Memory Or Storage Device Component Fault Patents (Class 714/42)
  • Publication number: 20140325284
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for monitoring components in a library by tracking the movement of library components. By tracking the movement of library components, the degradation of library components can be monitored and the reliability of library components determined, allowing unreliable components to be bypassed or replaced, enhancing the reliability of the library and preventing data loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Michael R. Foster, Allen J. Rohner, Patrick S. Tou
  • Publication number: 20140325283
    Abstract: Systems and methods which provide mount catalogs to facilitate rapid volume mount are shown. A mount catalog of embodiments may be provided for each aggregate containing volumes to be mounted by a takeover node of a storage system. The mount catalog may comprise a direct storage level, such as a DBN level, based mount catalog. Such mount catalogs may be maintained in a reserved portion of the storage devices containing a corresponding aggregate and volumes, wherein the storage device reserved portion is known to a takeover node. In operation according to embodiments, a HA pair takeover node uses a mount catalog to access the blocks used to mount volumes of a HA pair partner node prior to a final determination that the partner node is in fact a failed node and prior to onlining the aggregate containing the volumes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventor: Bipul Raj
  • Patent number: 8872833
    Abstract: The present invention systems and methods enable configuration of functional components in integrated circuits. A present invention system and method can flexibly change the operational characteristics of functional components in an integrated circuit die based upon a variety of factors, including if the die has a defective component. An indication of the defective functional component identification is received. A determination is made if the defective functional component is one of a plurality of similar functional components that can provide the same functionality. The other similar components can be examined to determine if they are parallel components to the defective functional component. The defective functional component is disabled if it is one of the plurality of similar functional components and another component can handle the workflow that would otherwise be assigned to the defective component. Workflow is diverted from the disabled component to other similar functional components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Van Dyke, John S. Montrym, Michael B. Nagy, Sean J. Treichler
  • Patent number: 8874993
    Abstract: A non-volatile solid state memory device and method for balancing write/erase cycles among blocks to level block usage. The non-volatile solid state memory device includes a memory unit having data stored therein and a controller with logic for programming the memory unit according to a monitored occurrence of an error during a read operation. The method includes monitoring an occurrence of an error during a read operation in a memory unit of the device and programming the memory unit according to the monitored occurrence of the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Evangelos S Eleftheriou, Ilias Iliadis, Robert Haas, Xiaoyu Hu
  • Patent number: 8874972
    Abstract: In a storage system, when a recovered error occurred upon access to a storage apparatus, a data redundancy determination unit determines whether data to be accessed has redundancy. When the data is determined to have no redundancy, an anomaly-occurring portion determination unit determines that the storage apparatus is not an anomaly-occurring portion and at the same time, an error history determination unit determines whether a recovered error occurred at the time of the past access to the storage apparatus other than that of the access destination. The anomaly-occurring portion determination unit determines whether a common transmission path is the anomaly-occurring portion based on the determination result of the error history determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Akira Sampei, Fumio Hanzawa, Hiroaki Sato
  • Patent number: 8874973
    Abstract: Methods and structure for enabling re-training of a DDR memory controller in a storage device without loss of data in the DDR memory devices of the cache memory in response to detecting failure of the memory subsystem during operation of the storage device. In response to detecting a failure of the memory subsystem, the memory controller is reset without resetting the memory devices. The memory controller is then re-trained for operation with the memory device. During the re-training, self-refresh mode of the memory devices is disabled and manual refresh is performed by a processor of the storage device to thereby retain any user data in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon L. Hunt, Luke E. McKay, Moby J. Abraham, Lakshmana M. Anupindi
  • Patent number: 8868722
    Abstract: A mechanism of monitoring activity on a computer which may be applied to measuring the performance of the computer. The computer is configured to track a first set of information relating to at least a first occurrence of at least one scenario on the computer. At least some of the first set of information is evaluated to make a determination about the first occurrence of the scenario. Based on that determination, the computer may be configured to track a second set of information relating to at least a second occurrence of the scenario on the computer, in which the second set of information includes at least some types of information not tracked in the first set of information. The second set of information can then be evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Giese, Shannon Pahl, Brad Marrs, Nitin Choubey
  • Patent number: 8867287
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory apparatus including a test circuit configured for generating compressed data by comparing and compressing data stored in a plurality of memory cells inside a memory bank during a first test mode, and configured for outputting the compressed data as test data to an input/output pad through one selected global line during the first test mode, and the test circuit is configured for transmitting the compressed data to a plurality of global lines during a second test mode, combining the compressed data loaded in the respective global lines during the second test mode, and outputting the combination result as the test data to the input/output pad during the second test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Youp Cha, Jae Il Kim
  • Patent number: 8862969
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an encoder reads a set of data from memory cells to obtain retrieved data influenced by one or more distortion mechanisms as a result of having been stored. A quality metric is generated responsive to the retrieved data that changes in value responsive to differences between the user data and the associated retrieved data. A quality monitor establishes a relationship between a current value of the quality metric and a threshold value and monitors the relationship as being indicative of a degradation of the quality of the retrieved data, and selectively initiates an error response. In another embodiment, a correction value is iterated through a set of values as a quality metric is monitored such that the value of the quality metric which most closely approaches the value of the quality metric immediately subsequent to an initial writing of the data can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Liikanen, Gerald L. Cadloni, Larry J. Koudele, John L. Seabury, Stephen P. Van Aken, Guy R. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8862930
    Abstract: A computing system stores actual memory usage data in a user memory space. The actual memory usage data represents memory usage of a plurality of device drivers that are loaded by a first kernel. The computing system generates an estimate of memory space to be reserved for a second kernel based on the actual memory usage data for the plurality of device drivers that are loaded by the first kernel and reserves memory space for the second kernel using the estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Red Hat, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil R. T. Horman, Vivek Goyal
  • Patent number: 8856603
    Abstract: To produce a memory which resists ion or photon attack, a memory structure is chosen whose memory point behaves asymmetrically with regard to these attacks. It is shown that in this case, it is sufficient to have a reference cell for an identical and periodic storage structure in order to be able to correct all the memory cells assailed by an attack. An error correction efficiency of ½ is thus obtained, with a simple redundancy, whereas the conventional methods make provision, for the same result, to triple the storage, to obtain a less beneficial efficiency of ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: European Aeronautic Defence And Space Company EADS France, Astrium SAS
    Inventors: Florent Miller, Thierry Carriere, Antonin Bougerol
  • Publication number: 20140298109
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a plurality of memories, and a processor coupled to the plurality of memories and configured to carry out a first test to determine whether a first error is detected when first and second memories of the plurality of memories are concurrently operated, and when the first error is detected from the first test, carry out a second test to determine whether a second error is detected when the first and second memories are separately operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Kimihiro NISHIYAMA, Daisuke HARADA
  • Patent number: 8850290
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to calculation of error rate for data storage which includes determining a completion status of a read operation of data stored in a storage device, the completion status being one of at least partially complete or not complete. The fault monitoring count is incremented based on the completion status being not complete. The fault monitoring count is decreased based on the completion status being at least partially complete. The fault monitoring count being decreased according to a value based on the number of bytes successfully read. The error rate indicator value is being calculated based on an exponential decay rate related to the number of bytes read. The fault monitoring count threshold is monitored every time the fault monitoring count is incremented and the storage device is identified as faulty once the threshold limit is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: D. Scott Guthridge
  • Patent number: 8850273
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring changes to a block of data is disclosed. A first hardware watchpoint is set to monitor changes to the block of data at a current location of the block of data in memory and a second hardware watchpoint is set to monitor changes at a selected location in the memory where a reference to the block of data is located. Responsive to the second hardware watchpoint being triggered by a change at the selected location where the reference to the block of data is located, a new location of the block of data in the memory is identified based on the change that triggered the second hardware watchpoint. Subsequent to identifying the new location of the block of data, the first hardware watchpoint is reset to monitor changes to the block of data at the new location of the block of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joshi Chandran, Shajith Chandran, Manish Kulshreshtha, Dilip K. Singh
  • Publication number: 20140289569
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array, a plurality of first latch circuits, a first register and a comparator. The memory cell array has a plurality of memory cells associated with columns. The first latch circuits are provided corresponding to the respective columns, and each of the first latch circuits holds data on whether or not the corresponding column has a failure. The first register holds the number of columns for redundancy. The comparator compares the number of the first latch circuits holding the data that the corresponding columns have failures with a criterion based on the data held by the first register. The semiconductor storage device determines whether or not there is a failure in the first latch circuit, based on the result of the comparison by the comparator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jota TACHIKAWA, Yasuyuki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8843781
    Abstract: A method and system is used in managing drive error information. An error is detected in connection with a drive. Error data associated with the drive error is collected in response to detecting the error. The error data is stored on the drive. The error data being sufficiently complete to allow a comprehensive evaluation of the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Mei-Chun Chiang, Lili Chen, Liu Zhiqi
  • Patent number: 8843790
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring changes to a block of data is disclosed. A computer sets a first hardware watchpoint to monitor changes to the block of data at a current location of the block of data in memory and a second hardware watchpoint to monitor changes at a selected location in the memory where a reference to the block of data is located. Responsive to the second hardware watchpoint being triggered by a change at the selected location where the reference to the block of data is located, the computer identifies a new location of the block of data in the memory based on the change that triggered the second hardware watchpoint. Subsequent to identifying the new location of the block of data, the computer then resets the first hardware watchpoint to monitor changes to the block of data at the new location of the block of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joshi Chandran, Shajith Chandran, Manish Kulshreshtha, Dilip K. Singh
  • Patent number: 8843787
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for archive verification are disclosed. More specifically, embodiments of this archive verification can comprise loading media into a drive and reading data from the media to verify that the media and data on the media can be read. In one embodiment, media can be loaded into a drive and read according to a verification policy. As part of verifying that media and data on media can be read, read errors or other verification data associated with media can be obtained. Using this verification data a result for the media may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: KIP CR P1 LP
    Inventors: Michael R. Foster, Jeffrey Ricks Stripling
  • Publication number: 20140281693
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a first interface to communicate with a processing unit, a second interface to communicate with a memory device, and a module coupled to the first and second interfaces. In at least one of the embodiments, the module can be configured to obtain information stored in the memory device and perform at least one of testing and repairing of a memory structure of the memory device based at least in part on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Joe M. Jeddeloh, Brent Keeth
  • Publication number: 20140281736
    Abstract: In a self-diagnosing method of a volatile memory device, a processor outputs a self-refresh entrance command and enters a power save mode, and a volatile memory device performs a self-diagnosing operation for a plurality of memory cells in response to the self-refresh entrance command while the processor is in the power save mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae-Sop Kong
  • Patent number: 8839264
    Abstract: A method for memory space management in a multitasking capable data processing system including a data processing device and software running thereon. The data processing device includes at least one central processing unit (CPU) and at least one user memory, and the software running on the CPU includes a first computer program application and at least a second computer program application which respectively jointly access the user memory used by both computer program applications during execution. Information of the first computer program application is stored in at least a portion of the memory space of the user memory in a temporary manner, and the integrity of the contents memory space is checked after interrupting the execution of the first computer program application. The first computer program application is only executed further when the memory integrity is confirmed through the checking or when the memory integrity has been reestablished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: LFK-Lenkflugkoerpersysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Breker, Alexander Schaeffer
  • Publication number: 20140258786
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed involving a memory device. In one embodiment, a memory device is disclosed that includes a command error module of the memory device operably coupled to at least one of a command signal and an address signal and configured to detect and report a parity error on the command signal, the address signal, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a memory device may include a temperature sensor operably coupled to a mode register. The temperature sensor may be configured to sense a device temperature and report a temperature status. Furthermore, the memory device may be incorporated into a memory module, which may be included in an electronic system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Resnick
  • Patent number: 8832495
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for monitoring components in a library by tracking the movement of library components. By tracking the movement of library components, the degradation of library components can be monitored and the reliability of library components determined, allowing unreliable components to be bypassed or replaced, enhancing the reliability of the library and preventing data loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: KIP CR P1 LP
    Inventors: Michael R. Foster, Allen J. Rohner, Patrick S. Tou
  • Publication number: 20140245072
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for managing DDM failures includes analyzing, using a hardware processor, information stored in a data repository and relating to DDM failures to identify problems in an installed base of DDM, the analysis comprising analyzing comparative DDM failure data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Felipe A. Barajas
  • Patent number: 8819516
    Abstract: A storage integrity system in a dispersed storage network scans an address range of data slices to identify errors in one of a plurality of encoded data slices, wherein the plurality of encoded data slices are generated from a data segment using an error encoding dispersal function. When the storage integrity system detects an error, it identifies one of the encoded data slices for rebuilding. The identified data slice is rebuilt in response to the type of error. For example, when the type of the error includes a temporary error, the storage integrity system waits a predetermined time period to determine whether the error still exists prior to rebuilding the identified data slice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Dhuse, Andrew Baptist, Zachary J. Mark, Jason K. Resch, Ilya Volvovski
  • Publication number: 20140237298
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for early detection of potential flash failures using an adaptive system level algorithm based on NAND program verify are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for early detection of potential flash failures using an adaptive system level algorithm based on NAND program verify includes performing a program verify operation after a write to a non-volatile memory, where the program verify mechanism reports a pass or fail based on an existing measurement threshold value, and dynamically adjusting the measurement threshold value used by subsequent program verify operations based on the results of previous program verify operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Assaf Pe'er
  • Publication number: 20140237299
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein. Some embodiments include an Operating System and a platform. The platform includes a processor having an error register. The Operating System can write to the error register only via the platform in a secure manner (for example, using platform firmware). Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Murugasamy Nachimuthu, Mohan J. Kumar, Theodros Yigzaw, Jose A. Vargas, Rajendra Kuramkote
  • Patent number: 8812933
    Abstract: A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory device and a memory controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory device and configured to provide the nonvolatile memory device with error flag information including error location information of an error of data read from the nonvolatile memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hyun Joo, Kitae Park, Sangyong Yoon, Jinman Han
  • Patent number: 8806285
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method and system of dynamically allocatable memory error mitigation. In one embodiment, a system applies an error mitigation mechanism to one of multiple groups of memory units, wherein the one group is in active use during an error test of a second group of memory units. The system deactivates and tests the second group of memory units for errors. In response to detecting an error in a memory unit of the second group, the system applies, to the memory unit of the second group having the error, the error mitigation mechanism for active use. The system then activates the second group of memory units with the error mitigation mechanism applied to the memory unit of the second group having the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Alaa R. Alameldeen, Ilya Wagner, Zeshan A. Chishti, Wei Wu, Christopher B. Wilkerson
  • Patent number: 8806267
    Abstract: The method includes receiving a command at a first storage system of a block storage cluster. The command is transmitted by the initiator system to the first storage system via a network and includes a request for data. The method further includes transferring the stored data from the first storage system to the initiator system via the network when data requested in the data request is stored by the first storage system. The method further includes transmitting a referral response from the first storage system to the initiator system when a portion of the data requested in the data request is not stored by the first storage system, but is stored by a second storage. system of the block storage cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Netapp, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Fredin, Andrew J. Spry, Kenneth J. Gibson, Ross E. Zwisler
  • Publication number: 20140223239
    Abstract: A memory error management system connected to memory channels for managing errors detected in corresponding memory devices includes a reporting table including a list of historically reported errors, a binary value representing the current error status of the memory channels, a uniqueness check module for checking whether a historically reported error is reappearing as a current error, an error mask register for generating a masked binary value representing unique current errors in the memory channels, and a channel arbitration module for decoding the channel identifiers of corrupted memory channels from the masked binary value and storing the decoded channel identifiers into the reporting table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Sarthak Mittal, Kshitij Bajaj, Prashant Bhargava
  • Patent number: 8799717
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to on-the-fly remapping a memory device by hardware-switching data paths to locations of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Bowers, Gurkirat Billing, Samuel David Post
  • Publication number: 20140215277
    Abstract: A method of controlling data transfers between a volatile memory and a non-volatile storage, the volatile memory being on a memory device operatively coupled to a computer system, the data transfers comprising: storing data from the volatile memory to the non-volatile storage when a power source of the computer system fails, the method comprising following re-establishment of the previously failed power source, the step of: selectively restoring data from the non-volatile storage to the volatile memory by a controller software after restart operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ian D. Judd
  • Patent number: 8793537
    Abstract: In a method for detecting memory errors occurring in a computing device, a channel number of an error memory module is obtained from a first register of a memory controller of the computing device. The method analyzes an error type to obtain a rank number of the memory module from one or more specified registers of the memory controller, and finds a serial number of a memory slot into which the memory module has been inserted. According to the serial number of the memory slot and a distribution list, the method can detect the memory slot which is carrying the memory module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jie-Jun Tan, Yu-Long Lin
  • Patent number: 8793540
    Abstract: Provided is a test apparatus including: an address generator that generates an address of a memory under test; a selector that selects whether to perform bit inversion on the address generated by the address generator before supplying the address to the memory under test; an inversion processing section that outputs the address generated by the address generator after performing bit inversion on the address if the selector has selected in the affirmative, and outputs the address generated by the address generator without performing any bit inversion on the address if the selector has selected in the negative; and a supply section that supplies, to the memory under test, the address having undergone inversion control outputted from the inversion processing section and an inversion cycle signal that indicates whether the address outputted from the inversion processing section is bit inverted or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8788883
    Abstract: A system and method for recovering from a configuration error are disclosed. A Basic Input Output System (BIOS) configures a memory associated with a node of an information handling system and enables a progress monitoring process during configuration of the memory. The memory is disabled if the BIOS determines that a configuration error occurred and a memory reference code associated with the memory is modified in order to prevent a reset of the information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Bi-Chong Wang
  • Patent number: 8788685
    Abstract: A system and method for testing multi-protocol network access using a synthetic multi-protocol client is provided. The synthetic multi-protocol client implements one or more predefined and/or user defined tests that interleave data access operations directed to a storage system using a plurality of data access protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventor: John R. Boyles
  • Patent number: 8782473
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for sending failure information from a solid state drive (SSD) to a host device. In operation, an error is detected during an operation associated with a solid state drive. Additionally, a command is received for failure information from a host device. Further, the failure information is sent from the solid state drive to the host device, the failure information including failure information associated with the solid state drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Ross John Stenfort
  • Patent number: 8773155
    Abstract: An MUT unit for testing memory modules includes a first circuit board; a second circuit board coupled to the first circuit board in a vertical orientation; a socket on a top surface of the first circuit board; and a resilient member electrically connecting the first and second circuit boards at an joint there between, wherein the resilient member comprises a horizontal segment that is welded to a bottom surface of the first circuit board, a vertical segment that is welded to a surface of the second circuit board, and a curved buffer segment connecting the horizontal segment and the vertical segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Yung-Ching Yang
  • Publication number: 20140189433
    Abstract: A memory subsystem can test a memory device in situ, testing the performance of parameters of operation the device in the system it is built into during production. Thus, the system can detect the specific values that will work for one or more operating parameters for the memory device in actual runtime. A test component embedded in the memory subsystem can perform a stress test and identify specific bits or lines of memory that experience failure under one or more stresses. The system can then map out the failed bits or lines to prevent the bits/lines from being used in runtime of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: THEODORE Z. SCHOENBORN, CHRISTOPHER P. MOZAK
  • Publication number: 20140189434
    Abstract: Fault isolation capabilities made available by user space can be provided for a embedded network storage system without sacrificing efficiency. By giving user space processes direct access to specific devices (e.g., network interface cards and storage adapters), processes in a user space can initiate Input/Output requests without issuing system calls (and entering kernel mode). The multiple user spaces processes can initiate requests serviced by a user space device driver by sharing a read-only address space that maps the entire physical memory one-to-one. In addition, a user space process can initiate communication with another user space process by use of transmit and receive queues similar to transmit and receiver queues used by hardware devices. And, a mechanism of ensuring that virtual addresses that work in one address space reference the same physical page in another address space is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy Thelen, Garth Goodson, Kiran Srinivasan, Sai Susarla
  • Patent number: 8769348
    Abstract: An electronic device capable of communicating with a plurality of servers includes a storage unit, a vibration unit, a control unit, and a communication unit. The storage unit stores a vibration threshold value. The vibration sensor senses a vibration magnitude of the electronic device. The control unit generates control signals and transmits the control signals to the servers via the communication unit to direct the servers to take certain actions to protect data when the vibration magnitude sensed by the vibration sensor is equal to or greater than the vibration threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chao-Tsung Fan
  • Patent number: 8762789
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a media controller for processing a diagnostic request received from a diagnostic source. The received diagnostic request is parsed by a corresponding request handling module of the media controller, where each diagnostic source type has a corresponding request handling module. If the received diagnostic request requires allocation of buffer space, a common diagnostic handling module of the media controller allocates buffer space in a buffer for the received diagnostic request. The common diagnostic handling module is common for all diagnostic source types. The common diagnostic handling module provides the received diagnostic request to a corresponding one of a plurality of end diagnostic handling modules. The end diagnostic handling module performs the diagnostic tasks. If the received diagnostic request requires a transfer of data to the diagnostic source, the common diagnostic handling module performs the data transfer between the media controller and the diagnostic source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Lund, Carl Forhan, Randal S. Rysavy, Timothy Swatosh
  • Patent number: 8762801
    Abstract: A system includes a first device, a first storage element, a comparator and a second device. The first device is configured to test memory cells in an array of memory cells to detect defective memory cells. The defective memory cells include a first memory cell and a second memory cell. The first storage element is configured to store a first address of the first memory cell. The comparator is configured to compare a second address of the second memory cell to the first address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Winston Lee, Albert Wu, Chorng-Lii Liou
  • Patent number: 8756453
    Abstract: A first component, executing in a first data processing system, receives, over a data communication network using a first adapter, a first diagnostic heartbeat packet from a second adapter in a second data processing system. The first heartbeat packet comprises a header, a set of heartbeat parameters, and a set of diagnostic attributes. The first component determines, based on a set of values corresponding to the set of diagnostic attributes, that a soft network error condition exists in the data communication network. The soft network error condition is a network error condition that adversely affects the transmission of packets having certain properties in the data communication network. The first component stores the set of values in a state information record associated with the first component and re-routes data traffic from one link to a different link between the first and the second data processing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas James Griffith, Astrid Angela Jaehde, Robert Scott Manning
  • Patent number: 8756454
    Abstract: A solid state drive includes a first solid state disc controller (SSDC), a second SSDC and a flash array. The flash array includes a first flash port and a second flash port. The first SSDC is configured to connect to the flash array through the first flash port and the second flash array is configured to connect to the flash array through the second flash port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Cagno, John C. Elliott, Gregg S Lucas, Andrew D. Walls
  • Publication number: 20140164844
    Abstract: A programmable Built In Self Test (pBIST) system used to test embedded memories where the memories under test are incorporated in a plurality of sub chips not integrated with the pBIST module. A distributed Data Logger is incorporated into each sub chip, communicating with the pBIST over serial and a compressed parallel data paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Raguram Damodaran, Naveen Bhoria, Aman Kokrady
  • Patent number: 8751903
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring the time it takes to perform a write operation, and based on the time it takes, a determination is made whether to retire a block that is a recipient of the write operation. The time duration of the write operation for a page or a combination of pages may indicate whether any block or blocks containing the page or combination of pages is experiencing a physical failure. That is, if the time duration of the write operation for a particular page exceeds time threshold, this may indicate that this page requires a larger number of program cycles than other pages. The longer programming cycle can be an indication of cell leakage or a failing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Byom, Nir J. Wakrat
  • Publication number: 20140157059
    Abstract: A data processing device according to the present invention includes a memory, an arithmetic circuit that accesses the memory by outputting an access control signal CTRL that controls access to the memory, a first data storage unit that stores first data used when a self-diagnosis is performed, a read-modify-write circuit that generates second data by replacing a part of the first data stored in the first data storage unit with modify data outputted from the arithmetic circuit, and a determination unit that diagnoses a failure of the read-modify-write circuit by comparing the second data with an expected value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Akira HOSOTANI
  • Patent number: 8745448
    Abstract: A storage system comprises a storage device for storing data, a control apparatus which controls the storage device and comprises multiple communication ports, and a switch apparatus which expands the number of storage device couplings and comprises multiple communication ports. Respective multiple communication ports of the control apparatus are coupled to respective multiple communication ports of the switch apparatus, and the switch apparatus is coupled to the storage device. The control apparatus configures at least one communication port of the multiple communication ports of the control apparatus, to a dedicated communication port for outputting only a prescribed command issued when a failure is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Koga, Koji Washiya