Patents by Inventor Wataru Otsuka

Wataru Otsuka 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: 9530469
    Abstract: An integrated circuit system, and a method of manufacture thereof, including: an integrated circuit die; a non-volatile memory cell in the integrated circuit die and having a bit line for reading a data condition state of the non-volatile memory cell; and a voltage clamp in the integrated circuit die, the voltage clamp having a semiconductor switch connected to the bit line for reducing voltage excursions on the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Tomohito Tsushima, Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro
  • Publication number: 20160267978
    Abstract: Memory devices and memory operational methods are described. One example memory system includes a common conductor and a plurality of memory cells coupled with the common conductor. The memory system additionally includes access circuitry configured to provide different ones of the memory cells into one of a plurality of different memory states at a plurality of different moments in time between first and second moments in time. The access circuitry is further configured to maintain the common conductor at a voltage potential, which corresponds to the one memory state, between the first and second moments in time to provide the memory cells into the one memory state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitagawa, Jun Sumino
  • Publication number: 20160203861
    Abstract: Memory cells, memory systems and methods are described. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes electrodes and a memory element, and a first electrically conductive structure is formed within dielectric material providing the memory element in a low resistance state as a result of a first voltage of a first polarity being applied across the electrodes. Additionally, the first electrically conductive structure is removed from the dielectric material providing the memory element in a high resistance state as a result of a second voltage of a second polarity, which is opposite to the first polarity, being applied across the electrodes. A permanent and irreversible electrically conductive structure is formed within the dielectric material providing the memory element in the low resistance state as a result of a third voltage of the second polarity and having an increased potential compared with the second voltage being applied across the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitigawa, Jun Sumino, D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9349450
    Abstract: Memory devices and memory operational methods are described. One example memory system includes a common conductor and a plurality of memory cells coupled with the common conductor. The memory system additionally includes access circuitry configured to provide different ones of the memory cells into one of a plurality of different memory states at a plurality of different moments in time between first and second moments in time. The access circuitry is further configured to maintain the common conductor at a voltage potential, which corresponds to the one memory state, between the first and second moments in time to provide the memory cells into the one memory state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitagawa, Jun Sumino
  • Publication number: 20160113705
    Abstract: The high-frequency treatment tool includes a flexible tube inserted into a body cavity; an operating wire inserted through the flexible tube to be movable back and forth; a treatment part arranged on a distal end of the operating wire and treats biological tissue by applying a high-frequency current; a main body that fixes a base end of the flexible tube; a slider-fixing part that fixes a base end of the operating wire guided from the base end of the flexible tube and slides the operating wire in an axis direction with respect to the main body; and a slider-gripping part provided to encircle at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the slider-fixing part and slides the slider-fixing part by the operation of a user. The slider-fixing part is unrotatably coupled to the main body and the slider-gripping part is rotatably coupled to the slider-fixing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: SUMITOMO BAKELITE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Shinetsu Harata
  • Patent number: 9293196
    Abstract: Memory cells, memory systems and methods are described. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes electrodes and a memory element, and a first electrically conductive structure is formed within dielectric material providing the memory element in a low resistance state as a result of a first voltage of a first polarity being applied across the electrodes. Additionally, the first electrically conductive structure is removed from the dielectric material providing the memory element in a high resistance state as a result of a second voltage of a second polarity, which is opposite to the first polarity, being applied across the electrodes. A permanent and irreversible electrically conductive structure is formed within the dielectric material providing the memory element in the low resistance state as a result of a third voltage of the second polarity and having an increased potential compared with the second voltage being applied across the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitigawa, Jun Sumino, D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20150294719
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: providing a resistive storage element having a high resistance state and a low resistance state; coupling an analog multiplexer to the resistive storage element for applying a bias voltage; and switching between a verification bias and a read bias through the analog multiplexer for increasing a read margin between the high resistance state and the low resistance state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Jun Sumino, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitagawa, Takafumi Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 9153317
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system including: providing a resistive storage element having a transformation layer; activating a write driver, coupled to the resistive storage element, for applying a bias voltage to the transformation layer; monitoring a resistance of the resistive storage element by a sense amplifier; and detecting a conductive thread, formed in the transformation layer, by the sense amplifier for reducing a level of the bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Tomohito Tsushima, Takafumi Kunihiro, Jun Sumino, Wataru Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20150234603
    Abstract: A memory device comprising a memory array comprising a plurality of memory cells, two or more fuses coupled to the memory array, wherein each of the two or more fuses contains trim data for the memory array and a mode register for selecting one of the two or more fuses to be enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Takafumi Kunihiro, Wataru Otsuka, Tomohito Tsushima
  • Patent number: 9093147
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for charge transfer comprising a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cell, coupled to a common source voltage line (CSL) for controlling state of the ReRAM cell, and a charge transfer circuit, coupled to the memory cell through the CSL and a charge consumption circuit, for transferring charge from the CSL to the charge consumption circuit when the state of the memory cell is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima
  • Patent number: 9070441
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: providing a resistive storage element having a high resistance state and a low resistance state; coupling an analog multiplexer to the resistive storage element for applying a bias voltage; and switching between a verification bias and a read bias through the analog multiplexer for increasing a read margin between the high resistance state and the low resistance state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Jun Sumino, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitagawa, Takafumi Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 9019755
    Abstract: A memory unit includes memory cells each having a memory element and a transistor, word lines and first and second bit lines, and a drive section. In performing setting operation for a first memory element located on one word line and in performing resetting operation for a second memory element located on the one word line, the drive section applies a given word line electric potential to the one word line, and sets an electric potential of a bit line on a lower electric potential side out of the first and the second bit lines corresponding to the first memory element to a value higher than a value of an electric potential of a bit line on the lower electric potential side corresponding to the second memory element by an amount of given electric potential difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9007837
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: providing a control field effect transistor having a source electrode and a body-tie electrode; coupling a resistive storage element to the source electrode; and opening a well switch coupled to the body-tie electrode for increasing a well voltage and resetting the resistive storage element by the source electrode floating on the well voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Wataru Otsuka, Jun Sumino, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima
  • Publication number: 20140362633
    Abstract: Memory devices and memory operational methods are described. One example memory system includes a common conductor and a plurality of memory cells coupled with the common conductor. The memory system additionally includes access circuitry configured to provide different ones of the memory cells into one of a plurality of different memory states at a plurality of different moments in time between first and second moments in time. The access circuitry is further configured to maintain the common conductor at a voltage potential, which corresponds to the one memory state, between the first and second moments in time to provide the memory cells into the one memory state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitagawa, Jun Sumino
  • Publication number: 20140355329
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for charge transfer comprising a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cell, coupled to a common source voltage line (CSL) for controlling state of the ReRAM cell, and a charge transfer circuit, coupled to the memory cell through the CSL and a charge consumption circuit, for transferring charge from the CSL to the charge consumption circuit when the state of the memory cell is modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: MAKOTO KITAGAWA, WATARU OTSUKA, TAKAFUMI KUNIHIRO, TOMOHITO TSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20140268975
    Abstract: An integrated circuit system, and a method of manufacture thereof, including: an integrated circuit die; a non-volatile memory cell in the integrated circuit die and having a bit line for reading a data condition state of the non-volatile memory cell; and a voltage clamp in the integrated circuit die, the voltage clamp having a semiconductor switch connected to the bit line for reducing voltage excursions on the bit line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Tomohito Tsushima, Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro
  • Publication number: 20140268992
    Abstract: Memory cells, memory systems and methods are described. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes electrodes and a memory element, and a first electrically conductive structure is formed within dielectric material providing the memory element in a low resistance state as a result of a first voltage of a first polarity being applied across the electrodes. Additionally, the first electrically conductive structure is removed from the dielectric material providing the memory element in a high resistance state as a result of a second voltage of a second polarity, which is opposite to the first polarity, being applied across the electrodes. A permanent and irreversible electrically conductive structure is formed within the dielectric material providing the memory element in the low resistance state as a result of a third voltage of the second polarity and having an increased potential compared with the second voltage being applied across the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitigawa, Jun Sumino, D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20140226390
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: providing a control field effect transistor having a source electrode and a body-tie electrode; coupling a resistive storage element to the source electrode; and opening a well switch coupled to the body-tie electrode for increasing a well voltage and resetting the resistive storage element by the source electrode floating on the well voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Wataru Otsuka, Jun Sumino, Takafumi Kunihiro, Tomohito Tsushima
  • Publication number: 20140177317
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system including: providing a resistive storage element having a transformation layer; activating a write driver, coupled to the resistive storage element, for applying a bias voltage to the transformation layer; monitoring a resistance of the resistive storage element by a sense amplifier; and detecting a conductive thread, formed in the transformation layer, by the sense amplifier for reducing a level of the bias voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Makoto Kitagawa, Tomohito Tsushima, Takafumi Kunihiro, Jun Sumino, Wataru Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20140177316
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: providing a resistive storage element having a high resistance state and a low resistance state; coupling an analog multiplexer to the resistive storage element for applying a bias voltage; and switching between a verification bias and a read bias through the analog multiplexer for increasing a read margin between the high resistance state and the low resistance state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Wataru Otsuka, Jun Sumino, Tomohito Tsushima, Makoto Kitagawa, Takafumi Kunihiro