Patents by Inventor Shozo Kawabata

Shozo Kawabata 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: 9484341
    Abstract: A capacitor circuit formed by a plurality of capacitors using metal electrodes formed on a substrate is provided, such that the capacitance of the capacitor can be adjusted with higher precision as compared to the conventional art. The MOM capacitor includes a plurality of MOM (Metal-Oxide-Metal) capacitors respectfully formed by pairs of metal electrodes facing each other through an insulating film on a substrate. The MOM capacitor circuit is formed by at least one capacitor element in a manner that each of the pairs of the metal electrodes of the MOM capacitors is connected to a first terminal and a second terminal through a connecting conductor; and at least one switch element, connected to the plurality of metal electrodes and at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein a capacitance of the MOM capacitor circuit is adjusted by turning on/off the switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Powerchip Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Nobuhiko Ito
  • Publication number: 20160260706
    Abstract: A capacitor circuit formed by a plurality of capacitors using metal electrodes formed on a substrate is provided, such that the capacitance of the capacitor can be adjusted with higher precision as compared to the conventional art. The MOM capacitor includes a plurality of MOM (Metal-Oxide-Metal) capacitors respectfully formed by pairs of metal electrodes facing each other through an insulating film on a substrate. The MOM capacitor circuit is formed by at least one capacitor element in a manner that each of the pairs of the metal electrodes of the MOM capacitors is connected to a first terminal and a second terminal through a connecting conductor; and at least one switch element, connected to the plurality of metal electrodes and at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein a capacitance of the MOM capacitor circuit is adjusted by turning on/off the switch element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Nobuhiko Ito
  • Patent number: 8023341
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a CAM cell array that stores the operation setting information as to the semiconductor device, a controller that controls read and write of the CAM cell array, a row decoder, and a column decoder. With this structure, different row addresses are allocated to respective functions of the operation setting information. Accordingly, stress is not caused in the CAM cell array of the unselected functions at the time of programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Kenji Shibata, Takaaki Furuyama, Satoru Kawamoto
  • Publication number: 20110026287
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a CAM cell array that stores the operation setting information as to the semiconductor device, a controller that controls read and write of the CAM cell array, a row decoder, and a column decoder. With this structure, different row addresses are allocated to respective functions of the operation setting information. Accordingly, stress is not caused in the CAM cell array of the unselected functions at the time of programming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Shozo KAWABATA, Kenji SHIBATA, Takaaki FURUYAMA, Satoru KAWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7859914
    Abstract: The control method includes a step of varying driving ability of a selector transistor which selects a diffusion layer in a selected memory cell and a diffusion layer of at least one non-selected memory cell which adjoins to the selected memory cell when the selected memory cell makes transition from a memory cell at one end to a memory cell at other end within a memory block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Sooyong Park
  • Patent number: 7813154
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a CAM cell array that stores the operation setting information as to the semiconductor device, a controller that controls read and write of the CAM cell array, a row decoder, and a column decoder. With this structure, different row addresses are allocated to respective functions of the operation setting information. Accordingly, stress is not caused in the CAM cell array of the unselected functions at the time of programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Kenji Shibata, Takaaki Furuyama, Satoru Kawamoto
  • Publication number: 20080316787
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a CAM cell array that stores the operation setting information as to the semiconductor device, a controller that controls read and write of the CAM cell array, a row decoder, and a column decoder. With this structure, different row addresses are allocated to respective functions of the operation setting information. Accordingly, stress is not caused in the CAM cell array of the unselected functions at the time of programming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Shozo KAWABATA, Kenji Shibata, Takaaki Furuyama, Satoru Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7452771
    Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a first well 14 of a first conduction type formed in a semiconductor substrate 10; a second well 16 of a second conduction type formed in the first well 14; and a transistor 40 including a control gate 18 formed of an impurity region of the first conduction type formed in the second well 16, a first impurity diffused layer 26 and a second impurity diffused layer 33 formed with a channel region 25 therebetween, and a floating gate electrode 20 formed on the channel region 25 and the control gate 18 with a gate insulation film 24 therebetween. The control gate 18 is buried in the semiconductor substrate 10, which makes it unnecessary to form the control gate 18 on the floating gate electrode 20. Thus, the memory transistor and the other transistors, etc. can be formed by the same fabricating process. Thus, the fabrication processes can be less and the semiconductor device can be inexpensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Masaya Katayama, Takaaki Furuyama, Shozo Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20080247233
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device which can reduce consumption current and shorten access time and a control method thereof is provided. The nonvolatile memory device 1 comprises a booster controller circuit 10, a booster circuit 20, a level-shifting circuit 30, a Y-decoder 40, and a main circuit 50. A NAND gate ND1, a NOR gate NR1, and a NOR gate NR2 provided in the booster controller circuit 10 output kick signals KICK0 to KICK2. The booster circuit 20 comprises boosting systems B0, B1, B2 which respectively receive the kick signals KICK0, KICK1, and KICK2. The kick signals KICK0 and KICK1 outputted from the NAND gate ND1 and the NOR gate NR1 make transition to high level in accordance with the transition of column address coladd from address 7 to 8. Therefore, the boosting system B0 is activated in addition to the boosting system B1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Sooyong Park
  • Patent number: 7433219
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a CAM cell array that stores the operation setting information as to the semiconductor device, a controller that controls read and write of the CAM cell array, a row decoder, and a column decoder. With this structure, different row addresses are allocated to respective functions of the operation setting information. Accordingly, stress is not caused in the CAM cell array of the unselected functions at the time of programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Kenji Shibata, Takaaki Furuyama, Satoru Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7415568
    Abstract: When an initializing operation starts, a busy state indicative of the disenable of access operation is set (S11), and read operation information is read out by preferentially using a verify sense amplifier 4 or a high-speed read sense amplifier 3 (S12). Upon completion of latching the read operation information (S13: Y), a ready state that announces that the read access operation from a non-redundant memory region is enabled is set (S14), and a ready signal is outputted according to an external read access request to the non-redundant memory region. A boot program or the like which is in the non-redundant memory region can be read out in parallel with the read of the operation information. Subsequently, the redundancy information is read out (S15), and a ready state that announces that the read access operation from all of the memory regions is enabled is set upon completion of reading out the redundancy information (S17). Thereafter, rewrite operation information is read out (S18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Takaaki Furuyama, Kenta Kato
  • Patent number: 7120050
    Abstract: A verify sense amplifier (19) reads data from a non-volatile memory cell to be rewritten. The readout data is compared to expected data in a comparator circuit (21). Upon completion of rewriting, the comparator circuit (21) outputs a match signal MCH. A selector (23) outputs a decode signal STR(i) or SWP(i) indicative of a volatile data retaining unit (25), in correspondence with the non-volatile memory cell MC to be rewritten. According to a verify instruction signal PGV/ERV, the readout data read by the verify sense amplifier (19) is stored in the volatile data retaining unit (25). Control is performed with a match signal MCH instead of the verify instruction signal PGV/ERV, thereby storing the data in the volatile data retaining unit (25) upon completion of rewriting. Therefore, there is no need to re-read operational information from the non-volatile storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Mitsuhiro Nagao, Kenta Kato
  • Publication number: 20060209583
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a CAM cell array that stores the operation setting information as to the semiconductor device, a controller that controls read and write of the CAM cell array, a row decoder, and a column decoder. With this structure, different row addresses are allocated to respective functions of the operation setting information. Accordingly, stress is not caused in the CAM cell array of the unselected functions at the time of programming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Kenji Shibata, Takaaki Furuyama, Satoru Kawamoto
  • Publication number: 20060098496
    Abstract: A verify sense amplifier (19) reads data from a non-volatile memory cell to be rewritten. The readout data is compared to expected data in a comparator circuit (21). Upon completion of rewriting, the comparator circuit (21) outputs a match signal MCH. A selector (23) outputs a decode signal STR(i) or SWP(i) indicative of a volatile data retaining unit (25), in correspondence with the non-volatile memory cell MC to be rewritten. According to a verify instruction signal PGV/ERV, the readout data read by the verify sense amplifier (19) is stored in the volatile data retaining unit (25). Control is performed with a match signal MCH instead of the verify instruction signal PGV/ERV, thereby storing the data in the volatile data retaining unit (25) upon completion of rewriting. Therefore, there is no need to re-read operational information from the non-volatile storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Mitsuhiro Nagao, Kenta Kato
  • Publication number: 20060046373
    Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a first well 14 of a first conduction type formed in a semiconductor substrate 10; a second well 16 of a second conduction type formed in the first well 14; and a transistor 40 including a control gate 18 formed of an impurity region of the first conduction type formed in the second well 16, a first impurity diffused layer 26 and a second impurity diffused layer 33 formed with a channel region 25 therebetween, and a floating gate electrode 20 formed on the channel region 25 and the control gate 18 with a gate insulation film 24 therebetween. The control gate 18 is buried in the semiconductor substrate 10, which makes it unnecessary to form the control gate 18 on the floating gate electrode 20. Thus, the memory transistor and the other transistors, etc. can be formed by the same fabricating process. Thus, the fabrication processes can be less and the semiconductor device can be inexpensive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Masaya Katayama, Takaaki Furuyama, Shozo Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20060023500
    Abstract: When an initializing operation starts, a busy state indicative of the disenable of access operation is set (S11), and read operation information is read out by preferentially using a verify sense amplifier 4 or a high-speed read sense amplifier 3 (S12). Upon completion of latching the read operation information (S13: Y), a ready state that announces that the read access operation from a non-redundant memory region is enabled is set (S14), and a ready signal is outputted according to an external read access request to the non-redundant memory region. A boot program or the like which is in the non-redundant memory region can be read out in parallel with the read of the operation information. Subsequently, the redundancy information is read out (S15), and a ready state that announces that the read access operation from all of the memory regions is enabled is set upon completion of reading out the redundancy information (S17). Thereafter, rewrite operation information is read out (S18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Shozo Kawabata, Takaaki Furuyama, Kenta Kato
  • Patent number: 6977411
    Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a first well 14 of a first conduction type formed in a semiconductor substrate 10; a second well 16 of a second conduction type formed in the first well 14; and a transistor 40 including a control gate 18 formed of an impurity region of the first conduction type formed in the second well 16, a first impurity diffused layer 26 and a second impurity diffused layer 33 formed with a channel region 25 therebetween, and a floating gate electrode 20 formed on the channel region 25 and the control gate 18 with a gate insulation film 24 therebetween. The control gate 18 is buried in the semiconductor substrate 10, which makes it unnecessary to form the control gate 18 on the floating gate electrode 20. Thus, the memory transistor and the other transistors, etc. can be formed by the same fabricating process. Thus, the fabrication processes can be less and the semiconductor device can be inexpensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Masaya Katayama, Takaaki Furuyama, Shozo Kawabata
  • Patent number: 6862217
    Abstract: It is intended to provide control method and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of erase operation or write operation in high speed securing reliability without applying excessive electric field. An operation unit consists of a plurality of operation cycles each of which has a bias-application period and a verification period. Addition voltage ?V is added to each operation unit as bias voltage, whereby a write operation can be carried out with characteristic of injected current IFG that is uniform among respective operation units duration of which are generally same. In this case, duration of operation cycles are shortened by each operation unit and duration of verification periods are shortened so as to avoid a situation such that a write operation completes in the middle of a bias-application period and after that, another write operation continues to cause excessive voltage stress on non-volatile semiconductor memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shozo Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20040129970
    Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a first well 14 of a first conduction type formed in a semiconductor substrate 10; a second well 16 of a second conduction type formed in the first well 14; and a transistor 40 including a control gate 18 formed of an impurity region of the first conduction type formed in the second well 16, a first impurity diffused layer 26 and a second impurity diffused layer 33 formed with a channel region 25 therebetween, and a floating gate electrode 20 formed on the channel region 25 and the control gate 18 with a gate insulation film 24 therebetween. The control gate 18 is buried in the semiconductor substrate 10, which makes it unnecessary to form the control gate 18 on the floating gate electrode 20. Thus, the memory transistor and the other transistors, etc. can be formed by the same fabricating process. Thus, the fabrication processes can be less and the semiconductor device can be inexpensive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Masaya Katayama, Takaaki Furuyama, Shozo Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20040057288
    Abstract: It is intended to provide control method and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of erase operation or write operation in high speed securing reliability without applying excessive electric field. An operation unit consists of a plurality of operation cycles each of which has a bias-application period and a verification period. Addition voltage &Dgr;V is added to each operation unit as bias voltage, whereby a write operation can be carried out with characteristic of injected current IFG that is uniform among respective operation units duration of which are generally same. In this case, duration of operation cycles are shortened by each operation unit and duration of verification periods are shortened so as to avoid a situation such that a write operation completes in the middle of a bias-application period and after that, another write operation continues to cause excessive voltage stress on non-volatile semiconductor memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shozo Kawabata