Patents by Inventor Toru Ishikawa

Toru Ishikawa 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: 11955337
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes: providing a substrate including a mask; forming a film on the mask; forming a reaction layer on a surface layer of the film; and removing the reaction layer by applying energy to the reaction layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toru Hisamatsu, Takayuki Katsunuma, Shinya Ishikawa, Yoshihide Kihara, Masanobu Honda
  • Patent number: 11935576
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines each coupled to a plurality of memory cells, and a control circuit which is configured to activate first and second internal signals in a time-division manner in response to a first external command A first number of the word lines arc selected in response to the first internal signal, and a second number of the word line is selected in response to the second internal signal. The second number is smaller than the first number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi, Shinji Bessho
  • Patent number: 11837276
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for 1T and 2T memory cell architectures. A memory array includes a word line which has both 1T and 2T portions. In the 1T portion, each sense amplifier is coupled to one memory cell along the word line. In the 2T portion, sense amplifiers are coupled to more than one memory cell along the word line each. For example, each sense amplifier in the 2T portion may be coupled to two bit lines, each of which intersect a memory cell along the word line. In some embodiments, the 2T portion may store a count value which represents an access count to the word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Takahashi, Toru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11777488
    Abstract: Charge transfer between gate terminals of sub-threshold current reduction circuit (SCRC) transistors and related apparatuses and methods are disclosed. An apparatus includes a first output terminal electrically connected to a pull-up gate terminal of at least one pull-up SCRC transistor and a second output terminal electrically connected to a pull-down gate terminal of at least one pull-down SCRC transistor. The apparatus also includes a first resistive path between a first input terminal and the first output terminal and a second resistive path between the second input terminal and the second output terminal. The apparatus further includes a charge transfer gate electrically connected between the first resistive path and the second resistive path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akamatsu, Yuan He, Toru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11748198
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for error correction. A memory array may be coupled to an error correction code (ECC) circuit along a read bus and a write bus. The ECC circuit includes a read portion and a write portion. As part of a mask write operation, read data and read parity may be read out along the read bus to the read portion of the ECC circuit and write data may be received along data terminals by the write portion of the ECC circuit. The write portion of the ECC circuit may generate amended write data based on the write data and the read data, and may generate amended parity based on the read parity and the amended write data. The amended write data and amended parity may be written back to the memory array along the write bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Takuya Nakanishi, Toru Ishikawa, Minari Arai
  • Patent number: 11681578
    Abstract: An error correction code (ECC) circuit receives a plurality of data hits and provides a one or more parity bits. The parity bits are used to locate and/or correct errors in the data bits. The ECC circuit splits the plurality of data bits into multiple portions and then processes these portions sequentially to generate preliminary parity bits. Once the portions of the data have been sequentially processed, the preliminary parity bits are combined to generate the parity bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20230186971
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for 1T and 2T memory cell architectures. A memory array includes a word line which has both 1T and 2T portions. In the 1T portion, each sense amplifier is coupled to one memory cell along the word line. In the 2T portion, sense amplifiers are coupled to more than one memory cell along the word line each. For example, each sense amplifier in the 2T portion may be coupled to two bit lines, each of which intersect a memory cell along the word line. In some embodiments, the 2T portion may store a count value which represents an access count to the word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: HIROKI TAKAHASHI, TORU ISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 11645150
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for error correction. A memory device may have a number of memory cells each of which stores a bit of information. One or more error correction code (ECC) may be used to determine if the bits of information contain any errors. To mitigate the effects of failures of adjacent memory cells, the information may be divided into a first group and a second group, where each group contains information from memory cells which are non-adjacent to other memory cells of that group. Each group of information may include data bits and parity bits used to correct those data bits. For example, as part of a read operation, a first ECC circuit may receive information from even numbered memory cells, while a second ECC circuit may receive information from odd numbered memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Minari Arai
  • Patent number: 11615845
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory device are disclosed. A method may include enabling a first and second row section units a number of row section units of a memory device in response to a row address. The method may also include comparing a selected column address to a number of column addresses of defective memory cells of a first row section of the first row section unit. Moreover, in response to the selected column address matching a first column address of the number of column addresses, the method may include activating a second row section of the second row section unit, conveying a redundant column select signal to the memory array to select a redundant memory cell of the second row section. Memory devices and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Minari Arai
  • Patent number: 11605421
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes first and second digit lines, a sense amplifier configured to amplify a potential difference between the first and second digit lines, a driver circuit configured to drive each of the first and second digit lines to different one of first and second logic levels from each other, a first transistor coupled between the driver circuit and the first digit line, a second transistor coupled between the driver circuit and the second digit line, and a control circuit configured to supply a first potential to control electrodes of the first and second transistors in response to a write command, and supply a second potential different from the first potential to the control electrodes of the first and second transistors in response to a read command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Kitagawa, Toru Ishikawa, Minari Arai, Nobuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20230060107
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for error correction for selected bit pairs. A memory device may include an error correction code (ECC) circuit which may receive data bits as part of a read or write operation and generate parity bits based on the data bits. The parity bits may be used to locate and correct errors in the data bits. The parity bits may be generated based on a syndrome value. Each of the individual data bits may be associated with a syndrome value. In addition, some selected pairs of data bits may also be associated. with a syndrome value. This may allow the ECC circuit to correct errors in individual data bits or in one of the selected pairs of data bits. In some embodiments, the selected pairs may represent adjacent memory cells along a word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 11587637
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for error correction for selected bit pairs. A memory device may include an error correction code (ECC) circuit which may receive data bits as part of a read or write operation and generate parity bits based on the data bits. The parity bits may be used to locate and correct errors in the data bits. The parity bits may be generated based on a syndrome value. Each of the individual data bits may be associated with a syndrome value. In addition, some selected pairs of data bits may also be associated with a syndrome value. This may allow the ECC circuit to correct errors in individual data bits or in one of the selected pairs of data bits. In some embodiments, the selected pairs may represent adjacent memory cells along a word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 11481279
    Abstract: A device includes a plurality of memory cells, an error detection circuit configured to detect at least one memory cell storing error data and a refresh control circuit including a register configured to store an error address corresponding to the at least one memory cell storing error data. The refresh control circuit is configured to control a refresh cycle of the error address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Toru Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220261310
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for multi-pump error correction. An error correction code (ECC) circuit may receive a plurality of data bits and provide a one or more parity bits. The parity bits may be used to locate and/or correct errors in the data bits. The ECC circuit may split the plurality of data bits into multiple portions and then process these portions sequentially to generate preliminary parity bits. Once the portions of the data have been sequentially processed, the preliminary parity bits may be combined to generate the parity bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20220245031
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for error correction. A memory array may be coupled to an error correction code (ECC) circuit along a read bus and a write bus. The ECC circuit includes a read portion and a write portion. As part of a mask write operation, read data and read parity may be read out along the read bus to the read portion of the ECC circuit and write data may be received along data terminals by the write portion of the ECC circuit. The write portion of the ECC circuit may generate amended write data based on the write data and the read data, and may generate amended parity based on the read parity and the amended write data. The amended write data and amended parity may be written back to the memory array along the write bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Takuya Nakanishi, Toru Ishikawa, Minari Arai
  • Publication number: 20220216864
    Abstract: Charge transfer between gate terminals of sub-threshold current reduction circuit (SCRC) transistors and related apparatuses and methods are disclosed. An apparatus includes a first output terminal electrically connected to a pull-up gate terminal of at least one pull-up SCRC transistor and a second output terminal electrically connected to a pull-down gate terminal of at least one pull-down SCRC transistor. The apparatus also includes a first resistive path between a first input terminal and the first output terminal and a second resistive path between the second input terminal and the second output terminal. The apparatus further includes a charge transfer gate electrically connected between the first resistive path and the second resistive path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akamatsu, Yuan He, Toru Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220165328
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines each coupled to a plurality of memory cells, and a control circuit configured to activate first and second internal signals in a time-division manner in response to a first external command. A first number of the word lines are selected in response to the first internal signal, and a second number of the word line is selected in response to the second internal signal, the second number is smaller than the first number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi, Shinji Bessho
  • Patent number: 11340984
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for error correction. A memory array may be coupled to an error correction code (ECC) circuit along a read bus and a write bus. The ECC circuit includes a read portion and a write portion. As part of a mask write operation, read data and read parity may be read out along the read bus to the read portion of the ECC circuit and write data may be received along data terminals by the write portion of the ECC circuit. The write portion of the ECC circuit may generate amended write data based on the write data and the read data, and may generate amended parity based on the read parity and the amended write data. The amended write data and amended parity may be written back to the memory array along the write bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takuya Nakanishi, Toru Ishikawa, Minari Arai
  • Patent number: 11315620
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines each coupled to a plurality of memory cells, and a control circuit configured to activate first and second internal signals in a time-division manner in response to a first external command. A first number of the word lines are selected in response to the first internal signal, and a second number of the word line is selected in response to the second internal signal, the second number is smaller than the first number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Ishikawa, Takuya Nakanishi, Shinji Bessho
  • Patent number: 11290103
    Abstract: Charge transfer between gate terminals of sub-threshold current reduction circuit (SCRC) transistors and related apparatuses and methods is disclosed. An apparatus includes a pull-up SCRC transistor, a pull-down SCRC transistor, and a charge transfer circuit. The pull-up SCRC transistor includes a pull-up gate terminal. The pull-down SCRC transistor includes a pull-down gate terminal. The charge transfer circuit is electrically connected between the pull-up gate terminal and the pull-down gate terminal. The charge transfer circuit is configured to transfer charge between the pull-up gate terminal and the pull-down gate terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akamatsu, Yuan He, Toru Ishikawa