Patents by Inventor Tomoharu Tanaka

Tomoharu Tanaka 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: 9042180
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a circuit block to utilize a load current at a load voltage from a power input and two or more charge pump arrays. The outputs of the charge pump arrays are coupled to the power input of the circuit block. The integrated circuit includes one or more modifiable elements to disable one or more of the two or more charge pump arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Tanzawa, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150109863
    Abstract: Data storage circuits are connected to the bit lines in a one-to-one correspondence. A write circuit writes the data on a first page into a plurality of 5 first memory cells selected simultaneously by a word line. Thereafter, the write circuit writes the data on a second page into the plurality of first memory cell. Then, the write circuit writes the data on the first and second pages into second memory cells adjoining 10 the first memory cells in the bit line direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru SHIBATA, Tomoharu TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20150078092
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes an electrically data rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory cell and a write circuit for writing data in the memory cell, the write circuit writing a data in the memory cells by supplying a write voltage Vpgm and a write control voltage VBL to the memory cell, continuing the writing of the data in the memory cell by changing the value of the write control voltage VBL in response to an advent of a first write state of the memory cell and inhibiting any operation of writing a data to the memory cell by further changing the value of the write control voltage VBL to Vdd in response to an advent of a second write state of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicants: SanDisk Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, Jian Chen
  • Patent number: 8964474
    Abstract: Apparatuses are described that include stacked arrays of memory cell strings and their methods of operation. Apparatuses include architectures that reduce the use of several common components, allowing greater device density and smaller device size for a given semiconductor area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Midori Morooka, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8947930
    Abstract: Data storage circuits are connected to the bit lines in a one-to-one correspondence. A write circuit writes the data on a first page into a plurality of 5 first memory cells selected simultaneously by a word line. Thereafter, the write circuit writes the data on a second page into the plurality of first memory cell. Then, the write circuit writes the data on the first and second pages into second memory cells adjoining 10 the first memory cells in the bit line direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8929135
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes an electrically data rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory cell and a write circuit for writing data in the memory cell, the write circuit writing a data in the memory cells by supplying a write voltage Vpgm and a write control voltage VBL to the memory cell, continuing the writing of the data in the memory cell by changing the value of the write control voltage VBL in response to an advent of a first write state of the memory cell and inhibiting any operation of writing a data to the memory cell by further changing the value of the write control voltage VBL to Vdd in response to an advent of a second write state of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, Jian Chen
  • Publication number: 20140364222
    Abstract: A game device having a touch panel to accept an input by a flick operation according to a contact operation and a slide operation on the touch panel, instructs a flick operation by displaying on the touch panel a screen that instructs a flick operation from a predetermined position in a predetermined direction on the touch panel at a predetermined timing, detects a contact start position on the touch panel by the flick operation, detects the slide direction from the contact start position on the touch panel by the flick operation, detects the contact timing on the touch panel by the flick operation and determines whether to accept or reject the flick operation based on a comparison between the detected contact start position and the predetermined position, a comparison between the detected slide direction and the predetermined direction, and a comparison between the detected contact timing and the predetermined timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Tomoharu TANAKA, Minami KUMAZAWA, Seiki SAITO, Toshiyuki MUKAIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20140351663
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are shown. Configurations described include circuits to perform a single check between programming pulses to determine a threshold voltage with respect to desired benchmark voltages. In one example, the benchmark voltages are used to change a programming speed of selected memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishal Sarin, Aaron Yip, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8885408
    Abstract: A memory cell array has a first and a second storage area. The first storage area has a memory elements selected by an address signal. The second storage area has a memory elements selected by a control signal. A control circuit has a fuse element. When the fuse element has been blown, the control circuit inhibits at least one of writing and erasing from being done on the second storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140233312
    Abstract: Data storage circuits are connected to the bit lines in a one-to-one correspondence. A write circuit writes the data on a first page into a plurality of 5 first memory cells selected simultaneously by a word line. Thereafter, the write circuit writes the data on a second page into the plurality of first memory cell. Then, the write circuit writes the data on the first and second pages into second memory cells adjoining 10 the first memory cells in the bit line direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru SHIBATA, Tomoharu TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8767470
    Abstract: Bit lines of a memory segment are read at substantially the same time by coupling a selected memory segment and, at some of the data lines of any intervening segments, to respective data caches. The bit lines of the unselected memory segments that are not used to couple the selected segment to the data caches can be coupled to their respective source lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8743607
    Abstract: Data storage circuits are connected to the bit lines in a one-to-one correspondence. A write circuit writes the data on a first page into a plurality of 5 first memory cells selected simultaneously by a word line. Thereafter, the write circuit writes the data on a second page into the plurality of first memory cell. Then, the write circuit writes the data on the first and second pages into second memory cells adjoining 10 the first memory cells in the bit line direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140122773
    Abstract: Apparatuses may include a memory block with strings of memory cells formed in a plurality of tiers. The apparatus may further comprise access lines and data lines shared by the strings, with the access lines coupled to the memory cells corresponding to a respective tier of the plurality of tiers. The memory cells corresponding to at least a portion of the respective tier may comprise a respective page of a plurality of pages. Subsets of the data lines may be mapped into a respective partial page of a plurality of partial pages of the respective page. Each partial page may be independently selectable from other partial pages. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abraham, Tomoharu Tanaka, Koichi Kawai, Yuichi Einaga
  • Patent number: 8711616
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are shown. Configurations described include circuits to perform a single check between programming pulses to determine a threshold voltage with respect to desired benchmark voltages. In one example, the benchmark voltages are used to change a programming speed of selected memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishal Sarin, Aaron Yip, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140071754
    Abstract: Data storage circuits are connected to the bit lines in a one-to-one correspondence. A write circuit writes the data on a first page into a plurality of 5 first memory cells selected simultaneously by a word line. Thereafter, the write circuit writes the data on a second page into the plurality of first memory cell. Then, the write circuit writes the data on the first and second pages into second memory cells adjoining 10 the first memory cells in the bit line direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru SHIBATA, Tomoharu TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20140063976
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes an electrically data rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory cell and a write circuit for writing data in the memory cell, the write circuit writing a data in the memory cells by supplying a write voltage Vpgm and a write control voltage VBL to the memory cell, continuing the writing of the data in the memory cell by changing the value of the write control voltage VBL in response to an advent of a first write state of the memory cell and inhibiting any operation of writing a data to the memory cell by further changing the value of the write control voltage VBL to Vdd in response to an advent of a second write state of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicants: SanDisk Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomoharu TANAKA, Jian CHEN
  • Publication number: 20140029337
    Abstract: A memory cell array is configured to have a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of the memory cells being connected to a word line and a bit line and being capable of storing n values (n is a natural number equal to or larger than 3). A control circuit controls the potentials of the word line and bit line according to input data and writes data into a memory cell. The control circuit writes data into the memory cell to a k-valued threshold voltage (k<=n) in a write operation, precharges the bit line once, and then changes the potential of the word line an i number of times to verify whether the memory cell has reached an i-valued (i<=k) threshold voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140029346
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a circuit block to utilize a load current at a load voltage from a power input and two or more charge pump arrays. The outputs of the charge pump arrays are coupled to the power input of the circuit block. The integrated circuit includes one or more modifiable elements to disable one or more of the two or more charge pump arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Toru Tanzawa, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8619468
    Abstract: Data storage circuits are connected to the bit lines in a one-to-one correspondence. A write circuit writes the data on a first page into a plurality of 5 first memory cells selected simultaneously by a word line. Thereafter, the write circuit writes the data on a second page into the plurality of first memory cell. Then, the write circuit writes the data on the first and second pages into second memory cells adjoining 10 the first memory cells in the bit line direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130336065
    Abstract: Apparatuses are described that include stacked arrays of memory cell strings and their methods of operation. Apparatuses include architectures that reduce the use of several common components, allowing greater device density and smaller device size for a given semiconductor area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Midori Morooka, Tomoharu Tanaka