Patents by Inventor Shinichi Machida

Shinichi Machida 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).

  • Publication number: 20210313399
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel. Each of the first pixel and the second pixel includes a first electrode, a second electrode positioned on or above the first electrode and facing the first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a first charge-blocking layer positioned between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer. The first charge-blocking layer of the first pixel is separated from the first charge-blocking layer of the second pixel. The photoelectric conversion layer is disposed continuously to the first pixel and the second pixel. An area of the first charge-blocking layer of the first pixel is larger than an area of the first electrode of the first pixel in plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: SANSHIRO SHISHIDO, TAKAHIRO KOYANAGI, YUUKO TOMEKAWA, SHINICHI MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20210265521
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes: a photosensitive layer that absorbs incident light to generate a first carrier with a first polarity and a second carrier with a second polarity different from the first polarity; a channel layer that is electrically connected to the photosensitive layer and that conducts the first carrier that has moved from the photosensitive layer; a counter electrode facing the channel layer through the photosensitive layer; an insulating layer positioned between the photosensitive layer and the counter electrode; and a source electrode and a drain electrode each electrically connected to the channel layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: SHINICHI MACHIDA, TAKEYOSHI TOKUHARA, SANSHIRO SHISHIDO
  • Patent number: 11081528
    Abstract: An imaging device having pixels, each pixel including: a photoelectric conversion unit including a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer between the first and second electrodes, and a hole-blocking layer between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion unit is applied with a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion unit has a characteristic, responsive to the voltage within a range from a first voltage to a second voltage, showing that a density of current passing between the first electrode and the second electrode when light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer becomes substantially equal to that when no light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer. The range from the first voltage to the second voltage includes 0V, and a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is 0.5 V or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Tokuhara, Shinichi Machida
  • Publication number: 20210225940
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one unit pixel cell including a photoelectric converter and a voltage application circuit. The photoelectric converter includes a first electrode, a light-transmitting second electrode, a first photoelectric conversion layer containing a first material and a second photoelectric conversion layer containing a second material. The impedance of the first photoelectric conversion layer is larger than the impedance of the second photoelectric conversion layer. The voltage application circuit applies a first voltage or a second voltage having a larger absolute value than the first voltage selectively between the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Manabu NAKATA, Masumi IZUCHI, Shinichi MACHIDA, Yasunori INOUE
  • Publication number: 20210202558
    Abstract: A light sensor includes a photoelectric conversion layer and a long-pass filter that is disposed above the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion layer has a spectral sensitivity characteristic having a first peak at a first wavelength that is longer than a cut-on wavelength of the long-pass filter, and a spectral sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion layer at the cut-on wavelength is greater than or equal to 0% and less than or equal to 50% of a spectral sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion layer at the first wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: SANSHIRO SHISHIDO, SHINICHI MACHIDA, TAKEYOSHI TOKUHARA, KATSUYA NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20210195122
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a unit pixel including a pixel electrode; a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and a computing circuit that acquires a first signal upon a first voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the first signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light and infrared light and a second signal upon a second voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the second signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light, and generates a third signal by performing a computation using the first signal and the second signal, the third signal corresponding to an image captured with infrared light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Shinichi MACHIDA, Masashi MURAKAMI, Takeyoshi TOKUHARA, Masaaki YANAGIDA, Sanshiro SHISHIDO, Manabu NAKATA, Masumi IZUCHI
  • Patent number: 10998380
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one unit pixel cell including a photoelectric converter and a voltage application circuit. The photoelectric converter includes a first electrode, a light-transmitting second electrode, a first photoelectric conversion layer containing a first material and a second photoelectric conversion layer containing a second material. The impedance of the first photoelectric conversion layer is larger than the impedance of the second photoelectric conversion layer. The voltage application circuit applies a first voltage or a second voltage having a larger absolute value than the first voltage selectively between the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Nakata, Masumi Izuchi, Shinichi Machida, Yasunori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20210120165
    Abstract: An image generation device includes: a voltage generator that generates a plurality of voltages each having a different voltage value; an image capturer that includes an organic photoconductive film, and performs imaging every time each of the plurality of voltages is applied; a luminance data obtainer that obtains a plurality of luminance data items corresponding to the plurality of voltages applied, each of the plurality of luminance data items being obtained from the imaging performed by the image capturer; and a color image generator that generates a color image based on the plurality of luminance data items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Kunio NOBORI, Satoshi SATO, Takeo AZUMA, Nobuhiko WAKAI, Mitsuru HARADA, Shinichi MACHIDA, Masumi IZUCHI
  • Patent number: 10951839
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a unit pixel including a pixel electrode; a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and a computing circuit that acquires a first signal upon a first voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the first signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light and infrared light and a second signal upon a second voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the second signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light, and generates a third signal by performing a computation using the first signal and the second signal, the third signal corresponding to an image captured with infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Machida, Masashi Murakami, Takeyoshi Tokuhara, Masaaki Yanagida, Sanshiro Shishido, Manabu Nakata, Masumi Izuchi
  • Publication number: 20210043689
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate including a first surface receiving light from outside, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first transistor on the second surface, and a photoelectric converter facing the second surface and receiving light through the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is a silicon or silicon compound substrate. The photoelectric converter includes a first electrode electrically connected to the first transistor, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer located between the first and second electrodes and containing a material absorbing light having a wavelength 1.1 ?m or longer. The first electrode is located between the second surface and the photoelectric conversion layer. A spectral sensitivity of the material in a region of 1.0 ?m or longer and shorter than 1.1 ?m is 0% to 5% of the maximum value of a spectral sensitivity of the material in 1.1 ?m or longer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: TAKEYOSHI TOKUHARA, SANSHIRO SHISHIDO, YASUO MIYAKE, SHINICHI MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 10861904
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one unit pixel cell including a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into electric charges. The photoelectric converter includes: a first electrode; a light-transmitting second electrode; a first photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and containing a first material having an absorption peak at a first wavelength; and a second photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode and containing a second material having an absorption peak at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The absolute value of the ionization potential of the first material is larger by at least 0.2 eV than the absolute value of the ionization potential of the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Nakata, Masumi Izuchi, Shinichi Machida, Yasunori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200295089
    Abstract: An imaging device having pixels, each pixel including: a photoelectric conversion unit including a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer between the first and second electrodes, and a hole-blocking layer between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion unit is applied with a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion unit has a characteristic, responsive to the voltage within a range from a first voltage to a second voltage, showing that a density of current passing between the first electrode and the second electrode when light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer becomes substantially equal to that when no light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer. The range from the first voltage to the second voltage includes 0V, and a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is 0.5 V or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Takeyoshi TOKUHARA, Shinichi MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 10735652
    Abstract: A method for controlling an imaging device having a first mode to perform imaging in a first imaging wavelength band and a second mode to perform imaging in a second imaging wavelength band different from the first imaging wavelength band, and that allows switching of an operation mode from the first mode to the second mode or from the second mode to the first mode. The method including causing the imaging device to perform imaging in the first mode or the second mode; determining, with a predetermined frequency or in response to a predetermined trigger, whether to maintain a current operation mode or switch the current operation mode on the basis of first image information in the first imaging wavelength band and second image information in the second imaging wavelength band; and in accordance with the determination, selectively maintaining the current operation mode or switching the current operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Nakata, Shinichi Machida, Takeyoshi Tokuhara, Sanshiro Shishido, Masaaki Yanagida, Masumi Izuchi
  • Patent number: 10707272
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photoelectric converter including first and second electrodes, a photoelectric conversion layer therebetween, and a hole-blocking layer between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer; and a signal detection circuit electrically connected to the first electrode. The hole-blocking material has an electron affinity lower than both a work function of the first conducting material and an electron affinity of the first photoelectric conversion material. The photoelectric conversion unit is applied with a voltage between the first and second electrodes, and responsive to the voltage within a range from a first voltage to a second voltage, shows that a density of current passing between the first and second electrodes when light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer becomes substantially equal to that when no light is incident thereon. A difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is 0.5 V or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Tokuhara, Shinichi Machida
  • Publication number: 20200144332
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one unit pixel cell including a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into electric charges. The photoelectric converter includes: a first electrode; a light-transmitting second electrode; a first photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and containing a first material having an absorption peak at a first wavelength; and a second photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode and containing a second material having an absorption peak at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The absolute value of the ionization potential of the first material is larger by at least 0.2 eV than the absolute value of the ionization potential of the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Manabu NAKATA, Masumi IZUCHI, Shinichi MACHIDA, Yasunori INOUE
  • Patent number: 10559629
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one unit pixel cell including a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into electric charges. The photoelectric converter includes: a first electrode; a light-transmitting second electrode; a first photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and containing a first material having an absorption peak at a first wavelength; and a second photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode and containing a second material having an absorption peak at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The absolute value of the ionization potential of the first material is larger by at least 0.2 eV than the absolute value of the ionization potential of the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Nakata, Masumi Izuchi, Shinichi Machida, Yasunori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200036915
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a unit pixel including a pixel electrode; a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and a computing circuit that acquires a first signal upon a first voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the first signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light and infrared light and a second signal upon a second voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the second signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light, and generates a third signal by performing a computation using the first signal and the second signal, the third signal corresponding to an image captured with infrared light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Shinichi MACHIDA, Masashi MURAKAMI, Takeyoshi TOKUHARA, Masaaki YANAGIDA, Sanshiro SHISHIDO, Manabu NAKATA, Masumi IZUCHI
  • Publication number: 20200006436
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photoelectric converter including first and second electrodes, a photoelectric conversion layer therebetween, and a hole-blocking layer between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer; and a signal detection circuit electrically connected to the first electrode. The hole-blocking material has an electron affinity lower than both a work function of the first conducting material and an electron affinity of the first photoelectric conversion material. The photoelectric conversion unit is applied with a voltage between the first and second electrodes, and responsive to the voltage within a range from a first voltage to a second voltage, shows that a density of current passing between the first and second electrodes when light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer becomes substantially equal to that when no light is incident thereon. A difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is 0.5 V or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: TAKEYOSHI TOKUHARA, SHINICHI MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 10477121
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a unit pixel including a pixel electrode; a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and a computing circuit that acquires a first signal upon a first voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the first signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light and infrared light and a second signal upon a second voltage being applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the second signal corresponding to an image captured with visible light, and generates a third signal by performing a computation using the first signal and the second signal, the third signal corresponding to an image captured with infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Machida, Masashi Murakami, Takeyoshi Tokuhara, Masaaki Yanagida, Sanshiro Shishido, Manabu Nakata, Masumi Izuchi
  • Patent number: 10461130
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a photoelectric converter including first and second electrodes, a photoelectric conversion layer therebetween, and an electron-blocking layer between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer; and a signal detection circuit connected to the first electrode. The photoelectric converter is adapted to be applied with a voltage between the first and second electrodes. An electron-blocking material in the electron-blocking layer has an ionization potential higher than both a work function of a conducting material in the first electrode and an ionization potential of a photoelectric conversion material in the photoelectric conversion layer, which allows the photoelectric converter to have a range of the voltage within which a density of current passing between the first and second electrodes when light is incident on the photoelectric conversion layer is substantially equal to that when no light is incident. The range of the voltage is 0.5 V or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Tokuhara, Shinichi Machida