LSI Products that I was involved in the design

Work categories below are intentionally eliminated from the table as trivial.
 (1) Inspection designs at various stages
 (2) Customer visit and support
 (3) Patents related
 (4) Thesis and seminar
 (5) Research
 (6) Management and presentation
 (7) Any other miscellaneous side works

You can make similar tables yourself and recognize what you completed.

People say that "It's easy to say but difficult to do". I say that "It's easy to do but difficult to complete".

(A) NEC, Japan

 

(1) Custom designed LSIs

[31, 32, 33]
Mr.Tomoyo Ichikawa of Eiko Business Machine, Inc. designed the original logic for 8 digits desk-top calculator with Eiko proprietary printer and divided the entire logic into five LSIs nick-named 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35. Soon after I started working at NEC in June, 1971, I took charge of 31, 32, and 33 that functioned as Central Processing Unit, data memory, timing generator, and so forth. I completed the logic conversion from the original logic schematics given by Eiko Business Machine to NEC logic modules (blocks) to ease the mask layout utilizing building blocks scheme as well as the computer simulation. 34 and 35 were Printer Control Unit and handled by Mr. Shimizu of NEC. Mr. Shimizu took over system evaluation and LSI test for all the five LSIs later on.

The computer simulation for LSI was an emerging technology intensively using main frame at that time. The net list and simulation vectors were punched on IBM 80 column punch cards line by line.

[XX]
XX was a single-chip 8 digits desk-top calculator LSI designed by Tokyo Electronic Application Laboratory (President: Hitoshi Kodaira; 東京電子応用技術研究所) based on development request from NEC. NEC did not have sufficient ability to design desk-top calculator LSI at that moment. Although I was not a person in charge of the project, I was requested to complete the logic conversion because only a limited number of LSI designers was able to do the work. Because NEC strongly promoted the XX project, a most experienced contractor was assigned for the mask layout as well. However, the die size after the actual mask layout had become larger than 5mm x 5mm due to a lot of internal wire connections derived from the hard-wired random logic design. At that time, it was common knowledge that the yield became zero (no good die per silicon wafer) if the die size became beyond 5mm x 5mm.

At the next stage, I was requested to try to divide the entire logic into two LSIs (this means that it is not a single-chip LSI). My conclusion was “Unrealistic and Impossible” because the number of LSI pins easily went beyond 28 pins due to a lot of interconnects. The maximum number of LSI pins available was 28 at that time because of the constraint of LSI packaging technology.

Consequently, the project XX was eventually abandoned.

Mr. Atsuyoshi Ouchi, a manager of NEC Integrated Circuit division, decided to pay the compensation for the development to TEAL although NEC did not make anything and any profit from XX. Mr. Kurokawa, a section manager, applauded the reaction saying “It is good for future”.

This event triggered two big projects for developing 8 digits single-chip desk-top calculator LSI (µPD271) and 12 digits multiple-chip desk-top calculator LSI chip-set (µPD281; program ROM etc., µPD282; Register files + ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit), µPD261; Segment decoder, µPD262; Timing counter, µPD264; External memory register) to be designed by NEC's own efforts.

Mr. Tomihiro Matsumura, a manager of second circuit technology department (第二回路技術部), promptly organized the LSI development projects in March, 1972, and held the kick-off meeting. Although I did not know why this happened, probably unfortunately, I had sat down a seat just in front of Mr. Matsumura of a square desk for 5 x 6 people (Yamamoto, Shiraishi, Matsumura, Takashima, Kurokawa vs. Tanaka, Ariga, Takai, Oguchi, Maehashi, Oura). As soon as I sat down, Mr. Matsumura immediately started arguing me saying, “Oguchi-kun, although you may be a rookie......” He disputed my reactions and resolutions concerning aforementioned XX LSI development. He seemed not to know the whole course of events that most people sitting there knew well. I gazed at Mr. Takashima sitting left beside Mr. Matsumura considering that he tried to evade his responsibility (this was the first job for him just after appointed to a supervisor.) and transferred it all to me. Because I believed that I did the best and the original design had fatal weak point of hard-wired design approach (Moreover, this is not my own design!), I sat still thinking that “This is My Way”.

Tomorrow morning, Mr. Takai and Ariga who were actually people in charge of XX product came to me and told that “Just leave it”. Mr. Shiraishi, a manager of device design section, also came and told that “After you left, I clearly defended you with the truth. I usually say what I want to say.” This was his nature derived from his origin of Kyusyu island that most Japanese did not have.


(2) NEC originally designed LSIs (not based upon reverse engineering as well as customer's design)

Excerpt from Manuscript of JIEC seminar (page 3)

LSI Device seminar

[µPD282]
I fully took charge of µPD282, a CPU with memory LSI for 12 digits 1 memory desk-top calculator. The logic design completed less than one year later I joined NEC in 1971. µPD282 along with µPD281 is the first logic LSI that NEC originally designed from scratch.
The development project was initiated by powerful direction of Mr. Tomihiro Matsumura, a department manager, due to the abortion of single-chip LSI design (XX as mentioned above) for 8 digit calculator that NEC requested to external independent design house.
I was so lucky because I was able to build broad LSI design expertise through the actual µPD282 design in very early stage of my engineering life.

Functions
  - 4 x 64 bits (for 12 digits BCD data with one overflow digit + decimal point BCD data digit + control digit + sign digit) ratio-less shift registers
  - 1 x serial BCD full adder/subtractor with carry calculation
  - Instruction decoder
  - Judge output and ROM code inputs to/from µPD281
  - Data & timing outputs to µPD261 segment decoder
  - Timing input/output to/from µPD262 digit timing generator
  - Data output & input to/from µPD264 extended memory
  - Display data outputs to 8 segment fluorescent digit display tubes

Process & Design
10μ P channel metal gate E/E MOS using building block mask layout, VGG = -24V, VDD = -12V, GND = 0V, Two phase clocks (/φ1, /φ2), Capacitive dynamic shift registers and transmission gate design

System structure
The 12 digits 1 memory desk-top calculator system consist of a µPD281 (ROM + address sequencer + keyboard decoder; 24 pin ceramic DIP LSI), a µPD282 (CPU + memory; 28 pin ceramic DIP LSI), a µPD261 (8 segment decoder; 20 pin plastic DIP MSI), a µPD262 (digit timing generator; 20 pin plastic DIP SSI). µPD264 (extended memory; 20 pin plastic DIP MSI) can be attached to increase the number of data memories.

Abbreviations
CPU (Central Processing Unit), BCD (Binary-Coded Decimal), ROM (Read-Only Memory), DIP (Dual-Inline Package), E/E (Enhancement mode for load MOS transistor/Enhancement mode for gate MOS transistor), MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor), VGG (Voltage supplied to Gate of load MOS transistor), VDD (Voltage supplied to Drain of load MOS transistor), GND (Ground voltage), LSI (Large-Scale Integration), MSI (Medium-Scale Integration), SSI (Small-Scale Integration)

Although everybody expected that the mask-layout of the µPD282 is done by a contractor as usual, I started mask-layout design as soon as I completed logic design and computer simulation. Mr. Matsumura came to me and told mischievously with smile, “You are doing the mask-layout with strong guts, aren't you?”
I experienced work through the night three times for breadboard debug and x200 stabylen film cut mask base inspection to be done before ordering physical photo masks.
Mr. Oura taught me how to handle LSI testers, ASR33 teletypewriter, paper tape, and how to modify the paper tape hole positions by using tape puncher.

update in progress


[µPD940 - µPD943]
update in progress


[µPD1201 - µPD1203]
update in progress


[µPD1205]
update in progress


[µPD777]

update in progress

Excerpt from manuscript of JIEC seminar (page 7)

Application example :
 Epoch Cassette VisionCartridge
 Epoch Cassette VisionAnatomy


On-chip ROM Dump Related
  - System Design of ROM dump
  - Dump Pattern Creation
    - Dump source pattern (PA.txt)
    - Source code of "rom_dump.cpp"
  - Dump Analysis
    - Source code of "dump_analysis.cpp"
  - Dump Result of µPD777 004 Big Sports 12
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD778 Baseball
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD774 Battle Vader
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD777 005 Yosaku
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD777 007 Galaxian
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD777 008 Pakpak Monster
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD777 009 Monster Mansion
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM
  - Dump Result of µPD777 010 Astro Command
    - Program ROM
    - Pattern ROM


777 to YUV Related
  - System Design of 777 to YUV
  - Video Files
    - µPD777 005 Yosaku
    - µPD778 Baseball
    - µPD777 007 Galaxian
    - µPD777 Big Sports 12
    - µPD774 Battle Vader
    - µPD777 008 Pakpak Monster
    - µPD777 009 Monster Mansion
    - µPD777 010 Astro Command


NTSC TV Video (RF) Modulator ICs
  - NEC µPC626C for µPD777C    (See page 6 of "777 Design Note.pdf")
  - NS LM1889   (µPC626C compatible)



[µPD7220 - µPD7220A]
update in progress


Tandy Radio Shack TRS80 (8 bit personal computer released in 1977) Related
  - TRS80Updated on
11/16/24
  - WD FD1771 Floppy Disk ControllerUpdated on
8/25/24



[µPD72120]
update in progress


Remarks :
(A) The trial productions were always handled by device design team using photo masks I ordered to Toppan Printing or Dai Nippon Printing as a result of mask layout design.

(B) LSI testers I used for trial production and evaluation were MH-134 (Minato Tsushinki), MH-152 (Ando Electric), and MH-200 (Ando Electric).
 (1) For wafer check (P/W test), I ordered probe cards based upon pin connection and bonding pads' position information.
 (2) For screening test (選別) and warehousing test (入庫), I ordered DUT (Device Under Test) boards.
 (3) For BT (Bias Temperature) test, I ordered BT boards.
 (4) For system level test (実装), I made manually-driven system level testers and test programs for automatic system level testers designed as a result of co-operation with automation department, later on (applied to µPD282 to µPD1205, 1972 - 1976).

(B) Chips and Technologies, USA

[82C455 - 82C457]
I designed these three IBM VGA compatible flat panel graphics LSIs under joint development program between ASCII and Chips and Technologies exchanging the Letter of Intent.

Development historyUpdated on
10/7/24 of 82C455, 82C456, and 82C457

Probing VGA/SVGA/XGAUpdated on
3/4/24 video signals

Gate Array specification
 - TC110G Toshiba CMOS Gate Array


Netlist related information
 - FRC (Frame Rate Control) Scheme Evaluation 8086 Assembly source code
 - TC110G Macrocells Implemented on 82C457


82C457 Application Examples
 - Dolch Color flat panel portable PC
 - Alcon Surgical equipment Series 20000
 - 82C9001A Data sheet introduces 82C457


Datasheet of companion chips
 - 82C460 Flat Panel Color Palette
 - 82C401 Flat Panel/CRT Clock Synthesizer
 - 82C411 Flat Panel Color Palette/DAC


Flat panel specification (Extracted)
 - Sharp DD (Dual panel Double drive) STN (Super Twisted Nematic) panel
 - Sharp 512 Color TFT (Thin Film Transistor) panel


US patents applied at Chips and Technologies Inc.
 - Go to here. I am ranked as a #4 inventor.

(C) ASCII of America, USA

[DA7290 - HD814102]

- MPEG1 Audio Specification
 MPEG1 audio compression scheme has been using on Movie DVD/Bluray and MP3 (Originaly named from MPEG1 audio Layer 3) audio players.
 MPEG skipped MPEG3 and now MPEG4 (MP4; Video and audio compression).
 

update in progress

(D) Auctor Corporation, USA

[YY]
update in progress

(E) SanDisk, USA

[Bishamon]
update in progress

Breadboard Design HistoryUpdated on
11/19/24

Awards

UTF-8 Code Map

Micrograph Related
  - Die Photo Synthesis by Hugin
  - Die Photo Synthesis by Hugin (Scanned Map)
  - Decapsulation of Ceramic DIP
  - Decapsulation of Plastic DIP
  - Epoxy Removal by Ultrasonic
  - Zooming up Die Micrograph on PDF File

I am introducing total 25 die micrographs I made.

When zooming die micrograph using a smart phone or tablet, you possibly experience limited maximum available zoom factor (up to 2x), slow zooming speed, and sometimes freeze because of the factors such as slow CPU, insufficient main memory capacity, and simplified PDF viewer installed.

I recommend using a desk-top PC with large monitor TV (40”), fast CPU (i7), big capacity of main memory (32/16 GB), and fast GPU (8 GB) if possible.

Design company	Manufacturing company	Product Name	Function
NEC		µPD282D	12 Digit Desk-top Calculator (ALU, Registers, etc. ) <Tetsuji Oguchi>
		µPD941C	Single-chip 8 Digit 0 memory Desk-top Calculator <Tetsuji Oguchi>
		µPD946C	Single-chip 8 Digit 1 memory Desk-top Calculator
		µPD1201C	Single-chip 12 Digit 1 memory Desk-top Calculator with Printer Control <Tetsuji Oguchi>
		µPD777D	Single-chip Television Game Processor <Tetsuji Oguchi & Toshio Oura>
		µPD777C
		µPD7220AD	Graphics Display Controller (GDC) <Tetsuji Oguchi>
NEC	Intel	iD82720	Graphics Display Controller (GDC)  - License manufacturing (Second source) of µPD7220
NEC		µPD72120L	Advanced Graphics Display Controller (AGDC) <Tetsuji Oguchi, et al.>
		µPD765C	Floppy Disk Controller {NEC Fuchu Peripheral Equipment Division}
		µPD7720AD	Signal Processor {NEC Central Research}
		µPD277	Single-chip 8 Digit 1 memory Desk-top Calculator <Toshio Oura>
Casio	NEC	µPD977	Single-chip 8 Digit 1 memory Desk-top Calculator
		µPD871B	Digital watch
		µPD873G
Intel		8080A	8 bit Microprocessor
		8085A	8 bit Microprocessor
		iD8086	16 bit Microprocessor
Intel	NEC	µPD8086D	16 bit Microprocessor  - Reverse engineering of iD8086
	Oki	80C86A	16 bit Microprocessor  - License manufacturing (Second source) of iD8086
Zilog		84C00	8 bit Microprocessor (Z80)
Nintendo	Ricoh	RP2C02	Television Game Processor (Family Computer with RP2A03)
Motorola		RP2A03	8 bit Microprocessor  - Reverse engineering of Motorola 6800
	Motorola	68000	16 bit Microprocessor (Apple Macintosh)
TI		TMS9918A	Television Game Processor (Multiple chips)

{}; Architectural design by
<>; Architectural & Logic design by


Enginnering Analysis Report
  - SC 179 LSI (Scientific Calculator LSI; 3/4/1974)
  - SC 978 LSI (Scientific Calculator LSI; 1/21/1975)
  - HP Model 65 (Scientific Calculator with programming function by magnetic tape; 3/10/1975)



Video Game LSIs
  VDP (Video Display Processor) Analysis (contributed by Mr. Masao Hirasawa, ex-NEC; 9/22/1983)
    - NEC µPD777 (Epoch Cassette Vision etc.)
    - Texas Instrument TMS9918 (Sega SC-3000 etc.)
    - Ricoh RP2C02 (First generation of Nintendo's Family Computer)


Audio Video Processing Related
  - Nvidia Graphics Card Installation
    - Heaven UNIGINE benchmark result
    - Final Fantasy benchmark result
  - Topaz Photo AI photo image improvement result


Nintendo's Family Computer (HVC-001)
I have visited Nintendo in 3/1983. It was normal that at least five people attended when I visited various customers.  Therefore, it was so special for me that only one person attended the meeting held at Nintendo. His name was Mr. Tsutomu Yamao (Probably, he was involved in HVC-001 development with Mr. Masayuki Uemura as a deputy manager).
We talked in a room where three arcade game machines were displayed.  After the technical talk completed, he brought us to bigger room next door filled with so many arcade game machines.  Just before we were leaving, he disclosed that "Nintendo will release a new game machine for home next month."  The product was the epoch-making "Family Computer".
As soon as it was actually released in 7/1983, he gave me three Family Computers and six game cartridges with different title.
Over five years had passed since NEC µPD777/µPD778 (7 bit single-chip microcomputer for game application adopted by Epoch later on) were released in 1978.

  - Family Computer
  - Super Mario Music
  - Short video of Mr. Masayuki Uemura


FPGA
  - FPGA BoardUpdated on
4/5/24
  - VGA Color BarsUpdated on
4/3/24


Users Manuals and Design Manuals
  - Users Manual NEC µPD7220A
  - Users Manual NEC µPD72120
  - Design Manual NEC µPD7720
  - Data Sheet Chips and Technologies 82C455
  - Data Sheet Chips and Technologies 82C456
  - Data Sheet Chips and Technologies 82C457


Personal Computer Schematics
  - Tandy Radio Shack TRS80 (8 bit personal computer)Updated on
11/14/24
  - NEC PC8001 (8 bit personal computer)Updated on
11/14/24
  - NEC PC9801 (16 bit personal computer)Updated on
11/14/24

About Litigation between Western Digital & Toshiba

Joint Venture of SanDisk and Toshiba
SanDisk acquired by Western Digital and Toshiba mutually established joint venture concerning NAND flash memory development & manufacturing at Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan in 2000.
For last 17 years, the two companies have been investing a lot, $XY billion, in proportion to Toshiba (51%) and SanDisk (49%) beyond five generations of factory expansion, etc..

As a result of the joint development, San Disk and Toshiba co-authored papers (theses) for prestigious IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) ISSCC (International Solid State Circuit Conference) and 13 theses were accepted (See “ISSCC Papers Co-aurthored.pdf”).
SanDisk and Toshiba co-assigned US patents and 123 patents were registered (See “US Patents Co-assigned.pdf”).


Western Digital's Concerns
Based upon the long term successful cooperation, Western Digital expressed help bailing out Toshiba facing with fatal financial problem (See “WD Willing to Help Toshiba.pdf”), 4/25/2017.
Western Digital CEO Steve Milligan kindly stated concerning Toshiba problem at WD 2017 third fiscal quarter conference call (Listen to “Milligan Comment about Toshiba” and read ”Dictation of Milligan Comment”), 4/27/2017.


Sanjay Mehrotora & Khandker Quader
The joint venture was initiated by Sanjay Mehrotora (Vice president R&D, in those days) who also requested SanDisk acquisition to Western Digital in August 2015 as President & CEO of SanDisk.
Khandker Quader led flash memory design cooperating with Toshiba.

The two people already left SanDisk (See “Sanjay & Khandker.pdf”)

Khandker became President & CEO of SK Hynix Memory Solutions which is US subsidiary of SK Hynix in June, 2013.
Lawsuit against SK Hynix was filed by SanDisk and Toshiba in March, 2014 (See “Lawsuit against SK Hynix.pdf”).
Khandker left SK Hynix Memory Solutions in June, 2014, during the lawsuit.

Sanjay became board member of Western Digital for a while. Then, Sanjay became President & CEO of Micron Technology in May, 2017.
Micron Technology acquired Lexar Media, one of competitors of SanDisk flash memory business, in 2006.
Micron Technology fully acquired Elpida Memory, a Japanese sole DRAM manufacturer merged in NEC (Nippon Electric Company) and Hitachi, in 2013.


Settlement Announcement
Western Digital CEO Steve Milligan announced the eventual achievement of the settlement.
(Listen to “Milligan Announcement about Toshiba” and read ”Dictation of Milligan Announcement”), 12/12/2017.



My Way of Engineering Life

I keenly feel with the fact that this song (My Way) exactly expresses my way of engineering life.

My Way

And now, the end is near.
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I'll say it clear.
I'll state my case of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life that's full.
I've traveled each and every highway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets, I've had a few.
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do,
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course.
Each careful step along the byway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall,
And did it my way.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried.
I've had my fill, my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that,
And may I say - not in a shy way?
"Oh no, oh no not me,
I did it my way".

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels,
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows,
And did it my way!