Patents by Inventor Timothy J. Dell

Timothy J. Dell 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: 9542110
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method for performance optimization of read functions in a memory system includes receiving, at the memory system, a read request including a logical address of a target data. The memory system includes a primary memory and a back-up memory that mirrors the primary memory. The method also includes searching a fault monitor table for an entry corresponding to the received logical address. The fault monitor table includes a plurality of entries that indicate physical locations of identified memory failure events in the primary memory and the back-up memory. Based on locating an entry corresponding to the received logical address, the method further includes selecting one of the primary memory and the backup memory for retrieving the target data. The selection is based on contents of the fault monitor table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Saravanan Sethuraman, Diyanesh B.C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Patent number: 9535784
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for monitoring a first Error Correcting Code (ECC) device for failure and replacing the first ECC device with a second ECC device if the first ECC device begins to fail or fails. In a step, an exemplary embodiment performs a loopback test on an ECC device if a specified number of correctable errors is exceeded or if an uncorrectable error occurs. In another step, an exemplary embodiment replaces an ECC device that fails the loopback test with an ECC device that passes a loopback test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Timothy J. Dell, Joab D. Henderson, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20160357459
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes identifying, in a memory system, a capacity for each of a plurality of memory modules for a first memory channel having a first amount of memory and a second memory channel having a second amount of memory; determining a memory segment size from the capacities of the memory modules; identifying a first memory segment of the memory segment size for the first memory channel and a second memory segment of the memory segment size for the second memory channel; and creating a virtual group that includes the first memory segment and the second memory segment and that uses less than the entire first amount of memory from the first memory channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Prasanna Jayaraman, Anil B. Lingambudi, Girisankar Paulraj
  • Publication number: 20160357628
    Abstract: A system and method of performing selective error coding in memory management of a memory device are described. The method includes performing a process of detecting and correcting memory errors in the memory of the memory device either prior to or after a chip mark associated with the memory device is in place. The method also includes localizing hard errors of the memory device based on a second process of detecting the memory errors in the memory of the memory device, the hard errors being persistent memory errors that persist from the process of detecting and correcting the memory errors to the second process, determining an extent of the hard errors based on the localizing, and preventing placement of the chip mark or removing the chip mark after de-allocating one or more ranges of addresses based on a result of the determining the extent of the hard errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Diyanesh Babu Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary, Timothy J. Dell, Marc A. Gollub, Anil B. Lingambudi
  • Publication number: 20160357629
    Abstract: A system and method of performing selective error coding in memory management of a memory device are described. The method includes performing a process of detecting and correcting memory errors in the memory of the memory device either prior to or after a chip mark associated with the memory device is in place. The method also includes localizing hard errors of the memory device based on a second process of detecting the memory errors in the memory of the memory device, the hard errors being persistent memory errors that persist from the process of detecting and correcting the memory errors to the second process, determining an extent of the hard errors based on the localizing, and preventing placement of the chip mark or removing the chip mark after de-allocating one or more ranges of addresses based on a result of the determining the extent of the hard errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Diyanesh Babu Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary, Timothy J. Dell, Marc A. Gollub, Anil B. Lingambudi
  • Patent number: 9442816
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product implement memory performance management and enhanced memory reliability of a computer system accounting for system thermal conditions. When a primary memory temperature reaches an initial temperature threshold, reads are suspended to the primary memory and reads are provided to a mirrored memory in a mirrored memory pair, and writes are provided to both the primary memory and the mirrored memory. If the primary memory temperature reaches a second temperature threshold, write operations to the primary memory are also stopped and the primary memory is turned off with DRAM power saving modes such as self timed refresh (STR), and the reads and writes are limited to the mirrored memory in the mirrored memory pair. When the primary memory temperature decreases to below the initial temperature threshold, coherency is recovered by writing a coherent copy from the mirrored memory to the primary memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Timothy J. Dell, Joab D. Henderson, Anil B. Lingambudi, Girisankar Paulraj, Diyanesh B. Vidyapoornachary
  • Publication number: 20160253271
    Abstract: A memory module secures data stored on the memory module. A request for the data from a computer system is received by the memory module. A verification key from the computer system is also received by the memory module. A reference key is retrieved by the memory module, the reference key is stored on the memory module. A comparison status is generated by the memory module by comparing the verification key with the reference key. A response is sent to the computer by the memory module that is dependent upon the comparison status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Diyanesh B. Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary, Timothy J. Dell
  • Publication number: 20160253272
    Abstract: A memory module secures data stored on the memory module. A request for the data from a computer system is received by the memory module. A verification key from the computer system is also received by the memory module. A reference key is retrieved by the memory module, the reference key is stored on the memory module. A comparison status is generated by the memory module by comparing the verification key with the reference key. A response is sent to the computer by the memory module that is dependent upon the comparison status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Diyanesh B. Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary, Timothy J. Dell
  • Publication number: 20160179671
    Abstract: In one aspect a method includes determining, by a controller of a memory system, that a cache line of one of a plurality of levels of cache in the memory system has been modified. An aspect also includes copying the modified cache line to an auxiliary storage element, and setting a flag in a cache directory for the modified cache line to indicate a cache state of mirrored modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Shwetha Janardhan, Sairam Kamaraju, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20160179672
    Abstract: A memory system includes multiple levels of cache and an auxiliary storage element for storing a copy of a cache line from one of the levels of cache when the cache line of the one of the levels of cache is determined to have been modified. The system also includes a flag configured to indicate a cache state of the modified cache line. The cache state indicates the modified cache line has been copied to the auxiliary storage element. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to each of the multiple levels of cache and the auxiliary storage element. The controller is configured to, in response to determining the cache line of the one of the levels of cache has been modified, copy the modified cache line to the auxiliary storage element and set the flag for the modified cache line to indicate the cache state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Shwetha Janardhan, Sairam Kamaraju, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Patent number: 9342700
    Abstract: A method, system and memory controller for implementing enhanced security in a memory subsystem including DRAM in a computer system. A memory includes a register to hold scrambling information transmitted from a memory controller; and scrambling circuitry on the memory to scramble at least one of bank select bits and data bits responsive to the scrambling information in the register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Prasanna Jayaraman, Girisankar Paulraj, Diyanesh Babu C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Publication number: 20160132259
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method for performance optimization of read functions in a memory system includes receiving, at the memory system, a read request including a logical address of a target data. The memory system includes a primary memory and a back-up memory that minors the primary memory. The method also includes searching a fault monitor table for an entry corresponding to the received logical address. The fault monitor table includes a plurality of entries that indicate physical locations of identified memory failure events in the primary memory and the back-up memory. Based on locating an entry corresponding to the received logical address, the method further includes selecting one of the primary memory and the backup memory for retrieving the target data. The selection is based on contents of the fault monitor table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Saravanan Sethuraman, Diyanesh B.C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Publication number: 20160132412
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method for performance optimization of read functions in a memory system includes receiving, at the memory system, a read request including a logical address of a target data. The memory system includes a primary memory and a back-up memory that minors the primary memory. The method also includes searching a fault monitor table for an entry corresponding to the received logical address. The fault monitor table includes a plurality of entries that indicate physical locations of identified memory failure events in the primary memory and the back-up memory. Based on locating an entry corresponding to the received logical address, the method further includes selecting one of the primary memory and the backup memory for retrieving the target data. The selection is based on contents of the fault monitor table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Saravanan Sethuraman, Diyanesh B.C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Patent number: 9336401
    Abstract: A method, system and memory controller for implementing enhanced security in a memory subsystem including DRAM in a computer system. A memory includes a register to hold scrambling information transmitted from a memory controller; and scrambling circuitry on the memory to scramble at least one of bank select bits and data bits responsive to the scrambling information in the register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Prasanna Jayaraman, Girisankar Paulraj, Diyanesh Babu C. Vidyapoornachary
  • Patent number: 9329648
    Abstract: An approach is provided in which a subsystem cooling manager detects an increased workload indicator corresponding to a computer subsystem's forthcoming workload requirement. The forthcoming workload requirement corresponds to future computing resources required by the subsystem to support one or more software programs executing on the computer system. The subsystem cooling manager determines that the forthcoming workload requirement exceeds a utilization threshold and in turn, directs one or more cooling systems towards the corresponding subsystem according.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Diyanesh Babu Vidyapoornachary Chinnakkonda, Edgar Rolando Cordero, Timothy J. Dell, Joab D. Henderson, Anil B. Lingambudi, Girisankar Paulraj
  • Patent number: 9230687
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing ECC (Error Correction Codes) redundancy using reconfigurable logic blocks in a computer system. When a fail is detected when reading from memory, it is determined if the incorrect data is in the data or the ECC component of the data. When incorrect data is found in the ECC component of the data, and an actionable threshold is not reached, a predetermined Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) action is taken. When the actionable threshold is reached with incorrect data identified in the ECC component of the data, an analysis process is performed to determine if the ECC logic is faulty. When a fail in the ECC logic is detected, the identified ECC failed logic is replaced with a spare block of logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Timothy J. Dell, Joab D. Henderson, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20150363287
    Abstract: According to one aspect, bank-level fault management in a memory system is provided. The memory system includes a plurality of ranks, each rank including a plurality of memory devices each having a plurality of banks. A first error is detected in a first bank number of a first memory device of a rank. The first bank number of the first memory device is marked with a bank-level chip mark. The bank-level chip mark isolates declaration of an error condition to the first bank number. A bank-level fault management action is performed based on the bank-level chip mark to accommodate the error condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Girisankar Paulraj, Diyanesh B.Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary
  • Publication number: 20150363255
    Abstract: According to one aspect, bank-level fault management in a memory system is provided. The memory system includes a plurality of ranks, each rank including a plurality of memory devices each having a plurality of banks. A first error is detected in a first bank number of a first memory device of a rank. The first bank number of the first memory device is marked with a bank-level chip mark. The bank-level chip mark isolates declaration of an error condition to the first bank number. A bank-level fault management action is performed based on the bank-level chip mark to accommodate the error condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dell, Girisankar Paulraj, Diyanesh B.Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary
  • Patent number: 9147499
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operation of a memory module for storage of a data word is provided. The apparatus includes a memory module having a set of paired memory devices including a first memory device to store a first section of a data word and a second memory device to store a second section of the data word when used in failure free operation. The apparatus may further include a first logic module to perform a write operation by writing the first and second sections of the data word to both the first memory device and the second memory device upon the determination of certain types of failure. The determination may include that a failure exists in the word section storage of either the first or second memory devices but that no failures exist in equivalent locations of word section storage in the two memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Timothy J. Dell, Girisankar Paulraj, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20150270017
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the disclosure, methods, systems, and computer program products for memory module testing are disclosed. The method may include accessing, with a first stress test, a plurality of memory modules, the plurality of memory modules coupled in a computer system, the plurality of memory modules including a first module having a first memory characteristic and a second module having a second memory characteristic. The method may include determining for the first module, a first traffic-to-temperature parameter, and determining that the first module was sufficiently stressed in response to determining that the first traffic-to-temperature parameter is within a first traffic-to-temperature range. The method may also include determining, for the second module, a second traffic-to-temperature parameter, and determining that the second module was sufficiently stressed in response to determining that the second traffic-to-temperature parameter is within a second traffic-to-temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Diyanesh B. Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary, Timothy J. Dell, Joab D. Henderson, Anil B. Lingambudi, Michael D. Pardeik