Patents by Inventor Atsushi Toda

Atsushi Toda has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP UNIT AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150228693
    Abstract: There is configured a solid-state image pickup unit including a photoelectric conversion section formed on a light incident side of a substrate; a first charge accumulation section accumulating a signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion section; a second charge accumulation section formed in a region other than a light-condensing region where incident light is condensed in the substrate on a side opposite to a light incident side and formed to be laminated together with the first charge accumulation section in a depth direction of the substrate; and a floating diffusion section formed in a region other than the light-condensing region in the substrate on the side opposite to the light incident side and converting the signal charge into a voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda
  • Vehicle lamp controller, vehicle lamp system, and vehicle lamp control method
    Patent number: 9096171
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp controller, a vehicle lamp system having the vehicle controller, and a vehicle lamp control method are provided. The vehicle lamp controller includes a receiver configured to receive information on a detected vector from an output of an acceleration sensor, a memory in which a plurality of reference vectors are stored, the reference vectors corresponding to different pitch angles of a vehicle, a control unit configured to obtain a pitch angle of the vehicle from the detected vector and one of the reference vectors that has a smallest angle with respect to the detected vector, and to generate a control signal for adjusting an optical axis of a vehicle lamp based on the obtained pitch angle, and a transmitter configured to transmit the control signal to an optical axis adjustment portion of the vehicle lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
  • INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD
    Publication number: 20150196199
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a light emitting unit configured to emit light; an optical unit configured to induce an optical influence to the light from the light emitting unit, the optical unit having an astigmatic lens configured to generate astigmatism with a plurality of focal lengths; a detecting unit configured to detect the light emitted in the light emitting unit, radiated outside through the optical unit, and reflected by an object; and a measuring unit configured to measure a distance to the object based on astigmatism generated in the reflection light detected in the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda
  • PHYSICAL INFORMATION ACQUISITION METHOD, PHYSICAL INFORMATION ACQUISITION DEVICE, AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
    Publication number: 20150201136
    Abstract: A physical information acquisition method in which a corresponding wavelength region of visible light with at least one visible light detection unit coupled to an image signal processing unit is detected, each said visible light detection unit comprising a color filter adapted to transmit the corresponding wavelength region of visible light; a wavelength region of infrared light with at least one infrared light detection unit coupled to the image signal processing unit is detected; and, with the signal processing unit, a first signal received from the at least one visible light detection unit by subtracting a product from said first signal is corrected, said product resulting from multiplication of a second signal received from the at least one infrared light detection unit and a predetermined coefficient factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Genta Sato
  • SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150187843
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes at least two stacked first and second photoelectric conversion sections in each of a plurality of pixels. Sensitivity of the first photoelectric conversion section to a light incident angle is equivalent to sensitivity of the second photoelectric conversion section to a light incident angle, for each of the pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Keisuke Hatano, Atsushi Toda
  • Vehicle lamp control device and vehicle lamp system
    Patent number: 9067533
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle lamp includes: a receiving section which receives an acceleration value usable to derive a tilt angle of a vehicle to a horizontal plane, wherein the tilt angle of the vehicle to the horizontal plane is represented as a total angle; and a control section which controls an optical axis adjustment of the vehicle lamp. The control section derives from the total angle a first and a second provisional vehicle posture angles based on a first and a second calculation method, respectively, corrects the first or second provisional vehicle posture angle so that a difference between the first and the second provisional vehicle posture angles becomes small, sets the corrected provisional vehicle posture angle to the vehicle posture angle, and outputs a control signal for instructing the optical axis adjustment of the vehicle lamp according to the vehicle posture angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
  • SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, LIGHT DETECTING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150179845
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a Multi-Quantum Wells (MQW) structure which combines and uses a non-Group IV lattice matching-based compound semiconductor with an absolute value of a mismatch ratio of less than 1% on a silicon substrate so as to have sensitivity to at least infrared light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda
  • Control device for vehicle lamp and vehicle lamp system
    Patent number: 9050927
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a vehicle lamp. The device includes: a receiver configured to receive an output value from an inclination sensor; and a controller configured to control an optical axis of the vehicle lamp based on a vehicle attitude angle that is an inclination angle of the vehicle with respect to a road surface. The controller is configured to control the optical axis in a first optical axis control mode or a second optical axis mode, wherein an optical axis angle of the optical axis is adjusted in accordance with the vehicle attitude angle in the first optical axis mode, and the second optical axis control mode is different from the first optical axis control mode. The controller controls the optical axis in the second optical axis control mode, when the vehicle attitude angle is not included in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Kazuo Goto, Atsushi Toda
  • SOLID-STATE IMAGING UNIT AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150123228
    Abstract: There is configured a solid-state imaging unit including: a semiconductor base 21 having one surface serving as a circuit formation surface and another surface serving as a light receiving surface; a photoelectric conversion section 22 provided in the semiconductor base 21; a reflection layer 24 provided on the circuit formation surface above the photoelectric conversion section 22; and an insulating section 23 arranged in the reflection layer 24.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Keisuke Hatano, Atsushi Toda
  • Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device, and electronic equipment
    Patent number: 8994858
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric transformation portion and a micro lens, the micro lens has a first refractive index layer which is a first refractive index and a second refractive index layer which is a second refractive index different from the first refractive index, wherein the micro lens is configured so that a vertical cross section, which is a surface perpendicular to the capturing surface, has a rectangular shape, wherein each of the first refractive index layer and the second refractive index layer are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction along the capturing surface, and an interface between the first refractive index layer and the second refractive index layer in the vertical cross section is formed so as to follow a direction perpendicular to the capturing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Koshino, Atsushi Toda, Yoichi Otsuka
  • Vehicle lamp control apparatus and vehicle lamp system
    Patent number: 8983734
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for enhancing the accuracy of auto-leveling control to adjust the optical axis of a vehicle lamp using an acceleration sensor. A controller stores reference values of first and second angles, updates the reference value of the second angle by treating a change of a sum angle during a vehicle stop as a change of the second angle, and updates the reference value of the first angle by treating a change of the sum angle when the vehicle is stopped as a change of the first angle. The controller derives a difference between a value of the sum angle and a sum of the reference values of the first and second angles, and corrects at least one of the reference values so as to reduce the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
  • Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 8981515
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions stacked at different depths within a semiconductor substrate of each pixel to photoelectrically convert light of different wavelength bands, and a discharge region formed between the photoelectric conversion regions adjacent to each other in a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate to discharge charges generated by photoelectric conversion in regions between the photoelectric conversion regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Hatano, Atsushi Toda
  • Automotive headlamp apparatus and light distribution control method
    Patent number: 8979334
    Abstract: A automotive headlamp apparatus is configured such that, when there is a forward vehicle positioned in a predetermined first area, a control unit controls a shading unit so as to generate a single additional light distribution pattern selected from multiple additional light distribution patterns such that exposure of the forward vehicle to illumination is shielded, and when there is a forward vehicle positioned in a predetermined second area, the control unit controls the shading unit so as to generate a single additional light distribution pattern selected from multiple additional light distribution patterns, and controls a driving unit so as to swivel the optical axis of a lamp unit, such that the forward vehicle is not exposed to illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
  • Physical information acquisition method, physical information acquisition device, and semiconductor device
    Patent number: 8981278
    Abstract: A physical information acquisition method in which a corresponding wavelength region of visible light with at least one visible light detection unit coupled to an image signal processing unit is detected, each said visible light detection unit comprising a color filter adapted to transmit the corresponding wavelength region of visible light; a wavelength region of infrared light with at least one infrared light detection unit coupled to the image signal processing unit is detected; and, with the signal processing unit, a first signal received from the at least one visible light detection unit by subtracting a product from said first signal is corrected, said product resulting from multiplication of a second signal received from the at least one infrared light detection unit and a predetermined coefficient factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Genta Sato
  • IMAGING DEVICE, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150069564
    Abstract: Solid-state imaging devices, methods to produce the solid-state imaging devices, and electronic apparatuses including the solid-state imaging devices, where the solid-state imaging devices include a semiconductor substrate including a light receiving surface; a plurality of photoelectric conversion parts provided within the semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of reflection portions provided in the semiconductor substrate on a side of the photoelectric conversion parts that is opposite from the light receiving surface; where each of the reflection portions includes a reflection plate and a plurality of metal wirings, and where the plurality of metal wirings are disposed in a same layer of the semiconductor substrate as the reflection plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Keisuke Hatano, Atsushi Toda
  • Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus having an on-chip micro lens with rectangular shaped convex portions
    Patent number: 8969776
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a light sensing portion which is formed on a substrate and generates a signal electric charge according to incident light; a rectangular or gradient-index on-chip micro lens formed on a light incident side above the light sensing portion; and a planarized lens layer which covers the on-chip micro lens and is formed in such a manner that a light incident surface is planarized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromi Wano, Atsushi Toda, Yoichi Otsuka, Atsushi Yamamoto
  • IMAGE PICKUP ELEMENT AND IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE
    Publication number: 20150048378
    Abstract: Provided is an image pickup element that includes a photoelectric conversion section provided on a semiconductor substrate and including a chalcopyrite-based compound. The photoelectric conversion section has a band gap that is relatively wide on a light incident surface side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Shunsuke Maruyama, Atsushi Toda
  • METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150016829
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a developer container including a frame configured to define a developer containing portion, a first electrode, and a second electrode arranged on a surface of the frame and having a surface opposed to the first electrode, a developer amount in the developer containing portion being detected based on a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method including: holding a conductive resin member constituting the second electrode on a mold configured to mold the frame, a surface of the conductive resin member being in contact with a surface of the mold configured to mold a surface of the frame on a side of the developer containing portion; injecting a resin to be formed into the frame, into the mold on which the conductive resin member is held; and curing the resin to form the frame to which the second electrode is fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Taku Watanabe, Masahito Kato, Go Shindo, Atsushi Toda, Katsuichi Abe, Motonari Ito, Akira Suzuki, Junichi Matsumura, Naoki Matsumaru
  • Vehicle lamp control apparatus
    Patent number: 8905604
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp control apparatus is provided with: a receiving portion for receiving output values of an acceleration sensor; a control portion for deriving a variation in an inclination angle of a vehicle based on the output values of the acceleration sensor and generating a control signal for instructing an optical axis adjustment of a vehicle lamp; and a transmitting portion for transmitting the control signal to an optical axis adjusting portion of the vehicle lamp. The control portion is configured to detect an error factor of the output values occurring in the acceleration sensor based on the output values of the acceleration sensor and to correct an optical axis position of the vehicle lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
  • SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD FOR SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPLIANCE
    Publication number: 20140347538
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, a driving method for the same, and an electronic appliance, and an object is to provide a solid-state imaging device that can achieve the pixel miniaturization and the global shutter function with higher sensitivity and saturated charge amount. Another object is to provide an electronic appliance including the solid-state imaging device. In a solid-state imaging device 1 having the global shutter function, a first charge accumulation unit 18 and a second charge accumulation unit 25 are stacked in the depth direction of a substrate 12, and the transfer of the signal charges from the first charge accumulation unit 12 to the second charge accumulation unit 25 is conducted by a vertical first transfer transistor Tr1. Thus, the pixel miniaturization can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda