Patents by Inventor Kazuyasu Minami

Kazuyasu Minami 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: 11199591
    Abstract: A current detection circuit includes an N-type first transistor configured to supply a first current to an output terminal, an N-type second transistor that constitutes a current mirror circuit with the first transistor, a comparison circuit configured to output a detection result showing whether or not the first current is larger than a predetermined threshold based on a current flowing through the second transistor, a ground fault detection circuit configured to output a result detecting a ground fault of the output terminal, and a logical circuit configured to output a current detection signal showing whether or not the first current is an overcurrent based on the detection result of the comparison circuit and the ground fault detection result of the ground fault detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kakitsuka, Kazuyasu Minami, Takaya Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11050390
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes, a first transistor and a first resistor connected in series between a power supply voltage and an output terminal. A second transistor and a second resistor are connected in series between the output terminal and a ground reference voltage. There is a first operational amplifier and a second operational amplifier. A first detection current corresponding to a voltage drop across first resistor is generated. A second detection current corresponding to a voltage drop across the second resistor is generated. A first replication circuit subtracts the second detection current from the first detection current. A third resistor conducts the current obtained by subtracting the second detection current from the first detection current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: KABUSHI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaya Yasuda, Kazuyasu Minami
  • Publication number: 20210067102
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes, a first transistor and a first resistor connected in series between a power supply voltage and an output terminal. A second transistor and a second resistor are connected in series between the output terminal and a ground reference voltage. There is a first operational amplifier and a second operational amplifier. A first detection current corresponding to a voltage drop across first resistor is generated. A second detection current corresponding to a voltage drop across the second resistor is generated. A first replication circuit subtracts the second detection current from the first detection current. A third resistor conducts the current obtained by subtracting the second detection current from the first detection current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Takaya YASUDA, Kazuyasu MINAMI
  • Publication number: 20200379054
    Abstract: A current detection circuit includes an N-type first transistor configured to supply a first current to an output terminal, an N-type second transistor that constitutes a current mirror circuit with the first transistor, a comparison circuit configured to output a detection result showing whether or not the first current is larger than a predetermined threshold based on a current flowing through the second transistor, a ground fault detection circuit configured to output a result detecting a ground fault of the output terminal, and a logical circuit configured to output a current detection signal showing whether or not the first current is an overcurrent based on the detection result of the comparison circuit and the ground fault detection result of the ground fault detection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kakitsuka, Kazuyasu Minami, Takaya Yasuda
  • Patent number: 10468521
    Abstract: A load modulation circuit of an embodiment has a first element, a switch element configured to connect the first element to an end portion of a coil, a first control section configured to control an operation of the switch element, and a second control section configured to control an amount of electric charges accumulated in the first element, and the second control section discharges the electric charges accumulated in the first element when the switch element is switched to off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuyasu Minami, Hirotoshi Aizawa
  • Publication number: 20170264210
    Abstract: A rectification circuit connected to a coil and a capacitor, includes, on each terminal side of the coil, a high-side transistor connected between a terminal of the coil and the capacitor, first and second low-side transistors connected in parallel between the terminal of the coil and a fixed potential, a comparator that causes the first low-side transistor to be turned on when a voltage of the terminal of the coil decreases to a first value and then turned off when the voltage increases to a second value that is higher than the first value and lower than the fixed potential, and a controller that causes the second low-side transistor to be turned off when the voltage decreases to a third value that is higher than the second value and lower than the fixed potential, and then turned off when the voltage increases to the third value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuyasu MINAMI, Hirotoshi AIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20170063154
    Abstract: A load modulation circuit of an embodiment has a first element, a switch element configured to connect the first element to an end portion of a coil, a first control section configured to control an operation of the switch element, and a second control section configured to control an amount of electric charges accumulated in the first element, and the second control section discharges the electric charges accumulated in the first element when the switch element is switched to off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuyasu Minami, Hirotoshi Aizawa
  • Patent number: 8536806
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter supplies an output voltage to a plurality of channels of a light emitting device array in common. A current driver has a plurality of driver units which drive the channels. Each of the driver units includes a drive transistor and a detector which detects an abnormality of a drive current. A logic unit generates digital data in response to a plurality of detection signals and supplies the same to a D/A converter. An analog reference voltage of the D/A converter is supplied to the DC-DC converter. The logic unit executes a calibration operation which determines digital data for setting the minimum output DC voltage at the normal operation of all the channels by sequential updating of the digital data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Kitagawa, Kazuyasu Minami
  • Publication number: 20120133291
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter supplies an output voltage to a plurality of channels of a light emitting device array in common. A current driver has a plurality of driver units which drive the channels. Each of the driver units includes a drive transistor and a detector which detects an abnormality of a drive current. A logic unit generates digital data in response to a plurality of detection signals and supplies the same to a D/A converter. An analog reference voltage of the D/A converter is supplied to the DC-DC converter. The logic unit executes a calibration operation which determines digital data for setting the minimum output DC voltage at the normal operation of all the channels by sequential updating of the digital data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuhei KITAGAWA, Kazuyasu MINAMI
  • Patent number: 7560910
    Abstract: There is a need for preventing a MOS transistor from being destroyed due to an inrush current from an input terminal when a boost operation starts from a boost disabling state. During the boost operation, a third MOS transistor (M3) turns off and a fourth MOS transistor (M4) turns on to prevent a current leak from an output terminal (Vout) to an input terminal (Vin) due to a parasitic diode of a second MOS transistor (M2). In the boost disabling state, the third MOS transistor turns on and the fourth MOS transistor turns off to prevent a current leak from the input terminal to the output terminal due to the parasitic diode of the second MOS transistor. When the boost operation starts from the boost disabling state, an electrode toward the output terminal of the second MOS transistor is charged before changing a substrate bias state of this transistor. In this manner, an inrush current is prevented from flowing from the input terminal to the output terminal via the parasitic diode of the second MOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Takehiro Hata, Kazuyasu Minami
  • Publication number: 20080258800
    Abstract: There is a need for preventing a MOS transistor from being destroyed due to an inrush current from an input terminal when a boost operation starts from a boost disabling state. During the boost operation, a third MOS transistor (M3) turns off and a fourth MOS transistor (M4) turns on to prevent a current leak from an output terminal (Vout) to an input terminal (Vin) due to a parasitic diode of a second MOS transistor (M2). In the boost disabling state, the third MOS transistor turns on and the fourth MOS transistor turns off to prevent a current leak from the input terminal to the output terminal due to the parasitic diode of the second MOS transistor. When the boost operation starts from the boost disabling state, an electrode toward the output terminal of the second MOS transistor is charged before changing a substrate bias state of this transistor. In this manner, an inrush current is prevented from flowing from the input terminal to the output terminal via the parasitic diode of the second MOS transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Takehiro Hata, Kazuyasu Minami