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).

  • Publication number: 20210090614
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Scott C. BEST, John W. POULTON
  • Publication number: 20210048985
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Publication number: 20210043243
    Abstract: A method of operation in a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes receiving a strobe signal having a first phase relationship with respect to first data propagating on a first data line, and a second phase relationship with respect to second data propagating on a second data line. A first sample signal is generated based on the first phase relationship and a second sample signal is generated based on the second phase relationship. The first data signal is received using a first receiver clocked by the first sample signal. The second data signal is received using a second receiver clocked by the second sample signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Publication number: 20210035924
    Abstract: The embodiments herein are directed to technologies for backside security meshes of semiconductor packages. One package includes a substrate having a first interconnect terminal of a first type and a second interconnect terminal of a second type. The package also includes a first security mesh structure disposed on a first side of an integrated circuit die and a conductive path coupled between the first interconnect terminal and the second interconnect terminal. The first security mesh structure is coupled to the first interconnect terminal and the second interconnect terminal being coupled to a terminal on a second side of the integrated circuit die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li
  • Publication number: 20210027826
    Abstract: A memory controller receives data and phase-providing signals from a memory device. The phase-providing signal is not a clock signal, but is used by the memory controller to phase align a local data-sampling signal with the incoming data. The memory controller samples the data signal with the data-sampling signal. The memory controller can perform maintenance operations to update the phase relationship between the phase-providing and data-sampling signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Richard E. Warmke, David B. Roberts, Frank Lambrecht
  • Publication number: 20210026556
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Patent number: 10897363
    Abstract: A table key capable of decrypting a first table from a plurality of encrypted tables may be received. Each of the encrypted tables may include at least one pair of values corresponding to a challenge value and a response value. A request to authenticate a secondary device may be received and in response to the request to authenticate the secondary device, a challenge value obtained by using the table key to decrypt an entry in the first table may be transmitted to the secondary device. A second challenge value may be transmitted to the secondary device and a cryptographic proof may be received from the secondary device. The validity of the cryptographic proof received from the secondary device may be authenticated based on the second challenge value and the response value obtained by using the table key to decrypt the entry in the first table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Cryptography Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Wittenauer, Scott C. Best, Paul Carl Kocher
  • Patent number: 10896137
    Abstract: A first non-volatile memory may store first data and a second non-volatile memory may store second data. An authentication component may be coupled with the first non-volatile memory and the second non-volatile memory and may receive a request to perform an authentication operation. In response to the request to perform the authentication operation, the authentication component may access the first data stored at the first non-volatile memory and the second data stored at the second non-volatile memory and determine whether the second data stored at the second non-volatile memory has become unreliable based on a memory disturbance condition. In response to determining that the second data stored at the second non-volatile memory has become unreliable, a corrective action associated with the first data stored at the first non-volatile memory may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Cryptography Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Brent S. Haukness, Carl W. Werner
  • Publication number: 20210011867
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ian Shaeffer
  • Publication number: 20210004340
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Patent number: 10885971
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li
  • Patent number: 10839863
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, John W. Poulton
  • Publication number: 20200328163
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Scott C. BEST, Ming LI, Gary B. BRONNER, Mark Evan MARSON
  • Publication number: 20200321047
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ming Li
  • Patent number: 10754620
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: CRYPTOGRAPHY RESEARCH INC.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Patent number: 10754799
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Ian Shaeffer
  • Patent number: 10747468
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Publication number: 20200258557
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas GIOVANNINI, Scott C. BEST, Lei LUO, Ian SHAEFFER
  • Patent number: 10741237
    Abstract: A method of operation in a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes receiving a strobe signal having a first phase relationship with respect to first data propagating on a first data line, and a second phase relationship with respect to second data propagating on a second data line. A first sample signal is generated based on the first phase relationship and a second sample signal is generated based on the second phase relationship. The first data signal is received using a first receiver clocked by the first sample signal. The second data signal is received using a second receiver clocked by the second sample signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Patent number: 10719465
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best