Toshiba Assigned Patent

Toshiba Corp., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (8,542,521) developed by Makoto Hamada, San Jose, CA, for a “semiconductor storage device including memory cells capable of holding data.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes first cells, first bit and first word, and first sense. The first cells are capable of holding 2-level or higher-level data. The first bit and first word are capable of selecting the first cells. The first sense detects a first current. The first sense includes a first supply unit, a first accumulation unit, a detector, and a counter. The first supply unit supplies a second current when the data is read. The first accumulation unit accumulates an amount of charge. The detector detects the potential the amount of charge. The counter counts output from the detector. The counter includes a second supply unit, a second accumulation unit, and a sensing unit. The second supply unit charges a first node. The second accumulation unit accumulates a charge. The sensing unit detects the amount of charge of the second accumulation unit.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 12, 2011 (13/230,073).