Patents by Inventor Hideyuki Yokou

Hideyuki Yokou 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: 9411015
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a semiconductor substrate, a check circuit and a through-substrate via. The check circuit includes a check line formed over the semiconductor substrate and including first and second parts each extending in a first direction and a third part extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction, the first and second parts being opposite to each other, the third part connecting one end of the first part with one end of the second part, a charge circuit coupled to a one end of the check line, and a comparator coupled to the other end of the check line at a first input node thereof. The through-substrate via penetrates through the semiconductor substrate and is located in an area that is between the first and second parts of the check line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Manabu Ishimatsu, Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9379600
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a bias line to which a bias current flows, a switch circuit controlling an amount of the bias current based on a control signal, a control line to which the control signal is supplied, and a cancellation circuit substantially cancelling a potential fluctuation of the bias line caused by changing the control signal, the potential fluctuation propagating via a parasitic capacitance between the control line and the bias line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Isao Nakamura, Manabu Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 9368189
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an output circuit having a plurality of unit buffer circuits, an impedance of each unit buffer circuit of the plurality of unit buffer circuits being adjustable, a control circuit configured to selectively activate one or more unit buffer circuits of the plurality of unit buffer circuits, and an impedance adjustment unit configured to adjust the impedance of each of the unit buffer circuits of the plurality of unit buffer circuits. The impedance adjustment unit includes a first power line, a replica circuit, and a load current generation circuit. The replica circuit and the load current generation circuit are coupled in common to the first power line, the replica circuit has a replica impedance that is substantially equal to the impedance of the output circuit, and the load current generation circuit changes current flowing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: PS4 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Koji Uemura, Manabu Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 9053771
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor system including a plurality of core chips and an interface chip that controls the core chips. Each of the core chips includes an internal voltage generating circuit. The interface chip includes an unused chip information holding circuit that stores therein unused chip information of the core chips. The core chips respectively receive the unused chip information from the unused chip information holding circuit. When the unused chip information indicates an unused state, the internal voltage generating circuits are inactivated, and when the unused chip information indicates a used state, the internal voltage generating circuits are activated. With this configuration, unnecessary power consumption by the unused chips is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Yokou
  • Patent number: 8952498
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device including a substrate and first and second chips stacked on the substrate. The first and second chips have penetration electrodes that are penetrating therethrough. Power terminals of the first and second chips are connected to each other and arranged in a first arrangement pitch. Signal terminals of the first and second chips are connected to each other and arranged in a second arrangement pitch that is smaller than the first arrangement pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shigezane, Hideyuki Yokou, Akira Ide
  • Publication number: 20140286109
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an output circuit having a plurality of unit buffer circuits, an impedance of each unit buffer circuit of the plurality of unit buffer circuits being adjustable, a control circuit configured to selectively activate one or more unit buffer circuits of the plurality of unit buffer circuits, and an impedance adjustment unit configured to adjust the impedance of each of the unit buffer circuits of the plurality of unit buffer circuits. The impedance adjustment unit includes a first power line, a replica circuit, and a load current generation circuit. The replica circuit and the load current generation circuit are coupled in common to the first power line, the replica circuit has a replica impedance that is substantially equal to the impedance of the output circuit, and the load current generation circuit changes current flowing therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Hideyuki YOKOU, Koji UEMURA, Manabu ISHIMATSU
  • Publication number: 20140241095
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor system including a plurality of core chips and an interface chip that controls the core chips. Each of the core chips includes an internal voltage generating circuit. The interface chip includes an unused chip information holding circuit that stores therein unused chip information of the core chips. The core chips respectively receive the unused chip information from the unused chip information holding circuit. When the unused chip information indicates an unused state, the internal voltage generating circuits are inactivated, and when the unused chip information indicates a used state, the internal voltage generating circuits are activated. With this configuration, unnecessary power consumption by the unused chips is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventor: Hideyuki Yokou
  • Patent number: 8766664
    Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises an output circuit that includes a plurality of unit buffer circuits each of which has an adjustable impedance, a control circuit that selectively activates one or ones of the unit buffer circuits, and an impedance adjustment unit that adjusts the impedances of the unit buffer circuits and includes a power line, a replica circuit, which has a replica impedance that is substantially equal to the adjustable impedance of each of the unit buffer circuits, and a load current generation circuit, which changes current flowing therethrough in accordance with the number of activated the one or ones of the unit buffer circuits. The replica circuit and the load current generation circuit are connected in common to the power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Koji Uemura, Manabu Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 8760902
    Abstract: A device that includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first circuit electrically coupled to the second terminal, a second circuit electrically coupled to the first terminal and the first circuit, and a third circuit electrically coupled to the second circuit. The second semiconductor chip includes a third terminal, a fourth terminal, a fourth circuit electrically coupled to the fourth terminal, a fifth circuit electrically coupled to the third terminal and the fourth circuit, and a sixth circuit electrically coupled to the fifth circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventor: Hideyuki Yokou
  • Publication number: 20140152380
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a bias line to which a bias current flows, a switch circuit controlling an amount of the bias current based on a control signal, a control line to which the control signal is supplied, and a cancellation circuit substantially cancelling a potential fluctuation of the bias line caused by changing the control signal, the potential fluctuation propagating via a parasitic capacitance between the control line and the bias line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki YOKOU, Isao NAKAMURA, Manabu ISHIMATSU
  • Patent number: 8717839
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes first and second current paths, first and second latch circuits electrically connected to the first and second current paths, respectively, a driver circuit supplying first data to the first latch circuit, and supplying second data representing a logical value opposite to a logical value of the first data to the second latch circuit, a control circuit controlling the driver circuit to be alternately and repeatedly in a first period in which the driver circuit supplies the first data to the first latch circuit and does not supply the second data to the second latch circuit, and in a second period in which the driver circuit supplies the second data to the second latch circuit and does not supply the first data to the first latch circuit, and a monitor circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Yasuyuki Shigezane
  • Patent number: 8665008
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a bias line to which a bias current flows, a switch circuit controlling an amount of the bias current based on a control signal, a control line to which the control signal is supplied, and a cancellation circuit substantially cancelling a potential fluctuation of the bias line caused by changing the control signal, the potential fluctuation propagating via a parasitic capacitance between the control line and the bias line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Isao Nakamura, Manabu Ishimatsu
  • Publication number: 20130329481
    Abstract: A device that includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first circuit electrically coupled to the second terminal, a second circuit electrically coupled to the first terminal and the first circuit, and a third circuit electrically coupled to the second circuit. The second semiconductor chip includes a third terminal, a fourth terminal, a fourth circuit electrically coupled to the fourth terminal, a fifth circuit electrically coupled to the third terminal and the fourth circuit, and a sixth circuit electrically coupled to the fifth circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Hideyuki YOKOU
  • Publication number: 20130249578
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a semiconductor substrate, a check circuit and a through-substrate via. The check circuit includes a check line formed over the semiconductor substrate and including first and second parts each extending in a first direction and a third part extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction, the first and second parts being opposite to each other, the third part connecting one end of the first part with one end of the second part, a charge circuit coupled to a one end of the check line, and a comparator coupled to the other end of the check line at a first input node thereof. The through-substrate via penetrates through the semiconductor substrate and is located in an area that is between the first and second parts of the check line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki YOKOU, Manabu ISHIMATSU, Naoki OGAWA
  • Patent number: 8390318
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a replica buffer circuit that drives a calibration terminal, a reference-potential generating circuit that generates a reference potential, a comparison circuit that compares a potential appearing at the calibration terminal with the reference potential, and a control circuit that changes an output impedance of the replica buffer circuit based on a result of a comparison by the comparison circuit. The reference-potential generating circuit includes a first potential generating unit activated in response to an enable signal and a second potential generating unit activated regardless of the enable signal, and an output node of the first potential generating unit and an output node of the second potential generating unit are commonly connected to the comparison circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yokou, Takanori Eguchi, Manabu Ishimatsu
  • Publication number: 20120262196
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device includes first and second core chips and a test circuit. The first core chip outputs an internal signal to a second node thereof in response to a core-chip test signal supplied to a first node thereof. The second core chip outputs an internal signal to a second node thereof in response to the core-chip test signal supplied to a first node thereof. The test circuit generates test result signals based on the internal signal of the first core chip being output from the second node of the first core chip, and the internal signal of the second core chip being output from the third node of the first core chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideyuki YOKOU
  • Publication number: 20120248600
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device including a substrate and first and second chips stacked on the substrate. The first and second chips have penetration electrodes that are penetrating therethrough. Power terminals of the first and second chips are connected to each other and arranged in a first arrangement pitch. Signal terminals of the first and second chips are connected to each other and arranged in a second arrangement pitch that is smaller than the first arrangement pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki SHIGEZANE, Hideyuki YOKOU, Akira IDE
  • Publication number: 20120212272
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes first and second current paths, first and second latch circuits electrically connected to the first and second current paths, respectively, a driver circuit supplying first data to the first latch circuit, and supplying second data representing a logical value opposite to a logical value of the first data to the second latch circuit, a control circuit controlling the driver circuit to be alternately and repeatedly in a first period in which the driver circuit supplies the first data to the first latch circuit and does not supply the second data to the second latch circuit, and in a second period in which the driver circuit supplies the second data to the second latch circuit and does not supply the first data to the first latch circuit, and a monitor circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki YOKOU, Yasuyuki Shigezane
  • Publication number: 20120212286
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a bias line to which a bias current flows, a switch circuit controlling an amount of the bias current based on a control signal, a control line to which the control signal is supplied, and a cancellation circuit substantially cancelling a potential fluctuation of the bias line caused by changing the control signal, the potential fluctuation propagating via a parasitic capacitance between the control line and the bias line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki YOKOU, Isao Nakamura, Manabu Ishimatsu
  • Publication number: 20120212254
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a replica buffer circuit that drives a calibration terminal, a reference-potential generating circuit that generates a reference potential, a comparison circuit that compares a potential appearing at the calibration terminal with the reference potential, and a control circuit that changes an output impedance of the replica buffer circuit based on a result of a comparison by the comparison circuit. The reference-potential generating circuit includes a first potential generating unit activated in response to an enable signal and a second potential generating unit activated regardless of the enable signal, and an output node of the first potential generating unit and an output node of the second potential generating unit are commonly connected to the comparison circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki YOKOU, Takanori Eguchi, Manabu Ishimatsu