Patents by Inventor Yoshiro Riho

Yoshiro Riho 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: 7346829
    Abstract: A test method for a semiconductor device that is provided with an ECC circuit that uses product code that is composed of a first code and a second code for implementing error correction of a memory, the test method includes steps of: obtaining first pass/fail determination results and second pass/fail determination results that are realized by independent correction operations based on the first code and the second code, respectively; recording the results in a first fail memory and a second fail memory, respectively; executing a prescribed logical operation such as an AND operation relating to the contents of the first fail memory and the contents of the second fail memory; and based on the results of the logical operation, remedying both fail bits and potential fail bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20070230265
    Abstract: A dynamic semiconductor storage device in which the power supply current during the standby time is diminished to decrease the power consumption and to suppress the chip area from increasing. During the normal operation, the information as to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation is stored in a RAM. In entering self refresh, data of memory cells connected to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation time is read out and check bits for the data are appended in an encoder and written in a check bit area. As an initializing operation for the first self refresh entry after power up sequence, the data retention time of the memory cells is inspected every word line. Based on the results of inspection, the setting value of the refresh period of the word line is determined and written in the RAM to set the word line based refresh period. During error check for the refresh operation, any error is corrected by an error correction circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 7260011
    Abstract: A dynamic semiconductor storage device in which the power supply current during the standby time is diminished to decrease the power consumption and to suppress the chip area from increasing. During the normal operation, the information as to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation is stored in a RAM. In entering self refresh, data of memory cells connected to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation time is read out and check bits for the data are appended in an encoder and written in a check bit area. As an initializing operation for the first self refresh entry after power up sequence, the data retention time of the memory cells is inspected every word line. Based on the results of inspection, the setting value of the refresh period of the word line is determined and written in the RAM to set the word line based refresh period. During error check for the refresh operation, any error is corrected by an error correction circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 7248528
    Abstract: A refresh control method of a semiconductor memory device which controls a self-refresh operation to hold data in a memory array having a plurality of memory cells disposed at intersections of word lines corresponding to row addresses and bit lines corresponding to column addresses, comprising: a step for dividing the memory array into a holding area used as a copy source which includes memory cells on a predetermined number of word lines, and a copy area used as a copy destination which includes memory cells on word lines to which entire data of the holding area is to be copied, a step for executing copy operation in which data of each memory cell of the holding area is copied to one or more memory cells in the copy area on the same bit line or the same pair of bit lines before executing the self-refresh operation, and a step for executing the self-refresh operation in which a row address of the holding area is designated and a corresponding word line is selected and driven, and at the same time, one or more
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Elpida Memory Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Kazuhiko Kajigaya
  • Publication number: 20070097772
    Abstract: A dynamic semiconductor storage device in which the power supply current during the standby time is diminished to decrease the power consumption and to suppress the chip area from increasing. During the normal operation, the information as to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation is stored in a RAM. In entering self refresh, data of memory cells connected to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation time is read out and check bits for the data are appended in an encoder and written in a check bit area. As an initializing operation for the first self refresh entry after power up sequence, the data retention time of the memory cells is inspected every word line. Based on the results of inspection, the setting value of the refresh period of the word line is determined and written in the RAM to set the word line based refresh period. During error check for the refresh operation, any error is corrected by an error correction circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 7167403
    Abstract: A dynamic semiconductor storage device in which the power supply current during the standby time is diminished to decrease the power consumption and to suppress the chip area from increasing. During the normal operation, the information as to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation is stored in a RAM. In entering self refresh, data of memory cells connected to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation time is read out and check bits for the data are appended in an encoder and written in a check bit area. As an initializing operation for the first self refresh entry after power up sequence, the data retention time of the memory cells is inspected every word line. Based on the results of inspection, the setting value of the refresh period of the word line is determined and written in the RAM to set the word line based refresh period. During error check for the refresh operation, any error is corrected by an error correction circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 7158433
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device having a memory cell array in which a plurality of memory cells is provided at intersections of a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines and executing refreshing for holding data, including: memory cells for pairing provided on the memory cell array, for compensating for errors of each memory cell; a control circuit for checking a data holding ability of memory cell under test in a predetermined period after power-on; a storage circuit for storing information which specifies the memory cells under test for which it is determined that the data holding ability is low in the checking of the control circuit; and a selecting-line activating circuit for activating circuit for activating a selecting line for pairing corresponding to the memory cells for pairing based on a result of comparing a specific address to be input with the information stored in the storage circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Elpida Memory Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20060087903
    Abstract: A refresh control method of a semiconductor memory device which controls a self-refresh operation to hold data in a memory array having a plurality of memory cells disposed at intersections of word lines corresponding to row addresses and bit lines corresponding to column addresses, comprising: a step for dividing the memory array into a holding area used as a copy source which includes memory cells on a predetermined number of word lines, and a copy area used as a copy destination which includes memory cells on word lines to which entire data of the holding area is to be copied, a step for executing copy operation in which data of each memory cell of the holding area is copied to one or more memory cells in the copy area on the same bit line or the same pair of bit lines before executing the self-refresh operation, and a step for executing the self-refresh operation in which a row address of the holding area is designated and a corresponding word line is selected and driven, and at the same time, one or more
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Kazuhiko Kajigaya
  • Publication number: 20050229076
    Abstract: A test method for a semiconductor device that is provided with an ECC circuit that uses product code that is composed of a first code and a second code for implementing error correction of a memory, the test method includes steps of: obtaining first pass/fail determination results and second pass/fail determination results that are realized by independent correction operations based on the first code and the second code, respectively; recording the results in a first fail memory and a second fail memory, respectively; executing a prescribed logical operation such as an AND operation relating to the contents of the first fail memory and the contents of the second fail memory; and based on the results of the logical operation, remedying both fail bits and potential fail bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20050219890
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device having a memory cell array in which a plurality of memory cells is provided at intersections of a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines and executing refreshing for holding data, comprising: memory cells for pairing provided on the memory cell array, for compensating for errors of each memory cell; a control circuit for checking a data holding ability of memory cell under test in a predetermined period after power-on; a storage circuit for storing information which specifies the memory cells under test for which it is determined that the data holding ability is low in the checking of the control circuit; and a selecting-line activating circuit for activating circuit for activating a selecting line for pairing corresponding to the memory cells for pairing based on a result of comparing a specific address to be input with the information stored in the storage circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20050169083
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dynamic semiconductor storage device in which the power supply current during the standby time is diminished to decrease the power consumption and to suppress the chip area from increasing. During the normal operation, the information as to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation is stored in a RAM. In entering self refresh, data of memory cells connected to a word line associated with a row address accessed during the normal operation time is read out and check bits for the data are appended in an encoder and written in a check bit area. As an initializing operation for the first self refresh entry after power up sequence, the data retention time of the memory cells is inspected every word line. Based on the results of inspection, the setting value of the refresh period of the word line is determined and written in the RAM to set the word line based refresh period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 6518835
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device which comprises a first interconnect channel including a plurality of second-layer metal interconnect layers extended in a first direction over a semiconductor chip, a second interconnect channel including a plurality of, third-layer metal interconnect layers extended in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an internal power supply circuit which receives a source voltage supplied from an external terminal and generates a voltage different from the source voltage, and which is provided with stabilizing capacitors, a large part of the stabilizing capacitors are formed in an area in which the second- and third-layer metal interconnect lines intersect each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Kiyoshi Nakai, Hidekazu Egawa, Yukihide Suzuki, Isamu Fujii
  • Publication number: 20020130714
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device which comprises a first interconnect channel including a plurality of second-layer metal interconnect layers extended in a first direction over a semiconductor chip, a second interconnect channel including a plurality of third-layer metal interconnect layers extended in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an internal power supply circuit which receives a source voltage supplied from an external terminal and generates a voltage different from the source voltage, and which is provided with stabilizing capacitors, a large part of the stabilizing capacitors are occupied by capacitors formed in an area in which the second- and third-layer metal interconnect lines intersect each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Kiyoshi Nakai, Hidekazu Egawa, Yukihide Suzuki, Isamu Fujii
  • Patent number: 6411160
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device which comprises a first interconnect channel including a plurality of second-layer metal interconnect layers extended in a first direction over a semiconductor chip, a second interconnect channel including a plurality of third-layer metal interconnect layers extended in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an internal power supply circuit which receives a source voltage supplied from an external terminal and generates a voltage different from the source voltage, and which is provided with stabilizing capacitors, a large part of the stabilizing capacitors are in an area in which the second- and third-layer metal interconnect lines intersect each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Kiyoshi Nakai, Hidekazu Egawa, Yukihide Suzuki, Isamu Fujii