Patents by Inventor Takao Yanagida

Takao Yanagida 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: 8045409
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells that are arranged at intersections of a word line with bit line pairs, a precharge circuit that is arranged for each of the bit line pairs and is configured to precharge each of the bit line pairs, and a Y-switch circuit that is arranged for each of the bit line pairs and is configured to select each of the bit line pairs. The semiconductor memory device further includes a mode switching unit that switches the normal mode and the test mode in accordance with a mode selection signal that is externally supplied, a plurality of individual control units that control operation of each of the precharge circuits in accordance with operation of each of the Y-switch circuits in the normal mode, and a block control unit that collectively turns off all of the precharge circuits in the test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Hirota, Takao Yanagida
  • Publication number: 20100103756
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells that are arranged at intersections of a word line with bit line pairs, a precharge circuit that is arranged for each of the bit line pairs and is configured to precharge each of the bit line pairs, and a Y-switch circuit that is arranged for each of the bit line pairs and is configured to select each of the bit line pairs. The semiconductor memory device further includes a mode switching unit that switches the normal mode and the test mode in accordance with a mode selection signal that is externally supplied, a plurality of individual control units that control operation of each of the precharge circuits in accordance with operation of each of the Y-switch circuits in the normal mode, and a block control unit that collectively turns off all of the precharge circuits in the test mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya HIROTA, Takao Yanagida
  • Patent number: 7692988
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (DRAM) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of pairs of digit lines (digit True, Not) connected to a memory cell, a common signal line pair (main I/O True, Not) connected to the plurality of pairs of digit lines in common, a main I/O equalizer performing precharge of the common signal line pair, and a control circuit determining whether the precharge operation is continued irrespective of a signal level of a mask signal input from an outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Yanagida, Takuya Hirota
  • Patent number: 7684270
    Abstract: In a conventional equalizer circuit, in an equalizing operation for setting voltages of a wiring pair having a predetermined voltage difference therebetween to be the same, it takes a long time to make the voltages of the wirings in a pair converge to a voltage having an offset with respect to a midpoint voltage of the voltages of the wiring pair after the equalizing operation. According to an equalizer circuit of the present invention, provided is an equalizer circuit (50) which sets the voltages of a first wiring (SAP) and a second wiring (SAN) to be substantially the same and which has a first transistor (N1) connected between the first wiring (SAP) and a first power supply circuit (for example, HVDD?Va) and a second transistor (N2) connected between the first wiring SAP and the second wiring (SAN). The equalizer circuit 50 makes the first transistor (N1) conductive, and then makes the second transistor (N2) conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Hirota, Takao Yanagida, Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7573273
    Abstract: A fuse cutting test method to test the state of a fuse includes measuring the current flowing through the fuse and determining the fuse to be either broken, or not broken, or in a state therebetween, based on the measured current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Yanagida
  • Patent number: 7489576
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device has first and second cell arrays including a plurality of memory cells to store data, a sense amplifier selectively connected with either one of the first and second cell arrays, a first precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the first cell array to a predetermined voltage, a second precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the second cell array to a predetermined voltage, a first switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the first cell array, a second switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the second cell array, and a switch controller to control conductive state of the first and second switch circuits. In non-selection state where the sense amplifier does not access any of the cell arrays, the switch controller controls one of the switch circuits into conducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Hirota, Takao Yanagida
  • Publication number: 20090016123
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (DRAM) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of pairs of digit lines (digit True, Not) connected to a memory cell, a common signal line pair (main I/O True, Not) connected to the plurality of pairs of digit lines in common, a main I/O equalizer performing precharge of the common signal line pair, and a control circuit determining whether the precharge operation is continued irrespective of a signal level of a mask signal input from an outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Yanagida, Takuya Hirota
  • Publication number: 20080049530
    Abstract: In a conventional equalizer circuit, in an equalizing operation for setting voltages of a wiring pair having a predetermined voltage difference therebetween to be the same, it takes a long time to make the voltages of the wirings in a pair converge to a voltage having an offset with respect to a midpoint voltage of the voltages of the wiring pair after the equalizing operation. According to an equalizer circuit of the present invention, provided is an equalizer circuit (50) which sets the voltages of a first wiring (SAP) and a second wiring (SAN) to be substantially the same and which has a first transistor (N1) connected between the first wiring (SAP) and a first power supply circuit (for example, HVDD?Va) and a second transistor (N2) connected between the first wiring SAP and the second wiring (SAN). The equalizer circuit 50 makes the first transistor (N1) conductive, and then makes the second transistor (N2) conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Hirota, Takao Yanagida, Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20070223297
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device has first and second cell arrays including a plurality of memory cells to store data, a sense amplifier selectively connected with either one of the first and second cell arrays, a first precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the first cell array to a predetermined voltage, a second precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the second cell array to a predetermined voltage, a first switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the first cell array, a second switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the second cell array, and a switch controller to control conductive state of the first and second switch circuits. In non-selection state where the sense amplifier does not access any of the cell arrays, the switch controller controls one of the switch circuits into conducting state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Hirota, Takao Yanagida
  • Publication number: 20060268485
    Abstract: A fuse cutting test method to test the state of a fuse, comprises, measuring the current flowing through the fuse and determining the fuse to be either broken, or not broken, or in a state therebetween, based on the measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takao Yanagida