IP Library Granted Patent US 12,211,539
Granted Patent B2
US 12,211,539 · App. 18/226,823 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki (Setagaya, JP); Hajime Kimura (Atsugi, JP); Atsushi Miyaguchi (Hadano, JP); Yoshiaki Oikawa (Atsugi, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
G11C11/405G06N3/04G06N3/063G06N3/08H01L29/7869H10B12/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,211,539
App. No.
18/226,823
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device that enables lower power consumption and data storage imitating a human brain is provided. The semiconductor device includes a control unit, a memory unit, and a sensor unit. The memory unit includes a memory circuit and a switching circuit. The memory circuit includes a first transistor and a capacitor. The switching circuit includes a second transistor and a third transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor include a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region with an oxide semiconductor, and a back gate electrode. The control unit has a function of switching a signal supplied to the back gate electrode, in accordance with a signal obtained at the sensor unit.

Claims (45)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a control unit;

a memory unit; and

a sensor unit,

wherein the memory unit comprises a first memory circuit part, a second memory circuit part, and a switching circuit provided between the first memory circuit part and the second memory circuit part,

wherein the first memory circuit part comprises a plurality of first memory circuits,

wherein the second memory circuit part comprises a plurality of second memory circuits,

wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch transmission of information between the plurality of first memory circuits and the plurality of second memory circuits,

wherein each of the plurality of first memory circuits comprises a first transistor having a first semiconductor layer comprising a first oxide semiconductor,

wherein each of the plurality of first memory circuits comprises a second transistor having a second semiconductor layer comprising a second oxide semiconductor,

wherein the switching circuit comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor,

wherein the control unit is configured to supply signals to the first transistor, the second transistor, and the third transistor, in accordance with a signal obtained at the sensor unit, and

wherein an information storage period of each of the plurality of first memory circuits is longer than an information storage period of each of the plurality of second memory circuits.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching circuit is configured to control amount of current flowing between the first memory circuit part and the second memory circuit part.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first transistor comprises a first gate electrode and a first back gate electrode overlapping with each other with the first semiconductor layer provided therebetween, and

wherein the second transistor comprises a second gate electrode and a second back gate electrode overlapping with each other with the second semiconductor layer provided therebetween.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the third transistor comprises a third semiconductor layer comprising a third oxide semiconductor, a third gate electrode over the third semiconductor layer, and a third back gate electrode under the third semiconductor layer.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth transistor is a p-channel transistor.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one of a brain wave sensor, a pulse wave sensor, a blood pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching circuit is a programmable device being able to store configuration data.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a control unit;

a memory unit;

a sensor unit; and

a circuit configured to transmit and receive information to and from the memory unit,

wherein the memory unit comprises a first memory circuit part, a second memory circuit part, and a switching circuit provided between the first memory circuit part and the second memory circuit part,

wherein the first memory circuit part comprises a plurality of first memory circuits,

wherein the second memory circuit part comprises a plurality of second memory circuits,

wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch transmission of information between the plurality of first memory circuits and the plurality of second memory circuits,

wherein each of the plurality of first memory circuits comprises a first transistor having a first semiconductor layer comprising a first oxide semiconductor,

wherein each of the plurality of first memory circuits comprises a second transistor having a second semiconductor layer comprising a second oxide semiconductor,

wherein the switching circuit comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor,

wherein the control unit is configured to signals supplied to the first transistor, the second transistor, and the third transistor in accordance with a signal obtained at the sensor unit, and

wherein an information storage period of each of the plurality of first memory circuits is longer than an information storage period of each of the plurality of second memory circuits.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the switching circuit is configured to control amount of current flowing between the first memory circuit part and the second memory circuit part.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the first transistor comprises a first gate electrode and a first back gate electrode overlapping with each other with the first semiconductor layer provided therebetween, and

wherein the second transistor comprises a second gate electrode and a second back gate electrode overlapping with each other with the second semiconductor layer provided therebetween.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the third transistor comprises a third semiconductor layer comprising a third oxide semiconductor, a third gate electrode over the third semiconductor layer, and a third back gate electrode under the third semiconductor layer.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the fourth transistor is a p-channel transistor.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one of a brain wave sensor, a pulse wave sensor, a blood pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the switching circuit is a programmable device being able to store configuration data.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the circuit is electrically connected to a display device.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the circuit is electrically connected to an actuator device.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2018-114810 · Jun 15, 2018 · national
JP 2018-114813 · Jun 15, 2018 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17836213 · Jun 9, 2022
Continuation 16972693
Related Publication 20240029776A1 · Jan 25, 2024
References Cited (48)
US 6940740B2 · Ueda et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 8433665B2 · Tang et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 9934826B2 · Kurokawa · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10141069B2 · Ikeda. et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10192871B2 · Onuki et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10699794B2 · Ikeda et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10922605B2 · Kurokawa · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11308386B2 · Wang et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11361807B2 · Yamazaki et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11893474B2 · Kurokawa · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20030142533A1 · Ueda et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20120011090A1 · Tang et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120163071A1 · Kurokawa · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120257439A1 · Kurokawa · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140184165A1 · Takahashi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140184314A1 · Takahashi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160110642A1 · Matsuda et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160343452A1 · Ikeda et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170301376A1 · Kurokawa · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170337149A1 · Onuki et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170358334A1 · Onuki · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180026612A1 · Kurokawa · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180061307A1 · Inoue et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180069515A1 · Inoue · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180090498A1 · Onuki et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180138212A1 · Yamazaki et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180166392A1 · Yamazaki et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180166578A1 · Yamazaki et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190286969A1 · Wang et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200176069A1 · Ikeda et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20240176997A1 · Kurokawa · 2024 [cited by applicant]
EP 3537344A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 03137897A · 1991 [cited by applicant]
JP 2003163332A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013534676 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016219011A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017102905A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017194963A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018056558A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018097639A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020501252 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2012006469 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017068491 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017178947 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018094717 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019111104 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (Application No. PCT/IB2019/054506) Dated Aug. 13, 2019. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion (Application No. PCT/IB2019/054506) Dated Aug. 13, 2019. [cited by applicant]