Patents by Inventor Scott C. Best
Scott C. Best 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: 11347608Abstract: A memory module is disclosed. The memory module includes a substrate, and respective first, second and third memory devices. The first memory device is of a first type disposed on the substrate and has addressable storage locations. The second memory device is also of the first type, and includes storage cells dedicated to store failure address information associated with defective storage locations in the first memory device. The third memory device is of the first type and includes storage cells dedicated to substitute as storage locations for the defective storage locations.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Brent S. Haukness, John Eric Linstadt, Scott C. Best
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Patent number: 11341067Abstract: A memory system includes a memory controller coupled to multiple memory devices. Each memory device includes an oscillator that generates an internal reference signal that oscillates at a frequency that is a function of physical device structures within the memory device. The frequencies of the internal reference signals are thus device specific. Each memory device develops a shared reference signal from its internal reference signal and communicates the shared reference signal to the common memory controller. The memory controller uses the shared reference signals to recover device-specific frequency information from each memory device, and then communicates with each memory device at a frequency compatible with the corresponding internal reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ian Shaeffer
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Publication number: 20220148643Abstract: A memory system includes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) components that include interconnected and redundant component data interfaces. The redundant interfaces facilitate memory interconnect topologies that accommodate considerably more DRAM components per memory channel than do traditional memory systems, and thus offer considerably more memory capacity per channel, without concomitant reductions in signaling speeds. Each DRAM component includes multiplexers that allow either of the data interfaces to write data to or read data from a common set of memory banks, and to selectively relay write and read data to and from other components, bypassing the local banks. Delay elements can impose selected read/write delays to align read and write transactions from and to disparate DRAM components.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2021Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely K. Tsern, John E. Linstadt, Thomas A. Giovannini, Scott C. Best, Kenneth L. Wright
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Patent number: 11327524Abstract: A memory controller having a data receiver to sample data at a sample timing using a strobe signal, wherein the data and the strobe signal are sent by a memory device in connection with a read operation initiated by the memory controller, and a strobe receiver to receive the strobe signal, wherein a phase of the strobe signal has a drift relative to a reference by an amount. The memory controller further having a monitoring circuit to monitor the strobe signal and determine the amount of the drift, and an adjustment circuit to update the sample timing of the data receiver based on the amount of drift determined by the monitoring signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, Abhijit M. Abhyankar, Kun-Yung Chang, Frank Lambrecht
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Patent number: 11329010Abstract: An anti-tamper layer is applied to a blank wafer. The layered wafer is then diced into shield dies. A shield die is oxide-to-oxide bonded to the top of an active die such that removing the shield die will damage the active die. The shield die may be sized and positioned such that wirebond pads along one or more edges of the active die remain exposed. The exposed wirebond pads may be used to electrically connect, via wirebonds, the active die to a substrate. A second shield die may be attached to the bottom of the active die to help protect against the use of bottom-to-top delayering.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: Cryptography Research, Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li, Gary B. Bronner, Mark Evan Marson
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Publication number: 20220139446Abstract: A memory is disclosed that includes a logic die having first and second memory interface circuits. A first memory die is stacked with the logic die, and includes first and second memory arrays. The first memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The second memory array couples to the second interface circuit. A second memory die is stacked with the logic die and the first memory die. The second memory die includes third and fourth memory arrays. The third memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The fourth memory array couples to the second memory interface circuit. Accesses to the first and third memory arrays are carried out independently from accesses to the second and fourth memory arrays.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li
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Patent number: 11301405Abstract: This application is directed to a stacked semiconductor device assembly including a plurality of identical stacked integrated circuit (IC) devices. Each IC device further includes a master interface, a channel master circuit, a slave interface, a channel slave circuit, a memory core, and a modal pad configured to receive a selection signal for the IC device to communicate data using one of its channel master circuit or its channel slave circuit. In some implementations, the IC devices include a first IC device and one or more second IC devices. In accordance with the selection signal, the first IC device is configured to communicate read/write data via the channel master circuit of the first IC device, and each of the one or more second IC devices is configured to communicate respective read/write data via the channel slave circuit of the respective second IC device.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: RAMBUS INC.Inventor: Scott C. Best
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Patent number: 11301216Abstract: The embodiments described herein describe technologies of self-timed pattern generators. The self-timed pattern generators can be used to form a random number generator to generate a random digital value. Asynchronous digital logic in a first generator asynchronously updates a next state based on a current state, a second state of a second generator that is before the first generator in the chain or ring topology, and a third state of a third generator that is after the first generator in the chain or ring topology. The self-timed pattern generators are to output a random digital value based at least in part on the current state output from the first generator.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Cryptography Research, Inc.Inventor: Scott C. Best
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Patent number: 11289139Abstract: A first timing reference signal and a second timing reference signal are sent to a memory device. The second timing reference signal has approximately a quadrature phase relationship with respect to the first timing reference signal. A plurality of serial data patterns are received from the memory device. The transitions of the first timing reference and the second timing reference determining when transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns. Timing indicators associated with when received transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns are received from the memory device. The timing indicators are each measured using a single sampler. Based on the timing indicators, a first duty cycle adjustment for the first timing reference signal, a second duty cycle adjustment for the second timing reference signal, and a quadrature phase adjustment are determined and applied.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas Giovannini, Scott C. Best, Lei Luo, Ian Shaeffer
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Patent number: 11282549Abstract: In a data transmission system, one or more signal supply voltages for generating the signaling voltage of a signal to be transmitted are generated in a first circuit and forwarded from the first circuit to a second circuit. The second circuit may use the forwarded signal supply voltages to generate another signal to be transmitted back from the second circuit to the first circuit, thereby obviating the need to generate signal supply voltages separately in the second circuit. The first circuit may also adjust the signal supply voltages based on the signal transmitted back from the second circuit to the first circuit. The data transmission system may employ a single-ended signaling system in which the signaling voltage is referenced to a reference voltage that is a power supply voltage such as ground, shared by the first circuit and the second circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, John W. Poulton
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Publication number: 20220043762Abstract: Described are motherboards with memory-module sockets that accept legacy memory modules for backward compatibility or accept a greater number of configurable modules in support of increased memory capacity. The configurable modules can be backward compatible with legacy motherboards. Equipped with the configurable modules, the motherboards support memory systems with high signaling rates and capacities.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely Tsern, John Eric Linstadt, Thomas J. Giovannini, Craig E. Hampel, Scott C. Best, John Yan
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Patent number: 11226766Abstract: A buffer circuit includes a primary interface, a secondary interface, and an encoder/decoder circuit. The primary interface is configured to communicate on an n-bit channel, wherein n parallel bits on the n-bit channel are coded using data bit inversion (DBI). The secondary interface is configured to communicate with a plurality of integrated circuit devices on a plurality of m-bit channels, each m-bit channel transmitting m parallel bits without using DBI. And the encoder/decoder circuit is configured to translate data words between the n-bit channel of the primary interface and the plurality of m-bit channels of the secondary interface.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventor: Scott C. Best
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Publication number: 20220004472Abstract: A memory module is disclosed. The memory module includes a substrate, and respective first, second and third memory devices. The first memory device is of a first type disposed on the substrate and has addressable storage locations. The second memory device is also of the first type, and includes storage cells dedicated to store failure address information associated with defective storage locations in the first memory device. The third memory device is of the first type and includes storage cells dedicated to substitute as storage locations for the defective storage locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2019Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Brent S. Haukness, John Eric Linstadt, Scott C. Best
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Publication number: 20220005542Abstract: A buffer circuit is disclosed. The buffer circuit includes a command address (C/A) interface to receive an incoming activate (ACT) command and an incoming column address strobe (CAS) command. A first match circuit includes first storage to store failure row address information associated with the memory, and first compare logic. The first compare logic is responsive to the ACT command, to compare incoming row address information to the stored failure row address information. A second match circuit includes second storage to store failure column address information associated with the memory, and second compare logic. The second compare logic is responsive to the CAS command, to compare the incoming column address information to the stored failure column address information. Gating logic maintains a state of a matching row address identified by the first compare logic during the comparison carried out by the second compare logic.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Scott C. Best, John Eric Linstadt, Paul William Roukema
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Patent number: 11211114Abstract: A memory system includes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) components that include interconnected and redundant component data interfaces. The redundant interfaces facilitate memory interconnect topologies that accommodate considerably more DRAM components per memory channel than do traditional memory systems, and thus offer considerably more memory capacity per channel, without concomitant reductions in signaling speeds. Each DRAM component includes multiplexers that allow either of the data interfaces to write data to or read data from a common set of memory banks, and to selectively relay write and read data to and from other components, bypassing the local banks. Delay elements can impose selected read/write delays to align read and write transactions from and to disparate DRAM components.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely K. Tsern, John E. Linstadt, Thomas J. Giovannini, Scott C. Best, Kenneth L. Wright
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Publication number: 20210383857Abstract: The embodiments described herein describe technologies for using the memory modules in different modes of operation, such as in a standard multi-drop mode or as in a dynamic point-to-point (DPP) mode (also referred to herein as an enhanced mode). The memory modules can also be inserted in the sockets of the memory system in different configurations.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Suresh Rajan, Scott C. Best
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Patent number: 11195572Abstract: A memory is disclosed that includes a logic die having first and second memory interface circuits. A first memory die is stacked with the logic die, and includes first and second memory arrays. The first memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The second memory array couples to the second interface circuit. A second memory die is stacked with the logic die and the first memory die. The second memory die includes third and fourth memory arrays. The third memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The fourth memory array couples to the second memory interface circuit. Accesses to the first and third memory arrays are carried out independently from accesses to the second and fourth memory arrays.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li
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Publication number: 20210350838Abstract: A memory module can be programmed to deliver relatively wide, low-latency data in a first access mode, or to sacrifice some latency in return for a narrower data width, a narrower command width, or both, in a second access mode. The narrow, higher-latency mode requires fewer connections and traces. A controller can therefore support more modules, and thus increased system capacity. Programmable modules thus allow computer manufacturers to strike a desired balance between memory latency, capacity, and cost.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2021Publication date: November 11, 2021Inventors: Scott C. Best, Frederick A. Ware, William N. Ng
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Publication number: 20210342509Abstract: Described are technologies of all-digital camouflage circuits. The camouflage circuit can include a first chain of inverters, synthesized with a first standard cell with a first transistor threshold, and a second chain of inverters, synthesized with a second standard cell with a second transistor threshold that is different than the first transistor threshold. A first flip-flop receives a first output of the first chain as a data input and a second output of the second chain as a clock input. A second flip-flop receives the second output as a data input and the first output of the first chain as a clock input. Given the different transistor thresholds, one flip-flop always outputs an active signal that corresponds to an input signal applied to the first chain and the second chain. The other flip-flop always output a constant signal, such an always low signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventor: Scott C. Best
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Publication number: 20210303383Abstract: During system initialization, each data buffer device and/or memory device on a memory module is configured with a unique (at least to the module) device identification number. In order to access a single device (rather than multiple buffers and/or memory devices), a target identification number is written to all of the devices using a command bus connected to all of the data buffer devices or memory devices, respectively. The devices whose respective device identification numbers do not match the target identification number are configured to ignore future command bus transactions (at least until the debug mode is turned off.) The selected device that is configured with a device identification number matching the target identification number is configured to respond to command bus transactions.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Thomas J. GIOVANNINI, Catherine CHEN, Scott C. BEST, John Eric LINSTADT, Frederick A. WARE