Patents by Inventor Shuntaro Takahashi

Shuntaro Takahashi 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: 20240097677
    Abstract: A switching device, for example, includes a P-type semiconductor substrate configured to be fed with a ground voltage, a switching element connected between an application terminal for a supply voltage and an application terminal for an output voltage, a driver configured to turn on and off the switching element, and an active clamp circuit configured to control the switching element so as to keep the output voltage at an off transition of the switching element equal to or higher than a lower limit voltage lower than the ground voltage by an active clamp voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Naoki TAKAHASHI, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240087996
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element and a first connection member. The semiconductor element includes a substrate and an electrode pad. The substrate includes a transistor formation region, in which a transistor is formed and which is shaped to be non-quadrangular. The electrode pad is located on the transistor formation region. The first connection member is connected to the electrode pad at one location. The electrode pad is arranged to cover a center of gravity of the transistor formation region in a plan view of the electrode pad. In the plan view, a connection region in which the first connection member is connected to the electrode pad includes a center of gravity position of the transistor formation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Kazuki OKUYAMA, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI, Motoharu HAGA, Shingo YOSHIDA, Kazuhisa KUMAGAI, Hajime OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20240088886
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 includes: a split-gate transistor 9 connected between a drain electrode 11 (output electrode OUT) and a ground electrode and having a plurality of individually controllable channel regions; an active clamp circuit 26 configured to limit the output voltage VOUT appearing at the output electrode 11 to a clamp voltage or below; and a gate control circuit 25 configured to raise the ON resistance of the split-gate transistor 9 gently (or stepwise) after the split-gate transistor is switched from the ON state to the OFF state before the active clamp circuit 26 limits the output voltage VOUT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Makoto SADA, Toru TAKUMA, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240039268
    Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Naoki Takahashi, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11870236
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a current control part configured to control conductance of a transistor so as to limit an output current flowing when the transistor is turned on to a predetermined upper limit or less, and a duty control part configured to forcibly turning on/off the transistor at a predetermined duty ratio when a temperature protection circuit detects a temperature abnormality in a state where the current control part limits the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Shuntaro Takahashi, Naoki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20240007103
    Abstract: A switching device includes: an N-type semiconductor substrate; a power MISFET having the N-type semiconductor substrate as its drain; an input electrode receiving an input signal; a control circuit generating a gate control signal for the power MISFET according to the input signal; and a negative current prevention circuit provided between the input electrode and the control circuit. The negative current prevention circuit includes: a P-channel MISFET connected, with its drain toward the input electrode and its source and back gate toward the control circuit, between the input electrode and the control circuit, with its gate fed with a fixed potential, with the potential at its back gate separated from the potential of the N-type semiconductor substrate; and a diode connected, with its anode toward the input electrode and its cathode toward the control circuit, between the input electrode and the control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Katsuaki YAMADA, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI, Muga IMAMURA
  • Patent number: 11843235
    Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Naoki Takahashi, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20230223746
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a clamper including a current source that is connected between an external electrode and an internal node and generates a predetermined constant current, a diode having an anode connected to the internal node, and a current mirror that generates a second current corresponding to a first current flowing via the diode and draws the second current from the internal node to a reference voltage node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Adrian Joita, Toru TAKUMA, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20230216289
    Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Toru TAKUMA, Naoki TAKAHASHI, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20230133872
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gate control circuit that generates a gate control signal of an output transistor connected between an application end of a power supply voltage and an application end of an output voltage. The gate control circuit includes a first current source connected between the application end of the power supply voltage and the application end of the output voltage, a second current source connected between an application end of a booster voltage and an application end of a reference voltage, the booster voltage being raised to a voltage value higher than the power supply voltage in a steady state, an output stage that uses at least one of the first and second current sources to generate a gate charge current for charging a gate of the output transistor, and a controller that uses at least one of the first and second current sources according to the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Toru TAKUMA, Adrian Joita, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20230125777
    Abstract: Disclosed is a switch device including a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a switch element disposed between the first terminal and the second terminal, a control line that reaches a control end of the switch element from the third terminal, a first circuit block that is disposed on the control line and is configured to drive the switch element according to a control signal supplied to the third terminal, at least one second circuit block, each second circuit block being connected to a corresponding one of branch power supply lines that branch from the control line, a first resistor disposed between the third terminal and the first circuit block, and at least one second resistor, each second resistor being disposed on a corresponding one of the branch power supply lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Tetsuo Yamato, Shuntaro Takahashi, Kazuki Okuyama
  • Patent number: 11637420
    Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Naoki Takahashi, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20230102188
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes: a first transistor and a second transistor configured to form an amplifier input stage that receives input of a detection signal according to a monitoring target current; and a third transistor configured to form an amplifier output stage that generates a current output signal according to a difference between the detection signal and a reference signal and causes the current output signal to be negatively fed back to the amplifier input stage, wherein the monitoring target current is limited based on the current output signal output from the third transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Adrian JOITA, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220158436
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a current control part configured to control conductance of a transistor so as to limit an output current flowing when the transistor is turned on to a predetermined upper limit or less, and a duty control part configured to forcibly turning on/off the transistor at a predetermined duty ratio when a temperature protection circuit detects a temperature abnormality in a state where the current control part limits the output current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Shuntaro Takahashi, Naoki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11289894
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a current control part configured to control conductance of a transistor so as to limit an output current flowing when the transistor is turned on to a predetermined upper limit or less, and a duty control part configured to forcibly turning on/off the transistor at a predetermined duty ratio when a temperature protection circuit detects a temperature abnormality in a state where the current control part limits the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Shuntaro Takahashi, Naoki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20220045208
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, an insulation gate-type first transistor which is formed in the semiconductor layer, an insulation gate-type second transistor which is formed in the semiconductor layer, and a control wiring which is formed on the semiconductor layer such as to be electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor, and transmits control signals that control the first transistor and the second transistor to be in ON states in a normal operation and that control the first transistor to be in an OFF state and the second transistor to be in an ON state in an active clamp operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Hajime OKUDA, Yoshinori FUKUDA, Toru TAKUMA, Shuntaro TAKAHASHI, Naoki TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220037872
    Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Naoki Takahashi, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11183829
    Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (?Iref) and a second set value (?Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (?Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Naoki Takahashi, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11128288
    Abstract: A switching device has, for example, a first terminal configured to be connected to an application node for a first voltage, a second terminal configured to be connected to the first end of a load, a third terminal configured to be connected to the second end of the load and to an application node for a second voltage, a switching element configured to be connected between the first and second terminals, a first active clamper configured to limit the output voltage at the second terminal with reference to the first voltage in a first state, and a second active clamper configured to limit the output voltage with reference to the second voltage in a second state different from the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takuma, Shuntaro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11128117
    Abstract: A protection circuit includes: a high-side switch connected to a power terminal to which a predetermined power supply voltage VBB is supplied from an onboard battery; and an NMOS transistor MT1 connected to the high-side switch and configured to prevent an electrical conduction to the high-side switch when the onboard battery is reverse-connected to the power terminal, wherein a semiconductor integrated circuit is protected from a breakdown due to the reverse connection of the external power supply. A semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus includes the above-mentioned protection circuit configured to protect a semiconductor integrated circuit connected between the power terminal and the ground terminal, from an electro-static discharge breakdown. The protection circuit is connected to the clamp circuit unit inserted between the power terminal and the ground terminal, and is configured to protect the clamp circuit unit from a breakdown when the external power supply is reverse-connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Takahashi, Shuntaro Takahashi, Toru Takuma