Patents by Inventor Tsuneo Inaba

Tsuneo Inaba 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: 9741434
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory includes a memory cell array including blocks arranged in a column direction, first and second main global conductive lines each extending from a first end to a second end of the memory cell array in the column direction, a first resistance change element connected between the first and second main global conductive lines inside the memory cell array, a first reference global conductive line extending from the first end to the second end of the memory cell array in the column direction, and a second resistance change element connected to the reference global conductive line outside the memory cell array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignees: SK HYNIX INC., KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Akira Katayama, Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba, Hyuck Sang Yim, Dong Keun Kim, Byoung Chan Oh, Ji Wang Lee
  • Patent number: 9728239
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell array including a first memory cell having a variable resistive element, a second memory cell array including a second memory cell having the variable resistive element, a reference signal generation circuit which generates a reference signal, a sense amplifier having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, and a read enable control circuit which generates a read enable signal in accordance with a command from outside and control switching between a single cell read mode and a twin cell read mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba
  • Publication number: 20170076793
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device includes: a word line driving unit for driving a plurality of word lines; a first cell array arranged at one side of the word line driving unit; a second cell array arranged at the other side of the word line driving unit; a bias voltage generation unit, arranged between the first cell array and the second cell array, for generating a bias voltage based on currents flowing through the first reference resistance element included in the first cell array and the second reference resistance element included in the second cell array; a first read control unit; and a second read control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Dong-Keun KIM, Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Tsuneo INABA
  • Patent number: 9583537
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory includes first to fourth memory cells aligned in a first direction. Each of the first to fourth memory cells comprises a cell transistor having a gate connected to a word line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and a resistive memory element having one end connected to a first source/drain region of the cell transistor. A second source/drain region of the cell transistor is connected to one of a first bit line extending in the first direction and a second bit line extending in the second direction. The other end of the resistive memory element is connected to one of the first and second bit lines which is apart from the second source/drain region. The second source/drain regions in the first and second memory cells are shared, and the second source/drain regions in the third and fourth memory cells are shared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Tsuneo Inaba
  • Patent number: 9548111
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell, a sense amplifier, and a resistor. The sense amplifier includes a first input and a second input, outputs a signal in accordance with a difference between the first and second inputs, and is selectively coupled at a second input to the memory cell. The resistor is in a first path between the first input of the sense amplifier and a ground node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba, Dong Keun Kim, Ji Wang Lee
  • Patent number: 9535834
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device includes: a word line driving unit for driving a plurality of word lines; a first cell array arranged at one side of the word line driving unit; a second cell array arranged at the other side of the word line driving unit; a bias voltage generation unit, arranged between the first cell array and the second cell array, for generating a bias voltage based on currents flowing through the first reference resistance element included in the first cell array and the second reference resistance element included in the second cell array; a first read control unit; and a second read control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: SK Hynix Inc., Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Dong-Keun Kim, Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba
  • Publication number: 20160379699
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell array including a first memory cell having a variable resistive element, a second memory cell array including a second memory cell having the variable resistive element, a reference signal generation circuit which generates a reference signal, a sense amplifier having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, and a read enable control circuit which generates a read enable signal in accordance with a command from outside and control switching between a single cell read mode and a twin cell read mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Tsuneo INABA
  • Publication number: 20160099292
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory includes first to fourth memory cells aligned in a first direction. Each of the first to fourth memory cells comprises a cell transistor having a gate connected to a word line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and a resistive memory element having one end connected to a first source/drain region of the cell transistor. A second source/drain region of the cell transistor is connected to one of a first bit line extending in the first direction and a second bit line extending in the second direction. The other end of the resistive memory element is connected to one of the first and second bit lines which is apart from the second source/drain region. The second source/drain regions in the first and second memory cells are shared, and the second source/drain regions in the third and fourth memory cells are shared.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventor: Tsuneo Inaba
  • Patent number: 9263114
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory unit includes first to Nth variable resistance elements each having different resistance values according to values stored therein, wherein N is a natural number equal to or greater than 2; a reference resistance element having a first reference resistance value; and first to Nth comparison units which correspond to the first to Nth variable resistance elements, respectively, and each of which determines whether a resistance value of the corresponding variable resistance element is greater or less than a second reference resistance value, wherein the first to Nth comparison units are commonly coupled to the reference resistance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: SK Hynix Inc., KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Ji-Wang Lee, Dong-Keun Kim, Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba
  • Patent number: 9245607
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory includes first to fourth memory cells aligned in a first direction. Each of the first to fourth memory cells comprises a cell transistor having a gate connected to a word line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and a resistive memory element having one end connected to a first source/drain region of the cell transistor. A second source/drain region of the cell transistor is connected to one of a first bit line extending in the first direction and a second bit line extending in the second direction. The other end of the resistive memory element is connected to one of the first and second bit lines which is apart from the second source/drain region. The second source/drain regions in the first and second memory cells are shared, and the second source/drain regions in the third and fourth memory cells are shared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Tsuneo Inaba
  • Publication number: 20160019955
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell, a sense amplifier, and a resistor. The sense amplifier includes a first input and a second input, outputs a signal in accordance with a difference between the first and second inputs, and is selectively coupled at a second input to the memory cell. The resistor is in a first path between the first input of the sense amplifier and a ground node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Tsuneo INABA, Dong Keun KIM, Ji Wang LEE
  • Publication number: 20150332760
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic device including a semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device includes: a word line driving unit; a first cell array arranged at one side of the word line driving unit; a second cell array arranged at the other side of the word line driving unit; a bias voltage generation unit; and a read control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Dong-Keun KIM, Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Tsuneo INABA
  • Patent number: 9183951
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a resistance change memory includes a memory cell array, an address counter, a word line driver, a power supply circuit, and a write driver. Memory cells include resistive storage elements and cell transistors. The power supply circuit generates a stress voltage different from a power supply voltage used to write data into the memory cells in a normal operation. The write driver applies the stress voltage across first bit and source lines to pass a stress current through the memory cell selected by a first word line. The write driver applies the stress voltage across second bit and source lines to pass the stress current through the memory cell selected by a second word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Inventors: Tsuneo Inaba, Dong Keun Kim
  • Patent number: 9177641
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell, a sense amplifier, and a resistor. The sense amplifier includes a first input and a second input, outputs a signal in accordance with a difference between the first and second inputs, and is selectively coupled at a second input to the memory cell. The resistor is in a first path between the first input of the sense amplifier and a ground node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba, Dong Keun Kim, Ji Wang Lee
  • Publication number: 20150294705
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory unit includes first to Nth variable resistance elements each having different resistance values according to values stored therein, wherein N is a natural number equal to or greater than 2; a reference resistance element having a first reference resistance value; and first to Nth comparison units which correspond to the first to Nth variable resistance elements, respectively, and each of which determines whether a resistance value of the corresponding variable resistance element is greater or less than a second reference resistance value, wherein the first to Nth comparison units are commonly coupled to the reference resistance element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Ji-Wang LEE, Dong-Keun KIM, Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Tsuneo INABA
  • Patent number: 9007821
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory cells each including a storage element and a switching element which are connected in series between adjacently paired ones of the bit lines. Gates of the switching elements of the memory cells connected between one of the adjacently paired ones of the bit lines are respectively connected to different ones of the word lines. A plurality of the storage elements and a plurality of the switching elements of the adjacent memory cells are alternately connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tsuneo Inaba
  • Publication number: 20150070970
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a resistance change memory includes a memory cell array, an address counter, a word line driver, a power supply circuit, and a write driver. Memory cells include resistive storage elements and cell transistors. The power supply circuit generates a stress voltage different from a power supply voltage used to write data into the memory cells in a normal operation. The write driver applies the stress voltage across first bit and source lines to pass a stress current through the memory cell selected by a first word line. The write driver applies the stress voltage across second bit and source lines to pass the stress current through the memory cell selected by a second word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Tsuneo INABA, Dong Keun KIM
  • Patent number: 8947920
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell, a sense amplifier, unit structures and a reference signal generator. Each structure includes a first end, a first transistor, a first local line, a variable resistance element, a second transistor, a second local line, and a third transistor coupled in series. The reference signal generator includes first to fourth global lines, and first and second ones of the unit structures. The first unit structure is coupled at the first end to the first global line and coupled at the second end to the third global line. The second unit structure is coupled at the first end to the fourth global line and coupled at the second end to the second global line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Tsuneo Inaba, Dong Keun Kim, Ji Wang Lee
  • Publication number: 20150023085
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory cells each including a storage element and a switching element which are connected in series between adjacently paired ones of the bit lines. Gates of the switching elements of the memory cells connected between one of the adjacently paired ones of the bit lines are respectively connected to different ones of the word lines. A plurality of the storage elements and a plurality of the switching elements of the adjacent memory cells are alternately connected in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Tsuneo Inaba
  • Patent number: 8879310
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory cells each including a storage element and a switching element which are connected in series between adjacently paired ones of the bit lines. Gates of the switching elements of the memory cells connected between one of the adjacently paired ones of the bit lines are respectively connected to different ones of the word lines. A plurality of the storage elements and a plurality of the switching elements of the adjacent memory cells are alternately connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tsuneo Inaba