus is provided. A first request is received to transfer data. High priority data components and low priority data components are determined for the first request. The high priority data components are transferred without interruptions. In response to receiving requests when transferring the high priority data components, the received requests are rejected.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Garrett M. Drapala, Kenneth D. Klapproth, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III, Craig R. Walters
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Patent number: 8447905Abstract: An apparatus for controlling access to a resource includes a shared pipeline configured to communicate with the resource, a plurality of command queues configured to form instructions for the shared pipeline and an arbiter coupled between the shared pipeline and the plurality of command queues configured to grant access to the shared pipeline to a one of the plurality of command queues based on a first priority scheme in a first operating mode. The apparatus also includes interface logic coupled to the arbiter and configured to determine that contention for access to the resource exists among the plurality of command queues and to cause the arbiter to grant access to the shared pipeline based on a second priority scheme in second operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ekaterina M. Ambroladze, Deanna Postles Dunn Berger, Diana Lynn Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III
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Patent number: 8447930Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention manage a hierarchical store-through memory cache structure. A store request queue is associated with a processing core in multiple processing cores. At least one blocking condition is determined to have occurred at the store request queue. Multiple non-store requests and a set of store requests associated with a remaining set of processing cores in the multiple processing cores are dynamically blocked from accessing a memory cache in response to the blocking condition having occurred.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Deanna P. Berger, Michael F. Fee, Christine C. Jones, Diana L. Orf, Robert J. Sonnelitter, III