Patents by Inventor Susan M. Eickhoff

Susan M. Eickhoff 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: 11687254
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data (and CRC) and does not transmit control signals, over its communications link with the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send the store data tag to the data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, e.g., local store tag FIFO, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. A periodic system check and resynchronization method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 11587600
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communication links. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. The memory system, architectural structure and/or method improves the ability of the communications links to transfer data downstream to the data buffer circuits. The memory control circuit receives a store command and a store data tag (Host tag) from a Host and sends the store data command and the store data tag to the data buffer circuits. No store data tag or control signal is sent over the communication links between the Host and the data buffer circuits, only data is sent over the communication links between the Host and the data buffer circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Warren E. Maule, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 11379123
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data over its communications link with the data buffer circuit. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send a control signal to the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. In another aspect, a resynchronization method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 11099601
    Abstract: A calibration controller determines a latest arriving data strobe from at least one data chip at a first data buffer in a read data path between at least one memory chip and a host on a high speed interface. The calibration controller determines whether external feedback of the at least one data chip is required. The calibration controller, in response to determining that external feedback of the at least one data chip is required, aligns a chip clock distributed to a second data buffer in the read data path with the latest arriving data strobe by applying a 180 degree phase align of the chip clock through one or more latches, wherein data cross a first clock boundary from the first data buffer to the second data buffer, to minimize a latency in the read data path across the first clock boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Michael B. Spear, Gary A. Van Huben, Stephen D. Wyatt
  • Publication number: 20210191630
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data over its communications link with the data buffer circuit. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send a control signal to the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. In another aspect, a resynchronization method is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 10976939
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data over its communications link with the data buffer circuit. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send a control signal to the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. In another aspect, a resynchronization method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 10771068
    Abstract: A calibration controller of a receiving chip learns a difference between a first clock phase of an input clock for controlling inputs on a data path to a buffer of the receiving chip at a clock boundary and a second clock phase of a chip clock for controlling outputs from the buffer on the data path at the clock boundary. The calibration controller dynamically adjusts a phase of a reference clock driving a phase locked loop that outputs the chip clock to adjust the second clock phase of the chip clock with respect to the first clock phase to minimize a latency on the data path at the clock boundary to a half a cycle granularity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Michael W. Harper, Michael B. Spear, Gary A. Van Huben
  • Patent number: 10747442
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communication links. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the data buffer circuit receives a next to be used store data tag from a Host wherein the store data tag specifies the data buffer location in the data buffer circuit to store data, and in response to receiving store data from the Host, moves the data received at the data buffer circuit into the data buffer pointed to by the previously received store data tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Warren E. Maule, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 10740031
    Abstract: An Address and Command chip of a distributed memory system includes a memory controller, a first communication link, and one or more interface schedulers, where the one or more interface schedulers include a first interface scheduler residing communicatively between the memory controller and the first communication link. The first interface scheduler is configured to receive a first communication directed from the memory controller to the first communication link; capture the first communication before the first command reaches the first communication link; postpone the first communication for a first set of one or more memory cycles; and reissue the first communication to the first communication link in association with a first cycle offset code indicating how many memory cycles the first command was postponed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jie Zheng, Stephen J. Powell, Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff
  • Patent number: 10698440
    Abstract: A calibration controller determines a latest arriving data strobe at a first data buffer in a read data path between at least one memory chip and a host on a high speed interface. The calibration controller aligns a chip clock distributed to a second data buffer in the read data path with the latest arriving data strobe, wherein data cross a first clock boundary from the first data buffer to the second data buffer, to minimize a latency in the read data path across the first clock boundary. The calibration controller aligns the chip clock with a high speed clock for controlling an unload pointer to unload the data from the second data buffer to a serializer in the read data path, wherein the data cross a second clock boundary from the second data buffer to the serializer, to minimize a latency in the read data path across a second clock boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Michael B. Spear, Gary A. Van Huben, Stephen D. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 10642535
    Abstract: A memory system, architecture, and method for storing data in response to commands received from a host is disclosed. The memory system includes a memory control circuit configured to receive commands from the host; at least one memory device configured to store data; and at least one data buffer circuit associated with the at least one memory device and the memory control circuit, the data buffer circuit having data buffers and at least one register. The system preferably includes communication links between the host, the at least one memory control circuit, the at least one data buffer circuit, and the at least one memory device. The system preferably is configured so that register access commands are sent by the host to the memory control circuit over the communication links between the host and the memory control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Markus Cebulla, Susan M. Eickhoff, Logan I. Friedman, Patrick J. Meaney, Walter Pietschmann, Nicholas Rolfe, Gary A. Van Huben
  • Publication number: 20200097214
    Abstract: An Address and Command chip of a distributed memory system includes a memory controller, a first communication link, and one or more interface schedulers, where the one or more interface schedulers include a first interface scheduler residing communicatively between the memory controller and the first communication link. The first interface scheduler is configured to receive a first communication directed from the memory controller to the first communication link; capture the first communication before the first command reaches the first communication link; postpone the first communication for a first set of one or more memory cycles; and reissue the first communication to the first communication link in association with a first cycle offset code indicating how many memory cycles the first command was postponed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Jie Zheng, Stephen J. Powell, Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff
  • Publication number: 20200073565
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data (and CRC) and does not transmit control signals, over its communications link with the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send the store data tag to the data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, e.g., local store tag FIFO, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. A periodic system check and resynchronization method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Publication number: 20200042205
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data over its communications link with the data buffer circuit. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send a control signal to the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. In another aspect, a resynchronization method is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 10534555
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data (and CRC) and does not transmit control signals, over its communications link with the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send the store data tag to the data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, e.g., local store tag FIFO, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. A periodic system check and resynchronization method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Publication number: 20190384352
    Abstract: A calibration controller determines a latest arriving data strobe from at least one data chip at a first data buffer in a read data path between at least one memory chip and a host on a high speed interface. The calibration controller determines whether external feedback of the at least one data chip is required. The calibration controller, in response to determining that external feedback of the at least one data chip is required, aligns a chip clock distributed to a second data buffer in the read data path with the latest arriving data strobe by applying a 180 degree phase align of the chip clock through one or more latches, wherein data cross a first clock boundary from the first data buffer to the second data buffer, to minimize a latency in the read data path across the first clock boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Michael B. Spear, Gary A. Van Huben, Stephen D. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 10489069
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communications links in a memory system. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. In one embodiment, the Host only transmits data over its communications link with the data buffer circuit. In one aspect, the memory control circuit does not send a control signal to the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit and the data buffer circuits each maintain a separate state machine-driven address pointer or local address sequencer, which contains the same tags in the same sequence. In another aspect, a resynchronization method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 10395698
    Abstract: One or more memory systems, architectural structures, and/or methods of storing information in memory devices is disclosed to improve the data bandwidth and or to reduce the load on the communication links. The system may include one or more memory devices, one or more memory control circuits and one or more data buffer circuits. The memory system, architectural structure and/or method improves the ability of the communications links to transfer data downstream to the data buffer circuits. In one aspect, the memory control circuit receives a store command and a store data tag (Host tag) from a Host and sends the store data command and the store data tag to the data buffer circuits. No store data tag or control signal is sent over the communication links between the Host and the data buffer circuits, only data is sent over the communication links between the Host and the data buffer circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, Warren E. Maule, Patrick J. Meaney, Stephen J. Powell, Gary A. Van Huben, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 10393805
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system testing a plurality of semiconductor chips in a distributed memory buffer system is provided. Embodiments of the present invention recognize improvements to testing signals through the chip substrate and motherboard. This invention overloads the shared broadcast bus by using it for test purposes rather than its normal mainline function. One of the main components of this invention is the A/C chip. In test mode, the AC chip converts JTAG commands into an internal test format and sends test data over the shared broadcast bus. Each data chip determines whether the scan data is for itself or if it should ignore it. The corresponding data chip then processes the data, and if necessary sends return data back to the address and command chip, where it is converted back into JTAG format and can be seen by the tester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Logan I. Friedman, Nicholas S. Rolfe, Susan M. Eickhoff, Steven R. Carlough, Gary A. Van Huben, Markus Cebulla, Walter Pietschmann
  • Publication number: 20190260380
    Abstract: A calibration controller of a receiving chip learns a difference between a first clock phase of an input clock for controlling inputs on a data path to a buffer of the receiving chip at a clock boundary and a second clock phase of a chip clock for controlling outputs from the buffer on the data path at the clock boundary. The calibration controller dynamically adjusts a phase of a reference clock driving a phase locked loop that outputs the chip clock to adjust the second clock phase of the chip clock with respect to the first clock phase to minimize a latency on the data path at the clock boundary to a half a cycle granularity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Steven R. Carlough, Susan M. Eickhoff, MICHAEL W. HARPER, Michael B. Spear, Gary A. Van Huben