Patents by Inventor Yoshihiko Yasu

Yoshihiko Yasu 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: 7855593
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device enhanced in design efficiency while achieving multi-functionalization and power saving is to be provided. The semiconductor integrated circuit device has first through third circuit blocks, and is placed in a first power supply state in which the operation of internal circuits in the first circuit block is guaranteed in accordance with an instruction from the third circuit block or a second power supply state in which the operation of the internal circuits is not guaranteed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yuri Azuma, Yoshihiko Yasu, Yasuto Igarashi, Takashi Kuraishi, Kazumasa Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7834381
    Abstract: Repeaters are arranged at arbitrary positions to substantially improve transmission speed of a signal. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device 1, repeater regions 10 where repeaters are provided as relay points for wiring are provided in the central parts of the core power source regions 2, 3 and 5, on the left side of the core power source regions 4 to 8 and at the upper and lower parts of the semiconductor integrated circuit device 1. A power switch region for repeater 11 is formed so as to surround the core power source regions 2 to 8 and the repeater regions 10. The power source lines of the reference potential connected to the repeater regions 10 are laid out at equally spaced intervals throughout the core power source regions 2 to 8, which enables the repeater regions 10 to be flexibly laid out. This permits the repeaters to be more effectively arranged, which improves the performances of semiconductor integrated circuit device 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Umekita, Tomomi Ajioka, Kenji Hirose, Yoshihiko Yasu, Yujiro Miyairi
  • Publication number: 20100219800
    Abstract: Efficient reduction in power consumption is achieved by combinational implementation of a power cutoff circuit technique using power supply switch control and a DVFS technique for low power consumption. A power supply switch section fed with power supply voltage, a circuit block in which a power cutoff is performed by the power supply switch section, and a level shifter are formed in a DEEP-NWELL region formed over a semiconductor substrate. Another power supply switch section fed with another power supply voltage, a circuit block in which a power cutoff is performed by the power supply switch section, and a level shifter are formed in another DEEP-NWELL region formed over the semiconductor substrate. In this arrangement, there arises no possibility of short-circuiting between different power supplies via each DEEP-NWELL region formed over the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuki FUKUOKA, Yasuto Igarashi, Ryo Mori, Yoshihiko Yasu, Toshio Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20100123515
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to perform fine low-voltage control without largely increasing the circuit layout area in a low-power consumption structure. In the case of shifting a region to a low-speed mode, a system controller outputs a request signal and an enable signal to a power switch controller and a low-power drive circuit, respectively, to turn off a power switch and to perform a control so that the voltage level of a virtual reference potential becomes about 0.2 V to about 0.3V. The region operates on voltages between a power supply voltage and a virtual reference potential, so that it is controlled in the low-speed mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: TOSHIO SASAKI, Kazuki Fukuoka, Ryo Mori, Yoshihiko Yasu
  • Patent number: 7714606
    Abstract: A plurality of MOS transistors each having an SOI structure includes, in mixed form, those brought into body floating and whose body voltages are fixed and variably set. When a high-speed operation is expected in a logic circuit in which operating power is relatively a low voltage and a switching operation is principally performed, body floating may be adopted. Body voltage fixing may be adopted in an analog system circuit that essentially dislikes a kink phenomenon of a current-voltage characteristic. Body bias variable control may be adopted in a logic circuit that requires the speedup of operation in an active state and needs low power consumption in a standby state. Providing in mixed form the transistors which are subjected to the body floating and the body voltage fixing and which are variably controlled in body voltage, makes it easier to adopt an accurate body bias according to a circuit function and a circuit configuration in terms of the speedup of operation and the low power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Osamu Ozawa, Toshio Sasaki, Ryo Mori, Takashi Kuraishi, Yoshihiko Yasu
  • Publication number: 20100090282
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit has so-called SOI type first MOS transistors (MNtk, MPtk) and second MOS transistors (MNtn, MPtn). The first MOS transistors have a gate isolation film thicker than that the second MOS transistors have. The first and second MOS transistors constitute a power-supply-interruptible circuit (6) and a power-supply-uninterrupted circuit (7). The power-supply-interruptible circuit has the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch (10) between a source line (VDD) and a ground line (VSS), and the second MOS transistors connected in series with the power switch. A gate control signal for the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch is made larger in amplitude than that for the second MOS transistors. This enables power-source cutoff control with a high degree of flexibility commensurate with the device isolation structure, which an SOI type semiconductor integrated circuit has originally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: OSAMU OZAWA, Toshio Sasaki, Ryo Mori, Takashi Kuraishi, Yoshihiko Yasu, Koichiro Ishibashi
  • Publication number: 20100034044
    Abstract: A technology that makes it possible to reduce fluctuation in operating voltage for operating the circuits formed in the core region of a semiconductor device is provided. This semiconductor device is so arranged that the core region is divided into multiple functional blocks and power can be supplied and this power supply can be interrupted with respect to each of the divided functional blocks. The core region formed in the semiconductor chip is divided into multiple functional blocks. A power switch row in which multiple power switches are arranged is disposed in the boundaries between the divided functional blocks. These power switches have a function of controlling the supply of reference potential to each of functional blocks and the interruption of this supply. A feature of the invention is that reference pads are disposed directly above the power switch rows. This shortens the wires coupling together the reference pads and the power switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: TOSHIO SASAKI, Yoshihiko YASU, Takashi KURAISHI, Ryo MORI
  • Patent number: 7652333
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit has so-called SOI type first MOS transistors (MNtk, MPtk) and second MOS transistors (MNtn, MPtn). The first MOS transistors have a gate isolation film thicker than that the second MOS transistors have. The first and second MOS transistors constitute a power-supply-interruptible circuit (6) and a power-supply-uninterrupted circuit (7). The power-supply-interruptible circuit has the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch (10) between a source line (VDD) and a ground line (VSS), and the second MOS transistors connected in series with the power switch. A gate control signal for the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch is made larger in amplitude than that for the second MOS transistors. This enables power-source cutoff control with a high degree of flexibility commensurate with the device isolation structure, which an SOI type semiconductor integrated circuit has originally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Osamu Ozawa, Toshio Sasaki, Ryo Mori, Takashi Kuraishi, Yoshihiko Yasu, Koichiro Ishibashi
  • Publication number: 20100017775
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a control signal system for avoiding failure to check an indefinite signal propagation prevention circuit, for facilitating a check included in an automated tool, and for facilitating a power shutdown control inside a chip. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, power shutdown priorities are provided by independent power domains (Area A to Area I). A method for preventing a power domain having a lower priority from being turned OFF when a circuit having a high priority is turned ON is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Yusuke KANNO, Hiroyuki Mizuno, Yoshihiko Yasu, Kenji Hirose, Takahiro Irita
  • Publication number: 20090322402
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with a first circuit block BLK1, a second circuit block DRV1 and a conversion circuit MIO1 for connecting the first circuit block to the second circuit block. The first circuit block includes a first mode for applying a supply voltage and a second mode for shutting off the supply voltage. The conversion circuit is provided with a function for maintaining the potential of an input node of the second circuit block at an operation potential, thereby suppressing a penetrating current flow when the first circuit block is in the second mode. The conversion circuit (MIO1 to MIO4) are commonly used for connecting circuit blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: RENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki MIZUNO, Yusuke KANNO, Kazumasa YANAGISAWA, Yoshihiko YASU, Nobuhiro OODAIRA
  • Patent number: 7623364
    Abstract: A technology that makes it possible to reduce fluctuation in operating voltage for operating the circuits formed in the core region of a semiconductor device is provided. This semiconductor device is so arranged that the core region is divided into multiple functional blocks and power can be supplied and this power supply can be interrupted with respect to each of the divided functional blocks. The core region formed in the semiconductor chip is divided into multiple functional blocks. A power switch row in which multiple power switches are arranged is disposed in the boundaries between the divided functional blocks. These power switches have a function of controlling the supply of reference potential to each of functional blocks and the interruption of this supply. A feature of the invention is that reference pads are disposed directly above the power switch rows. This shortens the wires coupling together the reference pads and the power switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Toshio Sasaki, Yoshihiko Yasu, Takashi Kuraishi, Ryo Mori
  • Patent number: 7612604
    Abstract: A body bias control system allows for independent design of a functional module, thereby reducing the burden of designing the module. The body bias control system provides a switch circuit having an area in which the body bias is controlled independently of its outside portion, for controlling the supply of body bias in the vicinity of the area. Preferably three types of switches are provided for switching the body bias to suitable levels for a standby mode, a mode of normal operation and a mode of high-speed operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Miyazaki, Yusuke Kanno, Goichi Ono, Toshinobu Shinbo, Yoshihiko Yasu, Kazumasa Yanagisawa, Takashi Kuraishi
  • Publication number: 20090267686
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device enhanced in design efficiency while achieving multi-functionalization and power saving is to be provided. The semiconductor integrated circuit device has first through third circuit blocks, and is placed in a first power supply state in which the operation of internal circuits in the first circuit block is guaranteed in accordance with an instruction from the third circuit block or a second power supply state in which the operation of the internal circuits is not guaranteed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Yuri Azuma, Yoshihiko Yasu, Yasuto Igarashi, Takashi Kuraishi, Kazumasa Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7610572
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a control signal system for avoiding failure to check an indefinite signal propagation prevention circuit, for facilitating a check included in an automated tool, and for facilitating a power shutdown control inside a chip. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, power shutdown priorities are provided by independent power domains (Area A to Area I). A method for preventing a power domain having a lower priority from being turned OFF when a circuit having a high priority is turned ON is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kanno, Hiroyuki Mizuno, Yoshihiko Yasu, Kenji Hirose, Takahiro Irita
  • Publication number: 20090079465
    Abstract: The present invention aims to make each power shutdown area appropriate. Cell areas each comprising a plurality of core cells arranged therein, and power switches disposed corresponding to the respective cell areas are provided. A plurality of power shutdown areas are respectively formed in units of the core cells. In each power shutdown area, power shutdown is enabled by the power switches corresponding to the power shutdown areas. Thus, the power shutdown areas can be set finely in the core cell units, and the appropriateness of each power shutdown area is achieved. With its appropriateness, a reduction in current consumption at standby is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Toshio Sasaki, Yoshihiko Yasu, Ryo Mori, Koichiro Ishibashi, Yusuke Kanno
  • Publication number: 20080239780
    Abstract: A technology that makes it possible to reduce fluctuation in operating voltage for operating the circuits formed in the core region of a semiconductor device is provided. This semiconductor device is so arranged that the core region is divided into multiple functional blocks and power can be supplied and this power supply can be interrupted with respect to each of the divided functional blocks. The core region formed in the semiconductor chip is divided into multiple functional blocks. A power switch row in which multiple power switches are arranged is disposed in the boundaries between the divided functional blocks. These power switches have a function of controlling the supply of reference potential to each of functional blocks and the interruption of this supply. A feature of the invention is that reference pads are disposed directly above the power switch rows. This shortens the wires coupling together the reference pads and the power switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Toshio SASAKI, Yoshihiko YASU, Takashi KURAISHI, Ryo MORI
  • Publication number: 20080224177
    Abstract: Repeaters are arranged at arbitrary positions to substantially improve transmission speed of a signal. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device 1, repeater regions 10 where repeaters are provided as relay points for wiring are provided in the central parts of the core power source regions 2, 3 and 5, on the left side of the core power source regions 4 to 8 and at the upper and lower parts of the semiconductor integrated circuit device 1. A power switch region for repeater 11 is formed so as to surround the core power source regions 2 to 8 and the repeater regions 10. The power source lines of the reference potential connected to the repeater regions 10 are laid out at equally spaced intervals throughout the core power source regions 2 to 8, which enables the repeater regions 10 to be flexibly laid out. This permits the repeaters to be more effectively arranged, which improves the performances of semiconductor integrated circuit device 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Satoshi Umekita, Tomomi Ajioka, Kenji Hirose, Yoshihiko Yasu, Yujiro Miyairi
  • Patent number: 7411267
    Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor integrated circuit device with improved designing efficiency while achieving higher functions. An inner circuit is surrounded by a plurality of cells in which a first switch element for connecting a power supply voltage line or a ground voltage supply line to a power supply line of an internal circuit is disposed below power supply lines extending in a first and second directions, and the power lines are connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamawaki, Yoshihiko Yasu, Yasuto Igarashi, Takashi Kuraishi, Kazumasa Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7394143
    Abstract: Repeaters are arranged at arbitrary positions to substantially improve transmission speed of a signal. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device 1, repeater regions 10 where repeaters are provided as relay points for wiring are provided in the central parts of the core power source regions 2, 3 and 5, on the left side of the core power source regions 4 to 8 and at the upper and lower parts of the semiconductor integrated circuit device 1. A power switch region for repeater 11 is formed so as to surround the core power source regions 2 to 8 and the repeater regions 10. The power source lines of the reference potential connected to the repeater regions 10 are laid out at equally spaced intervals throughout the core power source regions 2 to 8, which enables the repeater regions 10 to be flexibly laid out. This permits the repeaters to be more effectively arranged, which improves the performances of semiconductor integrated circuit device 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Satoshi Umekita, Tomomi Ajioka, Kenji Hirose, Yoshihiko Yasu, Yujiro Miyairi
  • Publication number: 20070215952
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit has so-called SOI type first MOS transistors (MNtk, MPtk) and second MOS transistors (MNtn, MPtn). The first MOS transistors have a gate isolation film thicker than that the second MOS transistors have. The first and second MOS transistors constitute a power-supply-interruptible circuit (6) and a power-supply-uninterrupted circuit (7). The power-supply-interruptible circuit has the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch (10) between a source line (VDD) and a ground line (VSS), and the second MOS transistors connected in series with the power switch. A gate control signal for the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch is made larger in amplitude than that for the second MOS transistors. This enables power-source cutoff control with a high degree of flexibility commensurate with the device isolation structure, which an SOI type semiconductor integrated circuit has originally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Osamu OZAWA, Toshio Sasaki, Ryo Mori, Takashi Kuraishi, Yoshihiko Yasu, Koichiro Ishibashi