Patents by Inventor Roh Yamamoto

Roh Yamamoto 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: 20240048868
    Abstract: An imaging device that facilitates pooling processing. A pixel region includes a plurality of pooling modules and an output circuit, the pooling module includes a pooling circuit and a comparison module, the pooling circuit includes a plurality of pixels and an arithmetic circuit, and the comparison module includes a plurality of comparison circuits and a determination circuit. The pixel can obtain a first signal through photoelectric conversion, and can multiply the first signal by a given scaling factor to generate a second signal. The pooling circuit adds a plurality of second signals in the arithmetic circuit to generate a third signal, the comparison module compares a plurality of third signals and outputs the largest third signal to the determination circuit, and the determination circuit determines the largest third signal and binarizes it to generate a fourth signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Roh YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230387147
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of image processing is provided. The imaging device can retain analog data (image data) obtained by an image-capturing operation in a pixel and perform a product-sum operation of the analog data and a predetermined weight coefficient in the pixel to convert the data into binary data. When the binary data is taken in a neural network or the like, processing such as image recognition can be performed. Since enormous volumes of image data can be retained in pixels in the state of analog data, processing can be performed efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki IKEDA, Yoshiyuki KUROKAWA, Shintaro HARADA, Hidetomo KOBAYASHI, Roh YAMAMOTO, Kiyotaka KIMURA, Takashi NAKAGAWA, Yusuke NEGORO
  • Patent number: 11805335
    Abstract: An imaging device that facilitates pooling processing. A pixel region includes a plurality of pooling modules and an output circuit, the pooling module includes a pooling circuit and a comparison module, the pooling circuit includes a plurality of pixels and an arithmetic circuit, and the comparison module includes a plurality of comparison circuits and a determination circuit. The pixel can obtain a first signal through photoelectric conversion, and can multiply the first signal by a given scaling factor to generate a second signal. The pooling circuit adds a plurality of second signals in the arithmetic circuit to generate a third signal, the comparison module compares a plurality of third signals and outputs the largest third signal to the determination circuit, and the determination circuit determines the largest third signal and binarizes it to generate a fourth signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Roh Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11728355
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of image processing is provided. The imaging device can retain analog data (image data) obtained by an image-capturing operation in a pixel and perform a product-sum operation of the analog data and a predetermined weight coefficient in the pixel to convert the data into binary data. When the binary data is taken in a neural network or the like, processing such as image recognition can be performed. Since enormous volumes of image data can be retained in pixels in the state of analog data, processing can be performed efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ikeda, Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Shintaro Harada, Hidetomo Kobayashi, Roh Yamamoto, Kiyotaka Kimura, Takashi Nakagawa, Yusuke Negoro
  • Publication number: 20220385840
    Abstract: An imaging device that facilitates pooling processing. A pixel region includes a plurality of pooling modules and an output circuit, the pooling module includes a pooling circuit and a comparison module, the pooling circuit includes a plurality of pixels and an arithmetic circuit, and the comparison module includes a plurality of comparison circuits and a determination circuit. The pixel can obtain a first signal through photoelectric conversion, and can multiply the first signal by a given scaling factor to generate a second signal. The pooling circuit adds a plurality of second signals in the arithmetic circuit to generate a third signal, the comparison module compares a plurality of third signals and outputs the largest third signal to the determination circuit, and the determination circuit determines the largest third signal and binarizes it to generate a fourth signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventor: Roh YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 11388360
    Abstract: An imaging device that facilitates pooling processing. A pixel region includes a plurality of pooling modules and an output circuit, the pooling module includes a pooling circuit and a comparison module, the pooling circuit includes a plurality of pixels and an arithmetic circuit, and the comparison module includes a plurality of comparison circuits and a determination circuit. The pixel can obtain a first signal through photoelectric conversion, and can multiply the first signal by a given scaling factor to generate a second signal. The pooling circuit adds a plurality of second signals in the arithmetic circuit to generate a third signal, the comparison module compares a plurality of third signals and outputs the largest third signal to the determination circuit, and the determination circuit determines the largest third signal and binarizes it to generate a fourth signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Roh Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20210384239
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of image processing is provided. The imaging device can retain analog data (image data) obtained by an image-capturing operation in a pixel and perform a product-sum operation of the analog data and a predetermined weight coefficient in the pixel to convert the data into binary data. When the binary data is taken in a neural network or the like, processing such as image recognition can be performed. Since enormous volumes of image data can be retained in pixels in the state of analog data, processing can be performed efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ikeda, Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Shintaro Harada, Hidetomo Kobayashi, Roh Yamamoto, Kiyotaka Kimura, Takashi Nakagawa, Yusuke Negoro
  • Publication number: 20210318856
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that updates a weight coefficient used for arithmetic operation by an artificial neural network is provided. Each of the first to third memory cells draws a current corresponding to data of its retention node and changes the data in accordance with the potentials of first and second wirings. When a weight coefficient and first and second reference data are held in the retention nodes of the first to third memory cells, the first circuit supplies, to a third wiring, a constant currents drawn by the second and third memory cells. When input data is input to the first wiring, a difference current between the constant current and a current drawn by the first memory cell is changed, and the second circuit outputs arithmetic result data corresponding to the change. The third circuit inputs update data corresponding to the arithmetic result data to the second wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki IKEDA, Roh YAMAMOTO, Shuichi KATSUI
  • Patent number: 11101302
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of image processing is provided. The imaging device can retain analog data (image data) obtained by an image-capturing operation in a pixel and perform a product-sum operation of the analog data and a predetermined weight coefficient in the pixel to convert the data into binary data. When the binary data is taken in a neural network or the like, processing such as image recognition can be performed. Since enormous volumes of image data can be retained in pixels in the state of analog data, processing can be performed efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ikeda, Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Shintaro Harada, Hidetomo Kobayashi, Roh Yamamoto, Kiyotaka Kimura, Takashi Nakagawa, Yusuke Negoro
  • Patent number: 11011087
    Abstract: A test circuit is incorporated in an IC without an increase in a chip area. The IC includes a plurality of pins, a plurality of current sensing circuits, and a current generation circuit. The plurality of current sensing circuits process currents flowing through the plurality of pins in parallel and generates digital data, for example. The current generation circuit includes a capacitor and generates a reference current corresponding to the amount of electric charge of the capacitor. The amount of electric charge can be controlled by a voltage input to the capacitor, and thus the range of output currents for current generation can be made wide. The reference current is used for testing the plurality of current sensing circuits. The IC is used for a source driver IC of a display panel, for example. In this case, currents flowing through pixels in the display panel can be sensed by the plurality of current sensing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Roh Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20210134860
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of image processing is provided. The imaging device can retain analog data (image data) obtained by an image-capturing operation in a pixel and perform a product-sum operation of the analog data and a predetermined weight coefficient in the pixel to convert the data into binary data. When the binary data is taken in a neural network or the like, processing such as image recognition can be performed. Since enormous volumes of image data can be retained in pixels in the state of analog data, processing can be performed efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki IKEDA, Yoshiyuki KUROKAWA, Shintaro HARADA, Hidetomo KOBAYASHI, Roh YAMAMOTO, Kiyotaka KIMURA, Takashi NAKAGAWA, Yusuke NEGORO
  • Patent number: 10951850
    Abstract: An offset component of multiplication by a transistor is to be reduced. An imaging device includes a pixel region, a first circuit, a second circuit, a third circuit, and a fourth circuit. The pixel region includes a plurality of pixels, and a pixel includes a first transistor. An offset potential and a weight potential are supplied to the pixel selected by the first circuit and the second circuit. The pixel obtains a first signal by photoelectric conversion with use of light. The first transistor multiplies the first signal by the weight potential. The first transistor generates a first offset term and a second offset term with use of a multiplication term of the first signal by the weight potential and the offset potential. The third circuit subtracts the first offset term, and the fourth circuit subtracts the second offset term. The fourth circuit determines the multiplication term, and the fourth circuit outputs a determination result through the neural network interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Roh Yamamoto, Takahiro Fukutome
  • Patent number: 10714004
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first to fourth terminals, a switch circuit, and an integrating circuit. The integrating circuit includes an amplifier circuit having a (?) terminal, a first (+) terminal, and a second (+) terminal. The integrating circuit is configured to integrate an input signal of the (?) terminal using an average voltage of a voltage of the first (+) terminal and a voltage of the second (+) terminal as a reference voltage. The switch circuit is configured to electrically connect the (?) terminal to the second terminal, the first (+) terminal to the first terminal, the second (+) terminal to the third terminal the (?) terminal to the third terminal, the first (+) terminal to the second terminal, and the second (+) terminal to the fourth terminal. The present semiconductor device is used as a semiconductor device sensing a current flowing through a pixel in a display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kei Takahashi, Roh Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20200176493
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of image processing is provided. The imaging device can retain analog data (image data) obtained by an image-capturing operation in a pixel and perform a product-sum operation of the analog data and a predetermined weight coefficient in the pixel to convert the data into binary data. When the binary data is taken in a neural network or the like, processing such as image recognition can be performed. Since enormous volumes of image data can be retained in pixels in the state of analog data, processing can be performed efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki IKEDA, Yoshiyuki KUROKAWA, Shintaro HARADA, Hidetomo KOBAYASHI, Roh YAMAMOTO, Kiyotaka KIMURA, Takashi NAKAGAWA, Yusuke NEGORO
  • Publication number: 20200169683
    Abstract: An imaging device that facilitates pooling processing. A pixel region includes a plurality of pooling modules and an output circuit, the pooling module includes a pooling circuit and a comparison module, the pooling circuit includes a plurality of pixels and an arithmetic circuit, and the comparison module includes a plurality of comparison circuits and a determination circuit. The pixel can obtain a first signal through photoelectric conversion, and can multiply the first signal by a given scaling factor to generate a second signal. The pooling circuit adds a plurality of second signals in the arithmetic circuit to generate a third signal, the comparison module compares a plurality of third signals and outputs the largest third signal to the determination circuit, and the determination circuit determines the largest third signal and binarizes it to generate a fourth signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventor: Roh YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200145600
    Abstract: An offset component of multiplication by a transistor is to be reduced. An imaging device includes a pixel region, a first circuit, a second circuit, a third circuit, and a fourth circuit. The pixel region includes a plurality of pixels, and a pixel includes a first transistor. An offset potential and a weight potential are supplied to the pixel selected by the first circuit and the second circuit. The pixel obtains a first signal by photoelectric conversion with use of light. The first transistor multiplies the first signal by the weight potential. The first transistor generates a first offset term and a second offset term with use of a multiplication term of the first signal by the weight potential and the offset potential. The third circuit subtracts the first offset term, and the fourth circuit subtracts the second offset term. The fourth circuit determines the multiplication term, and the fourth circuit outputs a determination result through the neural network interface that the fourth circuit has.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Roh YAMAMOTO, Takahiro FUKUTOME
  • Publication number: 20200013320
    Abstract: A test circuit is incorporated in an IC without an increase in a chip area. The IC includes a plurality of pins, a plurality of current sensing circuits, and a current generation circuit. The plurality of current sensing circuits process currents flowing through the plurality of pins in parallel and generates digital data, for example. The current generation circuit includes a capacitor and generates a reference current corresponding to the amount of electric charge of the capacitor. The amount of electric charge can be controlled by a voltage input to the capacitor, and thus the range of output currents for current generation can be made wide. The reference current is used for testing the plurality of current sensing circuits. The IC is used for a source driver IC of a display panel, for example. In this case, currents flowing through pixels in the display panel can be sensed by the plurality of current sensing circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Roh YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10523187
    Abstract: An object is to provide a level shift circuit that operates stably. A semiconductor device includes a level shift circuit including first to fourth transistors and a buffer circuit. One of a source and a drain (S/D) of the first transistor is connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor. A gate of the first transistor and a gate of the fourth transistor are connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor and the one of the source and the drain of the third transistor. A gate of the third transistor is connected to a wiring to which an input signal is input. An input terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor. An output terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to a gate of the second transistor and a wiring to which an output signal is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Roh Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10490142
    Abstract: Objects are to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure, to provide a semiconductor device with low power consumption, and to provide a semiconductor device with a small chip area. A digital-analog converter and a frame memory are included. The frame memory includes a sample-and-hold circuit, a correction circuit, and a source follower circuit. The sample-and-hold circuit retains the analog voltage output from the digital-analog converter. The correction circuit corrects the analog voltage retained in the sample-and-hold circuit. The source-follower circuit outputs the corrected analog voltage. The sample-and-hold-circuit, the correction circuit, and the source follower circuit each comprise a first transistor. The first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer in a semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetomo Kobayashi, Roh Yamamoto, Kei Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20190341913
    Abstract: An object is to provide a level shift circuit that operates stably. A semiconductor device includes a level shift circuit including first to fourth transistors and a buffer circuit. One of a source and a drain (S/D) of the first transistor is connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor. A gate of the first transistor and a gate of the fourth transistor are connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor and the one of the source and the drain of the third transistor. A gate of the third transistor is connected to a wiring to which an input signal is input. An input terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor. An output terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to a gate of the second transistor and a wiring to which an output signal is output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventor: Roh YAMAMOTO