Patents by Inventor Makiko Yamauchi
Makiko Yamauchi 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).
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Patent number: 8988561Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor that comprises a pixel portion having a plurality of pixel sensors configured to generate an image signal, and a plurality of temperature sensors disposed in an area of the pixel portion and configured to generate a temperature signal corresponding to a detected temperature, and a correction unit configured to correct the image signal from the plurality of image sensors according to the temperature detected by the plurality of temperature sensors.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8836823Abstract: An image pickup sensor that can properly carry out correction processing on noise components at high speed without bringing about an increase in cost. In an effective pixel region, pixels for obtaining image pickup signals used as a picked-up image are arranged. A plurality of reference pixel regions in which pixels for obtaining reference signals for the image pickup signals are arranged are disposed adjacent to opposing sides of the effective pixel region. A holding unit holds the image pickup signals obtained from the effective pixel region and the reference signals obtained from the plurality of reference pixel regions, the image pickup signals and the reference signals vertically scanned on a row-by-row basis. A horizontal scanning unit that horizontally scans the image pickup signals and the reference signals held by the holding unit horizontally scans the reference signals held by the holding unit before the image pickup signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2009Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8730365Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus, which comprises a plurality of photoelectric converter-containing pixels that are positioned horizontally and vertically and a gain circuit, has a gain controller that can control the gain of the gain circuit in N stages (where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2). The gain circuit outputs each of a plurality of signals given by the product of the output signal from one of the plurality of pixels and the gain in each stage of the N stages.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2013Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20130286267Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus, which comprises a plurality of photoelectric converter-containing pixels that are positioned horizontally and vertically and a gain circuit, has a gain controller that can control the gain of the gain circuit in N stages (where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2). The gain circuit outputs each of a plurality of signals given by the product of the output signal from one of the plurality of pixels and the gain in each stage of the N stages.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2013Publication date: October 31, 2013Inventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8558925Abstract: A signal processing apparatus performs predetermined signal processing on an image signal output from an image sensor having a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a direction along a row and a direction along a column. The signal processing apparatus comprises: a storage unit that stores characteristic information indicating characteristics of signal component mix in each pixel from adjacent pixels according to the pixel position in the pixel array of the image sensor; and a correction unit that calculates a correction coefficient according to the position of a pixel for correction in the pixel array from the characteristic information, and corrects an output image signal of the pixel for correction based on an output image signal of adjacent pixels of the pixel for correction and the calculated correction coefficient.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8493484Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus, which comprises a plurality of photoelectric converter-containing pixels that are positioned horizontally and vertically and a gain circuit, has a gain controller that can control the gain of the gain circuit in N stages (where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2). The gain circuit outputs each of a plurality of signals given by the product of the output signal from one of the plurality of pixels and the gain in each stage of the N stages.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2007Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8400543Abstract: An imaging system comprises an image sensing apparatus including a pixel array, a row selection unit, and a readout unit; and a supply unit including a plurality of A/D converting units, and a transfer unit. The supply unit supplies a power supply voltage to an A/D converting unit which, of the plurality of A/D converting units, receives signals from the pixels in the pixel array by means of the transfer unit, and does not supply a power supply voltage to an A/D converting unit which, of the plurality of A/D converting units, receives no signals from the pixels in the pixel array by means of the transfer unit, in a 1-line period. The readout unit A/D-converts the signals from the pixels in the pixel array using the A/D converting unit supplied with the power supply voltage by the supply unit, and outputs a digital image signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2008Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20120293681Abstract: A signal processing apparatus performs predetermined signal processing on an image signal output from an image sensor having a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a direction along a row and a direction along a column. The signal processing apparatus comprises: a storage unit that stores characteristic information indicating characteristics of signal component mix in each pixel from adjacent pixels according to the pixel position in the pixel array of the image sensor; and a correction unit that calculates a correction coefficient according to the position of a pixel for correction in the pixel array from the characteristic information, and corrects an output image signal of the pixel for correction based on an output image signal of adjacent pixels of the pixel for correction and the calculated correction coefficient.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8269865Abstract: A signal processing apparatus performs predetermined signal processing on an image signal output from an image sensor having a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a direction along a row and a direction along a column. The signal processing apparatus comprises: a storage unit that stores characteristic information indicating characteristics of signal component mix in each pixel from adjacent pixels according to the pixel position in the pixel array of the image sensor; and a correction unit that calculates a correction coefficient according to the position of a pixel for correction in the pixel array from the characteristic information, and corrects an output image signal of the pixel for correction based on an output image signal of adjacent pixels of the pixel for correction and the calculated correction coefficient.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8169524Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array; a plurality of column signal lines; a readout unit; a driving unit that, in a transferring period for the readout unit to transfer pixel signals of columns in a first row to the output line, supplies to the pixel array and/or the readout unit a driving pulse for reading out the pixel signals from a second row, in a transferring period for the readout unit to transfer the pixel signals of the columns in the first row to the output line; and a correction unit that corrects a pixel signal of a first column in the first row that was transferred by the readout unit at a timing at which a level of the driving pulse transitions in the transferring period, according to at least a level of a pixel signal of the first column in the second row.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20110199519Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor that comprises a pixel portion having a plurality of pixel sensors configured to generate an image signal, and a plurality of temperature sensors disposed in an area of the pixel portion and configured to generate a temperature signal corresponding to a detected temperature, and a correction unit configured to correct the image signal from the plurality of image sensors according to the temperature detected by the plurality of temperature sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Patent number: 7952621Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor that comprises a pixel portion having a plurality of pixel sensors configured to generate an image signal, and a plurality of temperature sensors disposed in an area of the pixel portion and configured to generate a temperature signal corresponding to a detected temperature, and a correction unit configured to correct the image signal from the plurality of image sensors according to the temperature detected by the plurality of temperature sensors.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20100134660Abstract: A signal processing apparatus performs predetermined signal processing on an image signal output from an image sensor having a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a direction along a row and a direction along a column. The signal processing apparatus comprises: a storage unit that stores characteristic information indicating characteristics of signal component mix in each pixel from adjacent pixels according to the pixel position in the pixel array of the image sensor; and a correction unit that calculates a correction coefficient according to the position of a pixel for correction in the pixel array from the characteristic information, and corrects an output image signal of the pixel for correction based on an output image signal of adjacent pixels of the pixel for correction and the calculated correction coefficient.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2009Publication date: June 3, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20100128148Abstract: An image pickup sensor that can properly carry out correction processing on noise components at high speed without bringing about an increase in cost. In an effective pixel region, pixels for obtaining image pickup signals used as a picked-up image are arranged. A plurality of reference pixel regions in which pixels for obtaining reference signals for the image pickup signals are arranged are disposed adjacent to opposing sides of the effective pixel region. A holding unit holds the image pickup signals obtained from the effective pixel region and the reference signals obtained from the plurality of reference pixel regions, the image pickup signals and the reference signals vertically scanned on a row-by-row basis. A horizontal scanning unit that horizontally scans the image pickup signals and the reference signals held by the holding unit horizontally scans the reference signals held by the holding unit before the image pickup signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20100060753Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array; a plurality of column signal lines; a readout unit; a driving unit that, in a transferring period for the readout unit to transfer pixel signals of columns in a first row to the output line, supplies to the pixel array and/or the readout unit a driving pulse for reading out the pixel signals from a second row, in a transferring period for the readout unit to transfer the pixel signals of the columns in the first row to the output line; and a correction unit that corrects a pixel signal of a first column in the first row that was transferred by the readout unit at a timing at which a level of the driving pulse transitions in the transferring period, according to at least a level of a pixel signal of the first column in the second row.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2009Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20090040350Abstract: An imaging system comprises an image sensing apparatus including a pixel array, a row selection unit, and a readout unit; and a supply unit including a plurality of A/D converting units, and a transfer unit. The supply unit supplies a power supply voltage to an A/D converting unit which, of the plurality of A/D converting units, receives signals from the pixels in the pixel array by means of the transfer unit, and does not supply a power supply voltage to an A/D converting unit which, of the plurality of A/D converting units, receives no signals from the pixels in the pixel array by means of the transfer unit, in a 1-line period. The readout unit A/D-converts the signals from the pixels in the pixel array using the A/D converting unit supplied with the power supply voltage by the supply unit, and outputs a digital image signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20080129848Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor that comprises a pixel portion having a plurality of pixel sensors configured to generate an image signal, and a plurality of temperature sensors disposed in an area of the pixel portion and configured to generate a temperature signal corresponding to a detected temperature, and a correction unit configured to correct the image signal from the plurality of image sensors according to the temperature detected by the plurality of temperature sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2007Publication date: June 5, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Makiko Yamauchi
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Publication number: 20070165121Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus, which comprises a plurality of photoelectric converter-containing pixels that are positioned horizontally and vertically and a gain circuit, has a gain controller that can control the gain of the gain circuit in N stages (where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2). The gain circuit outputs each of a plurality of signals given by the product of the output signal from one of the plurality of pixels and the gain in each stage of the N stages.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2007Publication date: July 19, 2007Inventor: Makiko Yamauchi