Patents by Inventor Robert Michael Johnson
Robert Michael Johnson 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: 10223317Abstract: The following description is directed to a configurable logic platform. In one example, a configurable logic platform includes host logic and a reconfigurable logic region. The reconfigurable logic region can include logic blocks that are configurable to implement application logic. The host logic can be used for encapsulating the reconfigurable logic region. The host logic can include a host interface for communicating with a processor. The host logic can include a management function accessible via the host interface. The management function can be adapted to cause the reconfigurable logic region to be configured with the application logic in response to an authorized request from the host interface. The host logic can include a data path function accessible via the host interface. The data path function can include a layer for formatting data transfers between the host interface and the application logic.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Islam Atta, Christopher Joseph Pettey, Asif Khan, Robert Michael Johnson, Mark Bradley Davis, Erez Izenberg, Nafea Bshara, Kypros Constantinides
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Patent number: 10203967Abstract: Disclosed are techniques regarding aspects of implementing client configurable logic within a computer system. The computer system can be a cloud infrastructure. The techniques can include associating manifests with the client configurable logic for various purposes.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2017Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Islam Mohamed Hatem Abdulfattah Mohamed Atta, Asif Khan, Robert Michael Johnson
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Patent number: 10185671Abstract: A controller is configured to transmit a broadcast write request on at least one bus. The broadcast write request includes an address and a value. A first logic module determines that the broadcast write request is targeting the first logic module. The first logic module stores the value at a first addressed register specified by the register address. The second logic module determines that the broadcast write request is targeting the second logic module. The second logic module stores the value at a second addressed register specified by the register address. The first and second logic modules are connected to the at least one bus.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Asif Khan, Robert Michael Johnson
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Patent number: 10180919Abstract: A bus controller is configured to transmit a broadcast read request on at least one bus. The broadcast read request includes an address. A first logic module determines that the broadcast read request is targeting the first logic module. The first logic module reads a first value from a first register included in the first logic module. The first register is specified by the address included in the broadcast read request. The first value is transmitted onto the at least one bus. A second logic module determines that the broadcast read request is targeting the second logic module. The second logic module reads a second value from a second register included in the second logic module. The second register is specified by the address included in the broadcast read request. The second value is transmitted onto the at least one bus.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Asif Khan
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Patent number: 10108572Abstract: Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may implement processes to manage write requests in a general and flexible manner. The I/O adapter device may also implement processes to manage write requests in a fast an efficient—that is, low latency—manner. Low latency write requests processes may include determining that a write packet for a write request can be processed without additional assistance from a processor, once a processor has initiated a memory access request to fetch write data and also generated protocol information for transmitting the write packet. The I/O adapter device may then process and transmit the write packet through an offload pipeline, without interrupting a processor.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Marc John Brooker, Marc Stephen Olson, Mark Bradley Davis, Norbert Paul Kusters
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Publication number: 20180300165Abstract: A computing system can include a server computer and a configurable hardware platform. The server computer can include instances or domains such as a management partition and a user partition. The management partition can be used to perform management services for the user partitions and the configurable hardware platform. The configurable hardware platform is coupled to the server computer, and can include a host logic and a configurable application logic. In an embodiment, the computing system is configured to provide the user partition with physical or virtual access to a first part of the configurable hardware platform through the host logic in the configurable hardware platform. The computing system is also configured to provide the user partition with virtual access to certain portions/resources associated with the configurable hardware platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: October 18, 2018Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Kiran Kalkunte Seshadri, Nafea Bshara
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Patent number: 10049001Abstract: Server computers often include one or more input/output (I/O) devices for communicating with a network or direct attached storage device. Data written to or read from storage devices may acquire errors in transit. The I/O adapter device may implement processes to generate or check error correction values, where the error correction values are provided to verify the correctness of the written or read value. The I/O adapter device may determine the portion of the data to be used in calculating the error correction value in a flexible and configurable manner.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Thomas A. Volpe
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Patent number: 10001933Abstract: A host device can offload certain copy operations to an I/O adapter device coupled to the host device. The I/O adapter device can perform a copy operation to copy data from a source storage volume to a destination storage volume. The source storage volume and the destination storage volume can be local or remote to the I/O adapter device. The copy operations can be performed for replica creation, online migration or for copy-on-write snapshots.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Robert Michael Johnson
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Publication number: 20180139110Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for programming reconfigurable logic devices such as FPGAs in a networked server environment. In one example, a system hosting a network service providing field programmable gate array (FPGA) services includes a network service provider configured to receive a request to implement application logic in a plurality of FPGAs, allocate a computing instance comprising the FPGAs in responses to receiving the request, produce configuration information for programming the FPGAs, and send the configuration information to an allocated computing instance. The system further includes a computing host that is allocated by the network service provider as a computing instance which includes memory, processors configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, and the programmed FPGAs.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2016Publication date: May 17, 2018Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Nafea Bshara, Matthew Shawn Wilson
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Patent number: 9940284Abstract: A device can include one of more configurable packet processing pipelines to process a plurality of packets. Each configurable packet processing pipeline can include a plurality of packet processing components, wherein each packet processing component is configured to perform one or more packet processing operations for the device. The plurality of packet processing components are coupled to a packet processing interconnect, wherein each packet processing component is configured to route the packets through the packet processing interconnect for the one or more configurable packet processing pipelines.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mark Bradley Davis, Asif Khan, Thomas A. Volpe, Robert Michael Johnson
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Publication number: 20180095670Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for securely erasing partitions of reconfigurable logic devices such as FPGAs in a multi-tenant server environment. In one example, a method of securely erasing an FPGA includes identifying one partition of previously-programmed resources in the FPGA, erasing the identified partition by storing new values in memory or storage elements of the identified partition, and storing new values in memory or storage elements of additional external resources electrically connected to the integrated circuit and associated with the identified partition. Thus, other partitions and subsequent users of the identified partition are prevented from accessing the securely erased data. A configuration circuit, accessible by a host computer via DMA, can be programmed into the FPGA reconfigurable logic for performing the disclosed erasing operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mark Bradley Davis, Erez Izenberg, Robert Michael Johnson, Asif Khan, Islam Mohamed Hatem Abdulfattah Mohamed Atta, Nafea Bshara, Christopher Joseph Pettey
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Publication number: 20180095774Abstract: In a multi-tenant environment, separate virtual machines can be used for configuring and operating different subsets of programmable integrated circuits, such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The programmable integrated circuits can communicate directly with each other within a subset, but cannot communicate between subsets. Generally, all of the subsets of programmable ICs are within a same host server computer within the multi-tenant environment, and are sandboxed or otherwise isolated from each other so that multiple customers can share the resources of the host server computer without knowledge or interference with other customers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Islam Mohamed Hatem Abdulfattah Mohamed Atta, Mark Bradley Davis, Robert Michael Johnson, Christopher Joseph Pettey, Asif Khan, Nafea Bshara
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Patent number: 9934065Abstract: Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may have limited physical resources, such as memory. Large I/O transactions may occupy all available memory on the I/O adapter device, thus causing other I/O transactions to experience intermittent and excessive delays. The I/O adapter device can be configured to issue one or more transactions for a large I/O request. Each transaction transfers a portion of the data requested by the large I/O request. When all the transactions have completed, the client that requested the large I/O request is informed that the I/O request has completed.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Robert Michael Johnson
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Publication number: 20180089119Abstract: The following description is directed to a configurable logic platform. In one example, a configurable logic platform includes host logic and a plurality of reconfigurable logic regions. Each reconfigurable region can include hardware that is configurable to implement an application logic design. The host logic can be used for separately encapsulating each of the reconfigurable logic regions. The host logic can include a plurality of data path functions where each data path function can include a layer for formatting data transfers between a host interface and the application logic of a corresponding reconfigurable logic region. The host interface can be configured to apportion bandwidth of the data transfers generated by the application logic of the respective reconfigurable logic regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Asif Khan, Islam Mohamed Hatem Abdulfattah Mohamed Atta, Robert Michael Johnson, Mark Bradley Davis, Christopher Joseph Pettey, Nafea Bshara, Erez Izenberg
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Publication number: 20180089132Abstract: The following description is directed to a configurable logic platform. In one example, a configurable logic platform includes host logic and a reconfigurable logic region. The reconfigurable logic region can include logic blocks that are configurable to implement application logic. The host logic can be used for encapsulating the reconfigurable logic region. The host logic can include a host interface for communicating with a processor. The host logic can include a management function accessible via the host interface. The management function can be adapted to cause the reconfigurable logic region to be configured with the application logic in response to an authorized request from the host interface. The host logic can include a data path function accessible via the host interface. The data path function can include a layer for formatting data transfers between the host interface and the application logic.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2016Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Islam Atta, Christopher Joseph Pettey, Asif Khan, Robert Michael Johnson, Mark Bradley Davis, Erez Izenberg, Nafea Bshara, Kypros Constantinides
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Patent number: 9886405Abstract: Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may implement processes to manage write requests in a general and flexible manner. The I/O adapter device may also implement processes to manage write requests in a fast an efficient—that is, low latency—manner. Low latency write requests processes may include determining that a write packet for a write request can be processed without additional assistance from a processor, once a processor has initiated a memory access request to fetch write data and also generated protocol information for transmitting the write packet. The I/O adapter device may then process and transmit the write packet through an offload pipeline, without interrupting a processor.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Marc John Brooker, Marc Stephen Olson, Mark Bradley Davis, Nobert Paul Kusters
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Patent number: 9864538Abstract: Server computers often include one or more input/output (I/O) devices for communicating with a network or directly attached storage device. Data transferred between these devices may include blocks of data with a common often repeated and identifiable data pattern. Transfer and storage of data of this nature may be optimized by transferring primarily blocks of data that are not of the pre-determined data pattern. An indicator may be transferred and stored with transferred data that has been reduced in size in this manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Michael Johnson, Mark Bradley Davis, Norbert Paul Kusters, Marc Stephen Olson, Marc John Brooker
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Patent number: 9817786Abstract: Server computers often include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network or directly attached storage device. The data transfer latency for request can be reduced by utilizing ingress data placement logic to bypass the processor of the I/O adapter device. For example, host memory descriptors can be stored in a content addressable memory unit of the I/O adapter device to facilitate placement of requested data.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Asif Khan, Thomas A. Volpe, Marc John Brooker, Marc Stephen Olson, Norbert Paul Kusters, Mark Bradley Davis, Robert Michael Johnson
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Patent number: 9378049Abstract: Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may have limited physical resources, such as memory. Large I/O transactions may occupy all available memory on the I/O adapter device, thus causing other I/O transactions to experience intermittent and excessive delays. The I/O adapter device can be configured to issue one or more transactions for a large I/O request. Each transaction transfers a portion of the data requested by the large I/O request. When all the transactions have completed, the client that requested the large I/O request is informed that the I/O request has completed.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Robert Michael Johnson
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Patent number: 6667606Abstract: This invention provides a means of protecting power dissipating pass elements from exceeding their predetermined thermal limits. In one preferred embodiment, the circuit protects a pass element in a battery charging circuit from exceeding its threshold junction temperature by predicting temperature based upon the voltage across the pass element and the current flowing through it. From this predicted temperature, current is reduced to provide charging of a battery at a constant power. The circuit includes a voltage sensing circuit and a plurality of comparators for selecting a predetermined current based upon the output of the voltage sensing circuit. The circuit provides a piecewise linear approximation of proper pass element voltage and current values to maintain a suitable threshold junction temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: John Wendell Oglesbee, Chris Hanchana Thongsouk, Robert Michael Johnson, Jr.