Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Tomoeda

Mitsuhiro Tomoeda 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).

  • Publication number: 20160012900
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory device provided in a semiconductor device, when data is erased based on a band-to-band tunneling scheme, supply of a boosted voltage to a memory cell (MC) to be erased is ended when a condition that an output voltage (VUCP) of a charge pump circuit has recovered to a predetermined reference voltage is satisfied and additionally a condition that a predetermined reference time has elapsed since start of supply of the boosted voltage (VUCP) to the memory cell (MC) to be erased is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoya OGAWA, Takashi ITO, Mitsuhiro TOMOEDA
  • Patent number: 9177657
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory device (4) provided in a semiconductor device, when data is erased based on a band-to-band tunneling scheme, supply of a boosted voltage to a memory cell (MC) to be erased is ended when a condition that an output voltage (VUCP) of a charge pump circuit (52) has recovered to a predetermined reference voltage is satisfied and additionally a condition that a predetermined reference time has elapsed since start of supply of the boosted voltage (VUCP) to the memory cell (MC) to be erased is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Ogawa, Takashi Ito, Mitsuhiro Tomoeda
  • Publication number: 20150131384
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory device (4) provided in a semiconductor device, when data is erased based on a band-to-band tunneling scheme, supply of a boosted voltage to a memory cell (MC) to be erased is ended when a condition that an output voltage (VUCP) of a charge pump circuit (52) has recovered to a predetermined reference voltage is satisfied and additionally a condition that a predetermined reference time has elapsed since start of supply of the boosted voltage (VUCP) to the memory cell (MC) to be erased is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Ogawa, Takashi Ito, Mitsuhiro Tomoeda
  • Patent number: 8242808
    Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Makoto Muneyasu, Masahiro Hosoda
  • Publication number: 20110216620
    Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOMOEDA, Makoto MUNEYASU, Masahiro HOSODA
  • Patent number: 7969200
    Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Makoto Muneyasu, Masahiro Hosoda
  • Publication number: 20100301902
    Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: RENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOMOEDA, Makoto Muneyasu, Masahiro Hosoda
  • Patent number: 7795922
    Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Makoto Muneyasu, Masahiro Hosoda
  • Publication number: 20090237114
    Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOMOEDA, Makoto MUNEYASU, Masahiro HOSODA
  • Patent number: 7050336
    Abstract: An operation of erasing data in a memory block of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device employs an operation of collectively applying an erase pulse to the memory block, and an operation of collectively applying an erase pulse to a limited region in the memory block. Thereby, the number of the erase pulses excessively applied to the memory cells, which passed verify, can be reduced as compared with a conventional structure so that the number of the memory cells to be subjected to over-erase recovery write decreases, and the total block erase time can be short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Renesas Devices Design Corp.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Minoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6870771
    Abstract: In a memory block that is to be subjected to an erasure operation, voltage of the ground level is selectively supplied to only one word line. By applying an erasure pulse to a source line, memory cell transistors have their threshold voltages shifted. As to another word line, a pulse of a positive voltage is supplied in synchronization to the application of an erasure pulse to the source line. Another group of memory cell transistors do not have their threshold voltages shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Company Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Atsushi Ohba, Toshimasa Makino
  • Publication number: 20050052908
    Abstract: An operation of erasing data in a memory block of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device employs an operation of collectively applying an erase pulse to the memory block, and an operation of collectively applying an erase pulse to a limited region in the memory block. Thereby, the number of the erase pulses excessively applied to the memory cells, which passed verify, can be reduced as compared with. a conventional structure so that the number of the memory cells to be subjected to over-erase recovery write decreases, and the total block erase time can be short.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Minoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6781882
    Abstract: It is an object to obtain a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and a data erasing method thereof in which a time required for a data erasing operation can be shortened. When second and succeeding erasing commands are input at a step SP101, a final voltage value of a batch writing pulse in a last data erasing operation is read from a storage portion (2a) at a step SP102. At a step SP103, next, a control portion (2) sets a starting voltage value of a batch writing pulse in a present data erasing operation based on the final voltage value of the batch writing pulse in the last data erasing operation. For example, in the case in which the final voltage value of the batch writing pulse in the last data erasing operation is VWL=8.00 V and VWell=VSL=−6.00 V, the starting voltage value of the batch writing pulse is currently set to VWL=7.75 V and VWell=VSL=−5.75 V with a reduction of one step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimizu, Mitsuhiro Tomoeda
  • Publication number: 20030133327
    Abstract: It is an object to obtain a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and a data erasing method thereof in which a time required for a data erasing operation can be shortened. When second and succeeding erasing commands are input at a step SP101, a final voltage value of a batch writing pulse in a last data erasing operation is read from a storage portion (2a) at a step SP102. At a step SP103, next, a control portion (2) sets a starting voltage value of a batch writing pulse in a present data erasing operation based on the final voltage value of the batch writing pulse in the last data erasing operation. For example, in the case in which the final voltage value of the batch writing pulse in the last data erasing operation is VWL=8.00 V and VWell=VSL=−6.00 V, the starting voltage value of the batch writing pulse is currently set to VWL=7.75 V and VWell=VSL=−5.75 V with a reduction of one step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimizu, Mitsuhiro Tomoeda
  • Publication number: 20030043629
    Abstract: In a memory block that is to be subjected to an erasure operation, voltage of the ground level is selectively supplied to only one word line. By applying an erasure pulse to a source line, memory cell transistors have their threshold voltages shifted. As to another word line, a pulse of a positive voltage is supplied in synchronization to the application of an erasure pulse to the source line. Another group of memory cell transistors do not have their threshold voltages shifted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda, Atsushi Ohba, Toshimasa Makino
  • Patent number: 6515908
    Abstract: Erasing is performed two times for narrowing a distribution width of threshold voltages of memory cells, and reducing the number of memory transistors to be subjected to over-erase verify. The erase verify voltage for the first erasing is set more strictly than the erase verify voltage for the second erasing. The erase pulses for the second erasing can be reduced in number, and the erasing time can be further reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Company Limited
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Miyawaki, Satoshi Shimizu, Atsushi Ohba, Mitsuhiro Tomoeda
  • Publication number: 20020057599
    Abstract: Erasing is performed two times for narrowing a distribution width of threshold voltages of memory cells, and reducing the number of memory transistors to be subjected to over-erase verify. The erase verify voltage for the first erasing is set more strictly than the erase verify voltage for the second erasing. The erase pulses for the second erasing can be reduced in number, and the erasing time can be further reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Miyawaki, Satoshi Shimizu, Atsushi Ohba, Mitsuhiro Tomoeda
  • Patent number: 5574684
    Abstract: A flash memory and its data refresh method, where data read out in program verify mode and erase verify mode from read address are compared in each address (ST110), and data of a memory cell corresponding to inconsistent data are rewritten (ST112). Or adding values of data read out in the program verify mode and the erase verify mode are compared in each block (ST137) and a defective block is retrieved and data in each address are compared in the defective block (ST160), and data of a memory cell corresponding to inconsistent data are rewritten (ST162). Thereby, defective data can be retrieved and corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Software Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Tomoeda