Nikon Patents

Nikon Corporation manufactures and sells semiconductor and FPD lithography equipment, digital cameras, lenses and accessories, and microscopes and other measuring instruments.

Nikon Patents by Type
  • Nikon Patents Granted: Nikon patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Nikon Patent Applications: Nikon patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Patent number: 11867691
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a determination unit configured to determine a type of autophagy induced in a cell, based on information indicative of autophagic activity in the cell present in a cell image in which the cell is image captured and based on information indicative of congestion of molecules in the cell present in the cell image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Kenta Imai, Mamiko Masutani, Masayuki Murata, Fumi Kano, Yoshiyuki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11868028
    Abstract: An accessory includes: a detection terminal; a first power supply terminal through which a first power supply voltage is supplied; a second power supply terminal through which a second power supply voltage is supplied; a ground terminal; a ready terminal; a first clock terminal; a first data terminal; a second data terminal; a second clock terminal; a third data terminal; a first circuit to which the first power supply voltage is supplied through the first power supply terminal; and a second circuit to which the second power supply voltage is supplied through the second power supply terminal, wherein: the ground terminal is used as a ground potential for the first circuit and the second circuit; and a distance between the second clock terminal and the first power supply terminal is longer than a distance between the first clock terminal and the first power supply terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Funaoka
  • Publication number: 20240007749
    Abstract: A camera body with which it is possible to improve the effect of shake correction, a camera accessory, and an information transmission method wherein the camera body to which a camera accessory can be detachably mounted, and includes: a movable section which is movable to correct shaking of the camera body; a detection unit which detects the shake and outputs a detection signal; a calculation unit which, on the basis of the detection signal, calculates an amount of movement of the movable section; and a transmission unit which transmits, to the camera accessory, body-side information the calculation unit uses to calculate the amount of movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sueyuki OHISHI
  • Publication number: 20240004176
    Abstract: A quantitative phase image generating method for a microscope, includes: irradiating an object with illumination light; disposing a focal point of an objective lens at each of a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps ?z along an optical axis of the objective lens, and detecting light from the object; generating sets of light intensity distribution data corresponding to each of the plurality of positions based upon the detected light; and generating a quantitative phase image based upon the light intensity distribution data; wherein the gap ?z is set based upon setting information of the microscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota TSUCHIDA, Satoshi IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20240003814
    Abstract: A microscope includes: an illumination optical system which irradiates a specimen with excitation light; a detector which detects fluorescence emitted from the specimen; and an observation optical system which guides fluorescence to the detector and includes: a first optical filter having wavelength reflection and transmission characteristics that vary depending on where light enters; a second optical filter disposed in an optical path of light reflected by the first optical filter, having a boundary wavelength of transmission changing with respect to a position along a first direction, and transmitting light having a wavelength longer than a first boundary wavelength at where the reflected light enters; and a third optical filter disposed in the optical path and having a boundary wavelength of transmission changing with respect to a position along the first direction, and transmitting light having a wavelength shorter than a second boundary wavelength at where the reflected light enters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota TSUCHIDA, Yasunori MORISHITA, Yuta OSHIDARI
  • Patent number: 11864117
    Abstract: An electronic device including a generation unit, a reception unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The generation unit generates data. The reception unit receives, from an external device, position information related to a position. The storage unit stores the received position information. The control unit determines an elapsed length of time that has passed since the reception unit received the position information. In response to the elapsed length of time being less than a predetermined length of time, the control unit correlates the generated data with the stored position information. In response to the elapsed length of time being greater than or equal to the predetermined length of time, the control unit transmits a request, to the external device, to transmit updated position information, and correlates the generated data with the updated position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naotaka Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11860111
    Abstract: An image reconstruction method, includes: generating differential data indicating a difference between detection data generated by detecting X-ray that passed through a measurement object by irradiating X-rays to the measurement object and estimate data generated by estimating X-rays that are assumed to have been passed through an estimated structure having been generated by estimating a shape of the measurement object; and generating an image using the differential data and the estimated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11858132
    Abstract: An encoder device including a position detection unit for detecting position information of a moving part; a magnet having a plurality of polarities along a moving direction of the moving part; and an electric signal generation unit for generating an electric signal, based on a magnetic characteristic of a magnetosensitive part, the electric signal generation unit having the magnetosensitive part whose magnetic characteristic is changed by a change in magnetic field associated with relative movement to the magnet, wherein the magnetosensitive part is disposed so that the magnetosensitive part is spaced apart from a side surface of the magnet in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction and a length direction of the magnetosensitive part is orthogonal to tangential directions of at least some of magnetic field lines of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11863887
    Abstract: An image sensor including a pixel that includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit, each of which generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light; an output unit that outputs a first signal generated based upon the electric charge generated in the first photoelectric conversion unit and a second signal generated based upon an electric charge generated in the second photoelectric conversion unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance at the output unit upon outputting of the first signal and the second signal from the output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20230421911
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: an imaging unit including a region having a pixel group that has a plurality of first pixels, and second pixels that are fewer than the first pixels in the pixel group; and a control unit that reads out the signals based upon exposure of the second pixels during exposure of the plurality of first pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi GOHARA, Satoshi TSUCHIYA
  • Patent number: 11854201
    Abstract: A current observation area is determined exploratorily from among a plurality of candidate areas, on the basis of a plurality of observed areas in a biological tissue. A plurality of reference images obtained by means of low-magnification observation of the biological tissue are utilized at this time. A learning image is acquired by means of high-magnification observation of the determined current observation area. A plurality of convolution filters included in an estimator can be utilized to evaluate the plurality of candidate areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohki Konishi, Mitsuo Suga, Hideo Nishioka
  • Patent number: 11854288
    Abstract: To determine the state of a subject person with a simple structure, an image determining device includes: an imaging unit that captures an image from a first direction, the image including the subject person; a first detector that detects size information from the image, the size information being about the subject person in the first direction; a second detector that detects position-related information, the position-related information being different from the information detected by the first detector; and a determining unit that determines the state of the subject person, based on a result of the detection performed by the first detector and a result of the detection performed by the second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yamamoto, Masahiro Nei, Isao Totsuka, Tomoyuki Matsuyama, Masamitsu Yanagihara, Satoshi Hagiwara, Masakazu Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20230405709
    Abstract: A processing system includes: a processing apparatus configured to process an object; a measurement apparatus configured to measure a three-dimensional shape of a part of the object; and a control apparatus configured to control the processing apparatus, the control apparatus controls the processing based on three-dimensional shape information of a second area of a surface of the object, three-dimensional shape information is calculated based on a measured result obtained by measuring a first area of the surface of the object by using the measurement apparatus and model information representing a three-dimensional model of at least a part of the object, the three-dimensional shape information of the second area is calculated without performing a measurement of a three-dimensional shape of the second area by the measurement apparatus, at least a part of the second area is processed by the processing apparatus based on the three-dimensional shape information of the second area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kaneyuki NAITO
  • Publication number: 20230405729
    Abstract: An imaging head includes: a deflection optical system configured to deflect light from at least a part of a melt pool part, the melt pool part is formed on the object by an irradiation with a processing beam from the processing head; an imaging apparatus configured to optically receive the light deflected by the deflection optical system to capture an image of at least a part of the melt pool part; and a supply unit configured to supply gas from a gas supply apparatus to at least a part of an optical surface of the deflection optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu KURAMI, Koichi YASUBA
  • Publication number: 20230408494
    Abstract: A method of analyzing neurons includes: identifying a cell region by identifying a region of a neurite or a region of a cell body of a neuron on the basis of time-series images obtained by imaging the neuron in time series; detecting aggregates by imaging, in time series, first fluorescent protein tagged to specific protein expressed in the neuron and detecting presence or absence of aggregates of the specific protein aggregated in the region of the neurite or the region of the cell body identified in the identifying the cell region on the basis of luminance of the first fluorescent protein included in the time-series images; and performing an analysis by classifying the neuron into a plurality of groups on the basis of a detection result of the detecting the aggregates and analyzing a survival state of the neuron for each of the groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru ICHIHASHI, Takahiko YOSHIDA, Moeka NOBUTA
  • Publication number: 20230411428
    Abstract: An element includes a plurality of light-receiving elements to photoelectrically convert light received from an object, a convolution processing unit to perform convolution operation on signals that are output from the plurality of light-receiving elements, and a pooling processing unit to sample a signal that is output from the convolution processing unit, based on a predetermined condition. The convolution operation of the convolution processing unit and the sampling of the pooling processing unit are repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Sota NAKANISHI, Tomohisa ISHIDA, Atsushi MIYAMOTO, Kiyoshi UCHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230408804
    Abstract: An objective lens (OL) comprises, disposed in order from an object: a positive lens (L11); a negative meniscus lens (L12) cemented to the positive lens (L11) and having a concave surface facing the object; and a positive meniscus lens (L13) having a concave surface facing the object; wherein the objective lens satisfies following conditional expressions 2.03?n1m?2.30 and 20??1m, where, n1m: a refractive index of the negative meniscus lens (L12) with respect to a d-line, and ?1m: an Abbe number of the negative meniscus lens (L12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuya WATANABE, Azuna NONAKA
  • Publication number: 20230400773
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a spatial light modulator (SLM), a generation unit that acquires a measurement result from a measurement system measuring positions of semiconductor chips arranged on a first substrate, determines a wiring connecting the semiconductor chips based on the measurement result, generates control data used for control of the SLM in generating the determined wiring pattern, and stores the control data in a storage unit, and an exposure processing unit that controls the SLM using the control data stored in the storage unit and exposes the wiring pattern, wherein at least one of measurement of the positions of the semiconductor chips on the first substrate, acquisition of the measurement result, determination of the wiring pattern, generation of the control data, or storage of the control data is executed while the exposure processing unit is performing exposure processing on a second substrate different from the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Yasushi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20230403467
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus including: an image capturing device that has a plurality of pixels outputting pixel signals according to incident light, the plurality of pixels being divided into a plurality of blocks each including at least two pixels, and an exposure condition being set for each block; an image capture control unit that changes a light receiving position on the image capturing device, based on an exposure condition set for an adjacent block; and an image processing unit that synthesizes a plurality of images which are generated at a plurality of the light receiving positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi OGATA, Shigeru DOIDA, Erika KOISHI
  • Patent number: 11842905
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a stacked substrate by bonding a first substrate and a second substrate, including a step of determining, based on information about curving of each of the first substrate and the second substrate, whether or not the first substrate and the second substrate satisfy a predetermined condition, and, a step of bonding the first substrate and the second substrate if the predetermined condition is satisfied. The stacked substrate manufacturing method described above includes a step of estimating, based on the information, an amount of misalignment which occurs after the first substrate is bonded to the second substrate and the predetermined condition may include that the amount of misalignment is equal to or less than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Sugaya, Hajime Mitsuishi
  • Publication number: 20230390864
    Abstract: An optical processing apparatus includes: a split optical system configured to split a first light beam, which enters thereto, into a second light beam including a plurality of light beams; a magnification varying optical system that is disposed on at least one of an optical path of the first light beam entering the split optical system and an optical path of the plurality of light beams included in the second light beam emitted from the split optical system; and a condensing optical system configured to condenses the second light beam, wherein an object is processed by the second light beam from the condensing optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenta SUDO
  • Publication number: 20230392922
    Abstract: Detectors are situated along a tilted optical axis to receive optical radiation from a work surface. Variations in the received optical power are used to estimate a work surface positional along a work surface axis. The received optical power can be emitted from the work surface and an estimated temperature of the work surface used to adjust the received optical power. One or two single element detectors or a linear detector can be used. A position of a focused spot produced from the received optical power at the linear detector can be used to assess work surface axial position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Peter GOODWIN, Zhi-Wei LIN
  • Publication number: 20230396894
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20230393364
    Abstract: A lens barrel having good optical performance, the lens barrel includes a first lens holding frame that holds a first lens, a first guide bar that guides the first lens holding frame in an optical axis direction, a contact member that is in contact with the first guide bar, and a biasing member that is in contact with the first lens holding frame and biases the contact member toward the first guide bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji NAGAOKA, Takuji HAMASAKI
  • Patent number: 11836194
    Abstract: An information acquisition system includes: a mobile terminal; and an information search system. The information search system searches for information on a route based on route information input from the mobile terminal and transmits a search result to the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal includes a navigation unit that navigates the route from a departure point to a destination. The information search system includes: a database in which information on the route is stored in correspondence with the route information; and an information search server that searches for the information on the route from the database based on the route information and acquires reservation information for transportation on the route based on the information on the route from a reservation system of the transportation, and the information search server transmits the reservation information to the mobile terminal together with the information on the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideya Inoue, Toru Iwaoka, Michiko Noborisaka, Masayuki Hatori, Tomohide Hamada
  • Patent number: 11835934
    Abstract: The problem of addressing vibrational disturbances in mechanical positioning systems is addressed by systems and methods that use a combination of active vibration dampening and passive vibration dampening. A system described herein generally comprises a mechanical positioning system; a payload; and a vibration dampening module coupled to the mechanical position system and to the payload. The vibration dampening module generally comprises an active vibration dampener and/or a passive vibration dampener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Parker-McCormick Bjork
  • Publication number: 20230381877
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus that applies a processing light for melting a solder disposed on a circuit board, includes: a light irradiation apparatus that includes a Galvano mirror and that applies the processing light through the Galvano mirror; a detection apparatus that detects a light from the circuit board and that generates at least one of image data and shape data; a robot arm that is provided with the light irradiation apparatus and the detection apparatus and that includes a driver that moves the light irradiation apparatus and the detection apparatus; and a control apparatus that controls a direction of the Galvano mirror such that the processing light from the light irradiation apparatus that is displaced with the detection apparatus is applied to a same position, on the basis of at least one of the data that are changed in accordance with a displacement of the detection apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji HOSOMI, Shinji SATO, Tomoki MIYAKAWA, Satoshi HASEGAWA, Kohei MIMURA, Junya HIRATA, Hayate SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20230388633
    Abstract: A camera accessory that is attachable to and detachable from a camera body, includes: a correction optical system that is movable in a direction intersecting an optical axis thereof; and a first communication unit that transmits to the camera body a first information regarding a position of the correction optical system and a second information regarding a vibration of the camera accessory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sueyuki OHISHI
  • Publication number: 20230381978
    Abstract: A machine (10) for positioning an object (12) includes a movable part (16C) and a vibration reduction assembly (24) that couples the object (12) to the movable part (16C). Further, the vibration reduction assembly (24) reduces a magnitude of a vibration being transferred from the movable part (16C) to the object (12). The vibration reduction assembly (24) can include an actively controlled support system (30) and an actively controlled actuator system (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Birk BINNARD, Matthew Parker-McCormick BJORK, Yoon Jung JEONG
  • Publication number: 20230388674
    Abstract: To divide an image capture region into multiple regions for which different image capture conditions are set and to generate multiple moving images corresponding to the multiple regions. An electronic apparatus includes an image sensor that captures first and second moving images in first and second regions of an image capture region on different image capture conditions, the second region differing from the first region, and a moving image generation unit that generates the first and second moving images captured in the first and second regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi TSUCHIYA
  • Publication number: 20230375818
    Abstract: An infinity-corrected microscope objective lens has, arranged in order from the object side along an optical axis, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, and a second lens group having a positive refractive power, an intermediate image forming plane in which light from an object forms an image being positioned between the first lens group and the second lens group, and the microscope objective lens satisfying the condition below. ?0.2<f×NA/TL <0.05, where f is the focal length of the microscope objective lens, NA is the object-side numerical aperture of the microscope objective lens, and TL is the distance on the optical axis from the lens surface of the microscope objective lens on the side thereof closest to the object to the lens surface of the microscope objective lens on the side thereof closest to the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoya TOKUNAGA, Kei TOMIMATSU, Katsuya WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20230379597
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixel blocks and a connection unit. The plurality of pixel blocks includes: a diffusion unit to which an electric charge resulting from photoelectric conversion is transferred; and a transistor containing a source electrically connected with the diffusion unit. The connection unit is electrically connected with a drain of the transistor included in each of the plurality of pixel blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi KOMAI, Yoshiyuki WATANABE, Osamu SARUWATARI
  • Patent number: 11822063
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object, a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, a third lens group having a negative refractive power, and a fourth lens group. Zooming is performed by changing respective distances between the first and second lens groups, the second and third lens groups, and the third and fourth lens groups. The first lens group includes a negative lens disposed closest to the object, and a negative lens. Specified conditional expressions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Koida
  • Patent number: 11823935
    Abstract: A stacking apparatus that stacks substrate and a second substrate includes: a plurality of holding members that hold the first substrate, wherein the plurality of bolding members correct positional misalignment of the first substrate relative to the second substrate by preset amounts of correction, and the plurality of holding members include holding members having the amounts of correction that are different from each other. The stacking apparatus may further include a carrying unit that carries a holding member that is selected from among the plurality of holding members and holds the first substrate from a position here the holding member is housed to a position where the first substrate is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Mitsuishi, Isao Sugaya, Minoru Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11825225
    Abstract: An imaging element comprising: an imaging unit that has: a plurality of groups each including at least one pixel; and a plurality of signal readout units that are each provided to each of the groups and read out a signal from the pixel; and a control unit that controls the signal readout unit in at least one group among the plurality of groups is provided. Each of the plurality of groups may include a plurality of the pixels. The control unit may select at least one group among the plurality of groups and control the signal readout unit by using a control parameter that is different from a control parameter that is used for another group among the plurality of groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kuriyama, Hironobu Murata, Shiro Tsunai, Tetsuya Konishi, Masahiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20230369993
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an element displaced by application of voltage; an elastic body having a contact surface coming into contact with the element, a drive surface to produce a vibration wave by displacement of the element, and a plurality of grooves; a moving element come into contact with the drive surface and rotated by the vibration wave; an annular ring rotated by rotating of the moving element; and a lens moved in an optical axis direction by rotating of the annular ring; wherein the element mainly contains a material having potassium sodium niobate, potassium niobate, sodium niobate, or barium titanate, wherein a value of [(T/B)÷W] is in a range of 0.84 to 1.94, where T represents a depth of the groove, B represents a distance from a bottom part of the groove to the contact surface, and W represents a radial width of the elastic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takatoshi ASHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20230365455
    Abstract: A glass composition includes, as main content components, by mass %, a TeO2 content percentage of 50% to 80%, a Bi2O3 content percentage of 0% to 30%, a WO3 content percentage of 0% to 30%, a ZnO content percentage of 0% to 30%, a BaO content percentage of 0% to 30%, a GeO2 content percentage of 0% to 30%, and a Ga2O3 content percentage of 0% to 30%, wherein at least any one of additive target elements is introduced, the additive target elements including, Si4+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, B3+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, P5+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, Li+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, Na+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, K+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, Mg2+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, Ca2+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, Al3+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg, and Sr2+ of 1 mg/kg to 1,500 mg/kg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei YOSHIMOTO, Miki FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20230367230
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes: light source that emits exposure light; exposure pattern forming apparatus including a plurality of exposure elements and disposed on an optical path of at least part of exposure light; and control unit electrically connected to exposure pattern forming apparatus, in which control unit controls whether workpiece is irradiated with exposure light via each of exposure elements by switching each of exposure elements to a first or second state, and integrates exposure amount in predetermined region of scheduled exposure region by sequentially irradiating predetermined region with light of part of exposure light via a first exposure element in first state among plurality of exposure elements and light of part of exposure light via second exposure element in the first state different from the first exposure element among the plurality of exposure elements in accordance with a relative movement of the workpiece and the exposure pattern forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi MURAKAMI, Koutarou TAKIGAMI, Tetsuya ABE
  • Patent number: 11815659
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spectacle lens having low surface resistivity. This spectacle lens includes a spectacle lens base and a hard coat layer. When a primer layer is included between the spectacle lens base material and the hard coat layer, the primer layer and/or the hard coat layer contains at least one type of electroconductive filler selected from the group consisting of ionic liquid-coated nanowires containing metal nanowires and an ionic liquid coating the metal nanowire, and ionic liquid-coated nanoparticles containing metal nanoparticles and an ionic liquid coating the metal nanoparticles. When the primer layer is not included between the spectacle lens base material and the hard coat layer, the hard coat layer contains the at least one type of electroconductive filler selected from the group consisting of the ionic liquid-coated nanowires and ionic liquid-coated nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON-ESSILOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuka Igami
  • Patent number: 11815654
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes: a first lens; a first tube that holds the first lens and moves along an optical axis; a focusing lens; an actuator that drives the focusing lens; and a second tube that holds the focusing lens and the actuator and moves along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Kinouchi, Kentaro Terao, Satoshi Kazahaya, Hiroki Takita, Mizuki Wayu
  • Publication number: 20230355089
    Abstract: An image signal output device including an acquisition section configured to acquire a fundus image, a selection section configured to select a projection for displaying the acquired fundus image from plural projections, a conversion section configured to convert the fundus image into the selected projection, and a processing section configured to output an image signal of the converted fundus image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi TANABE, Tomoharu FUJIWARA, Mariko HIROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230362512
    Abstract: An image sensor, includes: a plurality of pixels arranged along both of a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, each having a photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light; a plurality of signal lines disposed along the second direction, each connected to a plurality of pixels arranged along the first direction; and a control unit that executes control so as to output signals, each generated based upon the electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit, to the signal lines different from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230362513
    Abstract: An imaging sensor including: a plurality of photoelectric conversion units provided in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction and configured to generate electric charges through photoelectric conversion; signal lines each of which is wired in the second direction and to which signals based on the electric charges generated by the photoelectric conversion units are output; and processing units configured to process the signals output to the signal lines, wherein, in a second region between a first region in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are provided in the first direction and the second direction and a plurality of the processing units, a plurality of the signal lines are adjacent to each other in at least one of the second direction and a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoki HIRATA, Daiki OGURA, Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Masahiro JUEN
  • Publication number: 20230359066
    Abstract: An eyeglass lens design device designs a pair of aspherical lenses which have different strengths for the left and right lenses, and have rotational symmetry or axial symmetry around a component of a fixed focal length lens for a distance prescription comprising a fixed focal length lens or a progressive refractive lens, and includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire left prism amount information corresponding to a left-eye strength and right prism amount information corresponding to a right-eye strength, a calculation unit configured to calculate a computed value of a left prism amount and a right prism amount on the basis of the left prism amount information and the right prism amount information, and a change unit configured to calculate a design parameter change amount of the right-eye aspherical lens and/or the left-eye aspherical lens on the basis of the computed value of the left prism amount and the right prism amount, and to change a design parameter thereof on the basis of the calculated des
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON-ESSILOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sungjin CHO
  • Publication number: 20230358990
    Abstract: In order to reduce the noise of a lens barrel, the lens barrel includes a plurality of diaphragm blades, a driver driving the plurality of diaphragm blades, a first opening member that holds the driver, a second opening member including a plurality of facing portions opposed to the first opening member in an optical axis direction, and a plurality of buffer members disposed between the first opening member and the plurality of facing portions, respectively, wherein the plurality of buffer members position the first opening member with respect to the second opening member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ichiro IMAEI
  • Publication number: 20230362504
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro TSUNAI
  • Publication number: 20230359106
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light having entered therein, and a first light blocking unit that blocks a part of light about to enter the first photoelectric conversion unit; and a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light having entered therein and a second light blocking unit that blocks a part of light about to enter the second photoelectric conversion unit, wherein: the first photoelectric conversion unit and the first light blocking unit are set apart from each other by a distance different from a distance setting apart the second photoelectric conversion unit and the second light blocking unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki TAKAHARA
  • Publication number: 20230362507
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a plurality of microlenses arranged in a two-dimensional pattern; and a plurality of pixels that are provided in correspondence to each of the microlenses and receive lights of different color components, respectively. Pixels that are provided at adjacent microlenses among the microlenses and that receive lights of same color components, are adjacently arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu MURATA
  • Patent number: 11808929
    Abstract: A quantitative phase image generating method for a microscope, includes: irradiating an object with illumination light; disposing a focal point of an objective lens at each of a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps ?z along an optical axis of the objective lens, and detecting light from the object; generating sets of light intensity distribution data corresponding to each of the plurality of positions based upon the detected light; and generating a quantitative phase image based upon the light intensity distribution data; wherein the gap ?z is set based upon setting information of the microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Tsuchida, Satoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11812172
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai