Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080211561 | Clock Signal Generation Circuit and Semiconductor Device - The semiconductor device is provided with a clock signal generation circuit that includes a reference clock signal generation circuit which generates a first reference clock signal, a first counter circuit which counts the number of rising edges of the first reference clock signal by using the first reference clock signal and a synchronizing signal, a second counter circuit which counts the number of rising edges of the first reference clock signal by using an enumerated value of the first counter circuit, a first divider circuit which divides a frequency of the first reference clock signal by using the enumerated value of the first counter circuit and generates a second reference clock signal, and a second divider circuit which divides a frequency of the second reference clock signal and generates a clock signal. | 09-04-2008 |
20080214132 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In an RF tag, a mask ROM or a flash memory is used for storing data such as an ID number. Although the mask ROM can be realized at a low price, rewriting is not possible. In addition, in the flash memory, although electric rewriting is possible, production cost increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide an RF tag by which data rewriting is possible at a low price. An RF tag is provided with a power supply circuit having a function to generate a power supply voltage from a weak radio signal and a memory which can hold data stored in a data holding portion by the power supply voltage. With the above structure, a high-performance RF tag capable of rewriting data such as an ID number after production can be provided at a low price. | 09-04-2008 |
20080259693 | Semiconductor Device - A memory circuit includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, and a plurality of memory cells. Configurations of the plurality of memory cells are determined depending on the data (“high” or “low”) which is stored in the memory cells. Data array such as a program stored in the memory circuit is analyzed in advance. In the case where “high” is the majority data, memory cells storing “high” are formed with vacant cells in which a semiconductor element is not formed. | 10-23-2008 |
20090002591 | Liquid crystal display device - An object is to propose a method of manufacturing, with high mass productivity, liquid crystal display devices having thin film transistors with highly reliable electric characteristics. In a liquid crystal display device having an inverted staggered thin film transistor, the inverted staggered thin film transistor is formed as follows: a gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; a microcrystalline semiconductor film which functions as a channel formation region is formed over the gate insulating film; a buffer layer is formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film; a pair of source and drain regions are formed over the buffer layer; and a pair of source and drain electrodes are formed in contact with the source and drain regions so as to expose a part of the source and drain regions. | 01-01-2009 |
20090026454 | Display device - To provide a display device including a protection circuit having a thin film transistor which has small size and high withstand voltage. In the protection circuit of the display device, a thin film transistor is used in which an amorphous semiconductor layer, a microcrystalline semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer which is in contact with the microcrystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode layer overlap with each other. Since current drive capability of the microcrystalline semiconductor layer is high, the size of the transistor can be made small. In addition, the amorphous semiconductor layer is included, so that the withstand voltage can be improved. Here, the display device is a liquid crystal display device or a light-emitting device. | 01-29-2009 |
20090027580 | Liquid crystal display device and electronic device - It is an object to provide a liquid crystal display device and an electronic device of which aperture ratio increases. The present invention includes a substrate having an insulating surface, a transistor formed over the substrate, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the transistor. The transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer having a microcrystalline structure over the gate insulating layer, and a buffer layer over the semiconductor layer having the microcrystalline structure. The channel width W of the transistor and the channel length L of the transistor satisfy a relation of 0.1≦W/L≦1.7. | 01-29-2009 |
20090039351 | Display device and manufacturing method thereof - To provide a display device having a thin film transistor with high electric characteristics and excellent reliability and a manufacturing method thereof. A gate electrode, a gate insulating film provided over the gate electrode, a first semiconductor layer provided over the gate insulating film and having a microcrystalline semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer provided over the first semiconductor layer and having an amorphous semiconductor, and a source region and a drain region provided over the second semiconductor layer are provided. The first semiconductor layer has high crystallinity than the second semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer includes an impurity region having a conductivity type different from a conductivity type of the source region and the drain region between the source region and the drain region. | 02-12-2009 |
20090039352 | Display device and electronic device having the display device, and method for manufacturing thereof - To provide a display device including a thin film transistor in which high electric characteristics and reduction in off-current can be achieved. The display device having a thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode provided over the substrate, a gate insulating film provided over the gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film provided over the gate electrode with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween, a channel protection layer which is provided over and in contact with the microcrystalline semiconductor film, an amorphous semiconductor film provided over the gate insulating film and on a side surface of the microcrystalline semiconductor film and the channel protection layer, an impurity semiconductor layer provided over the amorphous semiconductor film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode provided over and in contact with the impurity semiconductor layer. The thickness of the amorphous semiconductor film is larger than that of the microcrystalline semiconductor film. | 02-12-2009 |
20090045409 | Display device - A display device including both an n-channel thin film transistor and a p-channel thin film transistor each having excellent electric characteristics and high reliability is demonstrated, and a method for manufacturing thereof is also provided. The display device includes an inverted-staggered p-channel thin film transistor and an inverted-staggered n-channel thin film transistor in which a gate insulating film, a microcrystalline semiconductor film, and an amorphous semiconductor film are sequentially stacked over a gate electrode. The microcrystalline semiconductor film contains oxygen at a concentration of 1×10 | 02-19-2009 |
20090047775 | Method for manufacturing display device - The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a display device including a p-channel thin film transistor and an n-channel thin film transistor having a microcrystalline semiconductor film each of which are an inverted-staggered type, and relates to a method for formation of an insulating film and a semiconductor film which are included in the thin film transistor. Two or more kinds of high-frequency powers having different frequencies are supplied to an electrode for generating glow discharge plasma in a reaction chamber. High-frequency powers having different frequencies are supplied to generate glow discharge plasma, so that a thin film of a semiconductor or an insulator is formed. High-frequency powers having different frequencies (different wavelength) are superimposed and applied to the electrode of a plasma CVD apparatus, so that densification and uniformity of plasma for preventing the effect of surface standing wave of plasma can be realized. | 02-19-2009 |
20090057418 | Semiconductor device - A semiconductor device is provided, which includes an antenna, a first circuit (a boosting circuit), a second circuit (a reference voltage supply circuit), and a third circuit (a voltage comparison circuit). The first circuit is electrically connected to the antenna, and includes at least a first charge pump, a second charge pump, and a first switch disposed between the first charge pump and the second charge pump. The second circuit is configured to generate a reference voltage in accordance with a first output voltage supplied from the first charge pump. The third circuit is configured to compare the reference voltage, the first output voltage, and a second output voltage supplied from the second charge pump. | 03-05-2009 |
20090090909 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - To improve field effect mobility of an inverted-staggered TFT using amorphous silicon. In an inverted-staggered TFT, a thin amorphous semiconductor layer which is made to have n-type conductivity is formed between a gate insulating film and an amorphous semiconductor layer. By depositing an amorphous semiconductor layer after a substrate over which up to a gate insulating film is formed is exposed to an atmosphere which contains a phosphine gas in a small amount, an amorphous semiconductor layer which contains phosphorus is formed during the early stage of deposition of the amorphous semiconductor layer. The thus obtained amorphous semiconductor layer has the concentration peak of phosphorus around the surface of the gate insulating film. | 04-09-2009 |
20090090915 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics, a display device having the thin film transistor, and methods for manufacturing the thin film transistor and the display device are proposed. The thin film transistor includes a gate insulating film formed over a gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film, a pair of buffer layers formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film, a pair of semiconductor films to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added and which are formed over the pair of buffer layers, and wirings formed over the pair of semiconductor films to which the impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. A part of the gate insulating film or the entire gate insulating film, and/or a part of the microcrystalline semiconductor or the entire microcrystalline semiconductor includes the impurity element which serves as a donor. | 04-09-2009 |
20090090916 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics, a display device having the thin film transistor, and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor and the display device are proposed. The thin film transistor includes a gate insulating film formed over a gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film, a buffer layer formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film, a pair of semiconductor films to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added and which are formed over the buffer layer, and wirings formed over the pair of semiconductor films to which the impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. A part of the gate insulating film or the entire gate insulating film, and/or a part of the microcrystalline semiconductor or the entire microcrystalline semiconductor includes an impurity element which serves as a donor. | 04-09-2009 |
20090114917 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR AND DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THE THIN FILM TRANSISTOR - A thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer, an amorphous semiconductor layer over the microcrystalline semiconductor layer, source and drain regions over the amorphous semiconductor layer, source and drain electrodes in contact with and over the source and drain regions, and a part of the amorphous semiconductor layer overlapping with the source and drain regions is thicker than a part of the amorphous semiconductor layer overlapping with a channel formation region. The side face of the source and drain regions and the side face of the amorphous semiconductor form a tapered shape together with an outmost surface of the amorphous semiconductor layer. The taper angle of the tapered shape is such an angle that decrease electric field concentration around a junction portion between the source and drain regions and the amorphous semiconductor layer. | 05-07-2009 |
20090116278 | Semiconductor Device - A cache memory having valid bits, where a circuit configuration in a memory cell of a valid bit is improved so as to perform invalidation at high speed. The invention provides a cache memory including a memory cell that has a function to perform invalidation at high speed. One mode of the invention is a semiconductor device including a memory cell of a valid bit, where two inverters are connected in series to form a loop, a drain of an N-channel transistor is connected to an output signal line of one of the inverters, a gate thereof is connected to a reset signal line of a CPU, and a source thereof is connected to a ground line. The initial value of the memory cell is determined by inputting a reset signal of the CPU to the gate. | 05-07-2009 |
20090218568 | THIN FILM TRANSISOTR AND DISPLAY DEVICE - To improve problems with on-state current and off-state current of thin film transistors, a thin film transistor includes a pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added, provided with a space therebetween; a conductive layer which is overlapped, over the gate insulating layer, with the gate electrode and one of the pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added; and an amorphous semiconductor layer which is provided successively between the pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added in such a manner that the amorphous semiconductor layer extends over the gate insulating layer from the conductive layer and is in contact with both of the pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. | 09-03-2009 |
20090218572 | THIN-FILM TRANSISTOR AND DISPLAY DEVICE - A thin-film transistor in which problems with ON-state current and OFF-state current are solved, and a thin-film transistor capable of high-speed operation. The thin-film transistor includes a pair of impurity semiconductor layers in which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added to form a source and drain regions, provided with a space therebetween so as to be overlapped with a gate electrode with a gate insulating layer interposed between the gate electrode and the impurity semiconductor layers; a pair of semiconductor layers in which an impurity element which serves as an acceptor is added, overlapped over the gate insulating layers with the gate electrode and the impurity semiconductor layers, and disposed with a space therebetween in a channel length direction; and an amorphous semiconductor layer being in contact with the gate insulating layer and the pair of semiconductor layers and extended between the pair of semiconductor layers. | 09-03-2009 |
20100032679 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DISPLAY DEVICE - A thin film transistor whose threshold voltage can be controlled and which has a favorable switching characteristic is provided. The thin film transistor includes a first gate electrode layer; a semiconductor layer; a first gate insulating layer provided between the first gate electrode layer and the semiconductor layer; source electrode and drain electrode layers which are provided over the semiconductor layer; a conductive layer covered by the first gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer and provided so as to overlap with part of the first gate electrode layer; a second gate insulating layer provided so as to cover at least a back channel portion of the semiconductor layer; and a second gate electrode layer provided over the second gate insulating layer so as to overlap with the back channel portion of the semiconductor layer. | 02-11-2010 |
20100085331 | TOUCH PANEL AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A touch panel having high reading accuracy of an object to be detected is provided. In a method for driving a touch panel which is provided with a photo sensor in a pixel, an image is displayed in a display portion of a touch panel, a detection region is determined by detecting approach or contact of an object to be detected in a state in which the image is displayed, and the object to be detected is read while substantially equalizing the intensity of light of pixels in the detection region per unit time and unit area. The intensity of light of the pixels per unit time and unit area, which is to be substantially equal, is preferably the maximum intensity of light in the detection region before adjustment, more preferably, the intensity of light for white display. | 04-08-2010 |
20100118620 | Semiconductor Device - A memory circuit includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, and a plurality of memory cells. Configurations of the plurality of memory cells are determined depending on the data (“high” or “low”) which is stored in the memory cells. Data array such as a program stored in the memory circuit is analyzed in advance. In the case where “high” is the majority data, memory cells storing “high” are formed with vacant cells in which a semiconductor element is not formed. | 05-13-2010 |
20100156850 | TOUCH PANEL, DISPLAY DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - It is an object to provide a touch panel with high precision, high-speed operation, and low power consumption, which is caused by reduction of power consumption in an A/D converter circuit is reduced. In the touch panel in which a photo sensor is included in a pixel and an A/D converter circuit is provided every one column or a plurality of columns of the pixels, a control signal of the A/D converter circuit is sequentially supplied by a shift register included in an ADC (A/D converter circuit) control circuit, and respective periods when the plurality of A/D converter circuits operates are not overlap with each other. Accordingly, the number of A/D converter circuits which operate at the same time is decreased, and instantaneous power consumption in the A/D converter circuit is decreased. | 06-24-2010 |
20100156851 | Touch Panel and Driving Method Thereof - An object is to provide a touch panel with high-accuracy and high-speed operation. A touch panel includes a plurality of pixels each including a display element and a photo sensor, a photo sensor reading circuit to which an output signal of the photo sensor is provided, a display element select circuit which provides an image signal to the display element, a plurality of edge sensitive latches provided in series, and a logic circuit. The logic circuit generates a signal by performing a logic operation on an output signal of the plurality of edge sensitive latches and provides the generated signal to the photo sensor reading circuit. | 06-24-2010 |
20100182282 | TOUCH PANEL AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - To provide a touch panel with reduced disturbance of display and with improved mechanical strength by suppressing variation in the space between a pair of substrates which form the touch panel even when in contact with an object to be detected. A pixel portion including a plurality of pixels is provided between a pair of substrates. Each pixel includes a photosensor portion which detects that the object to be detected is in contact with one of the pair of substrates, and a MEMS portion which generates a mechanical displacement in a direction perpendicular to the pair of substrates when a signal based on a detection result of the photosensor portion is input. | 07-22-2010 |
20100225615 | TOUCH PANEL - An embodiment of the present invention provides a touch panel that enable data sensing with multi-gray scale and an electronic device. At least a first pixel including a first photosensor portion detecting light with a first color, a second pixel including a second photosensor portion detecting light with a second color, a first A/D converter performing A/D conversion on an output signal of the first photosensor portion, and a second A/D converter performing A/D conversion on an output signal of the second photosensor portion are included. The voltage resolution of the first A/D converter and the voltage resolution of the second A/D converter are different. | 09-09-2010 |
20100279475 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics, a display device having the thin film transistor, and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor and the display device are proposed. The thin film transistor includes a gate insulating film formed over a gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film, a buffer layer formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film, a pair of semiconductor films to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added and which are formed over the buffer layer, and wirings formed over the pair of semiconductor films to which the impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. A part of the gate insulating film or the entire gate insulating film, and/or a part of the microcrystalline semiconductor or the entire microcrystalline semiconductor includes an impurity element which serves as a donor. | 11-04-2010 |
20100283683 | POSITION INFORMATION DETECTION SYSTEM AND POSITION INFORMATION DETECTION METHOD - An object of the present invention is to achieve a position information detection system with high precision when an obstruction and a reflective object exist. A position information detection system includes a reader/writer whose position is known, a first RF chip whose position is known, and a second RF chip attached to an object to be detected; and calculates a distance between the reader/writer and the second RF chip from a first calculated distance between the reader/writer and the first RF chip, which is calculated from a signal intensity of a communication signal transmitted from the reader/writer, detected by the first RF chip, a second calculated distance between the second RF chip and the reader/writer, which is calculated from a signal intensity of a communication signal transmitted from the reader/writer, detected by the second RF chip, and a distance between the reader/writer and the first RF chip. | 11-11-2010 |
20100289331 | ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM AND ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLE - To provide for a movable electronic device a power receiving device that when charging a battery, simplifies charging of the battery from a power feeder, which is a power supply means, and does not have faults due to an external factor relating to a relay terminal, or damage of the relay terminal, that are caused by directly connecting the battery and the power feeder, and further, to provide an electronic device including the power receiving device. An antenna circuit and a booster antenna for supplying electric power are provided in a movable electronic device. The antenna circuit receives a radio signal such as an electromagnetic wave via the booster antenna, and electric power that is obtained through the receiving of the radio signal is supplied to the battery through a signal processing circuit. | 11-18-2010 |
20100302887 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is to provide a semiconductor device having a memory which can efficiently improve a yield by employing a structure which facilitates the use of a spare memory cell. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array having a memory cell and a spare memory cell, a decoder connected to the memory cell and the spare memory cell, a data holding circuit connected to the decoder, and a battery which supplies electric power to the data holding circuit. The spare memory cell operates in accordance with an output from the data holding circuit. | 12-02-2010 |
20100328269 | TOUCH PANEL AND DRIVING METHOD OF THE SAME - It is an object to provide a touch panel which includes an A/D converter circuit and has a function of image shooting with high resolution and high-level gray scale and at high operation speed. A touch panel includes a plurality of pixels each provided with a display element and a photo sensor, an A/D converter to which a first potential is applied from a photo sensor, and a reading circuit. The A/D converter includes an oscillation circuit which changes the oscillating frequency of a first signal to be generated in accordance with the first potential and stops oscillating when a second potential is applied thereto from the reading circuit, and a counter circuit which generates a second signal having a discrete value determined in accordance with the oscillating frequency. | 12-30-2010 |
20110001725 | TOUCH PANEL AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive touch panel capable of color imaging with high resolution. A touch panel includes a panel including a first substrate and a second substrate opposed to each other, and a plurality of light sources sequentially or concurrently provides, from the first substrate side, lights of different wavelength regions to the panel. A plurality of pixels each including a liquid crystal element, a photodiode, and a thin film transistor is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. An island shaped semiconductor film included in the photodiode and an island shaped semiconductor film included in the thin film transistor are formed by etching one semiconductor film over the second substrate. | 01-06-2011 |
20110042766 | PHOTODETECTOR, LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE, AND LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE - One embodiment of the present invention includes a first light-blocking layer and a second light-blocking layer which are over a light-transmitting substrate, a first photodiode over the first light-blocking layer, a second photodiode over the second light-blocking layer, a first color filter covering the first photodiode, a second color filter covering the second photodiode, and a third light-blocking layer formed using the first color filter and the second color filter and disposed between the first photodiode and the second photodiode. | 02-24-2011 |
20110042768 | Semiconductor Device and Method for Manufacturing Semiconductor Device - An object is to prevent a reduction of definition (or resolution) (a peripheral blur) caused when reflected light enters a photoelectric conversion element arranged at a periphery of a photoelectric conversion element arranged at a predetermined address. A semiconductor device is manufactured through the steps of: forming a structure having a first light-transmitting substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements over the first light-transmitting substrate, a second light-transmitting substrate provided so as to face the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a sealant arranged so as to bond the first light-transmitting substrate and the second light-transmitting substrate and surround the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and thinning the first light-transmitting substrate by wet etching. | 02-24-2011 |
20110043488 | METHOD FOR DRIVING TOUCH PANEL - A touch panel includes a plurality of pixels each of which is provided with a photo sensor including a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. Each pixel performs first operation in which a potential of a photodiode reset signal line which is electrically connected to the photodiode is set so that a forward bias is applied to the photodiode, second operation in which a potential of a gate of the first transistor is changed by a photocurrent of the photodiode, and third operation in which a potential of a gate of the second transistor is changed and the photo sensor output signal line and a photo sensor reference signal line are brought into conduction through the first transistor and the second transistor so that the potential of the photo sensor output signal line is changed in accordance with the photocurrent. | 02-24-2011 |
20110043735 | PHOTODETECTOR AND DISPLAY DEVICE - The amount of light incident on a photoelectric conversion element is increased while stray light from a backlight below a light-transmitting substrate is prevented from being incident on the photoelectric conversion element. A light-blocking film is formed with a color filter covering a photoelectric conversion element over a light-transmitting substrate and a color filter covering a photoelectric conversion element in an adjacent pixel which overlap each other at the side with respect to the direction in which light travels. In addition, by providing a microlens over the color filter, light which is conventionally not detected is collected to a photoelectric conversion element, and accordingly the amount of light incident on the photoelectric conversion element is increased. | 02-24-2011 |
20110049588 | Semiconductor Device and Manufacturing Method Thereof - An object of an embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device including a photoelectric conversion element with excellent characteristics. An object of an embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device including a photoelectric conversion device with excellent characteristic through a simple process. A semiconductor device is provided, which includes a light-transmitting substrate; an insulating layer over the light-transmitting substrate; and a photoelectric conversion element over the insulating layer. The photoelectric conversion element includes a single crystal semiconductor layer including a semiconductor region having an effect of photoelectric conversion, a semiconductor region having a first conductivity type, and a semiconductor region having a second conductivity type; a first electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor region having the first conductivity type; and a second electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor region having the second conductivity type. | 03-03-2011 |
20110057725 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device such as an RFID, which can easily generate a given stable potential, is provided. Circuits included in a semiconductor device are categorized depending on whether a given stable power source potential is necessary. A power source potential generated from a wireless signal received by an antenna with the use of the antenna and a rectifier circuit is supplied to a circuit which needs a given stable power source potential through a regulator. On the other hand, a power source potential generated by the rectifier circuit is supplied to a circuit other than the circuit which needs the arbitrary power source potential. Thus, a semiconductor device including a regulator circuit easily designed with a smaller layout can be provided, and the semiconductor device can easily generate a given stable power source potential. | 03-10-2011 |
20110096009 | DISPLAY DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - It is an objective to provide a display device capable of detecting a position and a motion of an object even when the object is not in contact with a display panel. The display device includes a display panel provided with photo sensors. When an object is approaching the display panel, the display device detects a shadow of the object, which is cast over the display panel in such a manner that ambient light is blocked by the object, using the photo sensors. A position or a motion of the shadow is detected, so that a position or a motion of the object is detected. The detection can be operated even when the object is not in contact with the display panel. | 04-28-2011 |
20110109591 | TOUCH PANEL AND DRIVING METHOD OF TOUCH PANEL - Disclosed is a touch panel including a plurality of pixels each including a display element and a photosensor. The display element includes a transistor having an oxide semiconductor layer. The photosensor includes a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor, and the first and second transistors include an oxide semiconductor layer. A driving method of the touch panel is also disclosed by which high-speed imaging is realized. | 05-12-2011 |
20110109592 | DISPLAY DEVICE - The display device has a display panel where a photosensor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer are arranged. The display device detects a shadow of the object, which is projected on the display panel when the object approaches the display panel and blocks ambient light, with a photosensor, whereby a position or motion of the object is detected. Even when the object is not in contact with the display panel, the object can be detected. | 05-12-2011 |
20110109593 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is to reduce noise caused by variations in characteristics of photosensors provided for each pixel in a display panel having an image capturing function by the photosensors and to provide an image with high precision. A display device includes a display panel including photosensors arranged in matrix and an image processing circuit, in which the photosensors captures a black image and an image of an object; and the image processing circuit produces an image having image data (Y−X) using image data X of the black image and image data Y of the image of the object. | 05-12-2011 |
20110115555 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In an RF tag, a mask ROM or a flash memory is used for storing data such as an ID number. Although the mask ROM can be realized at a low price, rewriting is not possible. In addition, in the flash memory, although electric rewriting is possible, production cost increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide an RF tag by which data rewriting is possible at a low price. An RF tag is provided with a power supply circuit having a function to generate a power supply voltage from a weak radio signal and a memory which can hold data stored in a data holding portion by the power supply voltage. With the above structure, a high-performance RF tag capable of rewriting data such as an ID number after production can be provided at a low price. | 05-19-2011 |
20110122098 | DISPLAY DEVICE - A purpose is to enable detection of an object in a display device including a display panel provided with photosensors when the object touches the display panel and when the object does not touch the display panel. A display device includes a display panel provided with photosensors. The display device has a function of detecting an object with the photosensor when the object touches the display panel and when the object does not touch thereto. The display device has a function of changing the sensitivity of the photosensor varies depending on whether the object touches the display panel. | 05-26-2011 |
20110122108 | Semiconductor device and display device - It is an object to perform imaging a high-resolution image in a display device including a photosensor regardless of the intensity of incident light on the photosensor. A display device including a display panel which is provided a photosensor and having a function of imaging by a change of the sensitivity of the photosensor in accordance with the incident light is provided. The sensitivity of the photosensor is improved when the intensity of the incident light is low, so that the imaging accuracy is improved; therefore, misperception of contact is prevented and an obtained image can be clear. | 05-26-2011 |
20110147868 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In a multi-core semiconductor device, a data bus between CPUs or the like consumes a larger amount of power. By provision of a plurality of CPUs which transmit data by a backscattering method of a wireless signal, a router circuit which mediates data transmission and reception between the CPUs or the like, and a thread control circuit which has a thread scheduling function, a semiconductor device which consumes less power and has high arithmetic performance can be provided at low cost. | 06-23-2011 |
20110175091 | DISPLAY DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - To provide a display device having a thin film transistor with high electric characteristics and excellent reliability and a manufacturing method thereof. A gate electrode, a gate insulating film provided over the gate electrode, a first semiconductor layer provided over the gate insulating film and having a microcrystalline semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer provided over the first semiconductor layer and having an amorphous semiconductor, and a source region and a drain region provided over the second semiconductor layer are provided. The first semiconductor layer has high crystallinity than the second semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer includes an impurity region having a conductivity type different from a conductivity type of the source region and the drain region between the source region and the drain region. | 07-21-2011 |
20110175833 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - One object is to provide a new electronic device which is configured so that a user can read data regardless of a location, input data by directly touching a keyboard displayed on a screen or indirectly touching the keyboard with a stylus pen or the like, and use the input data. A first transistor electrically connected to a reflective electrode and a photo sensor are included over one substrate. A touch-input button displayed on a first screen region of the display portion is displayed as a still image, and a video signal is output so that a moving image is displayed on a second screen region of the display portion. A video signal processing portion supplying different signals between the case where a still image is displayed on the display portion and the case where a moving image is displayed on the display portion is included. | 07-21-2011 |
20110176038 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A semiconductor device includes a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The photodiode has a function of supplying a charge corresponding to incident light to a gate of the first transistor, the first transistor has a function of accumulating the charge supplied to the gate, and the second transistor has a function of retaining the charge accumulated in the gate of the first transistor. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. | 07-21-2011 |
20110176652 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Noise in a semiconductor device including a photo sensor is reduced. The semiconductor device includes an analog/digital converter and a photo sensor including a photodiode. The analog/digital converter includes an oscillation circuit and a counter circuit. A first signal output from the photo sensor is input to the oscillation circuit. The oscillation circuit has a function of outputting a second signal obtained by a change in oscillation frequency of the first signal. The counter circuit has a count function by which addition or subtraction is performed by a control signal with the second signal used as a clock signal. The counter circuit performs subtraction during the reset operation of the photo sensor. The counter circuit performs addition during the selection operation of the photo sensor. Thus, the output value of the analog/digital converter can be corrected. | 07-21-2011 |
20110198483 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor device including photosensor capable of imaging with high resolution is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes the photosensor having a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The photodiode generates an electric signal in accordance with the intensity of light. The first transistor stores charge in a gate thereof and converts the stored charge into an output signal. The second transistor transfers the electric signal generated by the photodiode to the gate of the first transistor and holds the charge stored in the gate of the first transistor. The first transistor has a back gate and the threshold voltage thereof is changed by changing the potential of the back gate. | 08-18-2011 |
20110198484 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A transistor a gate of which, one of a source and a drain of which, and the other are electrically connected to a selection signal line, an output signal line, and a reference signal line, respectively and a photodiode one of an anode and a cathode of which and the other are electrically connected to a reset signal line and a back gate of the transistor, respectively are included. The photodiode is forward biased to initialize the back-gate potential of the transistor, the back-gate potential is changed by current of the inversely-biased photodiode flowing in an inverse direction in accordance with the light intensity, and the transistor is turned on to change the potential of the output signal line, so that a signal in accordance with the intensity is obtained. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199351 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A semiconductor circuit including: an A/D converter circuit which converts an inputted first signal into a second signal. The A/D converter circuit includes a comparator circuit which compares a voltage of the first signal and a reference voltage; an A/D conversion controller circuit which outputs a digital signal in accordance with comparison results given by the comparator circuit, as a fourth signal and which outputs, in accordance with the third signal, a digital signal corresponding to the first signal, as the second signal; and a D/A converter which converts an inputted fourth signal into an analog signal and which outputs the analog signal as the reference signal. The comparator circuit includes a transistor having a first gate and a second gate. The first signal is inputted to the first gate, the reference signal is inputted to the second gate. | 08-18-2011 |
20110204207 | PHOTODETECTOR CIRCUIT - A photodetector circuit is provided that includes: a first wiring connected to an input terminal; a second wiring connected to an output terminal; and first and second photosensors each including a first terminal connected to the first wiring and a second terminal connected to the second wiring, wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are arranged in parallel, and the sum of resistance values of a first path from the input terminal to the output terminal via the first wiring, the first photosensor, and the second wiring is identical to the sum of resistance values of a second path from the input terminal to the output terminal via the first wiring, the second photosensor, and the second wiring. | 08-25-2011 |
20110204371 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object of the invention is to improve the accuracy of light detection in a photosensor, and to increase the light-receiving area of the photosensor. The photosensor includes: a light-receiving element which converts light into an electric signal; a first transistor which transfers the electric signal; and a second transistor which amplifies the electric signal. The light-receiving element includes a silicon semiconductor, and the first transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The light-receiving element is a lateral-junction photodiode, and an n-region or a p-region included in the light-receiving element overlaps with the first transistor. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205209 | DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING DISPLAY DEVICE - A display device includes a pixel which includes a first photosensor portion having a first photodiode for detecting visible light, which is provided together with a display element portion; and a pixel which includes a second photosensor portion having a second photodiode for detecting infrared rays, which is provided together with another display element portion. The second photosensor portion detects infrared rays included in external light, and selects an imaging element and adjusts sensitivity in accordance with the amount of infrared rays detected by the second photosensor portion. | 08-25-2011 |
20110215323 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - In a CMOS image sensor in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, a transistor in which a channel formation region includes an oxide semiconductor is used for each of a charge accumulation control transistor and a reset transistor which are in a pixel portion. After a reset operation of the signal charge accumulation portion is performed in all the pixels arranged in the matrix, a charge accumulation operation by the photodiode is performed in all the pixels, and a read operation of a signal from the pixel is performed per row. Accordingly, an image can be taken without a distortion. | 09-08-2011 |
20110215861 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor device includes a photodiode, a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The second transistor and the third transistor have a function of retaining a charge accumulated in a gate of the first transistor. In a period during which the second transistor and the third transistor are off, a voltage level of a voltage applied to a gate of the second transistor is set to be lower than a voltage level of a source of the second transistor and a voltage level of a drain of the second transistor, and a voltage level of a voltage applied to a gate of the third transistor is set to be lower than a voltage level of a source of the third transistor and a voltage level of a drain of the third transistor. | 09-08-2011 |
20110216023 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - One object of an embodiment is to provide a novel electronic device which is configured so that a user can read data regardless of a location, input data by directly touching a keyboard displayed on a screen or indirectly touching the keyboard with a stylus pen or the like, and use the input data. The electronic device includes a first transistor electrically connected to a reflective electrode and a photo sensor over a flexible substrate. A touch-input button is displayed as a still image on a first screen region of a display portion, and a video signal is output so that a moving image is displayed on a second screen region of the display portion. A video signal processing portion supplying different signals between the case where a still image is displayed on the display portion and the case where a moving image is displayed on the display portion is provided. After writing of a still image is performed, a display element control circuit is put in a non-operation state, whereby power consumption can be reduced. | 09-08-2011 |
20110216043 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - To provide a display device in which a moving-image mode and a still-image mode which consumes less power can be switched on one screen automatically or by operation by a user on one display screen. The display device includes a display panel including a photosensor for detecting touch input by a user; a display control circuit for displaying a keyboard on part of the display screen; and a storage medium storing a program (an application program) for controlling power supplied to a still-image area of the displayed keyboard. The program for controlling power supplied to the still-image area enables power saving. | 09-08-2011 |
20110220889 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is to achieve low-power consumption by reducing the off-state current of a transistor in a photosensor. A semiconductor device including a photosensor having a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor; and a read control circuit including a read control transistor, in which the photodiode has a function of supplying charge based on incident light to a gate of the first transistor; the first transistor has a function of storing charge supplied to its gate and converting the charge stored into an output signal; the second transistor has a function of controlling reading of the output signal; the read control transistor functions as a resistor converting the output signal into a voltage signal; and semiconductor layers of the first transistor, the second transistor, and the read control transistor are formed using an oxide semiconductor. | 09-15-2011 |
20110221704 | METHOD FOR DRIVING INPUT CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR DRIVING INPUT-OUTPUT DEVICE - To reduce power consumption, included are a selection signal output circuit, a reset signal output circuit, and a photodetector circuit. The selection signal output circuit is for outputting a selection signal. The reset signal output circuit is for outputting a reset signal. The photodetector circuit is supplied with the reset signal and the selection signal, is brought into a reset state in accordance with the input reset signal, generates a voltage corresponding to the illuminance of incident light when light enters the photodetector circuit, and outputs the generated voltage as a data signal in accordance with the input selection signal. In a first period, the reset signal output circuit and the selection signal output circuit output the reset signal and the selection signal, respectively. In a second period, stopped are output of the reset signal from the reset signal output circuit and output of the selection signal from the selection signal output circuit. | 09-15-2011 |
20110221723 | DRIVING METHOD OF DISPLAY DEVICE - A display device has a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix and a backlight provided to face a substrate over which the pixel array is formed, and display element portions photosensor portions are formed in the pixels. In the display device, in one frame period for displaying a black image which is interposed between two successive periods forming an image or a backlighting shutoff period in one frame period in which the display element portion holds an image, an accumulation operation of the photosensor portion is performed, the pixels are successively selected for each row, and a signal corresponding to the potential of a signal charge accumulation portion of the photosensor portion is output. | 09-15-2011 |
20110221724 | METHOD FOR DRIVING INPUT CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR DRIVING DISPLAY DEVICE - To reduce power consumption. Included are a selection signal output circuit, a reset signal output circuit, and a plurality of photodetector circuits. After the selection signal output circuit outputs part of the selection signals, output of the other selection signals from the selection signal output circuit is stopped. After the reset signal output circuit outputs part of the reset signals, output of the other reset signals from the reset signal output circuit is stopped. | 09-15-2011 |
20110221945 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device obtains highly accurate image data regardless of the intensity of incident light. The semiconductor device includes a first photo sensor provided in a pixel, a second photo sensor provided around the pixel, and a controller for setting the drive condition of the first photo sensor in accordance with the intensity of outside light obtained by the second photo sensor. An image is taken after the sensitivity of the first photo sensor is changed in accordance with the drive condition set by the controller. Thus, in the semiconductor device, an image can be taken using the first photo sensor whose sensitivity is optimized in accordance with the intensity of incident light. | 09-15-2011 |
20110235389 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is reduction in power consumption of a semiconductor device including a memory circuit. In the semiconductor device including a memory circuit, the memory circuit includes a memory cell including a semiconductor element and a memory cell that does not include a semiconductor element in a region defined by a word line and a bit line which intersect with each other. A transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor so as to have extremely low off-state current is used as the semiconductor element, so that the reading precision is improved and thus low voltage operation can be performed. The memory cells store data high or data low. The memory cell comprising a semiconductor element stores minor data of high and low, and the memory cell that does not comprise the semiconductor element stores major data of high and low. | 09-29-2011 |
20110248268 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR AND DISPLAY DEVICE - To improve problems with on-state current and off-state current of thin film transistors, a thin film transistor includes a pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added, provided with a space therebetween; a conductive layer which is overlapped, over the gate insulating layer, with the gate electrode and one of the pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added; and an amorphous semiconductor layer which is provided successively between the pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added in such a manner that the amorphous semiconductor layer extends over the gate insulating layer from the conductive layer and is in contact with both of the pair of impurity semiconductor layers to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. | 10-13-2011 |
20110255046 | DISPLAY DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC BOOK - It is an object to provide a display device exhibiting high visibility and having a touch recognition function. The display device includes a display portion and a sensor portion. The display portion includes a first liquid crystal element including a polymer-scattered liquid crystal. The sensor portion includes a light-receiving element and a second liquid crystal element including a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal provided over the light-receiving element. The first liquid crystal element and the second liquid crystal element are driven independently from each other. The light-receiving element receives light transmitting through the second liquid crystal element. | 10-20-2011 |
20110261308 | DISPLAY DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR - An object is to provide a display device which has high visibility and has a touch recognition function with a high degree of accuracy, by combining a liquid crystal layer where liquid crystals are dispersed in a polymer and a light emitting element. In a display device using a liquid crystal layer where liquid crystals are dispersed in a polymer, a light-transmitting spacer is provided so as to overlap with a light receiving element which has a touch recognition function. The light-transmitting spacer can prevent light incident on the light receiving element from being dispersed by the liquid crystals, while maintaining a cell gap in the liquid crystal layer, and thus achieve a touch recognition function with a high degree of accuracy with high visibility. | 10-27-2011 |
20110261864 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In a case where an ASK method is used for a communication method between a semiconductor device and a reader/writer, the amplitude of a radio signal is changed by data transmitted from the semiconductor device to the reader/writer when data is not transmitted from the reader/writer to the semiconductor device. Therefore, in some cases, the semiconductor device mistakes data transmitted from the semiconductor device itself for data transmitted from the reader/writer to the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes an antenna circuit, a transmission circuit, a reception circuit, and an arithmetic processing circuit. The antenna circuit transmits and receives a radio signal. The transmission circuit outputs to the reception circuit a signal showing whether or not the antenna circuit is transmitting the radio signal. | 10-27-2011 |
20110272701 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics, a display device having the thin film transistor, and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor and the display device are proposed. The thin film transistor includes a gate insulating film formed over a gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film, a buffer layer formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film, a pair of semiconductor films to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added and which are formed over the buffer layer, and wirings formed over the pair of semiconductor films to which the impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. A part of the gate insulating film or the entire gate insulating film, and/or a part of the microcrystalline semiconductor or the entire microcrystalline semiconductor includes an impurity element which serves as a donor. | 11-10-2011 |
20110291013 | PHOTODETECTOR - Influence of external light is suppressed. With a photodetector including a photodetector circuit which generates a data signal in accordance with illuminance of incident light and a light unit which overlaps with the photodetector circuit, a first data signal is generated by the photodetector circuit when the light unit is in an ON state, a second data signal is formed by the photodetector circuit when the light unit is in an OFF state, and the first data signal and the second data signal are compared, so that a difference data signal that is data of a difference between the two compared data signals is generated. | 12-01-2011 |
20110303919 | DISPLAY DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING THE DISPLAY DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THEREOF - To provide a display device including a thin film transistor in which high electric characteristics and reduction in off-current can be achieved. The display device having a thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode provided over the substrate, a gate insulating film provided over the gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film provided over the gate electrode with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween, a channel protection layer which is provided over and in contact with the microcrystalline semiconductor film, an amorphous semiconductor film provided over the gate insulating film and on a side surface of the microcrystalline semiconductor film and the channel protection layer, an impurity semiconductor layer provided over the amorphous semiconductor film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode provided over and in contact with the impurity semiconductor layer. The thickness of the amorphous semiconductor film is larger than that of the microcrystalline semiconductor film. | 12-15-2011 |
20110309688 | WIRELESS POWER FEEDING SYSTEM AND WIRELESS POWER FEEDING METHOD - An object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which are higher convenient for a power feeding user on the power receiving side. Another object is to provide a power feeding system and a power feeding method which can offer efficient services by determining or managing a power feeding user and controlling the amount of power supplied to the power receiver appropriately by a company on the power feeding side. A power feeding device which supplies power to a power receiver wirelessly manages the power receiver on the basis of identification information of the power receiver and controls power transmitted to the power receiver on the basis of position information of the power receiver. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310061 | Method for Driving Input-Output Device, and Input-Output Device - Accuracy of photodetection is improved. A method for driving an input-output device which includes a light unit, a display circuit, and Y (Y is a natural number of 2 or more) photodetectors is provided. The same photodetection control signal is input to the Y photodetectors. The light unit is lit while the Z light-emitting diodes are sequentially switched and emit light in a frame period set by the display selection signal. In a cycle that is longer than a cycle of switching the lighting states of the light unit, Y pieces of data based on the illuminance of light incident on the Y photodetectors are generated in a period during which the light unit is lit. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310062 | Input-Output Device and Method for Driving the Same - To increase the light detection accuracy, a method for driving an input-output device that includes a first light unit, a second light unit, a display circuit, and Y light detection circuits (Y is a natural number of 2 or more) is proposed. The same light-detection control signal is input to the Y light detection circuits. In a frame period set by a display selection signal, the first light unit is lit by sequentially switching Z light-emitting diodes and emitting light, and the second light unit is lit by making the white light-emitting diode emit light when the first light unit is not lit. In a period when the second light unit is lit, Y pieces of data corresponding to the illuminance of light entering the Y light detection circuits are generated. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310063 | Input-Output Device and Method for Driving Input-Output Device - Accuracy of photodetection is improved. An input-output device includes a light unit including Z (Z is a natural number of 3 or more) first light-emitting diodes that emit light with a wavelength in a visible light range and a second light-emitting diode that emits light with a wavelength in an infrared range; a display circuit that is supplied with a display selection signal, supplied with a display data signal in accordance with the display selection signal, and set to be in a display state based on data of the input display data signal; and Y (Y is a natural number) photodetectors including a filter for absorbing light with a wavelength in a visible light range, supplied with a photodetection control signal is input, and generating data based on the illuminance of incident light in accordance with the input photodetection control signal. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310132 | METHOD FOR DRIVING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE - Image quality of a field-sequential liquid crystal display device is improved by increasing the frequency of input of an image signal. Among pixels arranged in matrix, image signals are concurrently supplied to pixels provided in a plurality of rows. Thus, the frequency of input of an image signal to each of the pixels of the liquid crystal display device can be increased. As a result, in the liquid crystal display device, display deterioration such as color break which is caused in a field-sequential liquid crystal display device can be suppressed and image quality can be improved. | 12-22-2011 |
20120001847 | Driving Method of Input/Output Device - A method for driving an input/output device, including: generating first data by putting a first region of a light unit in a lighted condition and a second region of the light unit in the lighted condition; generating second data by putting the first region in the lighted condition and the second region in an unlighted condition; generating third data by putting the first region in the unlighted condition and the second region in the lighted condition; generating fourth data by putting the first region in the unlighted condition and the second region in the unlighted condition; and generating difference data of either the first data or the third data and either the second data or the fourth data by using a data processor. | 01-05-2012 |
20120001874 | INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - An object is to reduce power consumption. An input/output device including: a display selection signal output circuit outputting a display selection signal during a first display mode and stopping outputting the display selection signal during a second display mode; a photodetection reset signal output circuit outputting N (N is a natural number) photodetection reset signals during a first photodetection mode and outputting M (M is a natural number smaller than N) photodetection reset signals during a second photodetection mode; an output selection signal output circuit outputting N output selection signals during the first photodetection mode and outputting M output selection signals during the second photodetection mode; and a photodetector circuit being reset in accordance with a photodetection reset signal, generating data according to an intensity of light entering the photodetector circuit subsequently, and outputting the data as a data signal in accordance with the output selection signal. | 01-05-2012 |
20120001878 | METHOD FOR DRIVING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE - In a field-sequential liquid crystal display device, image quality and detection accuracy in image capture are improved by increasing the frequency of input of image signals and securing a sufficient imaging period. Image signals are concurrently supplied to pixels provided in a plurality of rows among pixels arranged in matrix. Further, image capture is concurrently performed in pixels provided in a plurality of rows among pixels arranged in matrix. Thus, the frequency of input of an image signal to each pixel of the liquid crystal display device can be increased and a sufficient imaging period can be secured. As a result, in the liquid crystal display device, display deterioration such as color break which is caused in a field-sequential liquid crystal display device can be suppressed and improvements in image quality and detection accuracy in image capture can be realized. | 01-05-2012 |
20120002090 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY DEVICE - An object is to provide a solid-state imaging device or a semiconductor display device with which a high-quality image can be taken. By performing operation using a global shutter method, a potential for controlling charge accumulation operation can be shared by all pixels. In addition, a first photosensor group includes a plurality of photosensors connected to a wiring supplied with an output signal, and a second photosensor group includes a plurality of photosensors connected to another wiring supplied with the output signal. A wiring for supplying a potential or a signal for controlling charge accumulation operation to the first photosensor group is connected to a wiring for supplying the potential or signal to the second photosensor group. | 01-05-2012 |
20120028590 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In a multi-core semiconductor device, a data bus between CPUs or the like consumes a larger amount of power. By provision of a plurality of CPUs which transmit data by a backscattering method of a wireless signal, a router circuit which mediates data transmission and reception between the CPUs or the like, and a thread control circuit which has a thread scheduling function, a semiconductor device which consumes less power and has high arithmetic performance can be provided at low cost. | 02-02-2012 |
20120032193 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY DEVICE - To provide a solid-state image sensing device or a semiconductor display device, which can easily obtain the positional data of an object without contact. Included are a plurality of first photosensors on which light with a first incident angle is incident from a first incident direction and a plurality of second photosensors on which light with a second incident angle is incident from a second incident direction. The first incident angle of light incident on one of the plurality of first photosensors is larger than that of light incident on one of the other first photosensors. The second incident angle of light incident on one of the plurality of second photosensors is larger than that of light incident on one of the other second photosensors. | 02-09-2012 |
20120056252 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An object is to provide a pixel structure of a display device including a photosensor which prevents changes in an output of the photosensor and a decrease in imaging quality. The display device has a pixel layout structure in which a shielding wire is disposed between an FD and an imaging signal line (a PR line, a TX line, or an SE line) or between the FD and an image-display signal line in order to reduce or eliminate parasitic capacitance between the FD and a signal line for the purpose of suppressing changes in the potential of the FD. An imaging power supply line, image-display power supply line, a GND line, a common line, or the like whose potential is fixed, such as a common potential line, is used as a shielding wire. | 03-08-2012 |
20120056861 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - The semiconductor device includes a plurality of photosensors arranged in matrix. The photosensors each include a photoelectric conversion element and an amplifier circuit. A backlight is turned on, an object to be detected is irradiated with light, and the photosensor in a p-th row performs the reset operation and the storage operation. After that, the backlight is turned off, and the photosensor in a (p+1)th row performs the reset operation and the storage operation. Then, the photosensors in all the rows sequentially perform the selection operation. A difference between output signals obtained from the photosensors in adjacent rows is obtained. Using the difference, a captured image of the object is generated and a region where the object exists is detected. The amplifier circuit includes a transistor for holding stored electric charge, in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. | 03-08-2012 |
20120069637 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is to provide a semiconductor memory device which holds data of an SRAM or a flip-flop circuit and holds data in the SRAM while electric power is not supplied from a reader or electric power is not enough, without changing a battery for driving a power supply corresponding to deterioration of the battery with time, and a semiconductor device provided with the semiconductor memory device. An SRAM cell, a decoder connected to the SRAM cell through a word line, a read/write circuit connected to the SRAM cell through the data line, and a power storage unit connected to the SRAM cell are provided. The power storage unit is charged when data is written to or read from the SRAM cell through the data line. | 03-22-2012 |
20120081186 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING THE SAME - A semiconductor device includes an antenna circuit for receiving a wireless signal, a power supply circuit generating power by the wireless signal received by the antenna circuit, and a clock generation circuit to which power is supplied. The clock generation circuit includes a ring oscillator which self-oscillates and a frequency divider which adjusts frequency of an output signal of the ring oscillator in an appropriate range. A digital circuit portion is driven by a clock having high frequency accuracy, so that a malfunction such as an incorrect operation or no response is prevented. | 04-05-2012 |
20120085890 | Photodetector - An object is to reduce the size and manufacturing cost of a photodetector. In order to reduce the area where a visible light sensor and an infrared light sensor are provided, a first photodiode that detects visible light and a second photodiode that detects infrared light are arranged to overlap with each other so that visible light is absorbed first by the first photodiode, whereby significantly little visible light enters the second photodiode. Further, the first photodiode overlapping with the second photodiode is used as an optical filter for the second photodiode. Therefore, a semiconductor layer included in the first photodiode absorbs visible light and transmits infrared light, and a semiconductor layer included in the second photodiode absorbs infrared light. | 04-12-2012 |
20120113160 | Display Device with Imaging Function and Method for Driving the Same - To achieve desired display on a display surface and accurate image capture in a display device with an imaging function. A light source for display (a first light-emitting element) and a light source for image capture (a second light-emitting element) that does not adversely affect display when it is on are separately provided in the display device with an imaging function. In the display device, an image can be appropriately captured using the light source for image capture in a period during which display is performed using the light source for display. Consequently, desired display on the display surface and accurate image capture can be achieved in the display device. | 05-10-2012 |
20120118979 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In an RF tag, a mask ROM or a flash memory is used for storing data such as an ID number. Although the mask ROM can be realized at a low price, rewriting is not possible. In addition, in the flash memory, although electric rewriting is possible, production cost increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide an RF tag by which data rewriting is possible at a low price. An RF tag is provided with a power supply circuit having a function to generate a power supply voltage from a weak radio signal and a memory which can hold data stored in a data holding portion by the power supply voltage. With the above structure, a high-performance RF tag capable of rewriting data such as an ID number after production can be provided at a low price. | 05-17-2012 |
20120119073 | INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - An input/output device includes a pixel area; a light emission circuit provided in the pixel area and configured to emit light; and a photodetection circuit provided in the pixel area and configured to generate a voltage having a value corresponding to an intensity of incident light. The light emission circuit includes a drive transistor and a light emitting element. The light emitting element includes a first current terminal electrically connected to the source or the drain of the drive transistor and a second current terminal to which a first voltage is input, and emits light in accordance with a current flowing between the first and second current terminals. The light emission circuit includes a switching element including a first terminal to which a second voltage is input, and a second terminal electrically connected to the first current terminal of the light emitting element. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120742 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is to provide a semiconductor device having a memory which can efficiently improve a yield by employing a structure which facilitates the use of a spare memory cell. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array having a memory cell and a spare memory cell, a decoder connected to the memory cell and the spare memory cell, a data holding circuit connected to the decoder, and a battery which supplies electric power to the data holding circuit. The spare memory cell operates in accordance with an output from the data holding circuit. | 05-17-2012 |
20120132719 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device is provided with a power supply circuit having a function to generate a power supply voltage from a wireless signal and an A/D converter circuit having a function to detect the strength of the wireless signal by an A/D conversion of a voltage generated from the wireless signal. This enables to provide a semiconductor device which does not require replacement of batteries, has few limitations on its physical shape and mass, and has a function to detect a physical position. By formation of the semiconductor device with use of a thin film transistor formed over a plastic substrate, a lightweight semiconductor device, which has flexibility in physical shape and a function to detect a physical location, can be provided at low cost. | 05-31-2012 |
20120146027 | PHOTODETECTOR CIRCUIT, INPUT DEVICE, AND INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE - An adverse effect of parasitic capacitance on optical data output from a photodetector circuit is suppressed. A photodetector circuit includes a photoelectric conversion element; a first field-effect transistor; a second field-effect transistor; a first conductive layer functioning as a gate of the first field-effect transistor; an insulating layer provided over the first conductive layer; a semiconductor layer overlapping with the first conductive layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween; a second conductive layer electrically connected to the semiconductor layer; and a third conductive layer electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, whose pair of side surfaces facing each other overlaps with at least one conductive layer including the first conductive layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween, and which functions as the other of the source and the drain of the first field-effect transistor. | 06-14-2012 |
20120154337 | Semiconductor Device and Driving Method Thereof - A semiconductor device with high definition, which includes a plurality of sets each including a photosensor and a display element including a light-emitting element arranged in a matrix is provided, wherein a power supply line electrically connected to the display element also serves as a power supply line electrically connected to the photosensor. Thus, the semiconductor device with high definition can be provided without decreasing the width of each power supply line. Thus, the definition of the semiconductor device can be improved while securing the stability of the potential of the power supply line. The stability of the potential of the power supply line leads to the stability of the driving voltage of the display element and the stability of the driving voltage of the photosensor. Accordingly, the semiconductor device with high definition, high display quality, and high accuracy of imaging or detection of an object can be provided. | 06-21-2012 |
20120162167 | METHOD FOR DRIVING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - To shorten a period necessary for a plurality of photosensors arranged in a display and data input region to receive light. In a first period, a reset operation is concurrently performed and then a storage operation is concurrently performed in a plurality of first photosensors while a plurality of first light-emitting elements emit light concurrently and a plurality of second light-emitting elements do not emit light. In a second period, the reset operation is concurrently performed and then the storage operation is concurrently performed in a plurality of second photosensors while the plurality of second light-emitting elements emit light concurrently and the plurality of first light-emitting elements do not emit light. In a third period, a selection operation is sequentially performed in the plurality of first photosensors and the selection operation is sequentially performed in the plurality of second photosensors. | 06-28-2012 |
20120163071 | SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT - It is an object to provide a signal processing circuit for which a complex manufacturing process is not necessary and whose power consumption can be suppressed. In particular, it is an object to provide a signal processing circuit whose power consumption can be suppressed by stopping the power supply for a short time. The signal processing circuit includes a control circuit, an arithmetic unit, and a buffer memory device. The buffer memory device stores data sent from the main memory device or the arithmetic unit in accordance with an instruction from the control unit; the buffer memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells; and the memory cells each include a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region and a memory element to which charge whose amount depends on a value of the data is supplied via the transistor. | 06-28-2012 |
20120173915 | Clock Generation Circuit and Semiconductor Device Including the Same - Objects of the invention are to provide a clock generation circuit and to provide a semiconductor device including the clock generation circuit. The clock generation circuit includes an edge detection circuit, a reference clock generation circuit, a reference clock counter circuit, and a frequency-divider circuit. The reference clock counter circuit is a circuit which outputs a counter value, which is obtained by counting the number of waves of a reference clock signal outputted from the reference clock generation circuit, in a period of time from when the edge detection circuit detects an edge of a signal which is externally inputted to the edge detection circuit to when the edge detection circuit detects the next edge, to the frequency-divider circuit. The frequency-divider circuit is a circuit which frequency-divides the reference clock signal based on the counter value. | 07-05-2012 |
20120182788 | STORAGE ELEMENT, STORAGE DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING STORAGE ELEMENT - A storage element capable of retaining data even after supply of power supply voltage is stopped is provided. In the storage element retaining data in synchronization with a clock signal, with the use of a capacitor and a transistor having a channel in an oxide semiconductor layer, the data can be retained even after supply of power supply voltage is stopped. Here, when the transistor is turned off while the level of the clock signal is kept constant before the supply of power supply voltage is stopped, the data can be retained accurately in the capacitor. By applying such a storage element to each of a CPU, a memory, and a peripheral control device, supply of power supply voltage can be stopped in the entire system, so that the power consumption of the entire system can be reduced. | 07-19-2012 |
20120212995 | PROGRAMMABLE LSI - A low-power programmable LSI that can perform configuration (dynamic configuration) at high speed and can quickly start is provided. The programmable LSI includes a plurality of logic elements and a memory element for storing configuration data to be input to the plurality of logic elements. The plurality of logic elements each include a configuration memory. Each of the plurality of logic elements performs different arithmetic processing and changes an electrical connection between the logic elements in accordance with the configuration data stored in the configuration memory. The memory element is formed using a storage element including a transistor whose channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer and a node set in a floating state when the transistor is turned off. | 08-23-2012 |
20120249190 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - To provide a semiconductor device including an A/D converter circuit that is capable of performing A/D conversion with high accuracy and high resolution and that can be reduced in size. One loop resistance wiring is shared by a plurality of power supply switches and a plurality of output circuits, and a reference voltage having a triangular (step-like) wave generated using the resistance wiring and the plurality of power supply switches is utilized. Thus, high-accuracy digital signals can be obtained using such an A/D converter circuit that can be reduced in size as an output circuit, without using a complicated circuit structure. Further, the number of constituent elements of the A/D converter circuit is small, whereby in the case of providing A/D converter circuits in parallel, variation between the A/D converter circuits can be made small. | 10-04-2012 |
20120314512 | CACHE MEMORY AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A cache memory which can operate with less power consumption and has an improved cache hit rate and a method for driving the cache memory are provided. Two data storage portions (a first storage portion and a second storage portion) and one data transfer portion are provided in one memory cell in a memory set included in a cache memory, and arranged so that data can be transferred between the two storage portions via the data transfer portion. One of the two data storage portions can store data input from the outside and output data to a comparison circuit paired with the memory set. | 12-13-2012 |
20120314513 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF DRIVING SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A semiconductor memory device includes a memory portion that includes i (i is a natural number) sets each including j (j is a natural number of 2 or larger) arrays each including k (k is a natural number of 2 or larger) lines to each of which a first bit column of an address is assigned in advance; a comparison circuit; and a control circuit. The i×j lines to each of which a first bit column of an objective address is assigned in advance are searched more than once and less than or equal to j times with the use of the control circuit and a cache hit signal or a cache miss signal output from the selection circuit. In such a manner, the line storing the objective data is specified. | 12-13-2012 |
20130044917 | METHOD FOR DRIVING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A method for driving a semiconductor device which enables three-dimensional imaging is provided. The method for driving the semiconductor device also enables a reduction in the size of a pixel, two-dimensional imaging concurrently with the three-dimensional imaging, and/or accurate three-dimensional imaging of a fast-moving object. The distance from a light source to an object is measured by performing a first imaging and a second imaging with respect to the timings of the first irradiation and the second irradiation, respectively. A first photosensor absorbing visible light and a second photosensor absorbing infrared light are overlapped with each other and enable the two-dimensional imaging and the three-dimensional imaging, respectively, to be performed concurrently. Adjacent photosensors detect light reflected off substantially the same point of an object, preventing a reduction in the accuracy of the three-dimensional imaging of a fast-moving object. | 02-21-2013 |
20130105823 | IMAGING DEVICE | 05-02-2013 |
20130162778 | MOTION RECOGNITION DEVICE - A motion recognition device capable of recognizing the motion of an object without contact with the object is provided. Further, a motion recognition device that has a simple structure and can recognize the motion of an object regardless of the state of the object is provided. By using a 3D TOF range image sensor in the motion recognition device, information on changes in position and shape is detected easily. Further, information on changes in position and shape of a fast-moving object is detected easily. Motion recognition is performed on the basis of pattern matching. Imaging data used for pattern matching is acquired from a 3D range measuring sensor. Object data is selected from imaging data on an object that changes over time, and motion data is estimated from a time change in selected object data. The motion recognition device performs operation defined by output data generated from the motion data. | 06-27-2013 |
20130181540 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In a multi-core semiconductor device, a data bus between CPUs or the like consumes a larger amount of power. By provision of a plurality of CPUs which transmit data by a backscattering method of a wireless signal, a router circuit which mediates data transmission and reception between the CPUs or the like, and a thread control circuit which has a thread scheduling function, a semiconductor device which consumes less power and has high arithmetic performance can be provided at low cost. | 07-18-2013 |
20130207170 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - To provide a programmable logic device in which the number of elements per bit in a memory array can be reduced and with which power consumption or operation frequency can be estimated accurately at a testing stage. Provided is a programmable logic device including a plurality of programmable logic elements and a memory array which stores configuration data that determines logic operation executed in the plurality of programmable logic elements. The memory array includes a plurality of memory elements. The memory element includes a node which establishes electrical connection between the programmable logic element and the memory array, a switch for supplying charge whose amount is determined by the configuration data to the node, holding the charge in the node, or releasing the charge from the node, and a plurality of wirings. Capacitance is formed between the node and the wiring. | 08-15-2013 |
20130217191 | THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THIN FILM TRANSISTOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics, a display device having the thin film transistor, and methods for manufacturing the thin film transistor and the display device are proposed. The thin film transistor includes a gate insulating film formed over a gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film, a pair of buffer layers formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film, a pair of semiconductor films to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added and which are formed over the pair of buffer layers, and wirings formed over the pair of semiconductor films to which the impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added. A part of the gate insulating film or the entire gate insulating film, and/or a part of the microcrystalline semiconductor or the entire microcrystalline semiconductor includes the impurity element which serves as a donor. | 08-22-2013 |
20130228773 | MEMORY DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A memory device which consumes low power and which is shared by a plurality of processors is provided. In addition, a memory device whose capacity is high and which is shared by a plurality of processors is provided. A data write transistor of a memory device is manufactured with a material capable of achieving a sufficiently low off-state current of a transistor (e.g., an oxide semiconductor material that is a wide band gap semiconductor). The memory device has a memory cell including at least one data write transistor, at least one data storage transistor, and at least two data read transistors. | 09-05-2013 |
20130234027 | METHOD FOR DRIVING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device capable of acquiring high-precision range information in a short time is provided. Alternatively, a semiconductor device capable of acquiring the range information and image information concurrently in a short time is provided. The accuracy of range information is increased by performing infrared light irradiation more than once to acquire a detection signal and making infrared light irradiation periods identical and extremely short. By detecting light reflected from substantially the same points of an object by adjacent photodiodes, the accuracy of range information can be maintained even when the object is a moving object. By overlapping a photodiode absorbing visible light and transmitting infrared light with a photodiode absorbing infrared light, range information and image information can be acquired concurrently. | 09-12-2013 |
20130250274 | DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM - A distance measurement device with high detection accuracy. The distance measurement device includes a photosensor including a light-receiving element, a first transistor, and a second transistor; a wiring; a signal line; and a power supply line. The wiring is electrically connected to one electrode of the light-receiving element. The signal line is electrically connected to a gate electrode of the first transistor. The power supply line is electrically connected to one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second transistor. One of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate electrode of the second transistor. The other of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the other electrode of the light-receiving element and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the second transistor. | 09-26-2013 |
20130257798 | Touchscreen, Driving Method Thereof, and Touchscreen Module - Malfunction of a large-sized touchscreen is prevented. In particular, malfunction of a large-sized touchscreen is prevented by reduction of wiring delay between a detection region and a controller. In a touchscreen, in which a detection area is divided, including a plurality of detection regions and a plurality of sensors, controllers are provided for the respective divided detection regions, and all the controllers are electrically connected to one central control device. It is preferable that a wiring between each of the divided detection regions and the corresponding controller be shorter than a wiring between the controller and the central control device. | 10-03-2013 |
20130258746 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A nonvolatile semiconductor device is provided. Each memory cell in a semiconductor device includes a D/A converter and an amplifier transistor. An output voltage of the D/A converter is stored as data in the memory cell, whereby two or more bits of data can be stored in the memory cell. By stacking transistors of the D/A converter with an interlayer film provided therebetween and using the parasitic resistance of a conductive material provided in a contact hole formed in the interlayer film as a resistor of the D/A converter, the area of the memory cell can be reduced. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. Accordingly, a nonvolatile semiconductor device can be easily obtained. | 10-03-2013 |
20130285697 | PROGRAMMABLE LSI - An object is to achieve both suppression of operation delay and reduction in power consumption of a programmable LSI. A compiler generates, from source code, configuration data needed in a programmable LSI and a time schedule that shows a timing of using the data in the programmable LSI (a timing at which the data is held in a configuration memory) and a timing of storing the data in the programmable LSI before the data is used. Supply of new configuration data to the programmable LSI from the outside (storage of new configuration data) and data rewrite in the configuration memory in the programmable LSI (circuit reconfiguration) are performed independently and concurrently on the basis of the time schedule. | 10-31-2013 |
20130293263 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE - Disclosed is a programmable logic device (PLD) which can undergo dynamic configuration at a high speed. The PLD includes a plurality of programmable logic elements (PLEs) and a switch for selecting electrical connection between the PLEs. The switch includes a plurality of circuit groups each of which includes first and second transistors. The second transistors of the circuit groups are electrically connected in parallel with one another. In each of the circuit groups, the electrical conduction between a source and a drain of the second transistor is determined based on configuration data held at a node between the gate of the second transistor and a drain of the first transistor, which allows the selection of the electrical connection and disconnection between the programmable logic elements by the selection of one of the circuit groups. | 11-07-2013 |
20130297874 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - To provide a semiconductor device with less power consumption. In a semiconductor device including a CPU, the frequency of access to a cache memory is monitored. In the case where the access frequency is uniform, supply of a power supply voltage to the CPU is stopped. In the case where the access frequency is not uniform, stop of supplying the power supply voltage is performed on memories with a time interval, and eventually, supply of the power supply voltage to the CPU is stopped. Further, write back processing is efficiently performed in accordance with determination of a dirty bit, so that power consumption of the semiconductor device can be further achieved. | 11-07-2013 |
20130299888 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - In a CMOS image sensor in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, a transistor in which a channel formation region includes an oxide semiconductor is used for each of a charge accumulation control transistor and a reset transistor which are in a pixel portion. After a reset operation of the signal charge accumulation portion is performed in all the pixels arranged in the matrix, a charge accumulation operation by the photodiode is performed in all the pixels, and a read operation of a signal from the pixel is performed per row. Accordingly, an image can be taken without a distortion. | 11-14-2013 |
20130313412 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device obtains highly accurate image data regardless of the intensity of incident light. The semiconductor device includes a first photo sensor provided in a pixel, a second photo sensor provided around the pixel, and a controller for setting the drive condition of the first photo sensor in accordance with the intensity of outside light obtained by the second photo sensor. An image is taken after the sensitivity of the first photo sensor is changed in accordance with the drive condition set by the controller. Thus, in the semiconductor device, an image can be taken using the first photo sensor whose sensitivity is optimized in accordance with the intensity of incident light. | 11-28-2013 |
20130314124 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - Provided is a programmable logic device that includes logic elements arranged in a plurality of columns. Wirings connecting logic elements are arranged between the plurality of columns. Switch circuits that control electrical connections between the wirings and the logic elements are also arranged between the plurality of columns. Each of the switch circuit selects an electrical connection between one of the wirings and an input terminal of one of the logic elements in accordance with configuration data. | 11-28-2013 |
20130321025 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE - A PLD in which a configuration memory is formed using a nonvolatile memory with a small number of transistors and in which the area of a region where the configuration memory is disposed is reduced is provided. Further, a PLD that is easily capable of dynamic reconfiguration and has a short startup time is provided. A programmable logic device including a memory element, a selector, and an output portion is provided. The memory element includes a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor film, and a storage capacitor and an inverter which are connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor. The inverter is connected to the selector. The selector is connected to the output portion. | 12-05-2013 |
20130321366 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME - To reduce the effect of external light and to improve the accuracy of detecting the location of a touch. In an image-capture period, light emission from a self-light-emitting element is controlled, and imaging data at the time of displaying white on a display screen and imaging data at the time of displaying black on the display screen are output from each sensor pixel. The location of a sensor pixel where a difference between the two pieces of imaging data output from the same sensor pixel is the greatest is detected. Thus, the location of a touch of the object on the display screen is detected with high accuracy. By utilizing a difference between imaging data at the time of reverse display, the effect of external light can be reduced. | 12-05-2013 |
20130322187 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND PROCESSING UNIT - A semiconductor device in which the power consumption of a register is low is provided. Further, a processing unit whose operation speed is high and whose power consumption is low is provided. In the semiconductor device, a register operating at high speed and a nonvolatile FILO (first-in-last-out) register capable of reading and writing data from/to the register are provided. | 12-05-2013 |
20140027768 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor device including photosensor capable of imaging with high resolution is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes the photosensor having a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The photodiode generates an electric signal in accordance with the intensity of light. The first transistor stores charge in a gate thereof and converts the stored charge into an output signal. The second transistor transfers the electric signal generated by the photodiode to the gate of the first transistor and holds the charge stored in the gate of the first transistor. The first transistor has a back gate and the threshold voltage thereof is changed by changing the potential of the back gate. | 01-30-2014 |
20140054466 | IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - An imaging device capable of obtaining image data with a small amount of X-ray irradiation is provided. The imaging device obtains an image using X-rays and includes a scintillator and a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix and overlapping with the scintillator. The use of a transistor with an extremely small off-state current in the pixel circuits enables leakage of electrical charges from a charge accumulation portion to be reduced as much as possible, and an accumulation operation to be performed substantially at the same time in all of the pixel circuits. The accumulation operation is synchronized with X-ray irradiation, so that the amount of X-ray irradiation can be reduced. | 02-27-2014 |
20140056405 | RADIATION DETECTION PANEL, RADIATION IMAGING DEVICE, AND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING DEVICE - To achieve a radiation detection panel capable of outputting a signal for generating an accurate pixel signal regardless of the performance of a conversion unit, a detection circuit that outputs a signal used for generating a pixel signal includes a first output circuit that outputs a signal due to afterglow, and a second output circuit that outputs a signal including both a signal based on radiation emission and a signal due to afterglow. Transistors using an oxide semiconductor material for a channel formation region are used as some transistors included in the first and second output circuits. In the radiation detection panel having this structure, the signal (a first signal or a second signal) can be held in each output circuit; therefore, after all output circuits hold the signal (the first signal or the second signal), the first signal and the second signal can be sequentially output from detection circuits. | 02-27-2014 |
20140061739 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A transistor a gate of which, one of a source and a drain of which, and the other are electrically connected to a selection signal line, an output signal line, and a reference signal line, respectively and a photodiode one of an anode and a cathode of which and the other are electrically connected to a reset signal line and a back gate of the transistor, respectively are included. The photodiode is forward biased to initialize the back-gate potential of the transistor, the back-gate potential is changed by current of the inversely-biased photodiode flowing in an inverse direction in accordance with the light intensity, and the transistor is turned on to change the potential of the output signal line, so that a signal in accordance with the intensity is obtained. | 03-06-2014 |
20140070079 | PHOTODETECTOR CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - To provide a photodetector circuit capable of obtaining signals in different periods without being affected by characteristics of a photoelectric conversion element. The photodetector circuit has n signal output circuits (n is a natural number of 2 or more) connected to the photoelectric conversion element. Further, the n signal output circuits each include the following: a transistor whose gate potential varies in accordance with the amount of light entering the photoelectric conversion element; a first switching element which holds the gate potential of the transistor; and a second switching element which controls a signal output from the transistor. Thus, after data based on the amount of light entering the photoelectric conversion elements is held as the gate potentials of the transistors, the second switching elements are turned on, whereby signals in different periods can be obtained without being affected by characteristics of the photoelectric conversion element. | 03-13-2014 |
20140103958 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE - Configuration is performed in accordance with a plurality of states when power supply voltage is supplied intermittently. At the time of start of supply of power supply voltage with configuration, a programmable logic device is sequentially changed into a first state where configuration data is not set in a configuration memory, a second state where the configuration memory is initialized, and a third state where the configuration data can be set in the configuration memory. At the time of start of supply of power supply voltage without configuration, the programmable logic device is sequentially changed into a fourth state where the configuration data is not set in the configuration memory and the third state. The first to fourth states are switched to any one of the states by control of a first state signal and a second state signal. | 04-17-2014 |
20140103960 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE - To obtain a PLD that achieves high-speed configuration capable of dynamic configuration, consumes less power, and has a short startup time and a PLD that has a smaller number of transistors or a smaller circuit area than a PLD using an SRAM as a configuration memory, a plurality of logic elements arranged in an array and a switch for selecting electrical connection between the logic elements are provided. The switch includes a first transistor including a multilayer film including an oxide layer and an oxide semiconductor layer, a node that becomes floating when the first transistor is turned off, and a second transistor in which electrical continuity between a source and a drain is determined based on configuration data held at the node. | 04-17-2014 |
20140119092 | PROGRAMMABLE LSI - A low-power programmable LSI that can perform configuration (dynamic configuration) at high speed and can quickly start is provided. The programmable LSI includes a plurality of logic elements and a memory element for storing configuration data to be input to the plurality of logic elements. The plurality of logic elements each include a configuration memory. Each of the plurality of logic elements performs different arithmetic processing and changes an electrical connection between the logic elements in accordance with the configuration data stored in the configuration memory. The memory element is formed using a storage element including a transistor whose channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer and a node set in a floating state when the transistor is turned off. | 05-01-2014 |
20140126271 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - To provide a semiconductor device in which power consumption can be reduced and operation delay due to a stop and a restart of supply of power supply voltage can be suppressed and a driving method thereof. A potential corresponding to data held in a period during which power supply voltage is continuously supplied is saved to a node connected to a capacitor before the supply of power supply voltage is stopped. By utilizing change of channel resistance of a transistor whose gate is the node, data is loaded when the supply of power supply voltage is restarted. | 05-08-2014 |
20140126272 | MEMORY CIRCUIT, MEMORY UNIT, AND SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT - A memory circuit includes a transistor having a channel in an oxide semiconductor layer, a capacitor, a first arithmetic circuit, a second arithmetic circuit, a third arithmetic circuit, and a switch. An output terminal of the first arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to an input terminal of the second arithmetic circuit. The input terminal of the second arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to an output terminal of the third arithmetic circuit via the switch. An output terminal of the second arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to an input terminal of the first arithmetic circuit. An input terminal of the first arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor. The other of the source and the drain of the transistor is electrically connected to one of a pair of electrodes of the capacitor and to an input terminal of the third arithmetic circuit. | 05-08-2014 |
20140159771 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A programmable logic device (PLD) that can control whether to supply power in each logic element is provided. The PLD includes at least a programmable logic element, a terminal to which a potential is input from an external power source, a switch controlling conduction between the terminal and the logic element, and a memory outputting a control signal for setting the conduction state of the switch. The memory stores pieces of configuration data for setting the conduction state of the switch. Any one of the pieces of configuration data is output as the control signal from the memory to the switch. | 06-12-2014 |
20140176185 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A programmable logic device having a small layout area even with an increasing circuit scale. The programmable logic device includes first programmable logic elements (PLEs); a second PLE; first wirings to which a signal including configuration data is supplied in a first period and which are electrically connected to respective output terminals of the first PLEs in a second period; a second wiring electrically connected to an input terminal of the second PLE; and circuits each connected to the corresponding first wiring. Each of the circuits includes at least a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch. An on/off state of the second switch depends on a potential of a node to which the signal is supplied from the corresponding first wiring through the first switch. The second switch and the third switch control an electrical connection between the corresponding first wiring and the second wiring. | 06-26-2014 |
20140240294 | PHOTODETECTOR - Influence of external light is suppressed. With a photodetector including a photodetector circuit which generates a data signal in accordance with illuminance of incident light and a light unit which overlaps with the photodetector circuit, a first data signal is generated by the photodetector circuit when the light unit is in an ON state, a second data signal is formed by the photodetector circuit when the light unit is in an OFF state, and the first data signal and the second data signal are compared, so that a difference data signal that is data of a difference between the two compared data signals is generated. | 08-28-2014 |
20140264703 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY DEVICE - To provide a solid-state image sensing device or a semiconductor display device, which can easily obtain the positional data of an object without contact. Included are a plurality of first photosensors on which light with a first incident angle is incident from a first incident direction and a plurality of second photosensors on which light with a second incident angle is incident from a second incident direction. The first incident angle of light incident on one of the plurality of first photosensors is larger than that of light incident on one of the other first photosensors. The second incident angle of light incident on one of the plurality of second photosensors is larger than that of light incident on one of the other second photosensors. | 09-18-2014 |
20140266301 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE - A programmable logic device that verifies whether configuration data is stored correctly is provided. The programmable logic device includes a configuration memory storing configuration data input to a first wiring and a switch controlling conduction or non-conduction between a second wiring and a third wiring in accordance with the configuration data stored in the configuration memory. Further, whether the configuration data input to the first wiring agrees with configuration data actually stored in the configuration memory is verified by comparing the potential of the second wiring with the configuration data input to the first wiring. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267864 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An object is to achieve low-power consumption by reducing the off-state current of a transistor in a photosensor. A semiconductor device including a photosensor having a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor; and a read control circuit including a read control transistor, in which the photodiode has a function of supplying charge based on incident light to a gate of the first transistor; the first transistor has a function of storing charge supplied to its gate and converting the charge stored into an output signal; the second transistor has a function of controlling reading of the output signal; the read control transistor functions as a resistor converting the output signal into a voltage signal; and semiconductor layers of the first transistor, the second transistor, and the read control transistor are formed using an oxide semiconductor. | 09-18-2014 |
20140285234 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - To provide a charge pump circuit to manufacture a low-power-consumption PLD. A semiconductor device includes a first circuit and a second circuit electrically connected to the first circuit. A charge pump circuit formed of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor and a boosting control circuit controlling the charge pump circuit are provided between the first circuit and the second circuit. The first circuit and the charge pump circuit operate at first power supply voltage, and the boosting control circuit and the second circuit operate at second power supply voltage. The first power supply voltage is lower than the second power supply voltage. | 09-25-2014 |
20140285235 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A programmable logic device that includes a storage device having smaller area and lower power consumption is provided. The programmable logic device includes a logic block including a storage device. The storage device includes a plurality of groups each including at least a first switch, a transistor that is turned on or off in accordance with a signal including configuration data input to a gate of the transistor through the first switch, and a second switch controlling the electrical connection between a first wiring and a second wiring together with the transistor when the second switch is turned on or off in accordance with the potential of the first wiring. In the logic block, the relationship between the logic level of a signal input and the logic level of a signal output is determined in accordance with the potential of the second wiring. | 09-25-2014 |
20140286076 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A nonvolatile semiconductor device which can be driven at low voltage is provided. A nonvolatile semiconductor device with low power consumption is provided. A Schmitt trigger NAND circuit and a Schmitt trigger inverter are included. Data is held in a period when the supply of power supply voltage is continued, and a potential corresponding to the data is stored at a node electrically connected to a capacitor before a period when the supply of power supply voltage is stopped. By utilizing a change in channel resistance of a transistor whose gate is connected to the node, the data is restored in response to the restart of the supply of power supply voltage. | 09-25-2014 |
20140300403 | SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE - A level shifter converting a binary signal having a first potential and a second potential into a signal having the first potential and a third potential, and a signal processing circuit using the level shifter are provided. The first potential is higher than the second potential. The second potential is higher than the third potential. The potential difference between the first potential and the third potential may be more than or equal to 3 V and less than 4 V. The level shifter includes a current control circuit which generates a second signal for operating an amplifier circuit for a certain period in accordance with the potential change of the first signal which is input to the amplifier circuit. The output of level shifter is input to a gate of an N-channel transistor whose threshold voltage is lower than 0 V. | 10-09-2014 |
20140340073 | SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE AND MEASURING METHOD - A signal processing device and a measuring method are provided. A ring oscillator includes (2n+1) signal transmission circuits (n is an integer greater than or equal to 1). One of the signal transmission circuits comprises an inverter, a first transistor, and a second transistor; one of an input terminal and an output terminal of the inverter is connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor; one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is connected to a gate of the first transistor; an output of a k-th (k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 2n) signal transmission circuit is connected to an input of a (k+1)-th signal transmission circuit; and an output of a (2n+1)-th signal transmission circuit is connected to an input of a first signal transmission circuit. | 11-20-2014 |
20140340115 | SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE - A signal processing device is provided. In a programmable switch in which one of a source and a drain of a first transistor is connected to a gate of a second transistor to control continuity between a source and a drain of the second transistor, a capacitance connected to the gate of the second transistor (which is indicated by C | 11-20-2014 |
20140340116 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A programmable logic device having low power consumption with operation speed maintained is provided. The programmable logic device includes a first circuit; a second circuit; a first transistor making electrical connection between the first circuit and the second circuit depending on a potential of a gate of the first transistor; a first switch configured to control supply of a signal to a first node; a second switch configured to control supply of the signal to a second node; a second transistor having a gate and one of a source and a drain that are electrically connected to the first node and having the other of the source and the drain that is electrically connected to the second node; and a capacitor that holds a potential of the signal supplied to the first node. | 11-20-2014 |
20140368235 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE - Data of a register in a programmable logic element is retained. A volatile storage circuit and a nonvolatile storage circuit are provided in a register of a programmable logic element whose function can be changed in response to a plurality of context signals. The nonvolatile storage circuit includes nonvolatile storage portions for storing data in the register. The number of nonvolatile storage portions corresponds to the number of context signals. With such a structure, the function can be changed each time context signals are switched and data in the register that is changed when the function is changed can be backed up to the nonvolatile storage portion in each function. In addition, the function can be changed each time context signals are switched and the data in the register that is backed up when the function is changed can be recovered to the volatile storage circuit. | 12-18-2014 |
20140368760 | TOUCH PANEL AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - To provide a touch panel with reduced disturbance of display and with improved mechanical strength by suppressing variation in the space between a pair of substrates which form the touch panel even when in contact with an object to be detected. A pixel portion including a plurality of pixels is provided between a pair of substrates. Each pixel includes a photosensor portion which detects that the object to be detected is in contact with one of the pair of substrates, and a MEMS portion which generates a mechanical displacement in a direction perpendicular to the pair of substrates when a signal based on a detection result of the photosensor portion is input. | 12-18-2014 |
20140374747 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - To provide a semiconductor device with excellent charge retention characteristics, a transistor including a thick gate insulating film to achieve low leakage current is additionally provided such that its gate is connected to a node for holding charge. The node is composed of this additional transistor and a transistor using an oxide semiconductor in its semiconductor layer including a channel formation region. Charge corresponding to data is held at the node. | 12-25-2014 |
20150021598 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device increases the SN ratio of a signal even when external light intensity is low. The solid-state imaging device includes a sensor circuit that includes a light-receiving element, a first transistor that controls connection between a first wiring and a node in which the amount of accumulated charge is determined by the amount of exposure to the light-receiving element, a second transistor whose on or off state is selected in accordance with the potential of the node, and a third transistor that controls connection between a second wiring and a third wiring together with the second transistor; a central processing unit that selects a first driving method or a second driving method in accordance with external light intensity; and a controller that controls a potential supplied to the gate of the first transistor in accordance with the first driving method or the second driving method. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023114 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - One of a source and a drain of a first oxide semiconductor (OS) transistor is connected to a gate of a second OS transistor and one electrode of a first capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the second OS transistor is connected to one electrode of a second capacitor and one of a source and a drain of a Si transistor. The gate of the second OS transistor serves as a charge retention node. Charge injection and retention at this node is controlled by the first OS transistor. The other of the source and the drain of the second OS transistor is connected to a wiring applying a high potential, and a potential of the second capacitor that corresponds to the write data is maintained. A signal corresponding to the write data is read by the Si transistor. | 01-22-2015 |
20150028335 | IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - An imaging device capable of obtaining image data with a small amount of X-ray irradiation is provided. The imaging device obtains an image using X-rays and includes a scintillator and a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix and overlapping with the scintillator. The use of a transistor with an extremely small off-state current in the pixel circuits enables leakage of electrical charges from a charge accumulation portion to be reduced as much as possible, and an accumulation operation to be performed substantially at the same time in all of the pixel circuits. The accumulation operation is synchronized with X-ray irradiation, so that the amount of X-ray irradiation can be reduced. | 01-29-2015 |