Patents by Inventor Yutaka Ito

Yutaka Ito 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: 10573370
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for triggering row hammer address sampling are described. An example apparatus includes an oscillator circuit configured to provide a clock signal, and a filter circuit. The filter circuit includes a control circuit configured to receive pulses of the clock signal and provide an output signal that represents a count number by counting a number of pulses of the clock signal and control a probability of enabling the output signal based on the count number. The filter circuit further includes a logic gate configured to pass one of the pulses of the clock signal responsive to the output signal from the control circuit being enabled and filter another of the pulses responsive to the output signal from the control circuit being not enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He
  • Publication number: 20200058343
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an address counter to provide first address information and second address information. The first address information may include a first number of bits and the second address information may include a second number of bits that is smaller than the first number of bits. The address counter may perform a first updating operation. The first updating operation being such that the first address information is updated from a first initial value to a first final value. The address counter may also perform a second updating operation, the second updating operation being such that the second address information is updated from a second initial value to a second final value. In addition, the address counter may also perform the second updating operation at least twice per the first updating operation being performed once.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuan He, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20200058346
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a memory cell array, a row hammer refresh circuit configured to generate a row hammer refresh address based on an access history of the memory cell array, a redundancy circuit configured to store a plurality of defective addresses of the memory cell array, and a row pre-decoder configured to skip a refresh operation on the row hammer refresh address when the row hammer refresh address matches any one of the plurality of defective addresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yoshifumi Mochida, Hiroei Araki
  • Patent number: 10535838
    Abstract: A laminated film containing at least a gas barrier layer and an inorganic polymer layer being laminated on a resin substrate, wherein concerning a distance from a surface of the inorganic polymer layer in a film thickness direction of the layer and the ratio of an oxygen atom to a total amount of a silicon atom, an oxygen atom, a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom, the ratio of a value of the oxygen atomic ratio in a region from a surface on a side opposite to the gas barrier layer up to 30% of a film thickness of the inorganic polymer layer in a depth direction to a value of the oxygen atomic ratio in a region from 30% of a film thickness of the inorganic polymer layer in a depth direction up to a surface on a side of the gas barrier layer is 1.05 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20200005857
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for triggering row hammer address sampling are described. An example apparatus includes an oscillator circuit configured to provide a clock signal, and a filter circuit. The filter circuit includes a control circuit configured to receive pulses of the clock signal and provide an output signal that represents a count number by counting a number of pulses of the clock signal and control a probability of enabling the output signal based on the count number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: YUTAKA ITO, Yuan He
  • Publication number: 20190385667
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for generating multiple row hammer address refresh sequences. An example apparatus may include an address scrambler and a refresh control circuit. The address scrambler may receive a first address, output a second address in response to a first control signal, and output a third address in response to a second control signal. The second address may physically adjacent to the first address and the third address may physically adjacent to the second address. The refresh control circuit may perform a refresh operation on the second address when the first control signal is active and perform the refresh operation on the third address when the second control signal is active.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Masaru Morohashi, Ryo Nagoshi, Yuan He, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20190371390
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for executing row hammer (RH) refresh are described. An example apparatus includes a RH control circuit to provide a row hammer address, and a refresh control circuit to perform a RH refresh operation on a memory address array related to the RH address. The RH control circuit includes first latches each to store an old row address used to access the memory and second latches provided correspondingly to the first latches each set to a state indicating whether the old row address stored in one of the first latches is valid. The RH control circuit further including a signal generator configured to assert a sample signal when a new row address to be used to access the memory array matches the old row address stored in any one of the first latches is valid based on a state of one of the second latches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 10490252
    Abstract: Apparatuses for executing row hammer refresh are described. An example apparatus includes: memory banks, each memory bank of the memory banks includes: a latch that stores a row address; and a time based sampling circuit. The time based sampling circuit includes: a sampling timing generator that provides a timing signal of sampling a row address; and a plurality of bank sampling circuits, wherein each bank sampling circuit of the bank sampling circuits is included in a corresponding memory bank of the memory banks and provides a sampling signal to the latch in the corresponding memory bank responsive to the timing signal of sampling the row address; and an interval measurement circuit that receives an oscillation signal, measures an interval of a row hammer refresh execution based on a cycle of the oscillation signal, and further provides a steal rate timing signal for adjusting a steal rate to the sampling timing generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He
  • Patent number: 10490250
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a memory cell array, a row hammer refresh circuit configured to generate a row hammer refresh address based on an access history of the memory cell array, a redundancy circuit configured to store a plurality of detective addresses of the memory cell array, and a row pre-decoder configured to skip a refresh operation on the row hammer refresh address when the row hammer refresh address matches any one of the plurality of defective addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yoshifumi Mochida, Hiroei Araki
  • Patent number: 10483125
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first interlayer film formed on an upper surface of a substrate, a first metal wiring line, a second interlayer film, a second metal wiring line, a first via electrically connecting the first metal wiring line and the second metal wiring line, a landing pad embedded in an upper portion of the first interlayer film and penetrating the second interlayer film, and a second via penetrating the substrate and the first interlayer film from a back side of the substrate and connected to the landing pad. The lower surface position of the landing pad is different from that of the first metal wiring line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOWERJAZZ PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuka Inoue, Mitsunori Fukura, Nobuyoshi Takahashi, Masahiro Oda, Hisashi Yano, Yutaka Ito, Yasunori Morinaga
  • Patent number: 10468076
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an address counter to provide first address information and second address information. The first address information may include a first number of bits and the second address information may include a second number of bits that is smaller than the first number of bits. The address counter may perform a first updating operation. The first updating operation being such that the first address information is updated from a first initial value to a first final value. The address counter may also perform a second updating operation, the second updating operation being such that the second address information is updated from a second initial value to a second final value. In addition, the address counter may also perform the second updating operation at least twice per the first updating operation being performed once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan He, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20190267077
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an aspect of the present invention has: a plurality of memory cells MC; a plurality of word lines WL each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of memory cells MC; and a control circuit that intermittently monitors accesses to the plurality of word lines WL, stores/erases some captured row-addresses in a first number of registers, and detects, by comparison with stored addresses, in response to a first number of accesses to one of the word lines WL in a first period of time. According to the present invention, access histories can be precisely analyzed by a small-scale circuit configuration, and measures against, for example, the Row Hammer problem, etc. can be taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He
  • Patent number: 10388363
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for executing row hammer (RH) refresh are described. An example apparatus includes a RH control circuit to provide a row hammer address, and a refresh control circuit to perform a RH refresh operation on a memory address array related to the RH address. The RH control circuit includes first latches each to store an old row address used to access the memory and second latches provided correspondingly to the first latches each set to a state indicating whether the old row address stored in one of the first latches is valid. The RH control circuit further including a signal generator configured to assert a sample signal when a new row address to be used to access the memory array matches the old row address stored in any one of the first latches is valid based on a state of one of the second latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 10385447
    Abstract: The invention provides a gas barrier laminated film having high impact resistance when a heterolayer is formed on a thin film layer. The laminated film includes a flexible substrate and a thin film layer formed on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the thin film layer contains Si, O, and C, and the ratio of the number of carbon atoms to the number of silicon atoms which is calculated using peaks each corresponding to each binding energy of 2p of Si, 1s of O, 1s of N, and 1s of C obtained from wide scan spectrums is in the range defined by the following formula (1) when the surface of the thin film layer is subjected to X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and a intensity ratio of a peak intensity (I2) at 1240 to 1290 cm?1 to a peak intensity (I1) at 950 to 1050 cm?1 is in the range defined by the following formula (2) when the surface of the thin film layer is measured by an ATR method in infrared spectrometry: 0.01<C/Si?0.02??(1) 0.01?I2/I1<0.05??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yamashita, Hideaki Nakajima, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20190237131
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for executing row hammer (RH) refresh are described. An example apparatus includes a RH control circuit to provide a row hammer address, and a refresh control circuit to perform a RH refresh operation on a memory address array related to the RH address. The RH control circuit includes first latches each to store an old row address used to access the memory and second latches provided correspondingly to the first latches each set to a state indicating whether the old row address stored in one of the first latches is valid. The RH control circuit further including a signal generator configured to assert a sample signal when a new row address to be used to access the memory array matches the old row address stored in any one of the first latches is valid based on a state of one of the second latches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 10366772
    Abstract: Semiconductor memory testing devices and methods are disclosed. In one respect, a device is disclosed that includes a first memory cell array having a first bit-line and a plurality of first memory cells coupled to the first bit-line; a second memory cell array having a second bit-line and a plurality of second memory cells coupled to the second bit-line, the number of second memory cells being smaller than that of the first memory cells; a sense amplifier coupled to the first bit-line and a first end of the second bit-line; a word decoder configured to operate the second memory cells responsive to a first test signal; and a transistor coupled to a second end of the second bit-line and operated by a second test signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan He, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 10339994
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an aspect of die present invention has: a plurality of memory cells MC; a plurality of word lines WL each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of memory cells MC; and a control circuit that intermittently monitors accesses to, the plurality of word lines WL, stores/erases some captured row-addresses in a first number of registers, and detects, by comparison with stored addresses, in response to a first number of accesses to one of the word lines WL a first period of time. According to the present invention, access histories can be precisely analyzed by a small-scale circuit configuration, and measures against, for example, the Row Hammer problem, etc. can be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He
  • Publication number: 20190139599
    Abstract: Apparatuses for executing row hammer refresh are described. An example apparatus includes: memory banks, each memory bank of the memory banks includes: a latch that stores a row address; and a time based sampling circuit. The time based sampling circuit includes: a sampling timing generator that provides a timing signal of sampling a row address; and a plurality of bank sampling circuits, wherein each bank sampling circuit of the bank sampling circuits is included in a corresponding memory bank of the memory banks and provides a sampling signal to the latch in the corresponding memory bank responsive to the timing signal of sampling the row address; and an interval measurement circuit that receives an oscillation signal, measures an interval of a row hammer refresh execution based on a cycle of the oscillation signal, and further provides a steal rate timing signal for adjusting a steal rate to the sampling timing generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He
  • Publication number: 20190122723
    Abstract: Apparatuses for executing interrupt refresh are described. An example apparatus includes: memory banks, a sampling timing generator circuit, bank sampling circuits and a command state signal generator circuit that provides a command state signal responsive to a command. Each memory bank includes a latch that stores an address for interrupt refresh. The sampling timing generator circuit receives an oscillation signal and provides a trigger signal of sampling the address. Each bank sampling circuit is associated with a corresponding memory bank. Each bank sampling circuit provides a sampling signal to the latch in the corresponding memory bank responsive to the trigger signal of sampling the address. The sampling timing generator circuit provides the trigger signal of sampling the address, responsive, at least in part, to the command state signal, and the latch stores the address, responsive, at least in part, to the at least one trigger signal of sampling the address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He
  • Patent number: 10170174
    Abstract: Apparatuses for executing row hammer refresh are described. An example apparatus includes: memory banks, each memory bank of the memory banks includes: a latch that stores a row address; and a time based sampling circuit. The time based sampling circuit includes: a sampling timing generator that provides a timing signal of sampling a row address; and a plurality of bank sampling circuits, wherein each bank sampling circuit of the bank sampling circuits is included in a corresponding memory bank of the memory banks and provides a sampling signal to the latch in the corresponding memory bank responsive to the timing signal of sampling the row address; and an interval measurement circuit that receives an oscillation signal, measures an interval of a row hammer refresh execution based on a cycle of the oscillation signal, and further provides a steal rate timing signal for adjusting a steal rate to the sampling timing generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ito, Yuan He