Patents by Inventor Shiro Tsunai

Shiro Tsunai 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: 20240031701
    Abstract: An imaging element comprising: an imaging unit that has: a plurality of groups each including at least one pixel; and a plurality of signal readout units that are each provided to each of the groups and read out a signal from the pixel; and a control unit that controls the signal readout unit in at least one group among the plurality of groups is provided. Each of the plurality of groups may include a plurality of the pixels. The control unit may select at least one group among the plurality of groups and control the signal readout unit by using a control parameter that is different from a control parameter that is used for another group among the plurality of groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi KURIYAMA, Hironobu MURATA, Shiro TSUNAI, Tetsuya KONISHI, Masahiro SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11825225
    Abstract: An imaging element comprising: an imaging unit that has: a plurality of groups each including at least one pixel; and a plurality of signal readout units that are each provided to each of the groups and read out a signal from the pixel; and a control unit that controls the signal readout unit in at least one group among the plurality of groups is provided. Each of the plurality of groups may include a plurality of the pixels. The control unit may select at least one group among the plurality of groups and control the signal readout unit by using a control parameter that is different from a control parameter that is used for another group among the plurality of groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kuriyama, Hironobu Murata, Shiro Tsunai, Tetsuya Konishi, Masahiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20230362504
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro TSUNAI
  • Publication number: 20230276148
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixel groups including a plurality of pixels that output pixel signals according to incident light are formed, and on which incident light corresponding to mutually different pieces of image information is incident; a control unit that controls, for each of the pixel groups, a period of accumulating in the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group; and a readout unit that is provided to each of the pixel groups, and reads out the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro TSUNAI, Hironobu MURATA
  • Patent number: 11743608
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro Tsunai
  • Patent number: 11689832
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixel groups including a plurality of pixels that output pixel signals according to incident light are formed, and on which incident light corresponding to mutually different pieces of image information is incident; a control unit that controls, for each of the pixel groups, a period of accumulating in the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group; and a readout unit that is provided to each of the pixel groups, and reads out the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro Tsunai, Hironobu Murata
  • Publication number: 20230156367
    Abstract: Provided is an image capturing device including a first substrate having a plurality of pixel blocks each including one or more pixels; and a second substrate having a control circuit unit including a first control block including a first exposure control unit for controlling an exposure time of a pixel included in a first pixel block of the plurality of pixel blocks and a second control block including a second exposure control unit for controlling an exposure time of a pixel included in a second pixel block of the plurality of pixel blocks, and a peripheral circuit unit arranged outside the control circuit unit and configured to control signal reading of pixels each included in at least the first pixel block and the second pixel block of the plurality of pixel blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yojiro TEZUKA, Tomoki HIRATA, Shiro TSUNAI
  • Publication number: 20220191421
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixel groups including a plurality of pixels that output pixel signals according to incident light are formed, and on which incident light corresponding to mutually different pieces of image information is incident; a control unit that controls, for each of the pixel groups, a period of accumulating in the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group; and a readout unit that is provided to each of the pixel groups, and reads out the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro TSUNAI, Hironobu MURATA
  • Patent number: 11347041
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing device that has a plurality of photoelectric converting elements, and a light restricting portion that has a plurality of light inlets and a plurality of light outlets provided to each of the plurality of photoelectric converting elements, that emits, to each of the plurality of photoelectric converting elements, light that can reach each of the plurality of light inlets among light incident on each of the plurality of light outlets and that restricts light that cannot reach each of the plurality of light outlets among the light incident on the light inlets from being emitted to each of the plurality of photoelectric converting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro Tsunai
  • Patent number: 11317046
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixel groups including a plurality of pixels that output pixel signals according to incident light are formed, and on which incident light corresponding to mutually different pieces of image information is incident; a control unit that controls, for each of the pixel groups, a period of accumulating in the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group; and a readout unit that is provided to each of the pixel groups, and reads out the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro Tsunai, Hironobu Murata
  • Publication number: 20210337141
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro TSUNAI
  • Patent number: 11082646
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro Tsunai
  • Patent number: 11012604
    Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: a plurality of pixels, having a plurality of first electrodes provided upon one surface of a light reception unit that receives incident light, and a plurality of second electrodes provided upon another surface of the light reception unit; and an output unit that outputs a signal generated by the light reception unit upon receipt of the incident light, the light reception unit being sandwiched between the first electrodes, to which a voltage is applied, and the second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro Tsunai
  • Publication number: 20200404200
    Abstract: An image sensor is provided, the image sensor including: an imaging unit that has a first imaging region and a second imaging region, and outputs: a first pixel signal generated according to light incident on the first imagine region; and a second pixel signal generated according to light incident on the second imaging region; a first ramp generating unit that generates a first ramp signal; a second ramp generating unit that generates a second ramp signal; a first signal converting unit that converts the first pixel signal into a first digital image signal based on a result of comparison between the first pixel signal and the first ramp signal; and a second signal converting unit that converts the second pixel signal into a second digital image signal based on a result of comparison between the second pixel signal and the second ramp signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironobu MURATA, Shiro TSUNAI, Takashi KURIYAMA
  • Patent number: 10798325
    Abstract: An image sensor is provided, the image sensor including: an imaging unit that has a first imaging region and a second imaging region, and outputs: a first pixel signal generated according to light incident on the first imaging region; and a second pixel signal generated according to light incident on the second imaging region; a first ramp generating unit that generates a first ramp signal; a second ramp generating unit that generates a second ramp signal; a first signal converting unit that converts the first pixel signal into a first digital image signal based on a result of comparison between the first pixel signal and the first ramp signal; and a second signal converting unit that converts the second pixel signal into a second digital image signal based on a result of comparison between the second pixel signal and the second ramp signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironobu Murata, Shiro Tsunai, Takashi Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20200236307
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro TSUNAI
  • Patent number: 10685995
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion layer where light having entered therein undergoes photoelectric conversion; a first electrode disposed at one surface located on one side of the photoelectric conversion layer; and a second electrode disposed at the one surface so as to surround the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Kita, Shiro Tsunai
  • Patent number: 10652485
    Abstract: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro Tsunai
  • Publication number: 20200145601
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixel groups including a plurality of pixels that output pixel signals according to incident light are formed, and on which incident light corresponding to mutually different pieces of image information is incident; a control unit that controls, for each of the pixel groups, a period of accumulating in the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group; and a readout unit that is provided to each of the pixel groups, and reads out the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro TSUNAI, Hironobu MURATA
  • Patent number: 10574918
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixel groups including a plurality of pixels that output pixel signals according to incident light are formed, and on which incident light corresponding to mutually different pieces of image information is incident; a control unit that controls, for each of the pixel groups, a period of accumulating in the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group; and a readout unit that is provided to each of the pixel groups, and reads out the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro Tsunai, Hironobu Murata