Patents by Inventor Koichi Kawai

Koichi Kawai 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: 9870831
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Kenichi Imamiya, Toshio Yamamura, Koji Hosono, Koichi Kawai
  • Patent number: 9823880
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a storage device comprising a NAND flash memory array, the storage device to program, during a first programming pass, a plurality of cells of a first wordline of the NAND flash memory array to store a first page of data; initiate a read of the first page of data prior to completion of loading of a second page of data to be programmed during a second programming pass; and program, during the second programming pass, the plurality of cells of the first wordline of the NAND flash memory array to store the first page of data and the second page of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kawai, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9653171
    Abstract: Apparatuses may include a memory block with strings of memory cells formed in a plurality of tiers. The apparatus may further comprise access lines and data lines shared by the strings, with the access lines coupled to the memory cells corresponding to a respective tier of the plurality of tiers. The memory cells corresponding to at least a portion of the respective tier may comprise a respective page of a plurality of pages. Subsets of the data lines may be mapped into a respective partial page of a plurality of partial pages of the respective page. Each partial page may be independently selectable from other partial pages. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abraham, Tomoharu Tanaka, Koichi Kawai, Yuichi Einaga
  • Publication number: 20170076817
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi NAKAMURA, Kenichi Imamiya, Toshio Yamamura, Koji Hosono, Koichi Kawai
  • Patent number: 9536610
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Kenichi Imamiya, Toshio Yamamura, Koji Hosono, Koichi Kawai
  • Patent number: 9536582
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods involving accessing memory cells are described. In one such method, chunks of memory cells in a memory array are enabled to be accessed and then one or more of the chunks are disabled from being accessed. In one such apparatus, an array includes chunks of memory cells and a chunk selector circuit coupled to each chunk to enable the memory cells in the respective chunk to be accessed. Additional embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Tanzawa, Satoru Tamada, Koichi Kawai, Tetsuji Manabe
  • Publication number: 20160336073
    Abstract: Methods, and apparatuses to erase and or soft program a block of NAND memory may include performing an erase cycle on a block of NAND memory comprising two or more sub-blocks, verifying the two or more sub-blocks until a sub-block fails to verify, stopping the verification in response to the failed verify, performing another erase cycle on the block of NAND memory, and re-starting to verify the two or more sub-blocks at the sub-block that failed to verify
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Krishna K. Parat, Pranav Kalavade, Koichi Kawai, Akira Goda
  • Publication number: 20160232979
    Abstract: Apparatuses may include a memory block with strings of memory cells formed in a plurality of tiers. The apparatus may further comprise access lines and data lines shared by the strings, with the access lines coupled to the memory cells corresponding to a respective tier of the plurality of tiers. The memory cells corresponding to at least a portion of the respective tier may comprise a respective page of a plurality of pages. Subsets of the data lines may be mapped into a respective partial page of a plurality of partial pages of the respective page. Each partial page may be independently selectable from other partial pages. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Abraham, Tomoharu Tanaka, Koichi Kawai, Yuichi Einaga
  • Patent number: 9318199
    Abstract: Apparatuses may include a memory block with strings of memory cells formed in a plurality of tiers. The apparatus may further comprise access lines and data lines shared by the strings, with the access lines coupled to the memory cells corresponding to a respective tier of the plurality of tiers. The memory cells corresponding to at least a portion of the respective tier may comprise a respective page of a plurality of pages. Subsets of the data lines may be mapped into a respective partial page of a plurality of partial pages of the respective page. Each partial page may be independently selectable from other partial pages. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abraham, Tomoharu Tanaka, Koichi Kawai, Yuichi Einaga
  • Patent number: 9312023
    Abstract: Devices and methods of programming memory cells, both SLC and MLC, such as to reduce charge-storage structure to charge-storage structure coupling, are shown and described. Programming of memory cells can include comparing a first page of data to a second page of data, and further programming cells corresponding to the first page of data that will not likely be affected by coupling from programming the second page of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Koichi Kawai, Koji Sakui, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 9305654
    Abstract: Methods, and apparatuses to erase and or soft program a block of NAND memory may include performing an erase cycle on a block of NAND memory comprising two or more sub-blocks, verifying the two or more sub-blocks until a sub-block fails to verify, stopping the verification in response to the failed verify, performing another erase cycle on the block of NAND memory, and re-starting to verify the two or more sub-blocks at the sub-block that failed to verify.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Krishna K. Parat, Pranav Kalavade, Koichi Kawai, Akira Goda
  • Publication number: 20150262636
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods involving accessing memory cells are described. In one such method, chunks of memory cells in a memory array are enabled to be accessed and then one or more of the chunks are disabled from being accessed. In one such apparatus, an array includes chunks of memory cells and a chunk selector circuit coupled to each chunk to enable the memory cells in the respective chunk to be accessed. Additional embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Toru Tanzawa, Satoru Tamada, Koichi Kawai, Tetsuji Manabe
  • Patent number: 9064578
    Abstract: Chunks of memory cells in a memory array are enabled to be accessed and then one or more of the chunks are disabled from being accessed. In one such apparatus, an array includes chunks of memory cells and a chunk selector circuit coupled to each chunk to enable the memory cells in the respective chunk to be accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Tanzawa, Satoru Tamada, Koichi Kawai, Tetsuji Manabe
  • Publication number: 20140226410
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi NAKAMURA, Kenichi Imamiya, Toshio Yamamura, Koji Hosono, Koichi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20140169098
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods involving accessing memory cells are described. In one such method, chunks of memory cells in a memory array are enabled to be accessed and then one or more of the chunks are disabled from being accessed. In one such apparatus, an array includes chunks of memory cells and a chunk selector circuit coupled to each chunk to enable the memory cells in the respective chunk to be accessed. Additional embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Tanzawa, Satoru Tamada, Koichi Kawai, Tetsuji Manabe
  • Publication number: 20140169093
    Abstract: Methods, and apparatuses to erase and or soft program a block of NAND memory may include performing an erase cycle on a block of NAND memory comprising two or more sub-blocks, verifying the two or more sub-blocks until a sub-block fails to verify, stopping the verification in response to the failed verify, performing another erase cycle on the block of NAND memory, and re-starting to verify the two or more sub-blocks at the sub-block that failed to verify
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Krishna K. Parat, Pranav Kalavade, Koichi Kawai, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 8743625
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Kenichi Imamiya, Toshio Yamamura, Koji Hosono, Koichi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20140122773
    Abstract: Apparatuses may include a memory block with strings of memory cells formed in a plurality of tiers. The apparatus may further comprise access lines and data lines shared by the strings, with the access lines coupled to the memory cells corresponding to a respective tier of the plurality of tiers. The memory cells corresponding to at least a portion of the respective tier may comprise a respective page of a plurality of pages. Subsets of the data lines may be mapped into a respective partial page of a plurality of partial pages of the respective page. Each partial page may be independently selectable from other partial pages. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abraham, Tomoharu Tanaka, Koichi Kawai, Yuichi Einaga
  • Publication number: 20140016411
    Abstract: Devices and methods of programming memory cells, both SLC and MLC, such as to reduce charge-storage structure to charge-storage structure coupling, are shown and described. Programming of memory cells can include comparing a first page of data to a second page of data, and further programming cells corresponding to the first page of data that will not likely be affected by coupling from programming the second page of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Mcron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Koichi KAWAI, Koji Sakui, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20130332769
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods are disclosed, including a method involving erasing a block of memory cells. After erasing the block, and before subsequent programming of the block, a number of bad strings in the block are determined based on charge accumulation on select gate transistors. The block is retired from use if the number of bad strings exceeds a threshold. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishna K. Parat, Akira Goda, Koichi Kawai, Brian J. Soderling, Jeremy Binfet, Arnaud A. Furnemont, Tejas Krishnamohan, Tyson M. Stichka, Giuseppina Puzzilli