Patents by Inventor William P. Hovis

William P. Hovis 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: 10096353
    Abstract: A refresh command is communicated to a memory device to initiate an interruptible refresh which contains multiple segment refreshes separated by interrupt boundaries. A command is communicated to the memory device before execution of a segment refresh and the segment refresh is delayed at an interrupt boundary. Alternatively, a first number of commands in a queue is determined. A first number of segment refreshes to execute is determined based on the first number of commands. The first number of segment refreshes to execute is communicated to the memory device to cause execution of the first number of segment refreshes. A second number of commands in the queue is determined. A second number of segment refreshes to execute is determined based on the second number of commands. The second number of segment refreshes to execute is communicated to the memory device to cause execution of the second number of segment refreshes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Carlos A. Fernandez, Joab D. Henderson, William P. Hovis, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Patent number: 9972376
    Abstract: A refresh command is received from a memory controller. An interruptible refresh containing multiple segment refreshes is initiated. The segment refreshes are separated by interrupt boundaries. A command is received before execution of a segment refresh. The first command is executed and execution of the first segment refresh is delayed at a first interrupt boundary. Alternatively, a first number of segment refreshes to execute is received from a memory controller. The received first number of segment refreshes is executed. A second number of segment refreshes to execute is received from a memory controller. The received second number of segment refreshes is executed. No segment refreshes are executed between the execution of the first number of segment refreshes and the execution of the second number of segment refreshes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Carlos A. Fernandez, Joab D. Henderson, William P. Hovis, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Patent number: 9612988
    Abstract: A device uses donor circuit blocks in a donor integrated circuit to replace defective circuit blocks in a recipient integrated circuit and create a functional integrated circuit. The recipient integrated circuit has a first number of cores, the first number including a recipient core, and the recipient core having a recipient circuit block, a switching element, and a recipient communication point, the first number of cores connected by a data bus. The recipient core has an intended function. The donor integrated circuit has a second number of cores, the second number smaller than the first number. The second number includes a donor core having a donor communication point electrically connected to a donor circuit block, the donor circuit block having the intended function. The recipient connection point is electrically connected to the donor connection point and the switching element switched to disable the recipient circuit block in the recipient core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9568940
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for multiple active vertically stacked cores is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores, and a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC having a second set of cores. The IC stack device can also include a peripheral component connection located such that the primary IC is between the peripheral component connection and the supplemental IC. The IC stack device can include control logic configured to route, in a primary mode, signals from a particular core of the first set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a secondary mode, signals from a particular core of the second set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a dual mode, signals from both of the particular cores to a data bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9383767
    Abstract: An electronic system is disclosed, which may include a phase pipeline, a data pipeline, an input phase selector, and an output phase selector. The phase pipeline may have latches clocked by a clock signal, and designed to propagate phase signals from a phase input to a phase output. The data pipeline may have latches clocked by the phase pipeline clock signal, and designed to propagate data from a data input to a data output. The input phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from a data input, in response to a value at the phase input, to the data pipeline data input. The output phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from the data pipeline output to an output phase selector data output, in response to a phase pipeline output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel R. Chadwick, Frances S. M. Clougherty, William P. Hovis, Kirk D. Peterson, Mack W. Riley
  • Patent number: 9312199
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9310827
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for multiple active vertically stacked cores is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores, and a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC having a second set of cores. The IC stack device can also include a peripheral component connection located such that the primary IC is between the peripheral component connection and the supplemental IC. The IC stack device can include control logic configured to route, in a primary mode, signals from a particular core of the first set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a secondary mode, signals from a particular core of the second set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a dual mode, signals from both of the particular cores to a data bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9281261
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9250645
    Abstract: An electronic system is disclosed, which may include a phase pipeline, a data pipeline, an input phase selector, and an output phase selector. The phase pipeline may have latches clocked by a clock signal, and designed to propagate phase signals from a phase input to a phase output. The data pipeline may have latches clocked by the phase pipeline clock signal, and designed to propagate data from a data input to a data output. The input phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from a data input, in response to a value at the phase input, to the data pipeline data input. The output phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from the data pipeline output to an output phase selector data output, in response to a phase pipeline output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel R. Chadwick, Frances S. M. Clougherty, William P. Hovis, Kirk D. Peterson, Mack W. Riley
  • Patent number: 9207275
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip may include a die having one or more circuits. The semiconductor chip may include a plurality of die bumps, each having a first geometry, a first vertical profile, and a first volume. The die bumps may be coupled to the die and in electrical communication with the one or more circuits. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of test bumps each having a second geometry, a second vertical profile, and the first volume. The test bumps may be coupled to the die and in electrical communication with the one or more circuits. The first geometry and the second geometry may be adapted for the plurality of test bumps to make connection with a wafer probe to the test bumps without making a connection to any of the die bumps during a die test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150253807
    Abstract: An electronic system is disclosed, which may include a phase pipeline, a data pipeline, an input phase selector, and an output phase selector. The phase pipeline may have latches clocked by a clock signal, and designed to propagate phase signals from a phase input to a phase output. The data pipeline may have latches clocked by the phase pipeline clock signal, and designed to propagate data from a data input to a data output. The input phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from a data input, in response to a value at the phase input, to the data pipeline data input. The output phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from the data pipeline output to an output phase selector data output, in response to a phase pipeline output value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel R. Chadwick, Frances S. M. Clougherty, William P. Hovis, Kirk D. Peterson, Mack W. Riley
  • Publication number: 20150253808
    Abstract: An electronic system is disclosed, which may include a phase pipeline, a data pipeline, an input phase selector, and an output phase selector. The phase pipeline may have latches clocked by a clock signal, and designed to propagate phase signals from a phase input to a phase output. The data pipeline may have latches clocked by the phase pipeline clock signal, and designed to propagate data from a data input to a data output. The input phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from a data input, in response to a value at the phase input, to the data pipeline data input. The output phase selector may be designed to provide an inverted or a non-inverted copy of data from the data pipeline output to an output phase selector data output, in response to a phase pipeline output value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel R. Chadwick, Frances S. M. Clougherty, William P. Hovis, Kirk D. Peterson, Mack W. Riley
  • Publication number: 20150162250
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150160685
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for multiple active vertically stacked cores is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores, and a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC having a second set of cores. The IC stack device can also include a peripheral component connection located such that the primary IC is between the peripheral component connection and the supplemental IC. The IC stack device can include control logic configured to route, in a primary mode, signals from a particular core of the first set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a secondary mode, signals from a particular core of the second set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a dual mode, signals from both of the particular cores to a data bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150162311
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for multiple active vertically stacked cores is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores, and a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC having a second set of cores. The IC stack device can also include a peripheral component connection located such that the primary IC is between the peripheral component connection and the supplemental IC. The IC stack device can include control logic configured to route, in a primary mode, signals from a particular core of the first set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a secondary mode, signals from a particular core of the second set of cores to a data bus. The control logic can route, in a dual mode, signals from both of the particular cores to a data bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150162259
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150127899
    Abstract: A refresh command is received from a memory controller. An interruptible refresh containing multiple segment refreshes is initiated. The segment refreshes are separated by interrupt boundaries. A command is received before execution of a segment refresh. The first command is executed and execution of the first segment refresh is delayed at a first interrupt boundary. Alternatively, a first number of segment refreshes to execute is received from a memory controller. The received first number of segment refreshes is executed. A second number of segment refreshes to execute is received from a memory controller. The received second number of segment refreshes is executed. No segment refreshes are executed between the execution of the first number of segment refreshes and the execution of the second number of segment refreshes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Carlos A. Fernandez, Joab D. Henderson, William P. Hovis, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20150127898
    Abstract: A refresh command is communicated to a memory device to initiate an interruptible refresh which contains multiple segment refreshes separated by interrupt boundaries. A command is communicated to the memory device before execution of a segment refresh and the segment refresh is delayed at an interrupt boundary. Alternatively, a first number of commands in a queue is determined. A first number of segment refreshes to execute is determined based on the first number of commands. The first number of segment refreshes to execute is communicated to the memory device to cause execution of the first number of segment refreshes. A second number of commands in the queue is determined. A second number of segment refreshes to execute is determined based on the second number of commands. The second number of segment refreshes to execute is communicated to the memory device to cause execution of the second number of segment refreshes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Carlos A. Fernandez, Joab D. Henderson, William P. Hovis, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Publication number: 20150051869
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems, computer program products and computer implemented methods. Some embodiments include a system for modeling a relationship between a test time and a defect rate for a systematic multivariate issue caused by at least one predictable component and a random component in a semiconductor testing environment, the multivariate issue causing failure of a semiconductor device, the system that includes at least one computing device configured to perform actions including quantifying the at least one predictable component to produce at least one first mathematical form, quantifying the random component using distribution functions to produce a second mathematical form and producing a mathematical model of a relationship between the test time and the defect rate at a test condition by mathematically combining the at least one first mathematical form and the second mathematical form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer E. Appleyard, Nathaniel R. Chadwick, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150032933
    Abstract: A device uses donor circuit blocks in a donor integrated circuit to replace defective circuit blocks in a recipient integrated circuit and create a functional integrated circuit. The recipient integrated circuit has a first number of cores, the first number including a recipient core, and the recipient core having a recipient circuit block, a switching element, and a recipient communication point, the first number of cores connected by a data bus. The recipient core has an intended function. The donor integrated circuit has a second number of cores, the second number smaller than the first number. The second number includes a donor core having a donor communication point electrically connected to a donor circuit block, the donor circuit block having the intended function. The recipient connection point is electrically connected to the donor connection point and the switching element switched to disable the recipient circuit block in the recipient core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis