Patents by Inventor Katsutaka Kimura

Katsutaka Kimura 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: 5309393
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of the invention realizes a reduced memory array area decreasing the number of connection holes between data-lines and memory cells. The memory cell is made up of one transistor and one capacitor. The plurality of memory cells are connected in such a way that the transisters are connected in series to one another. The individual electrodes of the capacitors are connected to the respective connection of the transistors. By applying a voltage to the word-lines in order, the information stored as charge in respective capacitors is read out to the data-line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakata, Katsutaka Kimura, Kiyoo Itoh
  • Patent number: 5299165
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory, a dummy data line having dummy cells connected thereto for producing reference signals is provided in common to a plurality of data lines having memory cells connected thereto. The dummy cells and the memory cells are selected by a same word line. Each of the data lines and the dummy data line are provided with signal transfer circuitries. A differential signal detecting circuit provided for each of the lines is supplied as input thereto with an output of the signal transfer circuit together with an output of the signal transfer circuit of the dummy data line for signal detection. By connecting the dummy cell to the dummy data line provided in common to the word line to which a same signal as that for the memory cell is applied, noise transmitted to the data line and the dummy data line can be canceled out. High density integration comparable to that of an open data line arrangement and a high S/N ratio comparable to that of a folded data line arrangement can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd
    Inventors: Katsutaka Kimura, Takeshi Sakata, Kiyoo Itoh
  • Patent number: 5299157
    Abstract: Signals are simultaneously read out from a plurality of memory cells connected to one selected word line onto respective data lines. By successively making a selection out of data lines, signals read simultaneously onto respective data lines are serially and successively sensed by means of one signal sensing means. As for restoring operation as well, restoring is successively performed via the signal transferring means on the basis of the result sensed by the signal sensing means. By thus making a plurality of data lines share either signal sensing means or both signal sensing means and restoring means, the number of these means can be reduced and the layout pitch of these means can be relaxed. Therefore, a semiconductor memory having a higher density can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsutaka Kimura, Takeshi Sakata, Kiyoo Itoh
  • Patent number: 5200635
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a semiconductor device having a low-resistivity wiring structure. Wirings formed directly on a hill and valley structure result in a thin portion and, in an extreme case, a disconnected portion. This increases the resistivity of wirings on the hill and valley structure and lowers the reliability of the connection. In a case where the wirings are data lines of a memory, with an increased effective length, the resistance and the parasitic capacitance of the data line is greater. The above mentioned problems have been solved by wirings which comprise at least two layers of conductive film including a first conductive film as a lower layer and a second conductive film as an upper layer, and the first conductive layer has a surface moderating or planarizing the hills and valleys in the underlying material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Kaga, Shinichiro Kimura, Katsutaka Kimura, Yoshinobu Nakagome, Digh Hisamoto, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Eiji Takeda, Shimpei Iijima, Tokuo Kure, Takashi Nishida
  • Patent number: 5165009
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a data processing system having a memory packaged therein for realizing a large-scale and high-speed parallel distributed processing and, especially, a data processing system for the neural network processing. The neural network processing system according to the present invention comprises: a memory circuit for storing neuron output values, connection weights, the desired values of outputs, and data necessary for learning; and input/output circuit for writing or reading data in or out of said memory circuit; a processing circuit for performing a processing for determining the neuron outputs such as the product, sum and nonlinear conversion of the data stored in said memory circuit, a comparison of the output value and its desired value, and a processing necessary for learning; and a control circuit for controlling the operations of said memory circuit, said input/output circuit and said processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Watanabe, Katsutaka Kimura, Kiyoo Itoh, Yoshiki Kawajiri
  • Patent number: 5151772
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided which includes a memory cell array located in a generally central area of a semiconductor substrate with peripheral circuits located at both ends of the semiconductor substrate. A wiring layer is also provided which couples the peripheral circuits to one another. This wiring layer is arranged to have a double-layer structure of first and second aluminum layers which are electrically coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi VLSI Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Yasushi Takahashi, Hiromi Matsuura, Yoshihisa Koyama, Masaya Muranaka, Katsutaka Kimura, Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Masamichi Ishihara, Hidetoshi Iwai
  • Patent number: 5117393
    Abstract: An address multiplexed dynamic RAM device is provided which is capable of initiating (setting) and terminating (resetting) the test mode in response to the signal level combinations of the row address and column address strobe signals and the write enable signal. The signal level combinations employed correspond to those which are unused in the normal operating mode thereby obviating the need for providing additional external control signal terminals. In addition to writing predetermined data in selected memory cells during the test mode, verficiation of the predetermined data is also implemented during the read phase of the test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Jun Etoh, Katsutaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 4992985
    Abstract: An address multiplexed dynamic RAM device is provided which is capable of initiating (setting) and terminating (resetting) the test mode in response to the signal level combinations of the row address and column address strobe signals with the write enable signal, which signal level combinations correspond to those which are otherwise left unused in the normal operating mode thereby obviating the requirement of an additional external control signal terminal. Such initiating of the test mode can be effected by setting the RAS signal of the DRAM at a logic "low" level when the CAS signal and the WE signal are at a logic "low" level. Clearing or resetting thereof is effected by the same combination sequence, except that the WE signal is at a logic "high" level. The setting or initiating of a test mode is also implemented by the additional combination of one of the row address signal bits, e.g. the most significant bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Jun Etoh, Katsutaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 4930112
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of circuits driven by at least one external power source, and at least one voltage converter transforming the voltage of the external power source into another voltage. At least a part of the plurality of circuits are driven by the output voltage of the at least one voltage converter, which is provided with a controller for controlling its load driving power, corresponding to the operation of the part of the plurality of circuits. The voltage converter includes a voltage limiter which is used exclusively for each of the different natures of the loads, and its operation and load driving power are controlled, depending on the operations of each of the loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi VLSI Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tanaka, Ryoichi Hori, Kiyoo Itoh, Katsutaka Kimura, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi
  • Patent number: 4916700
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device is disclosed which has a plurality of common data lines for delivering information from plural memory cells selected out of a plurality of memory cells during a normal operation mode, a plurality of amplifier circuits provided corresponding to the plurality of common data lines, a plurality of first testing logical circuits each one of which is provided for plural amplifier circuits which are disposed in close vicinity to each other of the plurality of amplifier circuits, and a second testing logical circuit for receiving each of output signals from the plurality of first testing logical circuits during the testing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Ito, Katsutaka Kimura, Kazuyuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 4894696
    Abstract: A very highly integrated semiconductor memory which enables the dynamic random access memory to develop less soft error and to eliminate margin for aligning the masks, that hinders the device from being highly integrated. The memory cell capacitor is constituted by a trench which is provided at a position defined by an insulator formed on the side of gate electrode of a MOS transistor that constitutes the memory cell. Therefore, the MOS transistor and the trench capacitor are self-aligned, and no margin is required for alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Takeda, Kiyoo Itoh, Ryoichi Hori, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Katsutaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 4873672
    Abstract: This invention relates to a semiconductor memory having a high speed operation and a high integration density. When a high integration semiconductor memory is applied to a large scale computer system, storage data must be erased at a high speed for data security. The present invention erases the storage data by a method which is different from the write method of conventional prior art. In the invention, the erasing operation is made by continuously selecting word lines while sense amplifiers are kept in this on-state. The present invention includes a control circuit for attaining such an operation, and can be used for a semiconductor memory implemented in a computer system accessed by a plurality of users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Device Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Etoh, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Katsutaka Kimura, Takesada Akiba
  • Patent number: 4811299
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dynamic RAM device capable of initiating and cancelling the test mode in response to the combinations of the row address and column address strobe signals with the write enable signal, which combinations are left unused in the normal operating mode, instead of increasing the number of external control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Jun Etoh, Katsutaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 4796234
    Abstract: It is contemplated to realize a semiconductor memory with a large memory capacity, high in integration and low in power dissipation. A semiconductor memory is disclosed, comprising a plurality of blocks each having a memory cell array and sense amplifier(s) to differentially amplify signals read out from the array, wherein a common driving line of amplifiers composed of N-channel MOS transistors among said sense amplifiers and a common driving line of amplifiers composed of P-channel MOS transistors among the sense amplifers are connected between different blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoo Itoh, Yoshiki Kawajiri, Katsutaka Kimura, Ryoichi Hori, Jun Etoh
  • Patent number: 4641279
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device including memory and dummy cells connected to groups of data lines, word lines and dummy word lines for selecting the memory and dummy cells, respectively, and a signal detector for differentially amplifying the read signal from the memory cell selected by the signal of the word line and a reference signal from the dummy cell, the improvement wherein the memory cell capacitor consists of two capacitors, each having substantially the same structure as a dummy cell capacitor and connected in parallel with the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsutaka Kimura, Ryoichi Hori, Kiyoo Ito, Hideo Sunami