Patents by Inventor Scott E. Schaefer

Scott E. Schaefer 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).

  • Patent number: 11789818
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for coordinated error correction are described. A memory device indicates, to an external device, that errors were detected in data that was stored by the memory device and requested by the external device based on a comparison between an error correction code stored when the data was written to a memory array and an error correction code generated when the data is read from the memory array. Based on a result of the comparison, an indication of whether the compared error correction codes match is provided to the external device. The external device uses the indication to detect errors in the received version of the data, to manage data storage in the memory device, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 11789647
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for address verification for a memory device are described. When a memory device receives a write command, the memory device may store, in association with the data written, an indication of a write address associated with the write command. When the memory device receives a read command, the memory device may retrieve data and a previously stored write address associated with the retrieved data, and the memory device may verify a read address associated with the read command against the previously stored write address associated with retrieved data. Thus, for example, the memory device may verify whether data read from the memory array based on an address associated with a read command is data that, when previously written to the memory array, was written in response to a write command associated with a matching address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20230315599
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for evaluation of memory device health monitoring logic are described. A memory device may include health monitoring logic that is operable to be enabled in a configuration that corresponds to an output, such as an expected output, regardless of a degradation level of the memory device. Such a configuration may be enabled in a mode, such as a test mode, during which the memory device, or a host device coupled with the memory device, or some combination, may evaluate a difference between the output and an actual output of the health monitoring logic. The actual output being the same as the output may provide an indication that at least a portion of the health monitoring logic is functioning properly, and the actual output being different than the output may provide an indication that at least a portion of the health monitoring logic is not functioning properly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Todd Jackson Plum, Mark D. Ingram, Scott D. Van De Graaff
  • Patent number: 11775385
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for targeted command/address parity low lift are described. A memory device receives a command (e.g., a write command or a read command) from a host device over a first set of pins and performs data transfer over a second set of pins with the host device according to the command. The memory device exchanges a first parity bit associated with the command with the host device, and generates a second parity bit based on the command. A parity result bit is subsequently generated based, at least in part, on the first parity bit and the second parity bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11762585
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to operating a memory array are described. A system may include a memory device and a host device. A memory device may indicate information about a temperature of the memory device, which may include sending an indication to the host device after receiving a signal that initializes the operation of the memory device or storing an indication, for example in a register, about the temperature of the memory device. The information may include an indication that a temperature of the memory device or a rate of change of the temperature of the memory device has satisfied a threshold. Operation of the memory device, or the host device, or both may be modified based on the information about the temperature of the memory device. Operational modifications may include delaying a sending or processing of memory commands until the threshold is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11755409
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for internal error correction for memory devices are described. A memory device may perform a read operation at a memory array having a data partition and an error check partition and may obtain a first set of bits from the data partition and a second set of bits from the error check partition. The memory device may determine a first error detection result based on a value of a determined syndrome. The memory device may obtain a parity bit from the first set of bits and determine a second error detection result based on a comparison of the parity bit with a second function of the subset of the first set of bits. The memory device may transmit the first set of bits to a host device based at least in part on the first and second error detection results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11720443
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for error correction management are described. A system may include a memory device that supports internal detection and correction of corrupted data, and whether such detection and correction functionality is operating properly may be evaluated. A known error may be included (e.g., intentionally introduced) into either data stored at the memory device or an associated error correction codeword, among other options, and data or other indications subsequently generated by the memory device may be evaluated for correctness in view of the error. Thus, either the memory device or a host device coupled with the memory device, among other devices, may determine whether error detection and correction functionality internal to the memory device is operating properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11714711
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a memory device with status feedback for error correction are described. For example, during a read operation, a memory device may perform an error correction operation on first data read from a memory array of the memory device. The error correction operation may generate second data and an indicator of a state of error corresponding to the second data. In one example, the indicator may indicate one of multiple possible states of error. In another example, the indicator may indicate a corrected error or no detectable error. The memory device may output the first or second data and the indicator of the state of error during a same burst interval. The memory device may output the data on a first channel and the indicator of the state of error on a second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 11714576
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for memory bus drive defect detection and related operations are described. A controller coupled with a memory array may receive a command for data. The memory array may include one or more pins for communicating data to and from the memory array, in response to the command. The controller may transmit to the memory array, over a bus that is coupled with the controller and the pins, the command. The controller may detect, based at least in part on a resistor coupled with the bus and a power supply of the memory array, that the bus is operating in a first state after transmitting the command. The first state may comprise a voltage that is relatively higher than a voltage of the second state. The controller may determine a defect associated with the bus or the pin based on detecting the bus in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Melissa I. Uribe
  • Publication number: 20230231574
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for syndrome check functionality to differentiate between error types are described. A host system, a memory system, or some combination of both may include syndrome check circuitry to provide enhanced error diagnostic capabilities for data communicated between the host system and the memory system. The syndrome check circuitry may receive a first signal from the memory system indicating whether the memory system detected and attempted to correct an error in the data and may receive a second signal from the host system indicating whether the host system detected an error in the received data. The syndrome check circuitry may compare the first signal and the second signal using a set of logic gates to differentiate between different combinations of errors detected at one or both of the memory system or the host system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20230205620
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for coordinated error protection are described. A set of data and an indication of whether a first management procedure performed by a memory device on the set of data detected one or more errors in the set of data may be received at a host device. At the host device, a second error management procedure may be performed on the set of data received from the memory device. Based on the received indication and the second error management procedure, multiple bits indicating whether one or more errors associated with the set of data were detected at the memory device, the host device, or both may be generated. The set of data may be validated or discarded based on the multiple bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20230197182
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring and adjusting access operations at a memory device are described to support integrating monitors or sensors for detecting memory device health issues, such as those resulting from device access or wear. The monitoring may include traffic monitoring of access operations performed at various components of the memory device, or may include sensors that may measure parameters of components of the memory device to detect wear. The traffic monitoring or the parameters measured by the sensors may be represented by a metric related to access operations for the memory device. The memory device may use the metric (e.g., along with a threshold) to determine whether to adjust a parameter associated with performing access operations received by the memory device, in order to implement a corrective action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Mark D. Ingram, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Scott D. Van De Graaff
  • Patent number: 11675662
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for extended error detection for a memory device are described. For example, during a read operation, the memory device may perform an error detection operation capable of detecting single-bit errors, double-bit errors, and errors that impact more than two bits and indicate the detected error to a host device. The memory device may use parity information to perform an error detection procedure to detect and/or correct errors within data retrieved during the read operation. In some cases, the memory device may associate each bit of the data read during the read operation with two or more bits of parity information. For example, the memory device may use two or more sets of parity bits to detect errors within a matrix of the data. Each set of parity bits may correspond to a dimension of the matrix of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Jongtae Kwak, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 11663075
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus to selectively implement single-error correcting (SEC) operations or single-error correcting and double-error detecting (SECDED) operations, without noticeably impacting die size, for information received from a host device. For example, a host device may indicate that a memory system is to implement SECDED operations using one or more communications (e.g., messages). In another example, the memory system may be hardwired to perform SECDED for certain options. The memory system may adapt circuitry associated with SEC operations to implement SECDED operations without noticeably impacting die size. To implement SECDED operations using SEC circuitry, the memory system may include some additional circuitry to repurpose the SEC circuitry for SECDED operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 11650943
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for flexible bus management are described. A memory device may transfer data between the memory device and another device (e.g., host device) using a bus including a plurality of data pins. The memory device may transfer data according to a first bus configuration (e.g., according to a first width corresponding to using all of the data pins). After receiving an indication to adjust the configuration, the memory device may adjust the first bus configuration to a second bus configuration where the bus operates according to a second width (e.g., using a subset of the data pins). The memory device may adjust the bus width between the other device and the memory device without adjusting an internal bus width of the memory device (e.g., internal busses that transfer data from the data pins to various components within the memory device).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20230141845
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for adaptive user defined health indications are described. A host device may be configured to dynamically indicate adaptive health flags for monitoring health and wear information for a memory device. The host device may indicate, to a memory device, a first index. The first index may correspond to a first level of wear of a set of multiple indexed levels of wear for the memory device. The memory device may determine that a metric of the memory device satisfies the first level of wear and indicate, to the host device, that the first level of wear is satisfied. The host device may receive the indication that the first level of wear is satisfied and indicate, to the memory device, a second level of wear of the set of indexed levels of wear that is different than the first level of wear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Todd Jackson Plum, Mark D. Ingram, Scott E. Schaefer, Scott D. Van De Graaff
  • Patent number: 11644977
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for life expectancy monitoring for memory devices are described. Some memory devices may degrade over time, and this degradation may include or refer to a reduction of an ability of the memory device to reliably store, read, process, or communicate information, among other degradation. In accordance with examples as disclosed herein, a system may include components configured for monitoring health or life expectancy of the memory device, such as components that perform comparisons between signals or other operating characteristics resulting from operating at the memory device and one or more threshold values that may be indicative of a life expectancy of the memory device. In various examples, a memory device may perform a subsequent operation based on such a comparison, or may provide an indication of a life expectancy to a host device based on one or more comparisons or determinations about health or life expectancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Van De Graaff, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Mark D. Ingram
  • Patent number: 11625170
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for row hammer protection for a memory device are described. A memory device may identify a threshold of related row accesses (e.g., access commands or activates to a same row address or a row address space) for a memory array. In a first operation mode, the memory device may execute commands received from a host device on the memory array. The memory device may determine that a metric of the received row access commands satisfies the threshold of related row accesses. The memory device may switch the memory array from the first operation mode to a second operation mode based on satisfying the threshold. The second operation mode may restrict access to at least one row of the memory, while the first mode may be less restrictive. Additionally or alternatively, the memory device may notify the host device that the metric has satisfied the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20230072766
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for error log indication via error control information are described. For instance, a memory device may transmit, to a host device, a first signal including a set of error control bits indicating that an error log of the memory device includes information for use by the host device. The memory device may receive, from the host device in response to the first signal, a second signal including a request to retrieve the information of the error log. The memory device may transmit, to the host device in response to the second signal, a third signal including the information of the error log.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11600355
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring and adjusting access operations at a memory device are described to support integrating monitors or sensors for detecting memory device health issues, such as those resulting from device access or wear. The monitoring may include traffic monitoring of access operations performed at various components of the memory device, or may include sensors that may measure parameters of components of the memory device to detect wear. The traffic monitoring or the parameters measured by the sensors may be represented by a metric related to access operations for the memory device. The memory device may use the metric (e.g., along with a threshold) to determine whether to adjust a parameter associated with performing access operations received by the memory device, in order to implement a corrective action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Ingram, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Scott D. Van De Graaff