Patents by Inventor Tonia G. Morris

Tonia G. Morris 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: 11435909
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for providing communications which facilitate link training. In an embodiment, a memory controller includes, or couples to, trainer circuitry which is configured to provide instructions to generate memory access commands. The instructions are accessed at the circuitry in response to an indication that link training is performed, where the accessing is independent of communication with a processor coupled to the memory controller. Based on the instructions, memory access commands are communicated via a link between the memory controller and a memory device. Link training is performed based on an evaluation of one or more characteristics of the link communications. In another embodiment, memory access commands are generated, based on the instructions, while a validity of data at the memory device is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Moshe Jacob Finkelstein, Ramesh Subashchandrabose, Lohit R. Yerva
  • Patent number: 11360874
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes receiving from a memory controller configuration information for a testing sequence and storing the configuration information in configuration register space of the driver circuit. The method also includes controlling the next testing sequence. The testing sequence includes sweeping values of a tap coefficient of a DFE circuit of the driver circuit and sweeping a voltage of a slicer of the driver circuit. The method includes sending results of the testing sequence to the memory controller. The results are to determine a value for the DFE tap coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Tonia G. Morris
  • Publication number: 20220148639
    Abstract: A reference voltage value and a chip select (CS) signal timing delay provided to memory devices can be determined based on samples of the CS signal received by the memory devices. The CS signal can be provided to the memory devices with varying time delays and for various reference voltages. Various samples of the CS signal from the memory devices can indicate different times for rising and falling edges of the CS signal. A composite signal eye can be generated by the latest occurring rising edge and the earliest occurring falling edge of the CS signal. The reference voltage value and timing delay can be chosen based on the composite signal eye width that is the closest to a reference eye width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Zhenglong WU, Tonia G. MORRIS, Christina JUE, Daniel BECERRA PEREZ, David G. ELLIS
  • Patent number: 11061590
    Abstract: A chip select training mode (CSTM) enables a memory subsystem to train a chip select signal separately from command bus training. A memory device and a memory controller can connect via a command bus including a chip select signal line. Instead of training the chip select along with other signal lines of the command bus, a CSTM mode enables the memory subsystem to more accurately train the chip select. The memory device can be triggered for CSTM mode with a command, and then train voltage margining for the CS signal line to align chip select signaling with the memory subsystem clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Christopher P. Mozak, Christopher E. Cox
  • Patent number: 10997096
    Abstract: A memory subsystem enables per device addressability (PDA) to target configuration commands to one of multiple memory devices that share a select line or buffer devices that share an enable line. The system includes a host and multiple memory devices that can be coupled over a command bus and a data bus. The devices include a configuration or mode register to store a value to indicate whether PDA enumeration is enabled. When enabled, the host can provide an enumeration identifier (ID) command via the command bus with a signal via the data bus to assign an enumeration ID. After assignment of the enumeration ID, the host can send PDA commands via the command bus with the enumeration ID, without a signal on the data bus. Devices only process PDA commands that match their assigned enumeration ID, enabling the setting of device-specific configuration settings without needing to use the data bus on every PDA command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Bill Nale
  • Patent number: 10891243
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory chip is described. The method includes receiving an activated chip select signal. The method also includes receiving, with the chip select signal being activated, a command code on a command/address (CA) bus that identifies a next portion of an identifier for the memory chip. The method also includes receiving the next portion of the identifier on a portion of the memory chip's data inputs. The method also includes repeating the receiving of the activated chip select signal, the command code and the next portion until the entire identifier has been received and storing the entire identifier in a register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, John V. Lovelace, John R. Goles
  • Publication number: 20200334121
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes receiving from a memory controller configuration information for a testing sequence and storing the configuration information in configuration register space of the driver circuit. The method also includes controlling the next testing sequence. The testing sequence includes sweeping values of a tap coefficient of a DFE circuit of the driver circuit and sweeping a voltage of a slicer of the driver circuit. The method includes sending results of the testing sequence to the memory controller. The results are to determine a value for the DFE tap coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventor: Tonia G. MORRIS
  • Publication number: 20200110551
    Abstract: A chip select training mode (CSTM) enables a memory subsystem to train a chip select signal separately from command bus training. A memory device and a memory controller can connect via a command bus including a chip select signal line. Instead of training the chip select along with other signal lines of the command bus, a CSTM mode enables the memory subsystem to more accurately train the chip select. The memory device can be triggered for CSTM mode with a command, and then train voltage margining for the CS signal line to align chip select signaling with the memory subsystem clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. MORRIS, Christopher P. MOZAK, Christopher E. COX
  • Publication number: 20200065266
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory chip is described. The method includes receiving an activated chip select signal. The method also includes receiving, with the chip select signal being activated, a command code on a command/address (CA) bus that identifies a next portion of an identifier for the memory chip. The method also includes receiving the next portion of the identifier on a portion of the memory chip's data inputs. The method also includes repeating the receiving of the activated chip select signal, the command code and the next portion until the entire identifier has been received and storing the entire identifier in a register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Tonia G. MORRIS, John V. LOVELACE, John R. GOLES
  • Publication number: 20200042209
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for providing communications which facilitate link training. In an embodiment, a memory controller includes, or couples to, trainer circuitry which is configured to provide instructions to generate memory access commands. The instructions are accessed at the circuitry in response to an indication that link training is performed, where the accessing is independent of communication with a processor coupled to the memory controller. Based on the instructions, memory access commands are communicated via a link between the memory controller and a memory device. Link training is performed based on an evaluation of one or more characteristics of the link communications. In another embodiment, memory access commands are generated, based on the instructions, while a validity of data at the memory device is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Moshe Jacob Finkelstein, Ramesh Subashchandrabose, Lohit R. Yerva
  • Patent number: 10482041
    Abstract: Provided are a device and computer readable storage medium for programming a memory module to initiate a training mode in which the memory module transmits continuous bit patterns on a side band lane of the bus interface; receiving the bit patterns over the bus interface; determining from the received bit patterns a transition of values in the bit pattern to determine a data eye between the determined transitions of the values; and determining a setting to control a phase interpolator to generate interpolated signals used to sample data within the determined data eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Jonathan C. Jasper, Arnaud J. Forestier
  • Patent number: 10416912
    Abstract: A chip select training mode (CSTM) enables a memory subsystem to train a chip select signal separately from command bus training. A memory device and a memory controller can connect via a command bus including a chip select signal line. Instead of training the chip select along with other signal lines of the command bus, a CSTM mode enables the memory subsystem to more accurately train the chip select. The memory device can be triggered for CSTM mode with a command, and then train voltage margining for the CS signal line to align chip select signaling with the memory subsystem clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Christopher P. Mozak, Christopher E. Cox
  • Patent number: 10380043
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory chip is described. The method includes receiving an activated chip select signal. The method also includes receiving, with the chip select signal being activated, a command code on a command/address (CA) bus that identifies a next portion of an identifier for the memory chip. The method also includes receiving the next portion of the identifier on a portion of the memory chip's data inputs. The method also includes repeating the receiving of the activated chip select signal, the command code and the next portion until the entire identifier has been received and storing the entire identifier in a register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, John V. Lovelace, John R. Goles
  • Patent number: 10331585
    Abstract: Provided are a device and computer readable storage medium for programming a memory module to initiate a training mode in which the memory module transmits continuous bit patterns on a side band lane of the bus interface; receiving the bit patterns over the bus interface; determining from the received bit patterns a transition of values in the bit pattern to determine a data eye between the determined transitions of the values; and determining a setting to control a phase interpolator to generate interpolated signals used to sample data within the determined data eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tonia G. Morris, Jonathan C. Jasper, Arnaud J. Forestier
  • Publication number: 20190095361
    Abstract: A method performed by a memory chip is described. The method includes receiving an activated chip select signal. The method also includes receiving, with the chip select signal being activated, a command code on a command/address (CA) bus that identifies a next portion of an identifier for the memory chip. The method also includes receiving the next portion of the identifier on a portion of the memory chip's data inputs. The method also includes repeating the receiving of the activated chip select signal, the command code and the next portion until the entire identifier has been received and storing the entire identifier in a register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Tonia G. MORRIS, John V. LOVELACE, John R. GOLES
  • Publication number: 20190095308
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes receiving from a memory controller configuration information for a testing sequence and storing the configuration information in configuration register space of the driver circuit. The method also includes controlling the next testing sequence. The testing sequence includes sweeping values of a tap coefficient of a DFE circuit of the driver circuit and sweeping a voltage of a slicer of the driver circuit. The method includes sending results of the testing sequence to the memory controller. The results are to determine a value for the DFE tap coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventor: Tonia G. MORRIS
  • Publication number: 20190042498
    Abstract: A memory subsystem enables per device addressability (PDA) to target configuration commands to one of multiple memory devices that share a select line or buffer devices that share an enable line. The system includes a host and multiple memory devices that can be coupled over a command bus and a data bus. The devices include a configuration or mode register to store a value to indicate whether PDA enumeration is enabled. When enabled, the host can provide an enumeration identifier (ID) command via the command bus with a signal via the data bus to assign an enumeration ID. After assignment of the enumeration ID, the host can send PDA commands via the command bus with the enumeration ID, without a signal on the data bus. Devices only process PDA commands that match their assigned enumeration ID, enabling the setting of device-specific configuration settings without needing to use the data bus on every PDA command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Tonia G. MORRIS, Bill NALE
  • Patent number: 10148416
    Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to signal phase optimization in memory interface training. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an interface for at least one signal; and interface training logic capable of automatically adjusting a phase relationship between the signal and a strobe or clock, including establishing a phase delay of the signal and a phase delay of the strobe or clock for training of the interface, wherein the interface training logic is capable of determining a phase delay reduction for the signal subsequent to measurement of an eye margin for the signal, the phase delay reduction to retain a sufficient delay to maintain the eye margin for sampling of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tonia G Morris, Ying Zhou, John V. Lovelace, Alberto David Perez Guevara
  • Publication number: 20180188959
    Abstract: An embodiment of a memory module controller may be communicatively coupled to a storage media to initialize training-related register values, train the storage media independent of a BIOS, calibrate a sense amplifier, and indicate when the storage media is completely trained. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Shachi K. Thakkar, Richard P. Mangold, Tonia G. Morris, John V. Lovelace
  • Publication number: 20180121123
    Abstract: A chip select training mode (CSTM) enables a memory subsystem to train a chip select signal separately from command bus training. A memory device and a memory controller can connect via a command bus including a chip select signal line. Instead of training the chip select along with other signal lines of the command bus, a CSTM mode enables the memory subsystem to more accurately train the chip select. The memory device can be triggered for CSTM mode with a command, and then train voltage margining for the CS signal line to align chip select signaling with the memory subsystem clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Tonia G. MORRIS, Christopher P. MOZAK, Christopher E. COX