Patents by Inventor Yasushi Fujinami

Yasushi Fujinami 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: 9361952
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a storage controlling apparatus including: a decision portion configured to decide whether or not a bit number of a specific value from between binary values is greater than a reference value in at least part of input data to a memory cell, which executes rewriting to one of the binary values and rewriting to the other one of the binary values in order in a writing process, to generate decision data indicative of a result of the decision; and a write side outputting portion configured to output, when it is decided that the bit number is greater than the reference value, the input data at least part of which is inverted as write data to the memory cell together with the decision data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakanishi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Yasushi Fujinami, Naohiro Adachi, Hideaki Okubo, Ken Ishii, Tatsuo Shinbashi
  • Patent number: 9280455
    Abstract: Provided is a memory control device, including a write control unit that sequentially designates a memory block, a write processing unit that writes write data in the designated memory block, a verifying unit that reads read data from the memory block and verifies whether or not the read data matches the write data for each of a plurality of memory cells, a retry inhibiting unit that inhibits a retry process from being performed in a memory cell in which the read data matches the write data among the plurality of memory cells, and a retry control unit that designates at least some memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks and simultaneously executes the retry process when the read data does not match the write data in any one of the plurality of memory cells in which all the write data is written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohiro Adachi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Ken Ishii, Hideaki Okubo, Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami, Tatsuo Shinbashi, Lui Sakai, Ryoji Ikegaya
  • Patent number: 9229714
    Abstract: There is provided a memory control apparatus including: a pre-read processing section reading pre-read data from a data area to be written to before a write process in a predetermined data area of a memory cell array; a conversion determination section which, upon selectively allowing the pre-read data to transition to either a first conversion candidate or a second conversion candidate of the write data to be written in the write process, generates a determination result for selecting either of the candidates based on the larger of two values of which one is the number of bits transitioning from the first value to the second value and of which the other is the number of bits transitioning from the second value to the first value; and a conversion control section selecting either of the candidates in accordance with the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Ishii, Keiichi Tsutsui, Yasushi Fujinami, Kenichi Nakanishi, Naohiro Adachi, Hideaki Okubo, Tatsuo Shinbashi
  • Patent number: 9202563
    Abstract: A storage controlling apparatus includes a command decoder and command processing section. The command decoder decides whether or not a plurality of access object addresses of different commands included in a command string correspond to words different from each other in a same one of blocks of a memory cell array which have a common plate. The command processing section collectively and successively executes, when it is decided that the access object addresses of the commands correspond to the words different from each other in the same block of the memory cell array, those of operations in processing of the commands in which an equal voltage is applied as a drive voltage between the plate and a bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Fujinami, Naohiro Adachi, Ken Ishii, Hideaki Okubo, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Tatsuo Shinbashi
  • Patent number: 9176811
    Abstract: A storage control apparatus includes a standard read request unit, an error correcting unit, and a high-accuracy read request unit. The standard read request unit is configured to issue a request for a read with standard accuracy to a read address in a memory. The error correcting unit is configured to perform error correction on the basis of an error correcting code and data returned by the memory in response to the read request with the standard accuracy. The high-accuracy read request unit is configured to issue, when an error incapable of being corrected by the error correction is caused, a request again for a read with higher accuracy than the standard accuracy to the read address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami, Keiichi Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 9170893
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a storage controlling apparatus, including: a status acquisition section configured to acquire status including a number of times of execution of verification after writing into a memory from the memory; a history information retention section configured to retain a history of the status as history information in an associated relationship with each of predetermined regions of the memory; and a region selection section configured to select a region which satisfies a condition in accordance with the history information when a new region is to be used in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Okubo, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami, Naohiro Adachi, Ken Ishii, Tatsuo Shinbashi
  • Patent number: 9152416
    Abstract: A storage control device includes a first rewriting section, a second rewriting section, and a first retry control section. The first rewriting section performs first rewrite to rewrite other of two binary values into a memory cell in which one of the two binary values is written. The second rewriting section performs second rewrite to rewrite the one of the two binary values into the memory cell in which the other of the two binary values is written. The first retry control section causes the memory cell that has undergone the first rewrite to be subjected to the second rewrite followed by the first rewrite again if an error occurs during the first rewrite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakanishi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Yasushi Fujinami, Naohiro Adachi, Hideaki Okubo, Tatsuo Shinbashi, Ken Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150234749
    Abstract: Provided is a storage control device including a first read processing unit configured to read data having any one value of a first value or a second value based on a first threshold value in a memory cell, the data being read as first read data, a first write processing unit configured to rewrite the memory cell to the first value when write data is the first value and the first read data is the second value, a second read processing unit configured to read second read data based on a second threshold value different from the first threshold value in the memory cell, and a second write processing unit configured to rewrite the memory cell to the second value when the write data is the second value and the second read data is the first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohiro Adachi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Hideaki Okubo, Makiko Yamamoto, Yasushi Fujinami
  • Patent number: 9110827
    Abstract: An error detection and correction apparatus includes a code word read-out unit to execute read processing to read out a code word including a plurality of code elements by detection of an erasure position as read data from a memory address and to execute re-read processing to read out the code word as re-read data from the memory address after a predetermined time is elapsed from the time to read out the read data; a timing control erasure position detection unit to detect a position of the code element having a value not matched as the erasure position in the code word by determining whether or not the value is matched per the code word in the read data and the re-read data; and an error correction unit to correct an error based on the erasure position in the code word where the erasure position is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Lui Sakai, Yasushi Fujinami, Naohiro Adachi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Tatsuo Shinbashi, Ryoji Ikegaya
  • Publication number: 20150227459
    Abstract: A storage control apparatus includes: a pre-processing-execution determining block for determining whether or not either one of an erase operation and a program operation is to be executed as pre-processing in a write operation to be carried out on a predetermined data area to serve as a write-operation object; and a pre-read processing block for reading out pre-read data from the data area prior to the write operation if a result of the determination indicates that the pre-processing is to be executed. The apparatus further includes a bit operating block for carrying out: the pre-processing and one of the erase and program operations which is not the pre-processing as post-processing if a result of the determination indicates that the pre-processing is to be executed; and the post-processing without carrying out the pre-processing if a determination result indicates that the pre-processing is not to be executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Naohiro Adachi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Hideaki Okubo, Yasushi Fujinami, Ken Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150170763
    Abstract: There is provided a storage apparatus that includes an address obtaining section, and a write processing section. The address obtaining section is configured to obtain a normal write address and an alternative write address before data writing to the normal write address, the normal write address being designated as a destination of the data writing, the alternative write address being used when the data writing is failed. The write processing section is configured to perform the data writing to the normal write address when instructed for the data writing, and perform the data writing to the alternative write address when the data writing to the normal write address is failed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Iwaki, Ken Ishii, Ryoji Ikegaya, Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami, Naohiro Adachi
  • Patent number: 9058162
    Abstract: A storage control apparatus includes: a pre-processing-execution determining block for determining whether or not either one of an erase operation and a program operation is to be executed as pre-processing in a write operation to be carried out on a predetermined data area to serve as a write-operation object; and a pre-read processing block for reading out pre-read data from the data area prior to the write operation if a result of the determination indicates that the pre-processing is to be executed. The apparatus further includes a bit operating block for carrying out: the pre-processing and one of the erase and program operations which is not the pre-processing as post-processing if a result of the determination indicates that the pre-processing is to be executed; and the post-processing without carrying out the pre-processing if a determination result indicates that the pre-processing is not to be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naohiro Adachi, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Hideaki Okubo, Yasushi Fujinami, Ken Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150155885
    Abstract: Provided is an error correcting method including: executing, by an error-position detector, a determination process if a received word fails to satisfy a predetermined condition, the received word having a plurality of symbols, the determination process including determining if a determination-target symbol has an error or not, and detecting an error position, the error position being a position of the symbol having an error; changing, by a determination-target changing unit, the position of the determination-target symbol of the received word every time the determination process is executed; detecting, by an undetected-position detector, if the predetermined condition is satisfied, the error position of the symbol, for which the determination process is not executed, based on a relation between the error position and a variable generated from the received word; and correcting, by an error corrector, an error at the error position detected by the error-position detector and the undetected-position detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Ryoji Ikegaya, Tatsuo Shinbashi, Yasushi Fujinami
  • Publication number: 20150052329
    Abstract: A memory control device includes an address translation information holding portion that holds a portion of entries that are selected from address translation information containing a plurality of entries that associate a logical address with a physical address of a memory device; an address translation information acquisition unit that, when the entry containing the logical address specified by a host computer is not held in the address translation information holding portion, acquires the entry that is not held from the host computer and causes the address translation information holding portion to hold the entry; an address translation unit that translates the specified logical address into the physical address on the basis of the entries that are held in the address translation information holding portion; and a data transfer unit that executes a data transfer process in which transfer data is transferred using the translated physical address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventor: Yasushi FUJINAMI
  • Publication number: 20150049538
    Abstract: Provided is a storage control device including: a detection unit which detects a first timing for performing a first rewriting process of performing only a first operation from among the first operation and a second operation, in a memory cell array in which each bit transitions to a first storage state by the first operation and transitions to a second storage state by the second operation; and a request unit which makes a request for the first rewriting process with respect to the memory cell array, when the first timing is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Hideaki OKUBO, Kenichi NAKANISHI, Yasushi FUJINAMI, Lui SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20150026538
    Abstract: An error detection-correction unit reads system information for operating a system from a first memory and performs error detection-correction processing. A control unit supplies the system information to a host computer in a case where the error detection-correction processing is successful. In addition, the control unit reads a backup of the system information from a second memory that is different from the first memory and supplies the backup of the system information to the host computer in a case where the detection-correction processing fails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Lui SAKAI, Keiichi TSUTSUI, Yasushi FUJINAMI
  • Publication number: 20140372791
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interface control circuit including an error detection unit, an error correction unit, and an adjustment control unit. The error detection unit is configured to detect whether an error occurs in error correction coded data transmitted via an interface. The error correction unit is configured to execute error correction processing of correcting the error when the error occurs. The adjustment control unit is configured to start adjustment processing of adjusting a transmission characteristic of the interface when the error occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naohiro Adachi, Yoshiyuki Shibahara, Yasushi Fujinami
  • Patent number: 8898541
    Abstract: A storage controller includes an error correcting code managing portion, an address managing portion and an error correcting portion. The error correcting code managing portion manages a correspondence relationship between predetermined plural pieces of unit data, and a second error code corresponding to the plural pieces of unit data every entry when plural pieces of unit data and a second error correcting code are stored in a storage portion. The address managing portion manages a correspondence relationship between logical addresses and the entries in the error correcting code managing portion. The error correcting portion acquires the entry in the error correction managing portion corresponding to the logical address as an object of read from the address managing portion, and carries out error correction based on the plural pieces of unit data managed in the entry concerned, and the second error correcting code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Okubo, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami, Makiko Yamamoto, Naohiro Adachi
  • Publication number: 20140301132
    Abstract: Provided is a storage control device including a history information holding unit configured to hold history information in a predetermined data area of a memory cell holding either a first value or a second value for each bit, the history information indicating which mode of a first mode or a second mode is employed upon a previous write operation, the first mode setting all bits to the first value and then setting any bit to the second value, the second mode setting all bits to the second value and then setting any bit to the first value, and a bitwise operation unit configured to perform a write operation in the second mode if the history information indicates the first mode and to perform a write operation in the first mode if the history information indicates the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohiro Adachi, Hideaki Okubo, Makiko Yamamoto, Keiichi Tsutsui, Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami
  • Publication number: 20140258606
    Abstract: A storage control device includes: a partial unit buffer configured to hold at least one data assigned to a partial unit, in which the partial unit is one of a plurality of partial units that are each a division of a write unit for a memory; and a request generation section configured to generate, upon indication of a busy state in the memory for any of the partial units, a write request for the write unit of the memory when the holding of the data assigned to that partial unit is possible in the partial unit buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakanishi, Yasushi Fujinami, Ken Ishii, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Kentarou Mori