Patents by Inventor Kengo Akimoto

Kengo Akimoto 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: 20220229488
    Abstract: Provided are a data processing device and a data processing method that allow selecting and performing of an appropriate operation according to user's emotions. A user's face is detected and features of the user's face are extracted from data on the detected face. The user's emotions are estimated from the extracted facial features, and data based on the estimated user's emotions is generated. Whether the generated data is transmitted to an external device is determined on the basis of positional data of the user and the external device including a data reception unit, which is included in a radio wave transmitted from the Global Positioning System. When it is determined that the generated data is transmitted, it is transmitted to the external device. The external device that has received the data selects and executes operation based on the received data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo AKIMOTO, Teppei OGUNI, Tatsuya OKANO
  • Publication number: 20220164381
    Abstract: An image retrieval system with high retrieval accuracy is provided. The image retrieval system includes a database and a processing portion. The database has a function of storing a plurality of pieces of database image data, and a database tag is linked to each of the plurality of pieces of database image data. The processing portion has a function of obtaining database image feature value data representing a feature value of the database image data for each piece of the database image data. The processing portion has a function of obtaining query image feature value data representing a feature value of the query image data. The processing portion has a function of calculating first similarity of the database image data to the query image data for each piece of the database image data. The processing portion has a function of obtaining a query tag linked to the query image data using some of the database tags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Kengo AKIMOTO, Shigeru TAMAKI, Kunitaka YAMAMOTO, Isamu SHIGEMORI
  • Publication number: 20220156311
    Abstract: Image retrieval is facilitated. An image retrieval device is a device for retrieving an image with high similarity that is stored in a server computer by using a query image. In an image registration mode, a plurality of first images are supplied to a code generation portion, and the code generation portion resizes the number of pixels of the first image, converts the number of pixels of the first image into the number of pixels of a second image, and extracts a first feature value from the second image. The control portion links the first image to the first feature value corresponding to the first image and stores the first image and the first feature value in a storage portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Kengo AKIMOTO, Takahiro FUKUTOME
  • Publication number: 20220149164
    Abstract: A structure by which electric-field concentration which might occur between a source electrode and a drain electrode in a bottom-gate thin film transistor is relaxed and deterioration of the switching characteristics is suppressed, and a manufacturing method thereof. A bottom-gate thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is provided over a source and drain electrodes is manufactured, and angle ?1 of the side surface of the source electrode which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and angle ?2 of the side surface of the drain electrode which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer are each set to be greater than or equal to 20° and less than 90°, so that the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge in the side surface of each electrode is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kengo Akimoto, Daisuke Kawae
  • Publication number: 20220115412
    Abstract: An embodiment is to include an inverted staggered (bottom gate structure) thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer and a buffer layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The buffer layer having higher carrier concentration than the semiconductor layer is provided intentionally between the source and drain electrode layers and the semiconductor layer, whereby an ohmic contact is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Hidekazu MIYAIRI, Akiharu MIYANAGA, Kengo AKIMOTO, Kojiro SHIRAISHI
  • Patent number: 11296121
    Abstract: An embodiment is to include an inverted staggered (bottom gate structure) thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer and a buffer layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The buffer layer having higher carrier concentration than the semiconductor layer is provided intentionally between the source and drain electrode layers and the semiconductor layer, whereby an ohmic contact is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hidekazu Miyairi, Akiharu Miyanaga, Kengo Akimoto, Kojiro Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20220075815
    Abstract: An image retrieval system that enables high-accuracy image retrieval in a short time is provided. The image retrieval system includes a processing portion provided with a neural network. The neural network includes a layer provided with a neuron. The processing portion has a function of comparing query image data with a plurality of pieces of database image data, and extracting the database image data including an area with a high degree of correspondence to the query image data as extracted image data. The processing portion has a function of extracting data of the area with a high degree of correspondence to the query image data from the extracted image data, as partial image data. The layer has a function of outputting an output value corresponding to the features of the image data input to the neural network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Kengo AKIMOTO, Takahiro FUKUTOME, Kentaro HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20220069137
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kengo AKIMOTO, Tatsuya HONDA, Norihito SONE
  • Patent number: 11239332
    Abstract: A structure by which electric-field concentration which might occur between a source electrode and a drain electrode in a bottom-gate thin film transistor is relaxed and deterioration of the switching characteristics is suppressed, and a manufacturing method thereof. A bottom-gate thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is provided over a source and drain electrodes is manufactured, and angle ?1 of the side surface of the source electrode which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and angle ?2 of the side surface of the drain electrode which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer are each set to be greater than or equal to 20° and less than 90°, so that the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge in the side surface of each electrode is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kengo Akimoto, Daisuke Kawae
  • Publication number: 20220020841
    Abstract: A display device includes a pixel portion in which a pixel is arranged in a matrix, the pixel including an inverted staggered thin film transistor having a combination of at least two kinds of oxide semiconductor layers with different amounts of oxygen and having a channel protective layer over a semiconductor layer to be a channel formation region overlapping a gate electrode layer and a pixel electrode layer electrically connected to the inverted staggered thin film transistor. In the periphery of the pixel portion in this display device, a pad portion including a conductive layer made of the same material as the pixel electrode layer is provided. In addition, the conductive layer is electrically connected to a common electrode layer formed on a counter substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Kengo AKIMOTO, Shigeki KOMORI, Hideki UOCHI, Rihito WADA, Yoko CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20210391479
    Abstract: An object is to provide favorable interface characteristics of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer without mixing of an impurity such as moisture. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor having excellent electric characteristics and high reliability, and a method by which a semiconductor device can be manufactured with high productivity. A main point is to perform oxygen radical treatment on a surface of a gate insulating layer. Accordingly, there is a peak of the oxygen concentration at an interface between the gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer, and the oxygen concentration of the gate insulating layer has a concentration gradient. The oxygen concentration is increased toward the interface between the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Kengo AKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11201249
    Abstract: An object is to provide favorable interface characteristics of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer without mixing of an impurity such as moisture. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor having excellent electric characteristics and high reliability, and a method by which a semiconductor device can be manufactured with high productivity. A main point is to perform oxygen radical treatment on a surface of a gate insulating layer. Accordingly, there is a peak of the oxygen concentration at an interface between the gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer, and the oxygen concentration of the gate insulating layer has a concentration gradient. The oxygen concentration is increased toward the interface between the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kengo Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20210384356
    Abstract: To provide a transistor having a favorable electric characteristics and high reliability and a display device including the transistor. The transistor is a bottom-gate transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor for a channel region. An oxide semiconductor layer subjected to dehydration or dehydrogenation through heat treatment is used as an active layer. The active layer includes a first region of a superficial portion microcrystallized and a second region of the rest portion. By using the oxide semiconductor layer having such a structure, a change to an n-type, which is attributed to entry of moisture to the superficial portion or elimination of oxygen from the superficial portion, and generation of a parasitic channel can be suppressed. In addition, contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and source and drain electrodes can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Ryosuke WATANABE, Junichiro SAKATA, Kengo AKIMOTO, Akiharu MIYANAGA, Takuya HIROHASHI, Hideyuki KISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20210359134
    Abstract: An object is to improve field effect mobility of a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor. Another object is to suppress increase in off current even in a thin film transistor with improved field effect mobility. In a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor layer, by forming a semiconductor layer having higher electrical conductivity and a smaller thickness than the oxide semiconductor layer between the oxide semiconductor layer and a gate insulating layer, field effect mobility of the thin film transistor can be improved, and increase in off current can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Kengo AKIMOTO, Toshinari SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20210358766
    Abstract: An object is to provide a display device with excellent display characteristics, where a pixel circuit and a driver circuit provided over one substrate are formed using transistors which have different structures corresponding to characteristics of the respective circuits. The driver circuit portion includes a driver circuit transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using a metal film, and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor, and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material, and thus, a display device with higher aperture ratio can be manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichiro SAKATA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kengo AKIMOTO, Miyuki HOSOBA, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Yoshiaki OIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210343877
    Abstract: A display device including a pixel having a memory. The pixel includes at least a display element, a capacitor, an inverter, and a switch. The switch is controlled with a signal held in the capacitor and a signal output from the inverter so that voltage is supplied to the display element. The inverter and the switch can be constituted by transistors with the same polarity. A semiconductor layer included in the pixel may be formed using a light-transmitting material. Moreover, a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a capacitor electrode may be formed using a light-transmitting conductive layer. The pixel is formed using a light-transmitting material in such a manner, whereby the display device can be a transmissive display device while including a pixel having a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Hajime KIMURA, Kengo AKIMOTO, Masashi TSUBUKU, Toshinari SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20210327916
    Abstract: A protective circuit includes a non-linear element which includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode, a first oxide semiconductor layer overlapping with the gate electrode over the gate insulating layer, and a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer whose end portions overlap with the gate electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer and in which a conductive layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer are stacked. Over the gate insulating layer, oxide semiconductor layers with different properties are bonded to each other, whereby stable operation can be performed as compared with Schottky junction. Thus, the junction leakage can be reduced and the characteristics of the non-linear element can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Kengo AKIMOTO, Shigeki KOMORI, Hideki UOCHI, Tomoya FUTAMURA, Takahiro KASAHARA
  • Patent number: 11152397
    Abstract: A protective circuit includes a non-linear element which includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode, a first oxide semiconductor layer overlapping with the gate electrode over the gate insulating layer, and a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer whose end portions overlap with the gate electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer and in which a conductive layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer are stacked. Over the gate insulating layer, oxide semiconductor layers with different properties are bonded to each other, whereby stable operation can be performed as compared with Schottky junction. Thus, the junction leakage can be reduced and the characteristics of the non-linear element can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kengo Akimoto, Shigeki Komori, Hideki Uochi, Tomoya Futamura, Takahiro Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11139359
    Abstract: A display device includes a pixel portion in which a pixel is arranged in a matrix, the pixel including an inverted staggered thin film transistor having a combination of at least two kinds of oxide semiconductor layers with different amounts of oxygen and having a channel protective layer over a semiconductor layer to be a channel formation region overlapping a gate electrode layer and a pixel electrode layer electrically connected to the inverted staggered thin film transistor. In the periphery of the pixel portion in this display device, a pad portion including a conductive layer made of the same material as the pixel electrode layer is provided. In addition, the conductive layer is electrically connected to a common electrode layer formed on a counter substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kengo Akimoto, Shigeki Komori, Hideki Uochi, Rihito Wada, Yoko Chiba
  • Publication number: 20210288210
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with excellent electrical characteristics and high reliability and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device with high mass productivity. A main point is to form a low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer as a source or drain region after forming a drain or source electrode layer over a gate insulating layer and to foiiii an oxide semiconductor film thereover as a semiconductor layer. It is preferable that an oxygen-excess oxide semiconductor layer be used as a semiconductor layer and an oxygen-deficient oxide semiconductor layer be used as a source region and a drain region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Kengo AKIMOTO, Shigeki KOMORI, Hideki UOCHI