Patents by Inventor Kazushige Kanda

Kazushige Kanda 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: 20110141794
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array includes memory cells, lines provided to correspond to the memory cells, a first decoder configured to select a first line as an inspection target from the lines, a second decoder configured to select a second line for generating a reference voltage from the lines, a driver configured to charge the first and second lines, a discharging circuit configured to simultaneously discharge the first and second lines, and a sense amplifier configured to compare a voltage of the first line with a voltage of the second line to detect a defect of the first line while the first line is discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Tomonori Kurosawa, Takahiko Sasaki, Kazushige Kanda
  • Publication number: 20110134695
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor memory device including: multiple bit lines arranged in parallel to one another; multiple sense-amplifier bit lines arranged away from end portions of the bit lines; a fourth sense-amplifier bit line formed with a wire of a first layer arranged below the bit lines; selection transistors with a pair of gate electrodes arranged in a direction normal to the first to sixth bit lines; a first wire arranged below the bit lines and the sense-amplifier bit lines, and having an end portion extending to below the third bit line and connected to the bit line; a third wire formed with a layer of the gate electrode used as a wire, the third wire including a first end portion positioned below the fourth sense-amplifier bit line and connected to the fourth sense-amplifier bit line, and a second end portion positioned below the second sense-amplifier bit line; and a fourth wire formed with a wire of the first layer and arranged between the third wire and the second sense-amplifier bit line to conn
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazushige Kanda, Toshiki Hisada, Katsuaki Isobe
  • Publication number: 20110103135
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for writing data to a non-volatile memory device having first wirings and second wirings intersecting one another and memory cells arranged at each intersection therebetween, each of the memory cells having a variable resistive element and a rectifying element connected in series. According to the method, the second wirings are charged to a certain voltage not less than a rectifying-element threshold value, prior to a rise in a selected first wiring. Then, a selected first wiring is charged to a voltage required for writing or erasing, after which a selected second wiring is discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiaki EDAHIRO, Kazushige Kanda, Naoya Tokiwa, Takuya Futatsuyama, Koji Hosono, Shigeo Ohshima
  • Patent number: 7911823
    Abstract: A method of programming a non-volatile memory device with memory cells formed of variable resistance elements and disposed between word lines and bit lines, includes: previously charging a selected word line and a selected bit line together with a non-selected word line and a non-selected bit line up to a certain voltage; and further charging the selected word line and the non-selected bit line up to a program voltage higher than the certain voltage and a program-block voltage, respectively, and simultaneously discharging the selected bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takuya Futatsuyama, Koji Hosono, Toshiaki Edahiro, Naoya Tokiwa, Kazushige Kanda, Shigeo Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20110063887
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, and a control circuit. The memory cell array includes plural memory cells arranged in rows and columns and each including a diode and resistance-change element. The control circuit tests the diodes for the respective memory cells. The control circuit tests the diode at least at one of times before and after one of a write operation, erase operation and read operation with respect to the memory cell is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventor: Kazushige KANDA
  • Patent number: 7889558
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of sense amplifiers, each amplifier being connected to one of the plurality of bit lines respectively and a memory cell array including a memory cell region including a plurality of memory strings having a plurality of electrically reprogrammable memory cells connected in series, each of the memory cells having two or more storage states, said plurality of memory cells being connected to a corresponding word line of the plurality of word lines respectively, the plurality of memory strings being connected to a corresponding bit line of the plurality of bit lines respectively, and at the time of programming all of the plurality of bit lines are selected, the number of the storage states being different in two of the memory cells which are adjacent on the same bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazushige Kanda
  • Patent number: 7889537
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for writing data to a non-volatile memory device having first wirings and second wirings intersecting one another and memory cells arranged at each intersection therebetween, each of the memory cells having a variable resistive element and a rectifying element connected in series. According to the method, the second wirings are charged to a certain voltage not less than a rectifying-element threshold value, prior to a rise in a selected first wiring. Then, a selected first wiring is charged to a voltage required for writing or erasing, after which a selected second wiring is discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiaki Edahiro, Kazushige Kanda, Naoya Tokiwa, Takuya Futatsuyama, Koji Hosono, Shigeo Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20110019492
    Abstract: A first write enable signal that changes with a constant period and a second write enable signal that changes at a time portion in which a limit time between activation/deactivation control of word lines and activation/deactivation control of bit lines is checked are input, a plurality of core control signals in which a time interval with which the core control signals change is locally shorter than a period of the first write enable signal based on the first write enable signal and the second write enable signal that are input is generated, and an operation verification of the resistive random access memory is performed by using the generated core control signals, whereby a cycle time in an arbitrary test cycle is locally and arbitrary adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazuaki KAWAGUCHI, Kazushige KANDA
  • Patent number: 7817457
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes: a memory cell array including memory cells each having a variable resistance element for nonvolatilely storing data identified by an electrically rewritable resistance value; a first data latch storing write and erase data to be written on a given group of memory cells of the memory cell array for a write and erase operation; and a second data latch storing reference data for performing a compensation operation of the given group to compensate write and erase disturbance accompanied by the write or erase operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Naoya Tokiwa, Kazushige Kanda, Toshiaki Edahiro, Koji Hosono, Takuya Futatsuyama, Shigeo Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20100246280
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a reset sequence circuit, a latch circuit, and a reset control circuit. The reset sequence circuit is activated by receiving an externally input signal when a reset operation is started and outputs a first trigger signal. The latch circuit is capable of holding selection information on circuits capable of being reset. The selection information is externally input. The reset control circuit outputs a reset signal on the basis of the selection information held in the latch circuit in response to a power-on reset signal and the first trigger signal output from the reset sequence circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventor: Kazushige KANDA
  • Patent number: 7646222
    Abstract: A reference voltage generating circuit receives a power supply voltage and generates a reference voltage. A reference voltage level guarantee circuit generates a sense signal when the circuit senses that a value of the reference voltage has reached a predetermined value. A power supply voltage sensing circuit has a voltage comparator circuit which compares a voltage obtained by dividing a power supply voltage with the reference voltage and outputs a power ON reset signal. An operation of the voltage comparator circuit is controlled based on a sense signal. When the value of the power supply voltage increases and the value of the reference voltage reaches a predetermined value, the voltage comparator circuit operates, and a power ON reset signal is outputted in response to a result of comparison between a divisional voltage and the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaki Ichikawa, Kazushige Kanda
  • Patent number: 7633826
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of this invention includes a first circuit for initializing a predetermined circuit in accordance with the level of a power source voltage, a second circuit for controlling the output from the first circuit by activation or deactivation, and an activation control circuit for activating or deactivating the second circuit in accordance with external input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazushige Kanda, Kenichi Imamiya, Hiroshi Nakamura, Ken Takeuchi, Tamio Ikehashi
  • Publication number: 20090265591
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device related to an embodiment of the present invention includes an address register which includes an internal selection circuit connected with a control circuit, a signal generation instruction circuit which instructs the control circuit so that a predetermined internal control signal is generated, a latch circuit, a plurality of which are arranged corresponding to a number of bits of test parameter data, the latch circuit latching test result data which is provided from the data program/read circuit and outputting the test result data to the selection circuit and externally, the control circuit generating an internal control signal which activates the selection circuit at a timing at which a fixed value data of the test parameter data is changed, and the selection circuit controlling a test so that a fixed value data of the test parameter data is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuki Okukawa, Kazushige Kanda
  • Patent number: 7539053
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines comprising even numbered bit lines and odd numbered bit lines and a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells having two or more storage states, one of the plurality of memory cells being connected to a corresponding word line of the plurality of word lines, the number of storage states between adjacent memory cells is different in a word line direction and a bit line direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazushige Kanda
  • Publication number: 20090103376
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device related to an embodiment of the present invention includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a first interface part having a predetermined number of pins, a second interface part having a smaller number of the pins than the first interface part, a data pattern latch part which stores an externally input data pattern, a comparison part which compares the data pattern input or preliminarily set from the data pattern latch part with data which is read from the memory cell array, and a comparison result output part arranged in the second interface part, and which outputs a comparison result of the comparison part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Kazushige KANDA
  • Patent number: 7505355
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, word lines, and a row decoder. The memory cell array includes memory cells arranged in a matrix. The memory cell includes a first MOS transistor having a charge accumulation layer and a control gate and a second MOS transistor. The word line connects the control gates of the first MOS transistors. The row decoder includes a first address decode circuit, a second address decode circuit, and a transfer gate. The first address decode circuit decodes m bits in a n-bit row address signal (m and n are a natural number satisfying the expression m<n). The second address decode circuit decodes (n?m) bits in the row address signal. The transfer gate supplies the output of the first address decode circuit to the word line according to the output of the second address decoded circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazushige Kanda, Akira Umezawa, Kazuhiko Kakizoe, Yoshiaki Hashiba, Yoshiharu Hirata
  • Publication number: 20090052227
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for writing data to a non-volatile memory device having first wirings and second wirings intersecting one another and memory cells arranged at each intersection therebetween, each of the memory cells having a variable resistive element and a rectifying element connected in series. According to the method, the second wirings are charged to a certain voltage not less than a rectifying-element threshold value, prior to a rise in a selected first wiring. Then, a selected first wiring is charged to a voltage required for writing or erasing, after which a selected second wiring is discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiaki Edahiro, Kazushige Kanda, Naoya Tokiwa, Takuya Futatsuyama, Koji Hosono, Shigeo Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20090010039
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes: a memory cell array including memory cells each having a variable resistance element for nonvolatilely storing data identified by an electrically rewritable resistance value; a first data latch storing write and erase data to be written on a given group of memory cells of the memory cell array for a write and erase operation; and a second data latch storing reference data for performing a compensation operation of the given group to compensate write and erase disturbance accompanied by the write or erase operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Naoya Tokiwa, Kazushige Kanda, Toshiaki Edahiro, Koji Hosono, Takuya Futatsuyama, Shigeo Ohsima
  • Publication number: 20080291716
    Abstract: A method of programming a non-volatile memory device with memory cells formed of variable resistance elements and disposed between word lines and bit lines, includes: previously charging a selected word line and a selected bit line together with a non-selected word line and a non-selected bit line up to a certain voltage; and further charging the selected word line and the non-selected bit line up to a program voltage higher than the certain voltage and a program-block voltage, respectively, and simultaneously discharging the selected bit line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takuya Futatsuyama, Koji Hosono, Toshiaki Edahiro, Naoya Tokiwa, Kazushige Kanda, Shigeo Ohshima
  • Patent number: 7428161
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes memory cell arrays, word lines, bit lines, column gates, sense amplifiers, and an error correcting circuit. The memory cell array includes first regions and a second region. The first region includes first element isolating regions which have stripe shapes along the bit lines. The memory cell is formed on an element region between the adjacent element isolating regions. The first regions are arranged in plurality along the word line direction. The second region is provided adjacent to the first region in a direction along the word lines. The second region includes a second element isolating region whose width along the word line direction is greater than that of the first element isolating region. Addresses of the bit line adjacent to the second region are different from one another among the memory cell arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazushige Kanda