Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Sadakata

Hiroyuki Sadakata 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: 8446792
    Abstract: A temperature sensing circuit activates a sensing signal when sensing that a temperature inside a semiconductor integrated circuit is lower than a predetermined temperature. A heat generation control circuit activates a heat generation control signal when the sensing signal is activated. When the heat generation control signal is activated, a current is generated inside a memory circuit to raise the temperature inside the semiconductor integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Fukushima, Shoji Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Sadakata, Kiyoto Ohta
  • Patent number: 8078949
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a parity generating circuit for generating parity data corresponding to input data; a normal data latching section for latching the input data or data read out from the normal memory cell array; an input selection circuit for selectively outputting the input data or the parity data; a parity data latching section for latching and outputting the output from the input selection circuit or data read out from the parity memory cell array; and an error correction circuit for performing an error detection on the data latched by the normal data latching section by using the data latched by the parity data latching section, and performing an error correction if an error is detected, to output the obtained result. The parity data latching section outputs the data latched by itself externally of the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sadakata, Masahisa Iida
  • Publication number: 20110255353
    Abstract: A temperature sensing circuit activates a sensing signal when sensing that a temperature inside a semiconductor integrated circuit is lower than a predetermined temperature. A heat generation control circuit activates a heat generation control signal when the sensing signal is activated. When the heat generation control signal is activated, a current is generated inside a memory circuit to raise the temperature inside the semiconductor integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshifumi FUKUSHIMA, Shoji Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Sadakata, Kiyoto Ohta
  • Publication number: 20110026385
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device including a memory cell and having a function of refreshing the memory cell, includes a clock generation circuit configured to receive a first clock, generate a second clock based on an inversion of the first clock, and output the second clock. The semiconductor storage device performs operation of the refresh function in synchronization with at least one of the first and second clocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nakai, Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Patent number: 7529144
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of the present invention provides, in a memory having an hierarchical bit line structure, a test mode which causes all switches for selecting hierarchical bit lines and a main bit line in an activated memory array to be connected all the time. With this configuration, it is possible to perform a disturb refresh test on a memory cell arrays basis regardless of the hierarchical bit line structure. Possibility of an erroneous read-out, which may be caused by connecting each of the hierarchical bit lines to one another and a consequent increase in a bit line load capacity, may be prevented by providing a timing control such that the switches are connected after a normal mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20090094504
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a parity generating circuit for generating parity data corresponding to input data; a normal data latching section for latching the input data or data read out from the normal memory cell array; an input selection circuit for selectively outputting the input data or the parity data; a parity data latching section for latching and outputting the output from the input selection circuit or data read out from the parity memory cell array; and an error correction circuit for performing an error detection on the data latched by the normal data latching section by using the data latched by the parity data latching section, and performing an error correction if an error is detected, to output the obtained result. The parity data latching section outputs the data latched by itself externally of the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sadakata, Masahisa Iida
  • Patent number: 7471579
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory, a sub bit line hierarchical switch is provided correspondingly to each sub bit line between the sub bit line and a main bit line corresponding to the sub bit line, and a complementary sub bit line hierarchical switch is provided correspondingly to each complementary sub bit line between the complementary sub bit line and a complementary main bit line corresponding to the complementary sub bit line. Furthermore, the semiconductor memory includes a hierarchical switch control unit for turning off all the sub bit line hierarchical switch and the complementary sub bit line hierarchical switch when a given signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshitaka Uchikoba, Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Patent number: 7460426
    Abstract: Through setting an internal test mode, a refresh operation for a DRAM is carried out by externally inputted address signals, instead of internally generated address signals, while maintaining the same number of memory cell arrays to be activated as that of memory cell arrays which are concurrently activated in a refresh for memory cell arrays. This configuration needs no drastic addition of circuits and allows a reduction in disturb test time for a plurality of memory cell arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20080019199
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory, a sub bit line hierarchical switch is provided correspondingly to each sub bit line between the sub bit line and a main bit line corresponding to the sub bit line, and a complementary sub bit line hierarchical switch is provided correspondingly to each complementary sub bit line between the complementary sub bit line and a complementary main bit line corresponding to the complementary sub bit line. Furthermore, the semiconductor memory includes a hierarchical switch control unit for turning off all the sub bit line hierarchical switch and the complementary sub bit line hierarchical switch when a given signal is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Toshitaka Uchikoba, Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20070242545
    Abstract: Through setting an internal test mode, a refresh operation for a DRAM is carried out by externally inputted address signals, instead of internally generated address signals, while maintaining the same number of memory cell arrays to be activated as that of memory cell arrays which are concurrently activated in a refresh for memory cell arrays. This configuration needs no drastic addition of circuits and allows a reduction in disturb test time for a plurality of memory cell arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20070217261
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of the present invention provides, in a memory having an hierarchical bit line structure, a test mode which causes all switches for selecting hierarchical bit lines and a main bit line in an activated memory array to be connected all the time. With this configuration, it is possible to perform a disturb refresh test on a memory cell arrays basis regardless of the hierarchical bit line structure. Possibility of an erroneous read-out, which may be caused by connecting each of the hierarchical bit lines to one another and a consequent increase in a bit line load capacity, may be prevented by providing a timing control such that the switches are connected after a normal mode operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Patent number: 7174489
    Abstract: Conventionally, when a burn-in test is performed by means of utilizing a memory BIST circuit, a control of a reset operation for the memory BIST circuit is required from an external source. According to the present invention, it is configured that the memory BIST circuit is used for the burn-in test of a memory macro, and a BIST reset control circuit detects a memory BIST test completion signal from the memory BIST circuit, and automatically resets the memory BIST circuit. Thereby, repetitive continuous tests to the memory macro by the memory BIST circuit can be achieved, and the burn-in test by means of utilizing the memory BIST circuit can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sadakata, Koichiro Nomura, Shoji Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6909624
    Abstract: In recent system LSIs, a plurality of RAMs differing in capacity and in bit width have come to be mounted on a single chip according to the needs on the system side. However, when testing the plurality of RAMs, if the RAMs differ in capacity, they cannot be tested using the same test pattern (for example, HALF-MARCH) even if a special pin is provided for each RAM, because X, Y address mapping differs between the different RAMs; accordingly, the test has to be performed by dividing the RAMs into groups each consisting of RAMs having the same memory space, and this has lead to increased test time. An external address signal and a test-only address signal are provided as RAM control signals and, in the latter case, the number of X, Y addresses in each of the RAMs 4 and 5 is set equal to that of the largest capacity RAM 3 within the same chip, thereby making the X, Y address mapping the same for all the RAMs 3 to 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sadakata, Naoki Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20050007172
    Abstract: Conventionally, when a burn-in test is performed by means of utilizing a memory BIST circuit, a control of a reset operation for the memory BIST circuit is required from an external source. According to the present invention, it is configured that the memory BIST circuit is used for the burn-in test of a memory macro, and a BIST reset control circuit detects a memory BIST test completion signal from the memory BIST circuit, and automatically resets the memory BIST circuit. Thereby, repetitive continuous tests to the memory macro by the memory BIST circuit can be achieved, and the burn-in test by means of utilizing the memory BIST circuit can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sadakata, Koichiro Nomura, Shoji Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6788565
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has a plurality of memory cells each having a first transistor, a second transistor having a source or drain connected to one portion of the source or drain of the first transistor, and a third transistor having a source or drain connected to the other portion of the source or drain of the first transistor. The first transistor accumulates, in the channel thereof, charges transferred from the second and third transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Agata, Kazunari Takahashi, Masanori Shirahama, Naoki Kuroda, Hiroyuki Sadakata, Ryuji Nishihara
  • Patent number: 6765814
    Abstract: Strap lines are provided in a layer above word lines so that the word lines and the strap lines are connected to each other in strapping regions separately provided at the ends of memory cell array portions in a conventional semiconductor memory device having a problem wherein the area of the memory cell array portions is increased. Each memory cell is formed of a MOS transistor and a MOS capacitor in a layout of a memory cell array portion according to a standard CMOS process. Memory cells of this structure have a sufficiently large pitch between bit lines and, therefore, contacts for connecting word lines to strap lines in an upper layer are provided between the bit lines, as low resistance metal wires, in the same layer as the bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Nishihara, Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20040125667
    Abstract: In recent system LSIs, a plurality of RAMs differing in capacity and in bit width have come to be mounted on a single chip according to the needs on the system side. However, when testing the plurality of RAMs, if the RAMs differ in capacity, they cannot be tested using the same test pattern (for example, HALF-MARCH) even if a special pin is provided for each RAM, because X, Y address mapping differs between the different RAMs; accordingly, the test has to be performed by dividing the RAMs into groups each consisting of RAMs having the same memory space, and this has lead to increased test time. An external address signal and a test-only address signal are provided as RAM control signals and, in the latter case, the number of X, Y addresses in each of the RAMs 4 and 5 is set equal to that of the largest capacity RAM 3 within the same chip, thereby making the X, Y address mapping the same for all the RAMs 3 to 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sadakata, Naoki Kuroda
  • Patent number: 6711050
    Abstract: A folded bitline type sense amplifier circuit is disposed at an outer side of an end memory cell array in which 2Tr1C type cells each composed of a data storage capacitor, an A port access transistor and a B port access transistor are arranged in the form of a matrix, and two word lines used for cell selection are connected to corresponding gates of the A and B port access transistors. The drain of the A port access transistor is connected to one bit line of an open bitline type sense amplifier circuit, and the drain of the B port access transistor is connected to one bit line out of a bit line pair of the folded bitline sense amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20030179629
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has a plurality of memory cells each having a first transistor, a second transistor having a source or drain connected to one portion of the source or drain of the first transistor, and a third transistor having a source or drain connected to the other portion of the source or drain of the first transistor. The first transistor accumulates, in the channel thereof, charges transferred from the second and third transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Agata, Kazunari Takahashi, Masanori Shirahama, Naoki Kuroda, Hiroyuki Sadakata, Ryuji Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20030151943
    Abstract: A folded bitline type sense amplifier circuit is disposed at an outer side of an end memory cell array in which 2Tr1C type cells each composed of a data storage capacitor, an A port access transistor and a B port access transistor are arranged in the form of a matrix, and two word lines used for cell selection are connected to corresponding gates of the A and B port access transistors. The drain of the A port access transistor is connected to one bit line of an open bitline type sense amplifier circuit, and the drain of the B port access transistor is connected to one bit line out of a bit line pair of the folded bitline sense amplifier circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sadakata