Patents by Inventor Koichiro Noguchi

Koichiro Noguchi 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: 11069602
    Abstract: The present invention is a semiconductor module including: first and second drive circuits that perform drive control of at least one pair of first and second switching devices, in which the at least one pair of first and second switching devices and the first and second drive circuits are sealed in a package having a rectangular shape in plan view, and there are provided: a control terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of a first long side out of first and second long sides of the package, and to which a control signal of the first and second drive circuits is inputted; an output terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of the second long side; a first main terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of a first short side out of first and second short sides of the package; and a second main terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of the second short side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Yokoyama, Shogo Shibata, Maki Hasegawa, Koichiro Noguchi, Shigeru Mori, Toru Iwagami
  • Patent number: 10998902
    Abstract: A semiconductor module includes: a control circuit for controlling first and second transistors operating complementarily; and an internal controller receiving a data signal including a set value of an operating characteristic from an external controller to store the data signal in a memory and then transferring the set value of the operating characteristic to the control circuit. The data signal is sent to the internal controller in the order of the set value of the operating characteristic and a specific trigger value. The internal controller transfers the set value of the operating characteristic to the control circuit in timed relation to writing of the specific trigger value into the memory. The control circuit includes first and second drivers. The control circuit changes settings of the first and second drivers to thereby change the operating characteristic of the semiconductor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kawahara, Koichiro Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20200403612
    Abstract: A semiconductor module includes: a control circuit for controlling first and second transistors operating complementarily; and an internal controller receiving a data signal including a set value of an operating characteristic from an external controller to store the data signal in a memory and then transferring the set value of the operating characteristic to the control circuit. The data signal is sent to the internal controller in the order of the set value of the operating characteristic and a specific trigger value. The internal controller transfers the set value of the operating characteristic to the control circuit in timed relation to writing of the specific trigger value into the memory. The control circuit includes first and second drivers. The control circuit changes settings of the first and second drivers to thereby change the operating characteristic of the semiconductor module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro KAWAHARA, Koichiro NOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10812062
    Abstract: A driving device for a semiconductor element includes: a plurality of detection circuits that detect different types of abnormalities of the semiconductor element; a logic circuit that generates an error signal when at least one of the detection circuits detects an abnormality; an alarm signal generating circuit that receives the error signal and generates an alarm signal made of one or a plurality of pulses, the alarm signal having a different pulse width for each of the detection circuits that has detected an abnormality; and a protection operation determining circuit that determines whether or not a protection function of the semiconductor element is operating based on the error signal and the alarm signal, and shuts off input of a drive signal to the semiconductor element when it is determined that the protection function is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Haruhiko Murakami, Ryo Goto, Shiori Uota, Koichiro Noguchi, Motoki Imanishi
  • Publication number: 20200194353
    Abstract: The present invention is a semiconductor module including: first and second drive circuits that perform drive control of at least one pair of first and second switching devices, in which the at least one pair of first and second switching devices and the first and second drive circuits are sealed in a package having a rectangular shape in plan view, and there are provided: a control terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of a first long side out of first and second long sides of the package, and to which a control signal of the first and second drive circuits is inputted; an output terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of the second long side; a first main terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of a first short side out of first and second short sides of the package; and a second main terminal provided to protrude from a side surface of the second short side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei YOKOYAMA, Shogo SHIBATA, Maki HASEGAWA, Koichiro NOGUCHI, Shigeru MORI, Toru IWAGAMI
  • Patent number: 10630279
    Abstract: An external detection terminal CIN1 is externally connectable outside a package and accepts a voltage signal proportionate to magnitude of a current in a second fixed-potential terminal. A first comparator circuit determines whether magnitude of the current in the second fixed-potential terminal indicated by the voltage signal from the external detection terminal is within a permissible range or beyond the permissible range. A second comparator circuit determines whether magnitude of a current in a sense terminal detected by using an internal detection terminal is within a permissible range or beyond the permissible range. A driving signal generator is prohibited from generating an ON signal as a driving signal if at least one of the first comparator circuit and the second comparator circuit determines that the current magnitude is beyond the permissible range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kawahara, Koichiro Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20190379370
    Abstract: An external detection terminal CIN1 is externally connectable outside a package and accepts a voltage signal proportionate to magnitude of a current in a second fixed-potential terminal. A first comparator circuit determines whether magnitude of the current in the second fixed-potential terminal indicated by the voltage signal from the external detection terminal is within a permissible range or beyond the permissible range. A second comparator circuit determines whether magnitude of a current in a sense terminal detected by using an internal detection terminal is within a permissible range or beyond the permissible range. A driving signal generator is prohibited from generating an ON signal as a driving signal if at least one of the first comparator circuit and the second comparator circuit determines that the current magnitude is beyond the permissible range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro KAWAHARA, Koichiro NOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190326897
    Abstract: A driving device for a semiconductor element includes: a plurality of detection circuits that detect different types of abnormalities of the semiconductor element; a logic circuit that generates an error signal when at least one of the detection circuits detects an abnormality; an alarm signal generating circuit that receives the error signal and generates an alarm signal made of one or a plurality of pulses, the alarm signal having a different pulse width for each of the detection circuits that has detected an abnormality; and a protection operation determining circuit that determines whether or not a protection function of the semiconductor element is operating based on the error signal and the alarm signal, and shuts off input of a drive signal to the semiconductor element when it is determined that the protection function is operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Haruhiko MURAKAMI, Ryo GOTO, Shiori UOTA, Koichiro NOGUCHI, Motoki IMANISHI
  • Patent number: 10333514
    Abstract: A communication signal terminal receives a first communication signal which includes an address of a first IC and a first configuration value for the first IC, and a second communication signal which includes an address of a second IC and a second configuration value for the second IC. A data common bus is connected to the communication signal terminal and transmits the first communication signal and the second communication signal. The first IC is configured to receive the first communication signal transmitted through the data common bus, and store first configuration value for the first IC included in the second communication signal. The second IC is configured to receive the second communication signal transmitted through the data common bus, and store the second configuration value for the second IC stored in the second communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10305468
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a first switch SWx which switches whether or not to supply a first power supply voltage Vx generated by accumulating a charge outputted from a power source 10, as a second power supply voltage VDD to a first circuit 13, and a second switch SW1 which switches whether or not to connect to the first circuit 13 a smoothing capacitor C1 which suppresses a fluctuation of the second power supply voltage VDD, and the first switch SWx is switched to an on state in response to that the first power supply voltage Vx has reached a sufficient voltage, and then the second switch SW1 is switched to the on state in response to that the second power supply voltage VDD has reached a sufficient voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20190089351
    Abstract: A communication signal terminal receives a first communication signal which includes an address of a first IC and a first configuration value for the first IC, and a second communication signal which includes an address of a second IC and a second configuration value for the second IC. A data common bus is connected to the communication signal terminal and transmits the first communication signal and the second communication signal. The first IC is configured to receive the first communication signal transmitted through the data common bus, and store first configuration value for the first IC included in the second communication signal. The second IC is configured to receive the second communication signal transmitted through the data common bus, and store the second configuration value for the second IC stored in the second communication signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro NOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10230275
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a plurality of power sources each including an antenna and an AC/DC conversion unit that converts an AC signal received by the antenna to a DC signal, a plurality of consolidating units each including a first consolidating circuit that selectively consolidates a plurality of DC signals supplied by the plurality of power sources, and a power supply unit that includes a second consolidating circuit that selectively consolidates DC signals output from the plurality of consolidating units, and a first voltage conversion circuit that converts a DC signal resulting from consolidation in the second consolidating circuit, to a predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20180323779
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a first switch SWx which switches whether or not to supply a first power supply voltage Vx generated by accumulating a charge outputted from a power source 10, as a second power supply voltage VDD to a first circuit 13, and a second switch SW1 which switches whether or not to connect to the first circuit 13 a smoothing capacitor C1 which suppresses a fluctuation of the second power supply voltage VDD, and the first switch SWx is switched to an on state in response to that the first power supply voltage Vx has reached a sufficient voltage, and then the second switch SW1 is switched to the on state in response to that the second power supply voltage VDD has reached a sufficient voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro NOGUCHI, Koichi NOSE, Yoshifumi IKENAGA, Yoichi YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10033372
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a first switch SWx which switches whether or not to supply a first power supply voltage Vx generated by accumulating a charge outputted from a power source 10, as a second power supply voltage VDD to a first circuit 13, and a second switch SW1 which switches whether or not to connect to the first circuit 13 a smoothing capacitor C1 which suppresses a fluctuation of the second power supply voltage VDD, and the first switch SWx is switched to an on state in response to that the first power supply voltage Vx has reached a sufficient voltage, and then the second switch SW1 is switched to the on state in response to that the second power supply voltage VDD has reached a sufficient voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9965418
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided which can quickly detect a malfunction of high priority modules by frequently checking a coupling state between the high priority modules and a communication bus. According to an embodiment, a host controller includes a module control circuit that performs data communication with a plurality of externally-provided modules through a communication bus, a coupling state check circuit which is coupled to the communication bus and which checks the presence or absence of a response from the modules, and selected from the modules based on information of a check list, and a control circuit that selectively causes the module control circuit and the coupling state check circuit to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichiro Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20180083494
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a plurality of power sources each including an antenna and an AC/DC conversion unit that converts an AC signal received by the antenna to a DC signal, a plurality of consolidating units each including a first consolidating circuit that selectively consolidates a plurality of DC signals supplied by the plurality of power sources, and a power supply unit that includes a second consolidating circuit that selectively consolidates DC signals output from the plurality of consolidating units, and a first voltage conversion circuit that converts a DC signal resulting from consolidation in the second consolidating circuit, to a predetermined voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Koichiro NOGUCHI, Koichi NOSE, Yoshifumi IKENAGA, Yoichi YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 9906079
    Abstract: There is a problem in the prior semiconductor devices that energy recovery efficiency is low. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a power supply circuit includes an alternating-current signal synthesis unit including a plurality of alternating-current coupling elements having primary sides to which respective input alternating-current signals are input and secondary sides connected in series with each other, and a control circuit that outputs an input selection signal specifying a combination of the input alternating-current signals to be synthesized. The control circuit generates the input selection signal so as to maximize the output alternating-current signal synthesized by the alternating-current synthesis signal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9843227
    Abstract: A power supply device according to an embodiment comprises a plurality of power sources 10 each including an antenna and an AC/DC conversion unit, a plurality of consolidating units 13_1 to 13_i, and a power supply unit 15. The consolidating units 13_1 to 13_i respectively include consolidating circuits 14_1 to 14_i that selectively consolidate a plurality of DC signals 21_1 to 21_n supplied by the plurality of power sources 10. The power supply unit 15 includes a consolidating circuit 16 that selectively consolidates the DC signals 21_1 to 21_i output from the plurality of consolidating units 13_1 to 13_i, and a voltage conversion circuit 17 that converts a DC signal 23 resulting from consolidation in the consolidating circuit 16, to a predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20170300329
    Abstract: An instruction execution control system includes a plurality of instruction storage units configured to output instructions in an FIFO order to a plurality of instruction execution units configured to execute the instructions; an instruction control unit configured to assign each of a plurality of the sequentially input instructions to one of the instruction storage units, and an output control unit configured to control the output of the instructions from the instruction storage units. When the input instruction is a dummy instruction to be inserted between instructions that should be executed in an execution order, the instruction control unit distributes the input instruction to the plurality of instruction storage units. The output control unit stops the output of the instructions from the instruction storage unit, the instruction output therefrom has become the dummy instruction, to the instruction execution unit until instructions output from all instruction storage units become the dummy instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Koichiro NOGUCHI, Osamu OKAZAKI, Shunichi KAERIYAMA, Koichi NOSE
  • Publication number: 20160364351
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided which can quickly detect a malfunction of high priority modules by frequently checking a coupling state between the high priority modules and a communication bus. According to an embodiment, a host controller includes a module control circuit that performs data communication with a plurality of externally-provided modules through a communication bus, a coupling state check circuit which is coupled to the communication bus and which checks the presence or absence of a response from the modules, and selected from the modules based on information of a check list, and a control circuit that selectively causes the module control circuit and the coupling state check circuit to operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventor: Koichiro NOGUCHI