Patents by Inventor Masaharu Mizuno

Masaharu Mizuno 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: 7986583
    Abstract: An integrated circuit design method whereby memory instances are assigned to memory macros integrated within an integrated circuit. A plurality of memory instances operating at the same operation frequency are assigned to a single memory macro. A frequency multiplier which receives a first clock signal is arranged to generate a second clock signal through frequency multiplication of the first clock signal, and feeds the second clock signal to the plurality of memory instances. A control circuit which selects the memory instances in synchronization is arranged with the first clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Masahiro Suzuki, Shinichi Uchino
  • Publication number: 20090201758
    Abstract: An integrated circuit design method is provided in which memory instances are assigned to memory macros integrated within an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit design method includes: assigning a plurality of memory instances operating at the same operation frequency to a single memory macro; arranging a frequency multiplier which receives a first clock signal to generate a second clock signal through frequency multiplication of the first clock signal, and feeds the second clock signal to the plurality of memory instances; and arranging a control circuit which selects the memory instances in synchronization with the first clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Masahiro Suzuki, Shinichi Uchino
  • Patent number: 7523436
    Abstract: An ASIC includes a function layer formed with plural universal logic cells, a common layer formed with conductive strips connected to the universal logic cells and common to other ASICs and a customized layer having at least two metallization layers assigned to conductive strips extending in certain directions parallel to one another and other conductive strips extending in perpendicular directions to the certain directions, respectively, and an inter-layered insulating layer formed with conductive plugs selectively connected between the conductive strips and the other conductive strips, wherein the conductive strips have respective values of length such that the conductive plugs are located on both ends thereof, whereby the conductive strips, other conductive strips and the conductive plugs form plural signal paths reduced in total contact resistance and parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Naotaka Maeda
  • Patent number: 7205795
    Abstract: A universal logic module includes: a first inverter outputting an inverted input signal to an output terminal through a first transfer gate, the inverted input signal having an inverted level of an input signal provided from a first input terminal; and a second inverter outputting an inverted logic signal to the output terminal through a second transfer gate, the inverted logic signal having an inverted level of a first logic signal. The first input terminal is connected to one of a power supply line and a ground line. An input of the first transfer gate is directly connected to the other of the power supply line and the ground line. The first and the second transfer gates are complementarily turned on/off according to a level of a second logic signal. A result of a logical operation between the first and the second logic signals is outputted from the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Kazuhiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7161382
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic cell used in a general-purpose logic cell array for a logic circuit, includes a plurality of kinds of logic circuit elements, each of which has a plurality of terminals with no connection. The plurality of kinds of logic circuit elements includes a flip-flop and a first inverter set. In this case, each of first inverters of the first inverter set is possible to be connected with an input of the flip-flop in parallel or as one of a series connection of at least two of the first inverters. Also, each first inverter is possible to be connected with an output of the flip-flop in parallel or as one of a series connection of at least two of the first inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Tooru Fujii
  • Publication number: 20060189041
    Abstract: An ASIC includes a function layer formed with plural universal logic cells, a common layer formed with conductive strips connected to the universal logic cells and common to other ASICs and a customized layer having at least two metallization layers assigned to conductive strips extending in certain directions parallel to one another and other conductive strips extending in perpendicular directions to the certain directions, respectively, and an inter-layered insulating layer formed with conductive plugs selectively connected between the conductive strips and the other conductive strips, wherein the conductive strips have respective values of length such that the conductive plugs are located on both ends thereof, whereby the conductive strips, other conductive strips and the conductive plugs form plural signal paths reduced in total contact resistance and parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Naotaka Maeda
  • Patent number: 7047514
    Abstract: An ASIC includes a function layer formed with plural universal logic cells, a common layer formed with conductive strips connected to the universal logic cells and common to other ASICs and a customized layer having at least two metallization layers assigned to conductive strips extending in certain directions parallel to one another and other conductive strips extending in perpendicular directions to the certain directions, respectively, and an inter-layered insulating layer formed with conductive plugs selectively connected between the conductive strips and the other conductive strips, wherein the conductive strips have respective values of length such that the conductive plugs are located on both ends thereof, whereby the conductive strips, other conductive strips and the conductive plugs form plural signal paths reduced in total contact resistance and parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Naotaka Maeda
  • Patent number: 6992504
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic cell array includes a plurality of cells and a lower wiring layer. The plurality of cells are formed on a substrate, and each of the plurality of cells includes a plurality of transistors. The lower wiring layer is formed above the plurality of cells, and which connects the plurality of transistors in each of the plurality of cells such that each of the plurality of cells has an elementary logic circuit. Information of the general-purpose logic cell array is provided to a user. The elementary logic circuits may be one of a gate circuit, a selector, an inverter and a flip-flop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masaharu Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20050218936
    Abstract: A universal logic module includes: a first inverter outputting an inverted input signal to an output terminal through a first transfer gate, the inverted input signal having an inverted level of an input signal provided from a first input terminal; and a second inverter outputting an inverted logic signal to the output terminal through a second transfer gate, the inverted logic signal having an inverted level of a first logic signal. The first input terminal is connected to one of a power supply line and a ground line. An input of the first transfer gate is directly connected to the other of the power supply line and the ground line. The first and the second transfer gates are complementarily turned on/off according to a level of a second logic signal. A result of a logical operation between the first and the second logic signals is outputted from the output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicant: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Kazuhiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6946875
    Abstract: A universal logic module that may have a reduced off-leak current in universal logic cells (100) not used as logic circuits has been disclosed. A universal logic module may include universal logic cells (100) that may be formed with a second wiring for connecting universal logic cells (100) from a base configuration formed with a first wiring. Unused universal logic cell (100) may include transistors in basic cells (A to E) that are non-connected to a power supply (VDD) and/or a ground potential (VSS). Furthermore, unused universal logic cell (100) may include transistors in basic cells (A to E) that may provide a capacitor between a power supply (VDD) and a ground potential (VSS). In this way, off-leak current may be reduced and noise on a power line and/or a ground line may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Yamamoto, Masaharu Mizuno, Kazuhiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6924671
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic module is composed of: a first inverter 10 in which an input terminal is connected to a first node T1; a second node T2 connected to an output terminal of the first inverter; a second inverter 11 in which an input terminal is connected to a third node T3; a sixth node T6 connected to an output terminal of the second inverter; a third inverter 12 in which an input terminal is connected to a fourth node T4; a first transfer gate 20 in which an input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first inverter, a first control input terminal is connected to the fourth node T4, and a second control input terminal is connected to an output terminal of the third inverter; a second transfer gate 21 in which an input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the second inverter, a first control input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the third inverter, and a second control input terminal is connected to the fourth node T4; and a fifth node T5 connected to an output t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masaharu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 6853019
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of logic cells formed on a semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of logic cells has a circuit for a function block of a logic circuit; and a wiring layer which connects the plurality of logic cells to form the logic circuit function blocks and thereby the logic circuit. The wiring layer includes a power supply wiring line pattern formed in a region corresponding to each of the plurality of logic cells; a ground wiring line pattern formed in the region; and a plurality of terminal patterns formed in the region. Each of the plurality of terminal patterns is connected with the circuit of the logic cell, and the plurality of terminal patterns are arranged adjacent to at least one of the power supply wiring line pattern and the ground wiring line pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Shigeo Noda
  • Patent number: 6753702
    Abstract: The master slice type semiconductor integrated circuit includes sequential circuit cells (2) and combinational circuit cells (3), which are alternately arranged in an inner core area on a semiconductor chip (1), and a plurality of selective driving elements (MC101 to MC108, MC201 to MC216 and MC301 to MC316), which are connected in a shape of a tree, for selectively distributing a poliphase clock signal for each division area formed by uniformly dividing the inner core area. The plurality of selective driving elements are placed and connected on the semiconductor chip such that load and wiring length between the sequential circuit cells within the respective division areas and input terminals to which the poliphase clock signal is inputted are equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Shigeki Sakai, Naotaka Maeda
  • Patent number: 6674307
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic module is composed of: a first inverter 10 in which an input terminal is connected to a first node T1; a second node T2 connected to an output terminal of the first inverter; a second inverter 11 in which an input terminal is connected to a third node T3; a sixth node T6 connected to an output terminal of the second inverter; a third inverter 12 in which an input terminal is connected to a fourth node T4; a first transfer gate 20 in which an input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first inverter, a first control input terminal is connected to the fourth node T4, and a second control input terminal is connected to an output terminal of the third inverter; a second transfer gate 21 in which an input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the second inverter, a first control input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the third inverter, and a second control input terminal is connected to the fourth node T4; and a fifth node T5 connected to an output t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masaharu Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20030214320
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of logic cells formed on a semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of logic cells has a circuit for a function block of a logic circuit; and a wiring layer which connects the plurality of logic cells to form the logic circuit function blocks and thereby the logic circuit. The wiring layer includes a power supply wiring line pattern formed in a region corresponding to each of the plurality of logic cells; a ground wiring line pattern formed in the region; and a plurality of terminal patterns formed in the region. Each of the plurality of terminal patterns is connected with the circuit of the logic cell, and the plurality of terminal patterns are arranged adjacent to at least one of the power supply wiring line pattern and the ground wiring line pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Shigeo Noda
  • Publication number: 20030214323
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic cell used in a general-purpose logic cell array for a logic circuit, includes a plurality of kinds of logic circuit elements, each of which has a plurality of terminals with no connection. The plurality of kinds of logic circuit elements includes a flip-flop and a first inverter set. In this case, each of first inverters of the first inverter set is possible to be connected with an input of the flip-flop in parallel or as one of a series connection of at least two of the first inverters. Also, each first inverter is possible to be connected with an output of the flip-flop in parallel or as one of a series connection of at least two of the first inverters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Tooru Fujii
  • Publication number: 20030201798
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic module is composed of: a first inverter 10 in which an input terminal is connected to a first node T1; a second node T2 connected to an output terminal of the first inverter; a second inverter 11 in which an input terminal is connected to a third node T3; a sixth node T6 connected to an output terminal of the second inverter; a third inverter 12 in which an input terminal is connected to a fourth node T4; a first transfer gate 20 in which an input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first inverter, a first control input terminal is connected to the fourth node T4, and a second control input terminal is connected to an output terminal of the third inverter; a second transfer gate 21 in which an input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the second inverter, a first control input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the third inverter, and a second control input terminal is connected to the fourth node T4; and a fifth node T5 connected to an output t
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masaharu Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20030173642
    Abstract: A general-purpose logic cell array includes a plurality of cells and a lower wiring layer. The plurality of cells are formed on a substrate, and each of the plurality of cells includes a plurality of transistors. The lower wiring layer is formed above the plurality of cells, and which connects the plurality of transistors in each of the plurality of cells such that each of the plurality of cells has an elementary logic circuit. Information of the general-purpose logic cell array is provided to a user. The elementary logic circuits may be one of a gate circuit, a selector, an inverter and a flip-flop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaharu Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20030117169
    Abstract: A universal logic module that may have a reduced off-leak current in universal logic cells (100) not used as logic circuits has been disclosed. A universal logic module may include universal logic cells (100) that may be formed with a second wiring for connecting universal logic cells (100) from a base configuration formed with a first wiring. Unused universal logic cell (100) may include transistors in basic cells (A to E) that are non-connected to a power supply (VDD) and/or a ground potential (VSS). Furthermore, unused universal logic cell (100) may include transistors in basic cells (A to E) that may provide a capacitor between a power supply (VDD) and a ground potential (VSS). In this way, off-leak current may be reduced and noise on a power line and/or a ground line may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Kenji Yamamoto, Masaharu Mizuno, Kazuhiro Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20030051221
    Abstract: The master slice type semiconductor integrated circuit includes sequential circuit cells (2) and combinational circuit cells (3), which are alternately arranged in an inner core area on a semiconductor chip (1), and a plurality of selective driving elements (MC101 to MC108, MC201 to MC216 and MC301 to MC316), which are connected in a shape of a tree, for selectively distributing a poliphase clock signal for each division area formed by uniformly dividing the inner core area. The plurality of selective driving elements are placed and connected on the semiconductor chip such that load and wiring length between the sequential circuit cells within the respective division areas and input terminals to which the poliphase clock signal is inputted are equal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Mizuno, Shigeki Sakai, Naotaka Maeda