Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Sawada

Kazuaki Sawada 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).

  • Patent number: 9766202
    Abstract: Provided are a device for detecting chemical and physical phenomenon suitable for high integration, and a method therefor. Rather than using a TG section signal to select pixels that require charge measurement, the on-off timing (the timing for moving the charge from a sensing section to an FD section) of the TG section is harmonized for all pixels, and the release or injection of the charge to the sensing section is separately controlled, whereby the charge is held only in sensing sections of pixels that require charge measurement, and the charge is emptied in sensing sections of pixels that do not require charge measurement. In this state, the TG section of all pixels can be opened at the same time, whereby the charge is transferred to the FD section from only the sensing sections holding a charge, and the charge level of the pixel is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Fumihiro Dasai, Kazuaki Sawada
  • Patent number: 9689837
    Abstract: Provided is a small-sized device for measuring an oxidation-reduction potential, whereby an oxidation-reduction current and an oxidation-reduction potential can be measured by reducing noise even when a signal from a solution being measured is small. A device for measuring an oxidation-reduction potential is provided with a substrate (10), a working electrode (15) mounted on a surface of the substrate (10), and a bipolar transistor (21) for amplifying the output of the working electrode (15) also provided on the surface of the substrate (10), and the signal amplified by the bipolar transistor (21) is inputted to a processing circuit (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Masato Futagawa, Kazuaki Sawada, Sou Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20170168010
    Abstract: Provided is an ion sensor including a supporting substrate, a plurality of cells, a silicon substrate, a plurality of transistors, and an analog-digital conversion circuit. The plurality of cells, the plurality of transistors, and the analog-digital conversion circuit are provided above the supporting substrate. Each of the plurality of transistors has a corresponding gate provided on a first surface of the silicon substrate. The analog-digital conversion circuit is provided on the silicon substrate. The ion-sensing surface is provided on a second surface of the silicon substrate. The second surface is opposite to the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Kenichi NAGAI, Satoshi SAITOH, Kazuaki SAWADA
  • Patent number: 9482641
    Abstract: Provided is a device adapted for detecting chemical and physical phenomena and suitable for high integration, and a method for controlling the detection device. When a plurality of pH-detecting devices are used, a variation in sensitivity occurs in each of the sensing units. The variation in sensitivity can be calibrated using a simple method. The amount of charge (output signal) delivered by each of the sensing units to a standard solution is determined, and the difference between the delivered charge amount and a standard charge amount (standard output signal) delivered by a standard sensing unit is determined. The capacity of the potential well of the sensing unit is changed, or the potential of a TG unit when a charge is delivered is changed, so as to cancel out the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Fumihiro Dasai, Kazuaki Sawada, Hirokazu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 9335287
    Abstract: Contacting a pair of electrodes with soil, applying an alternate current input electric signal to one of the pair of electrodes, comparing a phase of an output electric signal from the other of the pair electrodes with a phase of the input electric signal; and determining the concentration of the ionic solute included in the solvent according to a difference of the phases. The difference of the phases is not dependent on the water content. An electrical conductivity is proportional to a water content and ion concentration, thereby, the water content of soil is available according to the measured electrical conductivity, while determining the ion concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Masato Futagawa, Kazuaki Sawada
  • Publication number: 20160109404
    Abstract: An ion sensor is configured such that part of a P well on which part a sensing section is provided is different, in dopant concentration, from the other part of the P well so that electric charges are injected merely to the sensing section in a state where a voltage is applied to an N-type substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Satoshi SAITOH, Toshio YOSHIDA, Tomohiro KONISHI, Kazuaki SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20150355127
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to measure pH of a sample with high accuracy in a pH sensor array, without the use of a glass reference electrode. Each time that a sample is measured, the potential Vrm of the sample is identified, and the identified potential Vrm is used to calculate the pH. The outputs Voi1 and Voi2 of a first element and a second element located near one another in a sensor array are represented as follows. Voi1=Si1×pHi1+Gi1×Vrm+Ci1, Voi2=Si2×pHi2+Gi2×Vrm+Ci2. Voi is the output of the element, Si and Gi are sensitivity coefficients, and Ci is a constant, these values having been derived in advance. Here, where the potential Vrm is constant, and the elements located near one another are presumed to be at equal pH (pHi1=pHi2), the potential Vrm is identified by solving a linear equation with two unknowns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Fumihiro Dasai, Kazuaki Sawada, Masato Futagawa
  • Publication number: 20150226701
    Abstract: Provided is a small-sized device for measuring an oxidation-reduction potential, whereby an oxidation-reduction current and an oxidation-reduction potential can be measured by reducing noise even when a signal from a solution being measured is small. A device for measuring an oxidation-reduction potential is provided with a substrate (10), a working electrode (15) mounted on a surface of the substrate (10), and a bipolar transistor (21) for amplifying the output of the working electrode (15) also provided on the surface of the substrate (10), and the signal amplified by the bipolar transistor (21) is inputted to a processing circuit (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi Univers- ity of Technology
    Inventors: Masato FUTAGAWA, Kazuaki SAWADA, Sou TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20140233039
    Abstract: Present invention relate to a physical/chemical sensor and a physical/chemical phenomenon sensing device that can detect minute change of surface stress and can be reduced in size and arrayed and to provide a method for manufacturing the same In the sensor of the present invention, an air-gap 3 is formed on a surface of the light receiving surface 1a of a photodiode 1. The sensor comprises a membrane section 2 which is oppositely deposited, and the air-gap is blocked air-tightly or liquid-tightly. The membrane section has optical transparency and flexibility, the membrane section and the surface of the light receiving surface form a Fabry-Perot resonator. The sensing device of the present invention comprises a reference sensor, which comprises no air-gap, in addition to the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: National University Corporation TOYOHASHI UNIVERSITY OT TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takahashi, Kazuaki Sawada, Hiroki Oyama
  • Publication number: 20140200842
    Abstract: Provided is a device adapted for detecting chemical and physical phenomena and suitable for high integration, and a method for controlling the detection device. When a plurality of pH-detecting devices are used, a variation in sensitivity occurs in each of the sensing units. The variation in sensitivity can be calibrated using a simple method. The amount of charge (output signal) delivered by each of the sensing units to a standard solution is determined, and the difference between the delivered charge amount and a standard charge amount (standard output signal) delivered by a standard sensing unit is determined. The capacity of the potential well of the sensing unit is changed, or the potential of a TG unit when a charge is delivered is changed, so as to cancel out the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Fumihiro Dasai, Kazuaki Sawada, Hirokazu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20140139231
    Abstract: Provided are a device for detecting chemical and physical phenomenon suitable for high integration, and a method therefor. Rather than using a TG section signal to select pixels that require charge measurement, the on-off timing (the timing for moving the charge from a sensing section to an FD section) of the TG section is harmonized for all pixels, and the release or injection of the charge to the sensing section is separately controlled, whereby the charge is held only in sensing sections of pixels that require charge measurement, and the charge is emptied in sensing sections of pixels that do not require charge measurement. In this state, the TG section of all pixels can be opened at the same time, whereby the charge is transferred to the FD section from only the sensing sections holding a charge, and the charge level of the pixel is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Fumihiro Dasai, Kazuaki Sawada
  • Patent number: 8513927
    Abstract: A power generation circuit has one of an antenna or a coil that receives an ambient radio wave. A rectifying circuit is connected to the antenna or the coil for rectifying a signal from the antenna or the coil receiving the ambient radio wave. A booster circuit is connected to and boosts an output of the rectifying circuit. A storage circuit is connected to the booster circuit and stores an output power obtained from the rectifying circuit for driving a load without the use of a power source or a battery. A switching circuit is operable in an ON-state thereof to connect the storage circuit to the load when a voltage of the storage circuit is equal to or greater than a preselected voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Ishida, Kazuaki Sawada, Hidekuni Takao, Minoru Sudo
  • Publication number: 20130134994
    Abstract: Contacting a pair of electrodes with soil, applying an alternate current input electric signal to one of the pair of electrodes, comparing a phase of an output electric signal from the other of the pair electrodes with a phase of the input electric signal; and determining the concentration of the ionic solute included in the solvent according to a difference of the phases. The difference of the phases is not dependent on the water content. An electrical conductivity is proportional to a water content and ion concentration, thereby, the water content of soil is available according to the measured electrical conductivity, while determining the ion concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, TOYOHASHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Masato Futagawa, Kazuaki Sawada
  • Patent number: 8388893
    Abstract: A combined detector capable of simultaneously detecting both a value indicating a physical/chemical phenomenon such as a pH value and the intensity of an energy beam such as light. The combined detector comprises a physical/chemical phenomenon detecting system (10) and an energy beam detecting system. The physical/chemical phenomenon detecting system (10) has a sensing section (21) whose potential varies with a physical/chemical phenomenon, a charge supply section (22) for supplying first charge to the sensing section, a charge supply control section (23) provided between the sensing section (21) and the charge supply section (22), a first charge storage section (26) for storing the first charge transferred from the sensing section (21), and a charge transfer control section (27) provided between the sensing section (21) and the first charge storage section (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Kazuaki Sawada, Junichi Matsuo, Hirokazu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8183594
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a ferroelectric element having excellent properties, which includes a monocrystalline film of ?-Al2O3 formed as a buffer layer on a silicon substrate. The monocrystalline ?-Al2O film is formed on the silicon substrate which is the lowermost layer of an MFMIS structure. On the monocrystalline ?-Al2O3 film, there is formed an electrically conductive oxide in the form of a LaNiO3 film as a lower electrode. On the LaNiO3 film, there is formed a PZT thin film which is a ferroelectric material. On the PZT thin film, there is formed a Pt film as an upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Makoto Ishida, Kazuaki Sawada, Daisuke Akai, Yiping Guo
  • Publication number: 20120002201
    Abstract: A spectroscopic device with high sensitivity is provided. A spectroscopic device has a charge generating section 3 for generating a charge by using an incident light, a charge generation controlling section for controlling the charge generating section 3 between a first state for capturing a charge generated in a range from a surface to a first depth of the charge generating section 3 and a second state for capturing a charge generated in a range from the surface to a second depth of the charge generating section 3, and a floating diffusion section 2 for outputting a signal corresponding to a charge quantity captured by the charge generating section 3. In the spectroscopic device, the charge capturing depth W in the charge generating section 3 is controlled by controlling the lowest potential Vc of the charge C filled in a charge well 105 of the charge generating section 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Kazuaki Sawada, Hiroyasu Ishii, Hirokazu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20110236263
    Abstract: A combined detector capable of simultaneously detecting both a value indicating a physical/chemical phenomenon such as a pH value and the intensity of an energy beam such as light. The combined detector comprises a physical/chemical phenomenon detecting system (10) and an energy beam detecting system. The physical/chemical phenomenon detecting system (10) has a sensing section (21) whose potential varies with a physical/chemical phenomenon, a charge supply section (22) for supplying first charge to the sensing section, a charge supply control section (23) provided between the sensing section (21) and the charge supply section (22), a first charge storage section (26) for storing the first charge transferred from the sensing section (21), and a charge transfer control section (27) provided between the sensing section (21) and the first charge storage section (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Kazuaki Sawada, Junichi Matsuo, Hirokazu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20110193420
    Abstract: A power generation circuit using an electromagnetic wave which does not require any additional energy is provided. Power generation is performed by utilizing the electromagnetic wave existing in a space for living.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Makoto Ishida, Kazuaki Sawada, Hidekuni Takao, Minoru Sudo
  • Publication number: 20110174987
    Abstract: Provided is a spectroscopic device of a new constitution, which is suited for detecting precisely a fluorescent light emitted from an inspection object in a fluorometric analysis, such as a DNA. The spectroscopic device (10) comprises a spectroscopic sensor body (21) for outputting the quantity of charge corresponding to the intensity of such a light of a spectroscopy object as corresponds to the intensity of a light having a wavelength component of a wavelength specified with the value of a gate electrode or larger, and a floating diffusion unit (51) for outputting a voltage according to the quantity of charge outputted from the spectroscopic sensor body (21). The floating diffusion unit (51) includes a plurality of serially connected charge wells (53 and 55), for which output voltages are individually detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Kazuaki Sawada, Hiroyasu Ishii, Yuki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7956593
    Abstract: A power generation circuit generates and stores electric power utilizing electromagnetic wave energy. The power generation circuit has one of an antenna or a coil that receives an electromagnetic wave. A rectifying circuit is formed on a silicon substrate and rectifies a signal from the antenna or the coil. A storage circuit stores an output power obtained from the rectifying circuit for driving a load. A MOS transistor has a source and a drain connected to an output of the storage circuit and the load, respectively, so that the load is connected to the storage circuit in accordance with a threshold voltage of the MOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignees: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Ishida, Kazuaki Sawada, Hidekuni Takao, Minoru Sudo