Patents by Inventor Yasuhito Itaka

Yasuhito Itaka 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: 20110049631
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided a first well region, a second well region, a first body bias supply unit and a second body bias supply unit. The first well region includes a first transistor having a first threshold voltage. The second well region includes a second transistor having an absolute value of a second threshold voltage higher than an absolute value of the first threshold voltage. The second well region is separated from the first well region. The second well region has the same conductive type as the first well region. The first body bias supply unit supplies a first body bias voltage to the first well region. The second body bias supply unit supplies a second body bias voltage to the second well region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Patent number: 7882476
    Abstract: Standard cells without a well potential fixing active region (4T-11 to 4T-14, 4T-21 to 4T-24, 4T-31 to 4T-34, 4T-41 to 4T-44) are read from a library and a circuit is temporarily designed by automatic layout wiring. Then, a change in the substrate potential is estimated from at least one of the number of transistors to be switched at the same timing in the temporarily designed circuit, the sizes of transistors, the transition probability, and the appearance probability. It is determined whether the estimated change in the substrate potential is within a reference value. If the estimated change in the substrate potential has exceeded the reference value, standard cells with a well potential fixing active region (2T-11, 2T-21, 2T-31 and 2T-41) are read from the library and placed in a region where the estimated change in the substrate potential exceeds the reference value. Thereafter, automatic layout wiring is done again, thereby forming a circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasuhito Itaka, Koichi Kinoshita, Takeshi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7514728
    Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first well region of the first conductivity type, second well regions of a second conductivity type, and a third well region of the second conductivity type are formed. The second well regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate excluding the region where the first well region has been formed. The third well region is formed under the first and second well regions in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that a part of the third well region under the first well region is removed, thereby connecting the second well regions to one another electrically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugahara, Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20090083686
    Abstract: Standard cells without a well potential fixing active region (4T-11 to 4T-14, 4T-21 to 4T-24, 4T-31 to 4T-34, 4T-41 to 4T-44) are read from a library and a circuit is temporarily designed by automatic layout wiring. Then, a change in the substrate potential is estimated from at least one of the number of transistors to be switched at the same timing in the temporarily designed circuit, the sizes of transistors, the transition probability, and the appearance probability. It is determined whether the estimated change in the substrate potential is within a reference value. If the estimated change in the substrate potential has exceeded the reference value, standard cells with a well potential fixing active region (2T-11, 2T-21, 2T-31 and 2T-41) are read from the library and placed in a region where the estimated change in the substrate potential exceeds the reference value. Thereafter, automatic layout wiring is done again, thereby forming a circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Yasuhito Itaka, Koichi Kinoshita, Takeshi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7409655
    Abstract: A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit having a plurality of transistors calculates a leak current corresponding to a sum of a gate leak and a channel leak at each node in the semiconductor integrated circuit, estimates a voltage drop value due to the calculated leak current, determines whether or not the voltage drop value exceeds a threshold value for each node, and inserts a buffer to a node determined that the voltage drop value exceeds the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Patent number: 7373616
    Abstract: A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprises: replacing a circuit element disposed in the semiconductor integrated circuit with a transistor having a high threshold value or a circuit element having a small juxtaposition number in order to prevent deviation of a signal voltage flowing through the semiconductor integrated circuit from a power voltage and a ground voltage; replacing a circuit element disposed in a subsequent stage of the replaced circuit element in order to prevent the deviation of the signal voltage from the power voltage and the ground voltage from being propagated to a subsequent stage with a transistor having a high threshold value or a circuit element having a small juxtaposition number; and then arranging circuit elements constituting the semiconductor integrated circuit in such a manner that the semiconductor integrated circuit stably operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Patent number: 7368767
    Abstract: A standard cell is read from a library and automatic layout wiring is performed, thereby configuring a circuit. Next, each cell column in the configured circuit is searched for an empty region. In the empty region in the cell column searched for, a spacer cell or a filler cell is placed. At this time, using the spacer cell or filler cell, the well potential of the standard cells in the cell column is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koichi Kinoshita, Yasuhito Itaka, Takeshi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7365377
    Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first well region of the first conductivity type, second well regions of a second conductivity type, and a third well region of the second conductivity type are formed. The second well regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate excluding the region where the first well region has been formed. The third well region is formed under the first and second well regions in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that a part of the third well region under the first well region is removed, thereby connecting the second well regions to one another electrically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugahara, Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20080073729
    Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first well region of the first conductivity type, second well regions of a second conductivity type, and a third well region of the second conductivity type are formed. The second well regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate excluding the region where the first well region has been formed. The third well region is formed under the first and second well regions in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that a part of the third well region under the first well region is removed, thereby connecting the second well regions to one another electrically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takeshi SUGAHARA, Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20060225013
    Abstract: A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit having a plurality of transistors calculates a leak current corresponding to a sum of a gate leak and a channel leak at each node in the semiconductor integrated circuit, estimates a voltage drop value due to the calculated leak current, determines whether or not the voltage drop value exceeds a threshold value for each node, and inserts a buffer to a node determined that the voltage drop value exceeds the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20060197110
    Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first well region of the first conductivity type, second well regions of a second conductivity type, and a third well region of the second conductivity type are formed. The second well regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate excluding the region where the first well region has been formed. The third well region is formed under the first and second well regions in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that a part of the third well region under the first well region is removed, thereby connecting the second well regions to one another electrically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugahara, Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20060131609
    Abstract: A standard cell is read from a library and automatic layout wiring is performed, thereby configuring a circuit. Next, each cell column in the configured circuit is searched for an empty region. In the empty region in the cell column searched for, a spacer cell or a filler cell is placed. At this time, using the spacer cell or filler cell, the well potential of the standard cells in the cell column is fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Koichi Kinoshita, Yasuhito Itaka, Takeshi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 6996013
    Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor integrated circuit in which an equalize circuit is connected between input nodes N1, bN1 of a differential sense amplifier. A latch circuit is connected between nodes N2, bN2. A data change circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and bN2 and between the nodes bN1 and N2. A disconnection circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and N2 and between the nodes bN1 and bN2. In a state in which potentials of the input nodes N1, bN1 are equal to each other, the differential sense amplifier is operated, and output data of the amplifier is reversed by the data change circuit and subsequently latched by the latch circuit. The latched data is supplied to the input nodes N1, bN1 of the differential sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Patent number: 6972999
    Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor integrated circuit in which an equalize circuit is connected between input nodes N1, bN1 of a differential sense amplifier. A latch circuit is connected between nodes N2, bN2. A data change circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and bN2 and between the nodes bN1 and N2. A disconnection circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and N2 and between the nodes bN1 and bN2. In a state in which potentials of the input nodes N1, bN1 are equal to each other, the differential sense amplifier is operated, and output data of the amplifier is reversed by the data change circuit and subsequently latched by the latch circuit. The latched data is supplied to the input nodes N1, bN1 of the differential sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20050198594
    Abstract: A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprises: replacing a circuit element disposed in the semiconductor integrated circuit with a transistor having a high threshold value or a circuit element having a small juxtaposition number in order to prevent deviation of a signal voltage flowing through the semiconductor integrated circuit from a power voltage and a ground voltage; replacing a circuit element disposed in a subsequent stage of the replaced circuit element in order to prevent the deviation of the signal voltage from the power voltage and the ground voltage from being propagated to a subsequent stage with a transistor having a high threshold value or a circuit element having a small juxtaposition number; and then arranging circuit elements constituting the semiconductor integrated circuit in such a manner that the semiconductor integrated circuit stably operates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20050099871
    Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor integrated circuit in which an equalize circuit is connected between input nodes N1, bN1 of a differential sense amplifier. A latch circuit is connected between nodes N2, bN2. A data change circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and bN2 and between the nodes bN1 and N2. A disconnection circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and N2 and between the nodes bN1 and bN2. In a state in which potentials of the input nodes N1, bN1 are equal to each other, the differential sense amplifier is operated, and output data of the amplifier is reversed by the data change circuit and subsequently latched by the latch circuit. The latched data is supplied to the input nodes N1, bN1 of the differential sense amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20050099840
    Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor integrated circuit in which an equalize circuit is connected between input nodes N1, bN1 of a differential sense amplifier. A latch circuit is connected between nodes N2, bN2. A data change circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and bN2 and between the nodes bN1 and N2. A disconnection circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and N2 and between the nodes bN1 and bN2. In a state in which potentials of the input nodes N1, bN1 are equal to each other, the differential sense amplifier is operated, and output data of the amplifier is reversed by the data change circuit and subsequently latched by the latch circuit. The latched data is supplied to the input nodes N1, bN1 of the differential sense amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Patent number: 6844926
    Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor integrated circuit in which an equalize circuit is connected between input nodes N1, bN1 of a differential sense amplifier. A latch circuit is connected between nodes N2, bN2. A data change circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and bN2 and between the nodes bN1 and N2. A disconnection circuit is connected between the nodes N1 and N2 and between the nodes bN1 and bN2. In a state in which potentials of the input nodes N1, bN1 are equal to each other, the differential sense amplifier is operated, and output data of the amplifier is reversed by the data change circuit and subsequently latched by the latch circuit. The latched data is supplied to the input nodes N1, bN1 of the differential sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasuhito Itaka
  • Patent number: 6741100
    Abstract: In a standard cell, rise time when an output transitions from a low-level voltage to a high-level voltage and fall time when an output transitions from the high-level voltage to the low-level voltage differ from each other. A flip-flop outputs a first input signal, which is input in a cycle immediately before a clock in synchronization with one of rise and fall of the clock, to the standard cell and then fixes an output the signal at one of a high-level voltage and a low-level voltage. Before a second input signal, which is output from the flip-flop after the first input signal, reaches the standard cell, an output of the standard cell is set at one of a high-level voltage and a low-level voltage, which corresponds to a signal whose transition speed is slow, by one of the high-level voltage and the low-level voltage that is output from the flip-flop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasuhito Itaka, Takayuki Kamei
  • Publication number: 20040070419
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is disclosed, which comprises a pre-charge type dynamic circuit, a static circuit which realizes the same logic as the dynamic circuit, a selection circuit which is connected to an input section of each of the dynamic circuit and the static circuit, a control circuit which controls the selection circuit to select either the dynamic circuit or the static circuit at the time of testing a semiconductor chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Masashi Hirano, Yasuhito Itaka