Patents by Inventor Michihiro Inoue

Michihiro Inoue 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: 20080079025
    Abstract: An exposure device includes a circuit board, a light-emitting element member, a driving signal generating unit and a first voltage supply unit. The light-emitting element member is disposed on the circuit board. The light-emitting element includes plural light-emitting elements arranged in a line and plural switching elements disposed so as to correspond to the plural light-emitting elements. When the plural switching elements sequentially set the respective light-emitting elements to be in a state where the respective light-emitting elements can turn on, the respective light-emitting elements turn on sequentially. The driving signal generating unit is disposed on the circuit board. The driving signal generating unit generates driving signals for driving the respective light-emitting elements arranged in the light-emitting element member. The first voltage supply unit is disposed on the circuit board. The voltage supply unit supplies a first predetermined voltage to the light-emitting element member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 5666049
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a plurality of semiconductor testing circuit chips 2 having an exclusive function of testing a plurality of one item of semiconductor integrated-circuit chips 1, a computer 3 for controlling the semiconductor testing circuit chips 2 and for collecting the test results, and a motherboard 4 on which the plurality of chips 1 to be tested and the plurality of testing circuit chips 2 are mounted so that the chips 1 to be tested are connected to the testing circuit chips 2. Since the major testing functions are incorporated into the testing circuit chips 2, the computer 3 for collecting the test results can sufficiently be composed of a low-price computer, so that it is possible to greatly lower the price of the semiconductor testing apparatus. By increasing the number of the testing circuit chips 2, it is possible to greatly increase the number of chips which can be tested simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Atsushi Fujiwara, Michihiro Inoue, Kazuhiro Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 5497079
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a plurality of semiconductor testing circuit chips 2 having an exclusive function of testing a plurality of one item of semiconductor integrated-circuit chips 1, a computer 3 for controlling the semiconductor testing circuit chips 2 and for collecting the test results, and a motherboard 4 on which the plurality of chips 1 to be tested and the plurality of testing circuit chips 2 are mounted so that the chips 1 to be tested are connected to the testing circuit chips 2. Since the major testing functions are incorporated into the testing circuit chips 2, the computer 3 for collecting the test results can sufficiently be composed of a low-price computer, so that it is possible to greatly lower the price of the semiconductor testing apparatus. By increasing the number of the testing circuit chips 2, it is possible to greatly increase the number of chips which can be tested simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Atsushi Fujiwara, Michihiro Inoue, Kazuhiro Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 5375095
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory is formed with two power supply meshes extending throughout a memory array region in which are formed memory cells and sense amplifier circuits, thereby enabling sense amplifier drive circuits to be distributed throughout that memory array region, with each sense amplifier drive circuit being connected to the nearest points on the two supply meshes. A substantially improved value of read access time, or increased total memory capacity, can thereby be achieved by comparison with a DRAM in which the sense amplifier drive circuits are provided only at the periphery of a memory array region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Michihiro Inoue, Junko Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5316962
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is provided which includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a plurality of trench capacitors formed in the substrate and a plurality of switching transistors formed on the respective trench capacitors. Each of the switching transistors is electrically connected to the corresponding trench capacitor. Each of the trench capacitors has a first electrode formed in the side portion of a trench provided in the substrate and a second electrode containing impurities of the first conductivity type and embedded in the trench. Each of the switching transistors has a source region formed from a first epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type grown on the trench so as to electrically contact the second electrode, a channel region formed from a second epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type grown on the first epitaxial layer, and a drain region formed from a third epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type grown on the second epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Matsuo, Shozo Okada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 5181089
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is provided which includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a plurality of trench capacitors formed in the substrate and a plurality of switching transistors formed on the respective trench capacitors. Each of the switching transistors is electrically connected to the corresponding trench capacitor. Each of the trench capacitors has a first electrode formed in the side portion of a trench provided in the substrate and a second electrode containing impurities of the first conductivity type and embedded in the trench. Each of the switching transistors has a source region formed from a first epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type grown on the trench so as to electrically contact the second electrode, a channel region formed from a second epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type grown on the first epitaxial layer, and a drain region formed from a third epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type grown on the second epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Matsuo, Shozo Okada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 5151878
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device comprising memory cells in which first and second potentials correspond to the logic values "0" and "1", the first potential is closer to the second potential than the potential of unselected word lines, by 0.3 V or more. The pull-up transistor is of the N-type, and the pull-down transistor is of the P-type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 5128896
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device comprising memory cells in which first and second potentials correspond to the logic values "0" and "1", the first potential is closer to the second potential than the potential of unselected word lines, by 0.3 V or more. The pull-up transistor is of the N-type, and the pull-down transistor is of the P-type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 5089869
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device comprising a semiconductor substrate on which memory cells are formed, each including a switching transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate and a capacitor disposed above the switching transistor. The capacitor has a storage electrode, a cell plate and a capacitor insulating film sandwiched therebetween. The storage electrodes of at least two adjacent memory cells are partly disposed one above the other, with part of the cell plate interposed therebetween. Also disclosed is a semiconductor memory device in which the capacitors of the memory cells are disposed in a trench formed in the semiconductor substrate. The two switching transistors of two adjacent memory cells are located on each island-shaped active region surrounded by the trench. The storage electrodes of the capacitors of the two adjacent memory cells extend side by side around the corresponding active region, with part of the cell plate interposed between the storage electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Matsuo, Shozo Okada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4920517
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory which includes a memory cell array, sense amplifiers disposed at both side of the memory cell array, and sub bit lines coupled to the sense amplifiers. The sub bit lines are coupled to data busses through middle amplifiers. By use of such memory architecture, higher integration of DRAM can be realized. Also, handling of super large bit data more than 1024 bit becomes possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Toshio Yamada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4888732
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory which includes a sense amplifier, first pair of bit lines extending in the opposite directions from the sense amplifier, second pair of bit lines extending in the opposite directions from the sense amplifier and disposed in parallel with the first pair of bit lines, a plurality of word lines disposed in a manner that the word lines perpendicularly intersect with the first and second pairs of bit lines, and a plurality of memory cells disposed at all intersecting points of the word lines and the first and second pairs of bit lines. Two bit lines selected from the first and second pairs of bit lines are coupled to the sense amplifier. Since two bit lines or two groups of memory cells can be disposed at one side of the sense amplifier, space efficiency can be highly improved without damaging the operating characteristics of a dynamic random access memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiro Inoue, Toshio Yamada
  • Patent number: 4807194
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory includes a memory cell array, sense amplifiers disposed at both sides of the memory cell array, and sub bit lines coupled to the sense amplifiers. The sub bit lines may be coupled to data busses through middle amplifiers. By use of such a memory architecture, a higher integration of a DRAM can be realized. Also, the handling of super large bit data, i.e. more than 1024 bits becomes possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4771012
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a field effect transistor, wherein impurity diffusion layers of source and drain are formed by an ion implantation method using the gate electrode as the mask by inclining the semiconductor substrate with respect to the ion beam incident direction so as to prevent the channeling effect and also rotating it in planarity with respect to the ion beam scanning plane. As a result, impurity diffusion layers can be formed symmetrically with respect to the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiki Yabu, Michihiro Inoue, Takashi Ozone
  • Patent number: 4599602
    Abstract: In a serial-type A/D converter utilizing folding circuit cells connected in cascade, the cell has a differential type input and a differential type output, and a comparator included in the cell switches over current paths in the cell to establish a folding characteristic. An input potential difference is converted into a current difference by a pair of transistors having the emitters interconnected through a resistor, and the current difference is further converted into a pair of differential output voltages by a load circuit having a pair of series connections each including a resistor, a diode and a transistor having its base connected with another resistor, so that the non-linear characteristic and gain can be corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Matzuzawa, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4536950
    Abstract: In making a vertical bipolar transistors, after forming by diffusion process a region to become inactive base region an oxide film is selectively formed on the region, thereafter an ion implantation is carried out to produce regions which become the active base region and emitter region by using the oxide film; thereby such a configuration is formed so that defect part (108) induced at the time of the ion implantation is confined in the emitter region, thereby minimizing the leakage current at the PN junction, and hence assuring production of high performance and high reliability semiconductor devices; further, a high integration is attained by adopting self-alignment in forming emitter contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1985
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Sadamatsu, Michihiro Inoue, Akihiro Kanda, Akira Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 4496935
    Abstract: A parallel type analog-digital converter having a plural number (1023) of comparators, a first voltage divider comprising a plural number (1023) of resistors (R.sub.1 to R.sub.1023) connected in series across positive and negative terminals of a power source thereby feeding reference voltages from the junction points to the comparators, the apparatus further comprisesa second voltage divider comprising a second plural number (8) of resistors (r.sub.1, r.sub.2 . . . r.sub.8) connected in series across the voltage feeding terminals thereby feeding input voltages to input terminals of the current amplifiers D.sub.1, D.sub.2 . . . D.sub.8, the output of which is given to the corresponding junction points of the first voltage divider, thereby to equalize voltages of said first voltage divider with voltages of corresponding junction points of said second voltage divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiro Inoue, Akira Matsuzawa, Toyoki Takemoto
  • Patent number: 4417233
    Abstract: A parallel type A/D converter capable of operating at an extremely high speed with a high degree of accuracy and with low power consumption. A plurality of comparators each having a reference voltage corresponding to an assigned quantizing level are disposed in parallel with each other and divided into a plurality of comparator blocks or groups. A plurality of sub-comparators are provided so that prior to the comparison of the input signal by the comparators, the input signal is first compared with the reference voltages of the sub-comparators and in response to the output from the sub-comparator having the reference voltage comparable or corresponding to the incoming input signal, only the comparators in the comparator block or group associated with said sub-comparator are energized or enabled while the remaining comparators are kept de-energized or disabled, whereby a minimum power consumption may be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiro Inoue, Toyoki Takemoto, Haruyasu Yamada
  • Patent number: 4233615
    Abstract: An IC device comprising a junction type field effect transistor of a back gate type and a bipolar device such as a bipolar transistor and a resistor made of impurity diffused region, wherein an extremely thin (in the order of 0.05-0.2 .mu.m) impurity doped surface region of a conductivity type same as that of a back gate region is formed at the surface of a surface channel region, and is separated from at least a drain region to sustain high breakdown voltage between gate region and the drain region; the impurity surface region serving to reduce noise and also enabling to achieve satisfactory characteristics of J-FET and also good ohmic characteristics of the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyoki Takemoto, Tadao Komeda, Haruyasu Yamada, Michihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: RE35036
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a field effect transistor, wherein impurity diffusion layers of source and drain are formed by an ion implantation method using the gate electrode as the mask by inclining the semiconductor substrate with respect to the ion beam incident direction so as to prevent the channeling effect and also rotating it in planarity with respect to the ion beam scanning plane. As a result, impurity diffusion layers can be formed symmetrically with respect to the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiki Yabu, Michihiro Inoue, Takashi Ozone
  • Patent number: RE35430
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device comprising memory cells in which first and second potentials correspond to the logic values "0" and "1", the first potential is closer to the second potential than the potential of unselected word lines, by 0.3 V or more. The pull-up transistor is of the N-type, and the pull-down transistor is of the P-type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Michihiro Inoue