Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Tashiro

Kazuaki Tashiro 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: 10757353
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a photoelectric conversion apparatus which includes a semiconductor substrate, signal output units disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion layers disposed on a surface of the substrate, and an upper electrode in this order. The photoelectric conversion apparatus further includes insulation layers which are disposed between the plurality of photoelectric conversion layers and which have lines connected to power supply units. The upper electrode and the lines are electrically connected to each other on side surfaces of the insulation layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yojiro Matsuda, Hidekazu Takahashi, Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10734422
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor apparatus including a first semiconductor region of a first conductive type in which a potential to be detected appears, a second semiconductor region of a second conductive type forming a p-n junction with the first semiconductor region, an amplification transistor including a gate to which the first semiconductor region is connected, and a reset transistor configured to reset a potential of the first semiconductor region. In the semiconductor apparatus, one of a source and a drain of the reset transistor is connected to the first semiconductor region, and the other one of the source and the drain of the reset transistor is connected to the second semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10728471
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a voltage control unit connected to a first node of a capacitive element and a transistor via the same piece of wiring and configured to output a plurality of voltages having different values to the same piece of wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10630923
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus and an imaging system with reduced dark current noise while suppressed pixel size are provided. Each pixel has a photoelectric conversion unit and a diode. The photoelectric conversion unit has a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer between the first electrode layer and a semiconductor substrate, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. A diode has a first impurity diffused portion of a first conductivity type and a second impurity diffused portion of a second conductivity type. The second electrode layer is connected to the first impurity diffused portion. The controlling unit applies a voltage to set the first impurity diffused portion and the second impurity diffused portion into a forwardly biased state and a voltage to set the first impurity diffused portion and the second impurity diffused portion into a reversely biased state to the diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10547016
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a second electrode layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the semiconductor substrate, an accumulation layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and configured to accumulate signal electric charges generated by photoelectric conversion, an insulating layer disposed between the accumulation layer and the second electrode layer, a blocking layer disposed between the accumulation layer and the insulating layer and configured to prevent the signal electric charges in the accumulation layer from reaching the insulating layer, and a circuit unit disposed in the semiconductor substrate and connected to the second electrode layer to receive a signal based on the signal electric charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10483301
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a substrate including a plurality of pixel circuits arranged thereon and a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate. Each of the plurality of pixel circuits includes an amplification transistor configured to output a signal based on charge generated in the semiconductor layer. The charge generated in the semiconductor layer is transferred in a first direction parallel to a surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Takahashi, Kazuaki Tashiro, Tatsuhito Goden
  • Patent number: 10475833
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels. Each of the plurality of first pixels includes a first filter having a visible light transmittance higher than an infrared light transmittance, and a first photoelectric converter configured to receive visible light transmitted through the first filter, and each of the plurality of second pixels includes a second filter having an infrared light transmittance higher than a visible light transmittance, and a second photoelectric converter configured to receive infrared light transmitted through the second filter. The plurality of second pixels are divided into a plurality of groups each includes at least two second pixels. The solid-state image sensor includes a synthesizer configured to synthesize a signal from signals of the at least two second pixels included in each group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10446594
    Abstract: An image pickup device according to an embodiment includes a substrate on which a plurality of pixel circuits are disposed, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, a first electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, and a second electrode disposed between the semiconductor layer and the substrate. A continuous portion of the semiconductor layer includes a light receiving region disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and a charge hold region different from the light receiving region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tashiro, Tatsuhito Goden
  • Patent number: 10419695
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device including: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels each including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer arranged between the first and second electrodes, in which the pixels include a first pixel having a first color filter and a second pixel having a second color filter different from the first color filter; a potential supply line that supplies an electric potential to the first electrodes of the first pixel and the second pixel; and control lines configured to supply different electric potentials to the second electrodes of the first pixel and the second pixel, respectively, to compensate a difference between a dependency of a sensitivity of the first pixel on a bias voltage applied to the photoelectric conversion layer and a dependency of a sensitivity of the second pixel on a bias voltage applied to the photoelectric conversion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10368016
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a voltage supply portion configured to set a bias state of a photoelectric conversion layer to each of a reverse bias state and a forward bias state by supplying a plurality of voltages having respective different values to at least one of a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion, wherein, during the forward bias state, a current flows between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10367113
    Abstract: A device uses a light-emitting material. The device includes an upper and a lower electrode, a first photoelectric conversion portion disposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a second photoelectric conversion portion, a first readout circuit connected to the first photoelectric conversion portion, and a second readout circuit connected to the second photoelectric conversion portion. The second photoelectric conversion portion converts light emitted from the light-emitting material into electrical charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Takahashi, Hidekazu Takahashi, Naoki Yamada, Yojiro Matsuda, Masumi Itabashi, Hirokazu Miyashita, Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20190221594
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor apparatus including a first semiconductor region of a first conductive type in which a potential to be detected appears, a second semiconductor region of a second conductive type forming a p-n junction with the first semiconductor region, an amplification transistor including a gate to which the first semiconductor region is connected, and a reset transistor configured to reset a potential of the first semiconductor region. In the semiconductor apparatus, one of a source and a drain of the reset transistor is connected to the first semiconductor region, and the other one of the source and the drain of the reset transistor is connected to the second semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10297625
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a blocking unit located between a photoelectric conversion layer and a second electrode unit and configured to cause electric charge having a first polarity to be injected from the photoelectric conversion layer into the second electrode unit and to prevent electric charge having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity from being injected from the photoelectric conversion layer into the second electrode unit, and a voltage supply unit configured to supply a second voltage to one of a first electrode unit and the second electrode unit such that electric charge having the first polarity is prevented from being injected from the photoelectric conversion layer into the second electrode unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10277850
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprises a first pixel group includes a first photoelectric conversion unit that converts into electric charges reflection light pulses from an object irradiated with an irradiation light pulse, a first electric charge accumulation unit accumulating the electric charges in synchrony with turning on the irradiation light pulses, and a first reset unit resetting the electric charges; and a second pixel group includes a second photoelectric conversion unit that converts the reflection light into electric charges, a second electric charge accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charges synchronously with a switching the irradiation light pulses from on to off, and a second reset unit that releases a reset of the electric charges converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20190067612
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a second electrode layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the semiconductor substrate, an accumulation layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and configured to accumulate signal electric charges generated by photoelectric conversion, an insulating layer disposed between the accumulation layer and the second electrode layer, a blocking layer disposed between the accumulation layer and the insulating layer and configured to prevent the signal electric charges in the accumulation layer from reaching the insulating layer, and a circuit unit disposed in the semiconductor substrate and connected to the second electrode layer to receive a signal based on the signal electric charges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10141367
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a plurality of pixels including a pixel electrode having a first electrode and a second electrode, an upper electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, a first signal output circuit, and a second signal output circuit, and a control unit. During a first period in which the first signal output circuit outputs a signal, the second electrode collects signal charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20180338099
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus and an imaging system with reduced dark current noise while suppressed pixel size are provided. Each pixel has a photoelectric conversion unit and a diode. The photoelectric conversion unit has a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer between the first electrode layer and a semiconductor substrate, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. A diode has a first impurity diffused portion of a first conductivity type and a second impurity diffused portion of a second conductivity type. The second electrode layer is connected to the first impurity diffused portion. The controlling unit applies a voltage to set the first impurity diffused portion and the second impurity diffused portion into a forwardly biased state and a voltage to set the first impurity diffused portion and the second impurity diffused portion into a reversely biased state to the diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10084980
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes an image sensing unit in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed, a plurality of readout units configured to read out signals from the image sensing unit, a detector configured to detect an occurrence of a latch-up in each of the plurality of readout units, and a controller configured to control power supply to the plurality of readout units. The plurality of readout units are configured to read out signals from a same pixel in the image sensing unit. The controller is configured to shut off power supply to at least part of a readout unit in which the occurrence of the latch-up has been detected out of the plurality of readout units and thereafter supply power to the at least part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Moriyama, Kazuaki Tashiro, Tatsuhito Goden, Toshiaki Ono
  • Publication number: 20180249104
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device including: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels each including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer arranged between the first and second electrodes, in which the pixels include a first pixel having a first color filter and a second pixel having a second color filter different from the first color filter; a potential supply line that supplies an electric potential to the first electrodes of the first pixel and the second pixel; and control lines configured to supply different electric potentials to the second electrodes of the first pixel and the second pixel, respectively, to compensate a difference between a dependency of a sensitivity of the first pixel on a bias voltage applied to the photoelectric conversion layer and a dependency of a sensitivity of the second pixel on a bias voltage applied to the photoelectric conversion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Kazuaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10027915
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device according to an exemplary embodiment includes a pixel which includes a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplifier transistor configured to output a signal generated by the photoelectric conversion unit. The photoelectric conversion unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically connected to the amplifier transistor, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an insulating layer disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion layer includes quantum dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tashiro, Noriyuki Kaifu, Hidekazu Takahashi