Patents by Inventor Koichiro Kamata
Koichiro Kamata 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).
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Publication number: 20150008758Abstract: An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which are more convenient for a power feeding user at the power receiving end, without causing increases in complexity and size of devices. An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which also allow a power feeding provider (a company) which feeds power (at the power transmitting end) to supply power without waste. A power feeding device which wirelessly supplies power to a power receiver detects the position and the resonant frequency of the power receiver by receiving a position and resonant frequency detection signal using a plurality of sub-carriers having different frequencies from the power receiver, and controls the frequency of a power signal to be transmitted to the power receiver on the basis of the information. An efficient power feeding service can be offered by transmitting a power signal to the power receiver at an optimum frequency for high power transmission efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2014Publication date: January 8, 2015Inventors: Yutaka SHIONOIRI, Koichiro KAMATA, Misako SATO, Shuhei MAEDA
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Patent number: 8928466Abstract: A protection circuit is designed to operate when the level of a DC power supply potential which is generated in a rectifier circuit is equal to or greater than a predetermined level (a reference level), so as to decrease the level of the generated DC power supply potential. On the other hand, the protection circuit is designed not to operate when the DC power supply potential which is generated in the rectifier circuit is equal to or less than the predetermined level (the reference level), so as to use the generated DC power supply potential without change. A transistor of the protection circuit includes an oxide semiconductor layer, which enables a reduction in the off-state current of the transistor and a reduction in power consumption of the protection circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
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Publication number: 20140375263Abstract: An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which are more convenient for a power feeding user at the power receiving end. An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which also allow a power feeding provider (a company) which feeds power (at the power transmitting end) to supply power without waste. A power feeding device which wirelessly supplies power to a power receiver detects the position and the resonant frequency of the power receiver to be supplied with power, and controls the frequency of a power signal to be transmitted to the power receiver on the basis of the information. An efficient power feeding service can be offered by transmitting a power signal to the power receiver at an optimum frequency for high power transmission efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventors: Yutaka SHIONOIRI, Koichiro KAMATA, Misako SATO, Shuhei MAEDA
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Patent number: 8901777Abstract: A power feeding device which wirelessly supplies power to a power receiver receives a position and resonant frequency detection signal from the power receiver, detects the position and the resonant frequency of the power receiver, and controls the frequency of a power signal to be transmitted to the power receiver on the basis of the information. As the power signal for power transmission, two signals having different frequencies, which are generated using a mixer by mixing a base carrier (a first signal) with a conversion carrier (a second signal) generated on the basis of the resonant frequency, are used.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichiro Kamata, Misako Sato, Shuhei Maeda
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Publication number: 20140347777Abstract: To prevent damage on an element even when a voltage high enough to break the element is input. A semiconductor device of the invention operates with a first voltage and includes a protection circuit which changes the value of the first voltage when the absolute value of the first voltage is higher than a reference value. The protection circuit includes: a control signal generation circuit generating a second voltage based on the first voltage and outputting the generated second voltage; and a voltage control circuit. The voltage control circuit includes a transistor which has a source, a drain, and a gate, and which is turned on or off depending on the second voltage input to the gate and thus controls whether the value of the first voltage is changed based on the amount of current flowing between the source and the drain. The transistor also includes an oxide semiconductor layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventor: Koichiro KAMATA
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Patent number: 8873308Abstract: A signal processing circuit that consumes less power by stop of supply of power for a short time. In a storage element, before supply of power is stopped, data in a first storage circuit is stored to a second storage circuit, and the data is read from the second storage circuit and a verification circuit can determine whether or not the data in the second storage circuit matches the data in the first storage circuit. After supply of power is restarted, the data in the second storage circuit is stored to the first storage circuit, and the verification circuit can determine whether or not the data in the second storage circuit matches the data in the first storage circuit. In such a manner, verification can be performed without requiring a time for verification.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Atsuo Isobe, Yuji Iwaki, Koichiro Kamata, Yasuyuki Takahashi, Masumi Nomura
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Patent number: 8836170Abstract: An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which are more convenient for a power feeding user at the power receiving end. An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which also allow a power feeding provider (a company) which feeds power (at the power transmitting end) to supply power without waste. A power feeding device which wirelessly supplies power to a power receiver detects the position and the resonant frequency of the power receiver to be supplied with power, and controls the frequency of a power signal to be transmitted to the power receiver on the basis of the information. An efficient power feeding service can be offered by transmitting a power signal to the power receiver at an optimum frequency for high power transmission efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Shionoiri, Koichiro Kamata, Misako Sato, Shuhei Maeda
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Patent number: 8816469Abstract: To prevent damage on an element even when a voltage high enough to break the element is input. A semiconductor device of the invention operates with a first voltage and includes a protection circuit which changes the value of the first voltage when the absolute value of the first voltage is higher than a reference value. The protection circuit includes: a control signal generation circuit generating a second voltage based on the first voltage and outputting the generated second voltage; and a voltage control circuit. The voltage control circuit includes a transistor which has a source, a drain, and a gate, and which is turned on or off depending on the second voltage input to the gate and thus controls whether the value of the first voltage is changed based on the amount of current flowing between the source and the drain. The transistor also includes an oxide semiconductor layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2011Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
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Patent number: 8811901Abstract: An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which are more convenient for a power feeding user at the power receiving end, without causing increases in complexity and size of devices. An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which also allow a power feeding provider (a company) which feeds power (at the power transmitting end) to supply power without waste. A power feeding device which wirelessly supplies power to a power receiver detects the position and the resonant frequency of the power receiver by receiving a position and resonant frequency detection signal using a plurality of sub-carriers having different frequencies from the power receiver, and controls the frequency of a power signal to be transmitted to the power receiver on the basis of the information. An efficient power feeding service can be offered by transmitting a power signal to the power receiver at an optimum frequency for high power transmission efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Shionoiri, Koichiro Kamata, Misako Sato, Shuhei Maeda
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Publication number: 20140131705Abstract: An object is to provide a photosensor utilizing an oxide semiconductor in which a refreshing operation is unnecessary, a semiconductor device provided with the photosensor, and a light measurement method utilizing the photosensor. It is found that a constant gate current can be obtained by applying a gate voltage in a pulsed manner to a transistor including a channel formed using an oxide semiconductor, and this is applied to a photosensor. Since a refreshing operation of the photosensor is unnecessary, it is possible to measure the illuminance of light with small power consumption through a high-speed and easy measurement procedure. A transistor utilizing an oxide semiconductor having a relatively high mobility, a small S value, and a small off-state current can form a photosensor; therefore, a multifunction semiconductor device can be obtained through a small number of steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2014Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Semiconductor Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro KAMATA
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Publication number: 20140124778Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a memory cell which comprises a transistor having a control gate and a storage gate. The storage gate comprises an oxide semiconductor and is able to be a conductor and an insulator depending on the potential of the storage gate and the potential of the control gate. Data is written by setting the potential of the control gate to allow the storage gate to be a conductor, supplying a potential of data to be stored to the storage gate, and setting the potential of the control gate to allow the storage gate to be an insulator. Data is read by supplying a potential for reading to a read signal line connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor and detecting the change in potential of a bit line connected to the other of the source and the drain.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2014Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Uochi, Koichiro Kamata
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Patent number: 8692243Abstract: An object is to reduce the number of manufacturing steps of a semiconductor device, to improve yield of a semiconductor device, or to reduce manufacturing cost of a semiconductor device. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes, over a substrate, a first transistor having a single crystal semiconductor layer in a channel formation region, a second transistor that is isolated from the first transistor with an insulating layer positioned therebetween and has an oxide semiconductor layer in a channel formation region, and a diode having a single crystal semiconductor layer and a oxide semiconductor layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichiro Kamata, Yoshiaki Ito, Takuro Ohmaru
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Publication number: 20140093992Abstract: It is an object to provide a gas sensor which is formed by a simple manufacturing process. Another object is to provide a gas sensor whose manufacturing cost is reduced. A transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with a gas and which serves as a detector element of a gas sensor, and a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with a film having a gas barrier property and which forms a detection circuit are formed over one substrate by the same process, whereby a gas sensor using these transistors may be formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro KAMATA
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Patent number: 8686415Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of shortening writing operation by concurrently determining potentials of memory cells on one word line. A plurality of transistors having switching characteristics are connected to one potential control circuit, whereby writing potentials are determined concurrently. A potential continues to be changed (raised or decreased) stepwise, a desired potential is determined while changing the potential, and whether data resulted from reading with respect to written data is correct or not is continuously checked, so that high-precision writing operation and high-precision reading operation can be achieved. In addition, favorable switching characteristics and holding characteristics of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor are utilized.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
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Patent number: 8686750Abstract: To provide a simple method for evaluating reliability of a transistor, a simple test which correlates with a bias-temperature stress test (BT test) is performed instead of the BT test. Specifically, a gate current value is measured in the state where a voltage lower than the threshold voltage of an n-channel transistor whose channel region includes an oxide semiconductor is applied between a gate and a source of the transistor and a potential applied to a drain is higher than a potential applied to the gate. The evaluation of the gate current value can be simply performed compared to the case where the BT test is performed; for example, it takes short time to measure the gate current value. That is, reliability of a semiconductor device including the transistor can be easily evaluated.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
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Publication number: 20140071768Abstract: A semiconductor device with a reduced area and capable of higher integration and larger storage capacity is provided. A multi-valued memory cell including a reading transistor which includes a back gate electrode and a writing transistor is used. Data is written by turning on the writing transistor so that a potential according to the data is supplied to a node where one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the writing transistor and a gate electrode of the reading transistor are electrically connected to each other, and then turning off the writing transistor and holding a predetermined potential in the node. Data is read by supplying a reading control potential to a control signal line connected to one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the reading transistor, and then detecting potential change of a reading signal line.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
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Semiconductor memory cell having an oxide semiconductor transistor and erasable by ultraviolet light
Patent number: 8659941Abstract: A nonvolatile memory includes a memory cell including a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first channel, a first gate electrode, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode. The second transistor includes a second channel made of oxide semiconductor material, a second gate electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode. One of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode is electrically connected to the first gate electrode. Data writing in the memory cell is done by raising the potential of a node between one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode and the first gate electrode. Data erasure in the memory cell is done by irradiating the second channel with ultraviolet light and lowering the potential of the node.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichiro Kamata, Yusuke Sekine -
Patent number: 8637802Abstract: An object is to provide a photosensor utilizing an oxide semiconductor in which a refreshing operation is unnecessary, a semiconductor device provided with the photosensor, and a light measurement method utilizing the photosensor. It is found that a constant gate current can be obtained by applying a gate voltage in a pulsed manner to a transistor including a channel formed using an oxide semiconductor, and this is applied to a photosensor. Since a refreshing operation of the photosensor is unnecessary, it is possible to measure the illuminance of light with small power consumption through a high-speed and easy measurement procedure. A transistor utilizing an oxide semiconductor having a relatively high mobility, a small S value, and a small off-state current can form a photosensor; therefore, a multifunction semiconductor device can be obtained through a small number of steps.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
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Patent number: 8630127Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a memory cell which comprises a transistor having a control gate and a storage gate. The storage gate comprises an oxide semiconductor and is able to be a conductor and an insulator depending on the potential of the storage gate and the potential of the control gate. Data is written by setting the potential of the control gate to allow the storage gate to be a conductor, supplying a potential of data to be stored to the storage gate, and setting the potential of the control gate to allow the storage gate to be an insulator. Data is read by supplying a potential for reading to a read signal line connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor and detecting the change in potential of a bit line connected to the other of the source and the drain.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Uochi, Koichiro Kamata
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Publication number: 20140003146Abstract: A signal processing circuit that consumes less power by stop of supply of power for a short time. In a storage element, before supply of power is stopped, data in a first storage circuit is stored to a second storage circuit, and the data is read from the second storage circuit and a verification circuit can determine whether or not the data in the second storage circuit matches the data in the first storage circuit. After supply of power is restarted, the data in the second storage circuit is stored to the first storage circuit, and the verification circuit can determine whether or not the data in the second storage circuit matches the data in the first storage circuit. In such a manner, verification can be performed without requiring a time for verification.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Atsuo Isobe, Yuji Iwaki, Koichiro Kamata, Yasuyuki Takahashi, Masumi Nomura