Patents by Inventor Yoshihisa Kojima

Yoshihisa Kojima 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: 20200081856
    Abstract: An interface device includes: an air conditioner communication unit that transmits and receives information in a format conforming to a communication protocol of an air conditioner to and from the air conditioner; a home automation communication unit that transmits and receives information in a format conforming to an ANSI/CEA-2045 standard to and from a communication module; and a conversion unit that converts the information in the format conforming to the communication protocol of the air conditioner into information in the format conforming to the ANSI/CEA-2045 standard, and converts the information that is received by the home automation communication unit and is in the format conforming to the ANSI/CEA-2045 standard into information in the format conforming to the communication protocol of the air conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventor: Yoshihisa KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20200083240
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory and a controller. The semiconductor memory includes blocks each containing memory cells. The controller is configured to instruct the semiconductor memory to execute a first operation and a second operation. In the first operation and the second operation, the semiconductor memory selects at least one of the blocks, and applies at least one voltage to all memory cells contained in said selected blocks. A number of blocks to which said voltage is applied per unit time in the second operation is larger than that in the first operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko AMAKI, Yoshihisa KOJIMA, Toshikatsu HIDA, Marie Grace Izabelle Ange SIA, Riki SUZUKI, Shohei ASAMI
  • Publication number: 20200073592
    Abstract: A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks, in each of which a plurality of memory cells is arranged between bit lines and a source line, and a memory controller configured to control an operation of the nonvolatile memory. The memory controller is configured to issue a warming command to the nonvolatile memory when a temperature of the nonvolatile memory is lower than a first temperature, and the nonvolatile memory, in response to the warming command, causes current to flow through at least one bit line connected to memory cells of a first block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Suguru NISHIKAWA, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Yoshihisa KOJIMA, Takehiko AMAKI
  • Publication number: 20200075110
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory includes: a memory cell array including memory cells; and a controller configured to execute a first refresh process on receiving a first command. The first refresh process includes reprogramming at least one second memory cell among first memory cells to which data has been programmed in a first group. In executing the first refresh process, the controller is configured to: select the second memory cell by verifying with a first voltage using a first amount in a case where the second memory cell has been programmed using the first voltage; and select the second memory cell by verifying with a second voltage using a second amount in a case where the second memory cell has been programmed using the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Riki SUZUKI, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Yoshihisa KOJIMA, Marie TAKADA, Tsukasa TOKUTOMI
  • Patent number: 10579471
    Abstract: A storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a control circuit that reads data in units of cluster, and erase data in units of logical block which includes a plurality of clusters. Data in each cluster includes a first error correction code and each cluster is arranged in at least one error correction group, each including clusters and a second error correction code. The control circuit performs a refresh operation in units of cluster such that refresh target data in a cluster of a first logical block is moved to a cluster of a second logical block. A first error correction group related to the refresh target data includes the cluster of the first logical block before the moving, and the first error correction group related to the refresh target data includes a cluster of the first logical block and a cluster of the second logical block after the moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chihoko Shigeta, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Patent number: 10579267
    Abstract: A memory controller according to the embodiment includes a front-end unit that issues an invalidation command in response to a command from outside of the memory controller, the command including a logical address, an address translation unit that stores a correspondence relationship between the logical and a physical address, an invalidation command processing unit that, when the invalidation command is received, registers the logical address associated with the invalidation command as an invalidation registration region in an invalidation registration unit and issues a notification to the front-end unit, and an internal processing unit that dissolves a correspondence relationship between the logical address registered in the invalidation registration unit and the physical address in the address translation unit in a predetermined order by referencing the logical address registered in the invalidation registration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Takeuchi, Yoshihisa Kojima, Norio Aoyama, Mitsunori Tadokoro
  • Patent number: 10573394
    Abstract: A memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including memory cells storing data, and a controller configured to control a read operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory to read data from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The controller is configured to determine a read voltage to be used for reading data from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory depending on whether the read operation is performed during a first period after an end of a write operation of the data or during a second period following the first period, upon determining that the read operation is performed during the first period, change the read voltage in accordance with an elapsed time after the end of the write operation of the data, and upon determining that the read operation is performed during the second period, determine the read voltage regardless of the elapsed time after the end of the write operation of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Jialin Pan, Yoshihisa Kojima, Kazutaka Takizawa
  • Patent number: 10552047
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory controller comprising n (where n>2) first data input/output terminals, a first semiconductor chip comprising n second data input/output terminals, each of the second data input/output terminals being connected to a respective one of the first data input/output terminals, and a second semiconductor chip comprising n third data input/output terminals, each of the third data input/output terminals being connected to a respective one of the first data input/output terminals. When a first request signal is output from the memory controller, status data of the first semiconductor chip is output from a first of the second data input/output terminals that is connected to a first of the first data input/output terminals, and status data of the second semiconductor chip is output from a second of the third data input/output terminals that is connected to a second of the first data input/output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Nosaka, Masanobu Shirakawa, Yoshihisa Kojima, Kiyotaka Iwasaki, Hiroshi Sukegawa
  • Patent number: 10541030
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory and a controller. The semiconductor memory includes: first memory cells, first word lines, a first row decoder, and a driver circuit. The first row decoder includes first transistors capable of coupling the first word lines to first signal lines, and a first block decoder supplying a first block selection signal to the first transistors. When the controller issues a data read command, the first block decoder asserts the first block selection signal to allow the first transistors to transfer a first voltage to a selected first word line, and a second voltage to unselected other first word lines. After data is read, the first block decoder continues asserting the first block selection signal, and the driver circuit transfers a third voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Masanobu Shirakawa, Marie Takada, Tsukasa Tokutomi, Yoshihisa Kojima, Kiichi Tachi
  • Publication number: 20200013470
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory that includes a memory cell and a controller having a memory storing a write parameter used in a write operation to the memory cell. The controller instructs the non-volatile semiconductor memory to perform the write operation to the memory cell using the write parameter, receives, from the non-volatile semiconductor memory, a result of checking of the write parameter which is obtained in the write operation and updates the write parameter stored in the memory on the basis of the result of checking of the write parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Suguru Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Kojima, Masanobu Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 10529730
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory and a controller. The semiconductor memory includes blocks each containing memory cells. The controller is configured to instruct the semiconductor memory to execute a first operation and a second operation. In the first operation and the second operation, the semiconductor memory selects at least one of the blocks, and applies at least one voltage to all memory cells contained in said selected blocks. A number of blocks to which said voltage is applied per unit time in the second operation is larger than that in the first operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Amaki, Yoshihisa Kojima, Toshikatsu Hida, Marie Grace Izabelle Angeles Sia, Riki Suzuki, Shohei Asami
  • Patent number: 10489227
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a non-volatile first memory, a second memory, a battery, a first processor, and a second processor. The first processor is configured to execute fault diagnosis on the battery by discharging energy stored in the battery. The second processor is configured to write data cached in the second memory into the first memory and reduce an upper limit of the amount of data to be cached when executing the fault diagnosis than the upper limit of the amount of data to be cached when not executing the fault diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Aochi, Yoshihisa Kojima, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10475518
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system comprises a nonvolatile memory, and a memory controller configured to manage a history value about setting of a read voltage in performing reading of data from the nonvolatile memory, in accordance with a first management unit and a second management unit, a size of the second management unit being smaller than a size of the first management unit. A first region of the nonvolatile memory corresponds to the first management unit. A plurality of second regions of the nonvolatile memory each correspond to the second management unit. The first region includes the plurality of second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Amaki, Riki Suzuki, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Patent number: 10466908
    Abstract: A memory system includes a first buffer memory, a second buffer memory having a higher memory performance rating than the first buffer memory, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory unit including an array of memory cell regions, and a control unit configured to cause data to be buffered in one of the first and second buffer memories before the data are written in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory unit, according to characteristics of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Akinori Harasawa, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Publication number: 20190296775
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a first volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The nonvolatile memory includes a plurality of chips. The controller generates a second error correcting code using data stored in the first volatile memory. The second error correcting code is a code for correcting data which cannot be corrected included in a first data group using a first error correcting code. The controller releases an area of the first volatile memory corresponding to the first data group written in the nonvolatile memory, before completion of writing of all of the data which are stored in the first volatile memory and includes in a codeword of the second error correcting code to the nonvolatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Erika KAKU, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Publication number: 20190295665
    Abstract: A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory configured to execute one of a plurality of read operations, including a first read operation and a second read operation, and a memory controller configured to issue a read command to the nonvolatile memory to cause the nonvolatile memory to execute one of the plurality of read operations. The memory controller is configured to receive a read request, estimate a reliability level of a result of a read operation to be executed by the nonvolatile memory to read data from a physical address specified in the read request, select one of the first and second read operations to be executed first in a read sequence corresponding to the read request by the nonvolatile memory based on the estimated reliability level, and instruct the nonvolatile memory to execute the selected read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventor: Yoshihisa KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20190295658
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system comprises a nonvolatile memory, and a memory controller configured to manage a history value about setting of a read voltage in performing reading of data from the nonvolatile memory, in accordance with a first management unit and a second management unit, a size of the second management unit being smaller than a size of the first management unit. A first region of the nonvolatile memory corresponds to the first management unit. A plurality of second regions of the nonvolatile memory each correspond to the second management unit. The first region includes the plurality of second regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko AMAKI, Riki Suzuki, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Publication number: 20190295635
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system comprising includes a semiconductor memory and a memory controller. The memory controller is configured to obtain first data read from the semiconductor memory using a first voltage, obtain second data read from the semiconductor memory using a second voltage, calculate a first value for a first section of the first data using the first data and the second data, calculate a second value for a second section of the first data using the first data and the second data, calculate a third value for a third section of the first data using the first data and the second data, and correct an error of the first data using the first to third values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro KIYOOKA, Yoshihisa KOJIMA, Toshikatsu HIDA
  • Publication number: 20190294358
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a memory and a controller electrically connected to the memory. The memory includes blocks. Each of the blocks includes one or more sub-blocks. Each of the one or more sub-blocks includes nonvolatile memory cells. The controller is configured to obtain read frequency of at least one of the sub-blocks, and move data stored in the at least one of the sub-blocks so that data having substantially the same read frequency are written into one block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Riki Suzuki, Yoshihisa Kojima, Toshikatsu Hida
  • Publication number: 20190286518
    Abstract: A controller executes a plurality of first read operations and, when receiving a read request from a host, executes a second read operation. The first read operations are executed using, as determination voltage, different candidate values among a plurality of candidate values. In each of the first read operations, the controller executes error correction to acquired data, and acquires a first candidate value on the basis of results of the error corrections in the first read operations. The second read operation is executed using, as the determination voltage, a second candidate value that is ranked higher than the first candidate value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Shohei ASAMI, Yoshihisa KOJIMA