Patents by Inventor Seiichi Yoneda

Seiichi Yoneda 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: 20160117584
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device that is capable of displaying data even when a radio signal is not supplied. The semiconductor device includes an antenna, a battery, a sensor, a nonvolatile memory, a first circuit, and a second circuit. Power supplied from the antenna is converted into first power via the first circuit. The battery stores the first power and supplies second power. The sensor performs sensing with the second power. The nonvolatile memory stores analog data acquired by the sensor. The second power is used to store the analog data. The second circuit converts the analog data into digital data with the use of the first power. The nonvolatile memory preferably includes an oxide semiconductor transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi YONEDA, Yukio MAEHASHI
  • Publication number: 20160099258
    Abstract: To provide a novel semiconductor device or a semiconductor device capable of operating at high speed. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of circuits each having a function of storing data and a wiring EL. The plurality of circuits each include a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor and the capacitor. The first transistor includes an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. The wiring EL has a function of a back-gate of the first transistor. A potential for selecting the plurality of circuits is supplied to the wiring EL. Thus, data stored in the plurality of circuits is erased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventor: Seiichi YONEDA
  • Patent number: 9293427
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an antenna functioning as a coil, a capacitor electrically connected to the antenna in parallel, a passive element forming a resonance circuit with the antenna and the capacitor by being electrically connected to the antenna and the capacitor in parallel, a first field effect transistor controlling whether the passive element is electrically connected to the antenna and the capacitor in parallel or not, and a memory circuit. The memory circuit includes a second field effect transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer where a channel is formed and in which a data signal is input to one of a source and a drain. The gate voltage of the first field effect transistor is set depending on the voltage of the other of the source and the drain of the second field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9129667
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a nonvolatile memory can normally operate and power saving can be performed with a P-state function, and a driving method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes: a first circuit configured to control a state including a driving voltage and a clock frequency of a processor core; a first memory circuit and a second memory circuit which store state data; a second circuit generating a power supply voltage and a third circuit generating a clock which are electrically connected to the first circuit; and the processor core electrically connected to the second circuit and the third circuit through a switch. The processor cores includes: a volatile memory; and a nonvolatile memory transmitting and receiving data to/from the first memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Takahashi, Seiichi Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20150179806
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor which includes a first gate electrode below its oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode above its oxide semiconductor layer, and a second transistor which includes a first gate electrode above its oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode below its oxide semiconductor layer and is provided so as to at least partly overlap with the first transistor. In the semiconductor device, a conductive film serving as the second gate electrode of the first transistor and the second gate electrode of the second transistor is shared between the first transistor and the second transistor. Note that the second gate electrode not only controls the threshold voltages (Vth) of the first transistor and the second transistor but also has an effect of reducing interference of an electric field applied from respective first gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Seiichi YONEDA, Takuro OHMARU
  • Patent number: 9059704
    Abstract: An object is to provide a programmable logic device configured to keep a connection state of logic circuits even while power supply voltage is stopped. The programmable logic device includes arithmetic circuits each of whose logic state can be changed; a configuration changing circuit changing the logic states of the arithmetic circuits; a power supply control circuit controlling supply of power supply voltage to the arithmetic circuits; a state memory circuit storing data on the logic states and data on states of the power supply voltage of the arithmetic circuits; and an arithmetic state control circuit controlling the configuration changing circuit and the power supply control circuit in accordance with the data stored in the state memory circuit. A transistor in which a channel formation region is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer is provided between the configuration changing circuit and each of the arithmetic circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Jun Koyama, Yutaka Shionoiri, Masami Endo, Hiroki Dembo, Tatsuji Nishijima, Hidetomo Kobayashi, Kazuaki Ohshima
  • Patent number: 9058867
    Abstract: A data saving period control circuit; a power gating control circuit; and a data processing circuit including a general-purpose register, an error correction code storage register, and an error correction code circuit are included. The general-purpose register and the error correction code storage register each include a volatile memory unit and a nonvolatile memory unit. The data saving period control circuit is a circuit for changing a length of a data saving period in which data output from the power gating control circuit is saved from the volatile memory unit to the nonvolatile memory unit included in the general-purpose register, depending on whether an error in an error correction code stored in the error correction code storage register is detected by the error correction code circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9047947
    Abstract: A register circuit is provided which can hold data even after being powered off and which does not require a save operation and a return operation. In a register circuit including a plurality of register component circuits, a first transistor with small off-state current, and a second transistor with small off-state current, a data holding portion is connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. Since the first transistor and the second transistor have a small off-state current, electric charge does not leak from the data holding portion, and data is held by the data holding portion even after the register circuit is powered off. Thus, a save operation and a return operation are not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9041449
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device which stops and resumes the supply of power supply voltage without the necessity of saving and returning a data signal between a volatile storage device and a nonvolatile storage device is provided. In the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device, the volatile storage device and the nonvolatile storage device are provided without separation. Specifically, in the semiconductor storage device, data is held in a data holding portion connected to a transistor including a semiconductor layer containing an oxide semiconductor and a capacitor. The potential of the data held in the data holding portion is controlled by a data potential holding circuit and a data potential control circuit. The data potential holding circuit can output data without leaking electric charge, and the data potential control circuit can control the potential of the data held in the data holding portion without leaking electric charge by capacitive coupling through the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Hidetomo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9030232
    Abstract: An isolator circuit capable of two-way electrical disconnection and a semiconductor device including the isolator circuit are provided. A data holding portion is provided in an isolator circuit without the need for additional provision of a data holding portion outside the isolator circuit, and data which is to be input to a logic circuit that is in an off state at this moment is stored in the data holding portion. The data holding portion may be formed using a transistor with small off-state current and a buffer. The buffer can include an inverter circuit and a clocked inverter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9013937
    Abstract: A method for limiting writing of data to a specific memory cell without disconnecting a wiring of a memory cell array or placing a prober in contact with a memory cell, a row, or a column is provided. Row address data and column address data of a memory cell to which data cannot be written are stored in a register. Enable data which controls data writing is stored in the register. Next, in order to write data to a memory cell, row address data and column address data of a memory cell to which data is written, writing enable data, and the like are output from a logic circuit; thus, writing of data to a memory cell corresponding to the address data stored in the register is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8981367
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor which includes a first gate electrode below its oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode above its oxide semiconductor layer, and a second transistor which includes a first gate electrode above its oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode below its oxide semiconductor layer and is provided so as to at least partly overlap with the first transistor. In the semiconductor device, a conductive film serving as the second gate electrode of the first transistor and the second gate electrode of the second transistor is shared between the first transistor and the second transistor. Note that the second gate electrode not only controls the threshold voltages (Vth) of the first transistor and the second transistor but also has an effect of reducing interference of an electric field applied from respective first gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Takuro Ohmaru
  • Patent number: 8975917
    Abstract: A programmable logic device includes a plurality of arithmetic circuits; a configuration changing circuit for changing a logic state of each of the plurality of arithmetic circuits by rewriting configuration data; a power supply control circuit for switching between start and stop of supply of power supply voltage to the plurality of arithmetic circuits; a state memory circuit for storing data on configuration, data on a state of power supply voltage, data on use frequency, and data on last use of each of the plurality of arithmetic circuits; and an arithmetic state control circuit for controlling the configuration changing circuit and the power supply control circuit in accordance with the data stored in the state memory circuit. One of the plurality of arithmetic circuits includes a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor film in a channel formation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20150061742
    Abstract: The storage circuit includes first and second logic circuits, first and second transistors whose channel formation regions include an oxide semiconductor, and a capacitor. The first and second transistors are connected to each other in series, and the capacitor is connected to a connection node of the first and second transistors. The first transistor functions as a switch that controls connection between an output terminal of the first logic circuit and the capacitor. The second transistor functions as a switch that controls connection between the capacitor and an input terminal of the second logic circuit. Clock signals whose phases are inverted from each other are input to gates of the first and second transistors. Since the storage circuit has a small number of transistors and a small number of transistors controlled by the clock signals, the storage circuit is a low-power circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Yukio Maehashi, Seiichi YONEDA, Wataru UESUGI
  • Publication number: 20140325171
    Abstract: The amount of data to be backed up and recovered is reduced when supply of power to a semiconductor device is stopped and restarted. A backup need determination circuit provided in the semiconductor device reads the kind of instruction decoded by a decoder and determines whether data needs to be backed up from a volatile register to a nonvolatile register. With a structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to select necessary data from data used for operation in a logic circuit before the power supply is stopped and after the power supply is restarted. Data that is necessary after the power supply is restarted can be backed up from the volatile register to the nonvolatile register before the power supply is stopped. Data that is unnecessary is not backed up from the volatile register to the nonvolatile register before the power supply is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8873308
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Atsuo Isobe, Yuji Iwaki, Koichiro Kamata, Yasuyuki Takahashi, Masumi Nomura
  • Publication number: 20140286114
    Abstract: A method for limiting writing of data to a specific memory cell without disconnecting a wiring of a memory cell array or placing a prober in contact with a memory cell, a row, or a column is provided. Row address data and column address data of a memory cell to which data cannot be written are stored in a register. Enable data which controls data writing is stored in the register. Next, in order to write data to a memory cell, row address data and column address data of a memory cell to which data is written, writing enable data, and the like are output from a logic circuit; thus, writing of data to a memory cell corresponding to the address data stored in the register is inhibited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8824193
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device which stops and resumes the supply of power supply voltage without the necessity of saving and returning a data signal between a volatile storage device and a nonvolatile storage device is provided. In the semiconductor storage device, data is held in a data holding portion connected to a transistor including a semiconductor layer containing an oxide semiconductor and a capacitor. The potential of the data held in the data holding portion is controlled by a data potential holding circuit and a data potential control circuit. The data potential holding circuit can output data without leaking electric charge, and the data potential control circuit can control the potential of the data held in the data holding portion without leaking electric charge by capacitive coupling through the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8750058
    Abstract: A method for limiting writing of data to a specific memory cell without disconnecting a wiring of a memory cell array or placing a prober in contact with a memory cell, a row, or a column is provided. Row address data and column address data of a memory cell to which data cannot be written are stored in a register. Enable data which controls data writing is stored in the register. Next, in order to write data to a memory cell, row address data and column address data of a memory cell to which data is written, writing enable data, and the like are output from a logic circuit; thus, writing of data to a memory cell corresponding to the address data stored in the register is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20140117353
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an antenna functioning as a coil, a capacitor electrically connected to the antenna in parallel, a passive element forming a resonance circuit with the antenna and the capacitor by being electrically connected to the antenna and the capacitor in parallel, a first field effect transistor controlling whether the passive element is electrically connected to the antenna and the capacitor in parallel or not, and a memory circuit. The memory circuit includes a second field effect transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer where a channel is formed and in which a data signal is input to one of a source and a drain. The gate voltage of the first field effect transistor is set depending on the voltage of the other of the source and the drain of the second field effect transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi YONEDA