Patents by Inventor Robert M. Walker

Robert M. Walker 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: 20200201793
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a memory controller, such as a host memory controller. An example apparatus can include a host memory controller coupled to a first memory device and a second memory device via a channel, wherein the host memory controller is configured to send a first number of commands to the first memory device using a first device select signal, and send a second number of commands to the second memory device using a second device select signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: James A. Hall, JR., Robert M. Walker
  • Patent number: 10691595
    Abstract: A first request to perform an operation at an address associated with a media is obtained. The operation is issued to a plurality of cache divisions, wherein each cache division comprises a cache controller and a cache memory. A location in another memory associated with the first request is updated, the location in the other memory including a plurality of indicators corresponding to a status of the operation with each of the plurality of cache divisions. Based on one or more responses from the cache division(s), a response to the first request is sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Ashay Narsale
  • Patent number: 10678441
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a non-deterministic memory protocol. An example apparatus can perform operations on the memory device based on commands received from a host according to a protocol, wherein the protocol includes non-deterministic timing of the operations. The memory device can be a non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM) device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, James A. Hall, Jr., Frank F. Ross
  • Publication number: 20200159436
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for performing data migration operations are disclosed. An apparatus may include at least two interfaces, a first interface supporting data migration operations and a second interface supporting access operations associated with a host device. In some cases, the access operations may be a signal or protocol according to an industry standard or specification (e.g., a DRAM interface specification). The second interface may facilitate supporting industry standard applications, while the first interface supporting data migration operations may provide improved bandwidth for migrating data within the apparatus. The apparatus may include a buffer coupled with the interface and a bank cluster including two or more banks of memory cells. When a host device addresses a bank of the bank cluster, the apparatus may perform one or more data migration operations using the buffer and a different bank of the bank cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Paul Rosenfeld, Patrick A. La Fratta
  • Publication number: 20200159434
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for performing data migration operations using a memory system are described. The memory system may include a data migration component, such as a driver, for facilitating the transfer of data between a first memory device that may implement a first memory technology (e.g., having a relatively fast access speed) and a second memory device that may implement a second memory technology (e.g., having a relatively large capacity). The component may indicate the data migration operation to a second component (e.g., a controller) of the memory system. The second component may initiate the transfer of data between the first memory device and the second memory device based on the receiving the indication of the data migration operation. In some cases, the transfer of data between the first memory device and the second memory device may occur within the memory system without being transferred through a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Paul Rosenfeld, Patrick A. La Fratta
  • Publication number: 20200159435
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for performing data migration operations using a memory system are described. The memory system may include a component, such as a controller, for facilitating a transfer of data between a first memory device that may implement a first memory technology (e.g., having a relatively fast access speed) and a second memory device that may implement a second memory technology (e.g., having a relatively large capacity). The component may receive an indication of the data migration operation from a host device and may initiate a transfer of data between the first and second memory devices. The controller may include one or more buffers to store data being transferred between the first and second memory devices. In some cases, the transfer of data between the first and second memory devices may occur within the memory system and without being transferred through the host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Paul Rosenfeld, Patrick A. La Fratta
  • Publication number: 20200159437
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for performing data migration operations are disclosed. An apparatus may include at least two interfaces, a first interface supporting data migration operations and a second interface supporting access operations associated with a host device. In some cases, the access operations may be a signal or protocol according to an industry standard or specification (e.g., a DRAM interface specification). The second interface may facilitate supporting industry standard applications, while the first interface supporting data migration operations may provide improved bandwidth for migrating data within the apparatus. The apparatus may include a buffer coupled with the interface and a bank cluster including two or more banks of memory cells. When a host device addresses a bank of the bank cluster, the apparatus may perform one or more data migration operations using the buffer and a different bank of the bank cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Paul Rosenfeld, Patrick A. La Fratta
  • Patent number: 10635613
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to transaction identification. An example apparatus can determine a transaction identification (TID) associated with a command by comparing a host transaction identification (TID) record with a memory device transaction identification (TID) record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank F. Ross, Robert M. Walker
  • Publication number: 20200125259
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a non-deterministic memory protocol. An example apparatus can perform operations on the memory device based on commands received from a host according to a protocol, wherein the protocol includes non-deterministic timing of the operations. The memory device can be a non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM) device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, James A. Hall, JR., Frank F. Ross
  • Publication number: 20200125263
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a memory protocol. An example apparatus can perform operations on a number of block buffers of the memory device based on commands received from a host using a block configuration register, wherein the operations can read data from the number of block buffers and write data to the number of block buffers on the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, James A. Hall, JR.
  • Publication number: 20200117370
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for data transfer for wear-leveling are described. Data may be stored in pages of banks and the banks may be grouped into bank clusters. A host device may address one bank of a bank cluster at a time. Data may be transferred from a bank to a buffer or a different bank cluster for wear-leveling purposes and this data transfer may take place opportunistically while a second bank, which may be in the same bank cluster, is being accessed based on an access command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventor: Robert M. Walker
  • Patent number: 10621117
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a memory controller, such as a host memory controller. An example apparatus can include a host memory controller coupled to a first memory device and a second memory device via a channel, wherein the host memory controller is configured to send a first number of commands to the first memory device using a first device select signal, and send a second number of commands to the second memory device using a second device select signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Hall, Jr., Robert M. Walker
  • Patent number: 10599575
    Abstract: A method to cache memory requests while accounting for phase change memory cell drift is described. The method includes adding, in response to receiving a write memory request from a host system, an entry to a cache that includes user data of the write memory request, wherein the write memory request is directed to a set of phase change memory cells; adding, in response to receiving the write memory request, an entry in a first content-addressable memory (CAM), wherein the entry in the first CAM includes a reference to the entry in the cache that includes the user data of the write memory request; writing the user data of the write memory request to the set of phase change memory cells; and adding an entry to a second CAM, wherein the entry in the second CAM includes a reference to the entry in the cache that includes the user data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ashay Narsale, Robert M. Walker
  • Publication number: 20200089610
    Abstract: A system includes a first memory component of a first memory type, a second memory component of a second memory type with a higher access latency than the first memory component, and a third memory component of a third memory type with a higher access latency than the first and second memory components. The system further includes a processing device to identify a section of a data page stored in the first memory component, and access patterns associated with the data page and the section of the data page. The processing device determines to cache the data page at the second memory component based on the access patterns, copying the section of the data page stored in the first memory component to the second memory component. The processing device then copies additional sections of the data page stored at the third memory component to the second memory component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Paul STONELAKE, Horia C. SIMIONESCU, Samir MITTAL, Robert M. WALKER, Anirban RAY, Gurpreet ANAND
  • Patent number: 10585624
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a memory protocol. An example apparatus can execute a read command that includes a first chunk of data and a second chunk of data by assigning a first read identification (RID) number to the first chunk of data and a second RID number to the second chunk of data, sending the first chunk of data and the first RID number to a host, and sending the second chunk of data and the second RID number to the host. The apparatus can be a non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM) device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, Frank F. Ross
  • Publication number: 20200065243
    Abstract: A first request to perform an operation at an address associated with a media is obtained. The operation is issued to a plurality of cache divisions, wherein each cache division comprises a cache controller and a cache memory. A location in another memory associated with the first request is updated, the location in the other memory including a plurality of indicators corresponding to a status of the operation with each of the plurality of cache divisions. Based on one or more responses from the cache division(s), a response to the first request is sent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Robert M. WALKER, Ashay NARSALE
  • Publication number: 20200050549
    Abstract: A method to cache memory requests while accounting for phase change memory cell drift is described. The method includes adding, in response to receiving a write memory request from a host system, an entry to a cache that includes user data of the write memory request, wherein the write memory request is directed to a set of phase change memory cells; adding, in response to receiving the write memory request, an entry in a first content-addressable memory (CAM), wherein the entry in the first CAM includes a reference to the entry in the cache that includes the user data of the write memory request; writing the user data of the write memory request to the set of phase change memory cells; and adding an entry to a second CAM, wherein the entry in the second CAM includes a reference to the entry in the cache that includes the user data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Ashay NARSALE, Robert M. WALKER
  • Publication number: 20200043551
    Abstract: A method for caching memory requests while accounting for a phase change memory cell drift phenomenon is described. The method includes writing first user data to an address in phase change memory cells; setting a timer in a set of data structures to a first value in response to writing the first user data to the phase change memory cells, wherein the data structures are stored outside the phase change memory cells; determining whether the timer corresponding to the first user data has expired; and fulfilling a read request for the address from the set of data structures in response to determining that the timer has not expired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Ashay NARSALE, Robert M. WALKER
  • Patent number: 10553278
    Abstract: A method for caching memory requests while accounting for a phase change memory cell drift phenomenon is described. The method includes writing first user data to an address in phase change memory cells; setting a timer in a set of data structures to a first value in response to writing the first user data to the phase change memory cells, wherein the data structures are stored outside the phase change memory cells; determining whether the timer corresponding to the first user data has expired; and fulfilling a read request for the address from the set of data structures in response to determining that the timer has not expired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ashay Narsale, Robert M. Walker
  • Patent number: 10534540
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to a memory protocol. An example apparatus can perform operations on a number of block buffers of the memory device based on commands received from a host using a block configuration register, wherein the operations can read data from the number of block buffers and write data to the number of block buffers on the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Walker, James A. Hall, Jr.