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).

  • Publication number: 20240232008
    Abstract: Implementations described herein relate to command address fault detection using a parity bit. A memory device may receive, from a host device via a command address (CA) bus and during a unit interval, a set of CA bits associated with a CA word. The memory device may receive, from the host device via a parity bus and during the unit interval, a first parity bit that is based on the set of CA bits and a parity generation process. The memory device may generate a second parity bit based on the set of CA bits and the parity generation process. The memory device may compare the first parity bit and the second parity bit. The memory device may selectively transmit an alert signal to the host device based on a result of comparing the first parity bit and the second parity bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Melissa I. URIBE, Aaron P. BOEHM, Scott E. SCHAEFER, Steffen BUCH
  • Publication number: 20240220361
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for redundancy-based error detection in a memory device are described. A memory device may read multiple copies of a codeword from memory and generate for each codeword copy an error detection bit that indicates whether the memory device detected an error in that codeword. Additionally, the memory device may compare the codeword copies and generate one or more match bits that indicate whether corresponding portions of the codewords match. Using a combination of the error detection bits and the match bits, the memory device may determine the error status of each codeword.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20240220360
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for targeted command/address parity low lift are described. A memory device may receive a command (e.g., a write command or a read command) from a host device over a first set of pins and may perform data transfer over a second set of pins with the host device during a set of time intervals according to the command. The memory device may exchange a parity bit associated with the command with the host device over a third set of pins during a first time intervals of the set of time intervals. In some cases, the third memory device may exchange at least one additional bit associated with the command with the host device during at least one time interval of the set of time intervals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20240220354
    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: February 7, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20240211343
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for indicating a write link error are described. The method may include a memory device receiving, from a host device, a write command, data, and a first set of error control bits for the data. The memory device may determine that the data includes an uncorrectable error using the first set of error control bits and generate a second set of error control bits for the data based on determining that the data includes the uncorrectable error. Further, the method may include the memory device storing the data and the second set of error control bits in a memory device and transmitting, to the host device, the data and an indication that the data received from the host device included the uncorrectable error based on the second set of error control bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20240201908
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for performing memory command verification are described. A system may include a memory device and a memory controller, which may be external (e.g., a host device). The memory device may receive, from the memory controller, a command indicating a type of operation and an address. The memory device may decode the command and execute an operation (e.g., the operation corresponding to the decoded command) at an execution location on the memory device. The system (e.g., the memory device or the memory controller) may determine whether the executed operation and execution location match the type of operation and address indicated in the command, and the system may thereby determine an error associated with the decoding, the execution, or both of the command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 12014792
    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: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Ingram, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Scott D. Van De Graaff
  • Patent number: 12001305
    Abstract: Implementations described herein relate to resource allocation for a memory built-in self-test. A memory device may read one or more bits, associated with a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device. The memory device may identify one or more memory resources of the memory device, based on reading the one or more bits, that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. The one or more memory resources of the memory device may be addressable memory resources configured for performing standard memory operations of the memory device. The memory device may perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20240176696
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described herein for using codewords to detect or correct errors in data (e.g., data stored in a memory device). A host device may generate one or more codewords associated with data to be stored in the memory device. In some cases, the host device may generate one or more codewords for error detection and correction (e.g., corresponding to data transmitted by the host device to the memory device). In some cases, the host device may transmit the codewords and the associated data using an extended (e.g., adjustable) burst length such that the one or more codewords may be included in the burst along with the data. Additionally or alternatively, the host device may transmit one or more of the codewords over one or more channels different than the one or more channels used to transmit the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 11990200
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for bit retiring to mitigate bit errors are described. A memory device may retrieve a set of bits from a first row of an address space and may determine that the set of bits includes one or more errors. The memory device may remap at least a portion of the first row from a first row index to a second row index, where the second row index, before the remapping, corresponds to a second row within the address space addressable by the host device. Additionally or alternatively, the memory device may receive a first command to access a first logical address of a memory array that is associated with a first row index. The memory device may determine that the first row includes one or more errors and may transmit a signal indicating that the first row includes the one or more errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11984180
    Abstract: Implementations described herein relate to enabling or disabling on-die error-correcting code for a memory built-in self-test. A memory device may read one or more bits, associated with a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device. The memory device may identify, based on the one or more bits, whether the memory built-in self-test is to be performed with on-die error-correcting code (ECC) disabled or with on-die ECC enabled. The memory device may perform the memory built-in self-test, and selectively test for one or more single-bit errors, based on identifying whether the memory built-in self-test is to be performed with the on-die ECC disabled or with the on-die ECC enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11983433
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for detecting a state of a bus are described. A memory device may receive an access command transmitted to the memory device via a bus. The memory device may transmit data requested by the access command over data lines and a control signal that indicates the bus is in an active state over a control line. The control signal may be transmitted during a first unit interval of a read operation. The control signal may be configured to have a first voltage when the bus is in an idle state and a second voltage when the bus is in the active state. The control line may be configured to have or trend toward the first voltage when the bus is in the idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11977772
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for temperature monitoring for memory devices are described for monitoring one or more temperature ranges experienced by a memory device. The memory device may include monitoring circuitry or logic that may identify one or more durations of operating the memory device within the one or more temperature ranges. The memory device may store an indication of the one or more durations, or an indication of information associated with the one or more durations. The indication may be accessed a host device associated with the memory device or may be transmitted by the memory device to the host device. The host device may use information included in the indication to perform an operation associated with the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott D. Van De Graaff, Scott E. Schaefer, Mark D. Ingram
  • Publication number: 20240134744
    Abstract: Implementations described herein relate to command address fault detection using a parity bit. A memory device may receive, from a host device via a command address (CA) bus and during a unit interval, a set of CA bits associated with a CA word. The memory device may receive, from the host device via a parity bus and during the unit interval, a first parity bit that is based on the set of CA bits and a parity generation process. The memory device may generate a second parity bit based on the set of CA bits and the parity generation process. The memory device may compare the first parity bit and the second parity bit. The memory device may selectively transmit an alert signal to the host device based on a result of comparing the first parity bit and the second parity bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Melissa I. URIBE, Aaron P. BOEHM, Scott E. SCHAEFER, Steffen BUCH
  • Patent number: 11966602
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for refresh counters in a memory system are described. In some examples, a memory device may include two or more counters configured to increment a respective count based on refresh operations performed on a memory array. A comparison may be made between two or more of the respective counts, which may include determining a difference between the respective counts or a difference in rate of incrementing. A memory device may transmit an indication to a host device based on determining a difference between counters, and the memory device, the host device, or both, may perform various operations or enter various operational modes based on the determined difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20240126447
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for address verification at a memory device are described. The memory device may receive a read command for a read address. Based on the read command, the memory device may read data from the read address and a first set of error detection bits that is based on a write address associated with the data. The memory device may generate, based on the first set of error detection bits and a second set of error detection bits that is based on the read address, an address match signal that indicates whether the read address matches the write address. And the memory device may provide the data and an indication of the address match signal to a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20240127902
    Abstract: Implementations described herein relate to performing a memory built-in self-test and indicating a status of the memory built-in self-test. A memory device may read one or more bits, associated with a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device. The memory device may identify, based on the one or more bits, that the memory built-in self-test is enabled. The memory device may set a DMI bit of the memory device to a first value and perform the memory built-in self-test based on identifying that the memory built-in self-test is enabled. The memory device may set the DMI bit of the memory device to a second value based on a completion of the memory built-in self-test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventor: Scott E. SCHAEFER
  • Patent number: 11960360
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for redundancy-based error detection in a memory device are described. A memory device may read multiple copies of a codeword from memory and generate for each codeword copy an error detection bit that indicates whether the memory device detected an error in that codeword. Additionally, the memory device may compare the codeword copies and generate one or more match bits that indicate whether corresponding portions of the codewords match. Using a combination of the error detection bits and the match bits, the memory device may determine the error status of each codeword.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20240120947
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for error detection and classification at a host device are described. A host device may communicate a read command for a codeword stored at a memory device. In response to communicating the read command, the host device may receive the codeword and an error indication bit that indicates whether the memory device detected an error in the codeword. The host device may use the codeword to generate a set of syndrome bits. The host device may determine an error status of the codeword based on the error indication bit for the codeword and the set of syndrome bits for the codeword.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20240118961
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for error detection and classification are described. A memory device may read a codeword from a memory and generate a first set of syndrome bits for the codeword. The memory device may use the first set of syndrome bits to generate a first error detection bit. The memory device may generate a second set of syndrome bits for the codeword and use the second set of syndrome bits to generate a second error detection bit. The memory device may provide the first error detection bit and the second error detection bit to a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer