Patents by Inventor Toru Iwata

Toru Iwata 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: 20030177423
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transmission device, a reception device, a test circuit and a test method, which enable internal parts of the circuit to operate at high speed, while performing inputting/outputting to/from a tester at low speed. The test circuit comprises a PLL 111 which divides the frequency of a test clock input from the tester to generate a PLL clock CKp1, a FIFO 113 which stores input data input from the tester on the test clock and outputs the data on the PLL clock CKp1, an encoder 114 which distributes bits of the input data, a driver 115 which transmits the output signal from the encoder 114 to the outside, a PLL 121 which divides the frequency of the test clock to generate a PLL clock CKp2, a decoder 124 which arranges the bits of the signal received by a receiver 123, and a FIFO 125 which outputs the output signal from the decoder 124 that is stored on the PLL clock CKp2, to the tester in sync with the test clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELEC. IND. CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Komatsu, Toru Iwata
  • Publication number: 20030169836
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a phase comparator and a clock recovery circuit suitable for applications that support data signals with high-speed bit rates in the order of one gigabit per second. Phase comparators receive frequency divided signals NHOLDH and NHOLDL generated from a data signal RD/NRD, respectively, and intermittently perform a phase comparison between a signal dDAT and a signal CLK. This increases the timing margin for the phase comparison and makes it possible to perform a phase comparison for high-speed bit rate signals. The provision of phase comparators that serve as clock recovery circuits makes it possible to handle data signals with high-speed bit rates in the order of one gigabit per second.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ebuchi, Takefumi Yoshikawa, Toru Iwata
  • Publication number: 20030169551
    Abstract: A first semiconductor integrated circuit is connected to a second semiconductor integrated circuit with a cable. In the first semiconductor integrated circuit, when a power supply voltage becomes less than a set voltage detection level, a voltage-detecting circuit outputs a voltage-detected signal to lower the voltage of the cable and to stop the operation. The second semiconductor integrated circuit detects the decrease in the voltage of the cable to recognize the halt of the operation of the first semiconductor integrated circuit. In the first semiconductor integrated circuit thus configured, in testing the operation under low-voltage conditions in which the power supply voltage is less than the set voltage detection level, the voltage-detecting circuit receives a control signal from an external terminal to stop the operation forcibly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sugimoto, Takashi Hirata, Hironori Akamatsu, Toru Iwata, Satoshi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20030155953
    Abstract: A multi-phase clock transmission circuit includes: a clock generator for generating a clock synchronizing with a reference clock and a control signal responsive to the phase difference between the reference clock and the generated clock; and a delay circuit for generating a multi-phase clock based on the clock and the control signal. The clock generator generates a signal having a frequency equal to an integral multiple of the frequency of the reference clock and outputs the signal as the clock. The delay circuit has a circuit receiving the clock and including a plurality of delay elements in cascade connection each giving a delay according to the control signal to an input signal. Signals output from the plurality of delay elements are used as signals constituting the multi-phase clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Hirata, Toru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6551185
    Abstract: An air intake and blowing device, comprising a blowing fan (11) such as a turbo fan capable of blowing air in all directions which is installed inside a main casing (2) provided with an air intake port (5) and an air blowing port (9) enclosing the air intake port (5), the air blowing port (9) being provided with a vortex flow creating member which creates a spiral blowing vortex air flow to form a spirally swirl-blowing air flow, and air surrounded by the blowing air flow being formed in a stable tornado flow and sucked strongly into the air intake port (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Miyake, Yoshimasa Kikuchi, Toru Iwata, Masashi Kamada
  • Patent number: 6542038
    Abstract: A phase-offset detecting phase comparator for comparing a reference signal and an auxiliary comparison signal which is a frequency-divided VCO output in terms of a phase to detect phase offset, and producing first and second delay control signals corresponding to the phase offset; a first delay element for adding delay to the auxiliary comparison signal by the first delay control signal to produce a comparison signal; a second delay element for adding delay to the VCO output by the second delay control signal to produce a PLL output; and a dummy frequency divider for adding delay corresponding to a frequency divider to the PLL output are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Toru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6473873
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory block including a plurality of memory cells; and a test pattern generation circuit for generating at least one test pattern for use in testing the memory block. A first bus line for coupling the memory block and the test pattern generation circuit has a larger width than that of a second bus line for coupling the memory block to the exterior of the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Akamatsu, Toru Iwata
  • Publication number: 20020105389
    Abstract: A phase-offset detecting phase comparator for comparing a reference signal and an auxiliary comparison signal which is a frequency-divided VCO output in terms of a phase to detect phase offset, and producing first and second delay control signals corresponding to the phase offset; a first delay element for adding delay to the auxiliary comparison signal by the first delay control signal to produce a comparison signal; a second delay element for adding delay to the VCO output by the second delay control signal to produce a PLL output; and a dummy frequency divider for adding delay corresponding to a frequency divider to the PLL output are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Toru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6426985
    Abstract: A variable delay circuit includes a plurality of delay circuits for delaying an input signal; and a selection circuit for selecting an output from one of the plurality of delay circuits in accordance with a selection signal. The plurality of delay circuits include a first delay circuit for delaying the input signal by a first delay time period and a second delay circuit for delaying the input signal by a second delay time period which is longer than the first delay time period. The difference between the first delay time period and the second delay time period is shorter than a minimum delay time period which is allowed to be set in the first delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Iwata, Hiroyuki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20020097826
    Abstract: A driver and a receiver supply a data signal, which is based on serial data having a regular bit pattern, such as a clock, which includes 1's and 0's alternating with each other during an adjustment period, and is based on serial data having an arbitrary bit pattern during a transfer period following the adjustment period. A duty factor controller adjusts a data transition characteristic of the driver or the receiver so that a duty factor of the data signal supplied from the receiver is equal to 50% in the adjustment period, and has the adjusted data transition characteristic stored. A clock recovery unit recovers a clock synchronized with a data signal, which is supplied from the receiver in the transfer period and is based on the adjusted transition characteristic, from the data signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Iwata, Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Takefumi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6400637
    Abstract: Four memory banks (10 to 13), each having a hierarchical word line structure, are provided. If a particular mode for one of the memory banks is specified by a control packet (PKT), a mode recognizer (15) produces the leading edges of change-of-sub-word enable (SEN0-3) and change-of-column enable (CEN-3) signals with the logical level of change-of-main-word enable (MEN0-3) signal fixed. This is done to make activated ones of sub-word and column select lines changeable in each of the memory banks with the same main word line still selected. In this manner, the row access speeds increase for the respective memory banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Akamatsu, Toru Iwata, Makoto Kojima
  • Patent number: 6393577
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor integrated circuit system, having one master chip and a plurality of slave chips, for performing data transfer under a control of a predetermined clock. The system includes: a detection section for detecting a change in a state of the semiconductor integrated circuit system and for producing information indicating the detection result, the state including at least one of temperature and source voltage; and at least one clock phase adjustment section for receiving the information and for adjusting a phase of a clock used in transferring data output by the slave chip based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Akamatsu, Toru Iwata
  • Publication number: 20020038435
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor integrated circuit system, having one master chip and a plurality of slave chips, for performing data transfer under a control of a predetermined clock. The system includes: a detection section for detecting a change in a state of the semiconductor integrated circuit system and for producing information indicating the detection result, the state including at least one of temperature and source voltage; and at least one clock phase adjustment section for receiving the information and for adjusting a phase of a clock used in transferring data output by the slave chip based on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 1998
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: HIRONORI AKAMATSU, TORU IWATA
  • Patent number: 6323756
    Abstract: The data transmission device 1a of the present invention includes a driver 10 for sending data, a receiver 20 for receiving the data sent from the driver 10, a transmission line path 30 for connecting between the driver 10 and the receiver 20, and a variable impedance element 40 having a controllably variable impedance. The variable impedance element 40 is connected to the transmission line path 30. The data transmission line device 1a can reduce power consumption and occurrence of skew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yoshikawa, Toru Iwata, Hiroyuki Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 6246627
    Abstract: The semiconductor device of this invention includes: an array section including a plurality of circuit blocks; a leakage current cutoff section for cutting off a leakage current occurring in at least one of the plurality of circuit blocks in the array section; and a control section for controlling the leakage current cutoff section in accordance with leakage current cutoff information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Hironori Akamatsu, Toru Iwata, Keiichi Kusumoto, Satoshi Takahashi, Yutaka Terada, Takashi Hirata
  • Patent number: 6226583
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission of an automobile which varies the drive ratio arbitrarily between an input axis and an output axis is combined with a traction control device for example which performs braking corresponding to vehicle running conditions and irrespective of the accelerator pedal depression. A microprocessor calculates the vehicle speed from the rotation speed of the output axis, calculates the target drive ratio depending on the vehicle speed, and controls the drive ratio of the continuously variable transmission to be equal to the target ratio. When the brake operation device performs braking, fluctuation of the drive ratio based on the rotation variation of the output axis is prevented by the correction of the drive ratio in the upshift direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6208567
    Abstract: The semiconductor device of this invention includes: an array section including a plurality of circuit blocks; a leakage current cutoff section for cutting off a leakage current occurring in at least one of the plurality of circuit blocks in the array section; and a control section for controlling the leakage current cutoff section in accordance with leakage current cutoff information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Hironori Akamatsu, Toru Iwata, Keiichi Kusumoto, Satoshi Takahashi, Yutaka Terada, Takashi Hirata
  • Patent number: 6201412
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit of this invention includes: a driver including a MOS transistor for driving a load; and a stabilizer for stabilizing a change in a voltage at a source of the MOS transistor due to a gate-source parasitic capacitance of the MOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Iwata, Hironori Akamatsu, Takashi Hirata
  • Patent number: 6199005
    Abstract: A slip of drive wheels of a vehicle driven via a continuously variable transmission is suppressed due to fuel cut of a multi-cylinder engine. The speed change response characteristics of the transmission are made to vary according to the engine rotation speed when fuel cut is performed. A speed change ratio command value is calculated from a target speed change ratio based on a first-order delay due to a predetermined time-constant. The response of the transmission is thus delayed for low engine rotation speed than for high rotation speed, and undesirable fluctuation of the speed change ratio when the drive wheels slip is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6198415
    Abstract: A control voltage is supplied from a phase locked loop (PLL), which includes a phase detector and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), to a delay circuit. The VCO is made up of a plurality of inverters connected together in a ring. The control voltage is also supplied to each of these inverters so as to control an oscillation frequency of the VCO. The control voltage is defined based on a phase difference between a reference clock signal and an oscillation clock signal. The delay circuit is made up of a plurality of inverters connected in series to each other. A delay caused by each of these inverters is controlled with the same voltage as the control voltage. A serial signal is input to an initial-stage one of the inverters. A latch circuit latches the output signals of the respective inverters of the delay circuit in response to a latch clock signal, which has been generated by dividing the frequency of the reference clock signal. And based on a result of latching, a parallel signal is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yoshikawa, Toru Iwata