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: 11334435
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for performing safety event detection for a memory device are described. For example, a memory array of a memory device may operate in a first mode of operation (e.g., a normal mode of operation). An event associated with a reduction of data integrity for the memory array may be detected. In some cases, the event may be associated with a temperature of the memory device, a voltage level detected at the memory device, an error event at the memory device, or the like. Based on the detected event, it may be determined whether to adjust the operation of the memory device to a second mode of operation (e.g., a safe mode of operation). The second mode of operation may correspond to a mode of operation that increases data retention characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20220147419
    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: January 20, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20220137880
    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: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Melissa I. Uribe
  • Publication number: 20220139487
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for detecting a state of a bus are described. A memory device may fail to receive or decode (e.g., successfully receive or successfully decode) an access command transmitted to the memory device via a bus. The bus may enter or remain in an idle state which may cause indeterminate signals to develop on the idle bus. A host device may obtain the indeterminate signals from the idle bus and determine that the indeterminate signals include an error based on a signal that develops on a control line of the idle bus. The signal may be associated with a control signal that indicates errors in a data signal when the control signal has a first voltage, and the control line may be configured to have the first voltage when the bus is idle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20220137827
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for life expectancy monitoring for memory devices are described. A memory device may monitor a parameter of a component of the memory device or the memory device overall, and may determine whether the parameter satisfies a threshold. The parameter may represent or be associated with a lifetime of the component, a level of wear of the component, or an operating parameter violation of the component, or any combination thereof. The memory device may communicate, to a host device, an indication of the parameter satisfying the threshold, and the host device may use the information in the indication to adjust one or more parameters associated with operating the memory device, among other example operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Scott Van De Graaff, Todd Jackson Plum, Mark D. Ingram
  • Patent number: 11307929
    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: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Patent number: 11294766
    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: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20220100428
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating frequency monitoring for memory devices are described for monitoring one or more operating frequency 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 operating frequency 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: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott D. Van De Graaff, Scott E. Schaefer, Mark D. Ingram
  • Publication number: 20220075532
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for selectable error control for memory device are described. An apparatus may include a memory array and a circuit configurable to perform a first error control operation and a second error control operation on data stored by the memory array. The circuit may include a first plurality of gates enabled during the first error control operation and configured to generate a first set of bits associated with a first matrix of the first error control operation. The circuit may also include a second plurality of gates enabled during the second error control operation and configured to generate a second set of bits associated with the second matrix of the second error control operation. The circuit may further include a third plurality of gates configured to generate a third set of bits that are common to both the first matrix and the second matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventor: Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20220066867
    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: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20220066701
    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: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20220058084
    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: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11249847
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20220035535
    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: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Scott D. Van De Graaff, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Mark D. Ingram
  • Publication number: 20220036960
    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: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Mark D. Ingram, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Scott D. Van De Graaff
  • Publication number: 20220012148
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring and reporting a status of a memory device are described. A memory device may include monitoring circuitry that may be configured to monitor health and wear information for the memory device. A host device may write to a dedicated register of the memory device, to configure the memory device with health status information reporting parameters. The memory device may monitor and report the health status information of the memory device based on the received reporting configuration or based on a default configuration, and may write one or more values indicative of the health status information to a dedicated register. The host device may perform a read on the readout register to obtain the health status information, as indicated by the one or more values, and may adjust operating procedures or take other actions based on the received health status information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Todd Jackson Plum, Scott D. Van De Graaff, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Mark D. Ingram
  • Patent number: 11216333
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20210397363
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operational 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 memory device may include components configured for monitoring health or life expectancy or both of the memory device, such as components internal to the memory device that identify and store various indications of a duration of operating a memory device. An operational duration stored at the memory device may be used in various operations, such as calculations or comparisons, to evaluate health or life expectancy of the memory device, which may include or be supported by various signaling with a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Todd J. Plum, Scott D. Van De Graaff, Scott E. Schaefer, Mark D. Ingram
  • Patent number: 11182244
    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: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm, Scott E. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20210350843
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for refresh rate control for a memory device are described. For example, a memory array of a memory device may be refreshed according to a first set of refresh parameters, such as a refresh rate. The memory device may detect an event at the memory device associated with a reduction in data integrity. In some cases, the event may be associated with a temperature of the memory device, a voltage level detected at the memory device, an error event at the memory device, or the like. As a result of detecting the event, the memory device may adapt one or more of the set of refresh parameters, such as increasing the refresh rate for the memory array. In some cases, the memory device may adapt the set of refresh parameters by increasing a quantity of rows of the memory array that are refreshed during a refresh operation, decreasing a periodicity between refresh operations, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm