Patents by Inventor Soji MASUI

Soji MASUI 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: 11678041
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Takeshi Kazama, Soji Masui
  • Publication number: 20220225502
    Abstract: A printed circuit board capable of reducing or suppressing connection failure includes a base film made of insulating material, an electric conductor pattern formed on a front surface of the base film, and an insulating cover film covering the electric conductor pattern. The printed circuit board also includes a circuit portion with a circuit formed by the electric conductor pattern, and a pad portion with a bonding pad composed of the electric conductor pattern exposed from the insulating cover film. The pad portion has higher rigidity than the circuit portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hirokazu SAITO, Soji MASUI, Kazuma YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11150448
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Ken Nishioka, Nobuhisa Shimizu, Yoichi Kajino, Kazuma Yamaguchi, Kensuke Chikata, Takeshi Kazama, Soji Masui
  • Publication number: 20210302703
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yasuki FURUTAKE, Takeshi KAZAMA, Soji MASUI
  • Patent number: 11054620
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Takeshi Kazama, Soji Masui
  • Patent number: 11006023
    Abstract: A camera apparatus is mounted to a vehicle. The camera apparatus includes a camera module, a casing, and a restraining portion. The camera module includes a lens and a camera board on which an image sensor is provided. The casing houses the camera module. The restraining portion is configured to mechanically restrain movement of the camera module that is mounted in a predetermined mounting position within the casing, from the mounting position. The camera module is fixed to the casing by an adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soji Masui, Sho Okuda, Daisuke Takama, Yasuki Furutake
  • Patent number: 10974660
    Abstract: A camera module is mountable to an inner side of a front windshield of a vehicle and is configured to capture an image of an external environment of the vehicle. The camera module includes an optical assembly, a camera casing, and an adhesive. The optical assembly includes an assembly reference surface for determining the position of an optical axis and captures an image of the external environment by forming an optical image incident along the optical axis from the external environment. The camera casing includes a casing reference surface to be positioned with respect to the front windshield on the outside of the camera casing and accommodates the optical assembly in a state separate from inner wall surfaces. The adhesive joins the optical assembly to the camera casing in a state in which the assembly reference surface is aligned with an imaginary plane extending along the casing reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soji Masui, Yoichi Kajino, Naoyuki Kurake, Yoshihide Itou, Sho Okuda
  • Publication number: 20200124826
    Abstract: A cemented lens includes a first lens, a second lens and a cementation layer. The first lens includes a convex surface. The second lens includes a concave surface. The cementation layer cements the convex surface to the concave surface. The cementation layer includes a resin and a gap material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Masashi KITSUNEZUKA, Soji MASUI, Tomonori ISHIKAWA, Takashi AOKI, Osamu FUJIWARA
  • Patent number: 10554884
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera control device is provided for an in-vehicle camera that includes an imaging element for picking up an image around the vehicle. The apparatus controls a state of current supply to the imaging element. In the apparatus, current supply to the imaging element is prevented from starting when the temperature in the vicinity of the imaging element is high. Specifically, upon start of processing, current supply to the imaging element of the in-vehicle camera is stopped first (camera is powered OFF). Therefore, at least immediately after the ignition is turned on, current supply to the imaging element is not performed. When a state where a temperature measured by a temperature measurement section provided in the vicinity of the imaging element is not more than an ON threshold continues for a duration expressed by Ams×(startup counter value), current supply to the imaging element is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Soji Masui
  • Publication number: 20200033567
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Yasuki FURUTAKE, Takeshi KAZAMA, Soji MASUI
  • Publication number: 20200017037
    Abstract: A camera module is mountable to an inner side of a front windshield of a vehicle and is configured to capture an image of an external environment of the vehicle. The camera module includes an optical assembly, a camera casing, and an adhesive. The optical assembly includes an assembly reference surface for determining the position of an optical axis and captures an image of the external environment by forming an optical image incident along the optical axis from the external environment. The camera casing includes a casing reference surface to be positioned with respect to the front windshield on the outside of the camera casing and accommodates the optical assembly in a state separate from inner wall surfaces. The adhesive joins the optical assembly to the camera casing in a state in which the assembly reference surface is aligned with an imaginary plane extending along the casing reference surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Soji MASUI, Yoichi KAJINO, Naoyuki KURAKE, Yoshihide ITOU, Sho OKUDA
  • Patent number: 10506145
    Abstract: In a camera apparatus, a camera case is fixed to a windshield from within a cabin of a vehicle. A camera module includes an optical unit and a camera substrate. The optical unit includes a lens. The camera substrate includes an image sensor. The optical unit includes a lens barrel portion and a base portion. The lens barrel portion holds the lens therein. The base portion has a reference surface that serves as a reference for positioning when the camera module is fixed to the camera case and to which the lens barrel portion is fixed so as to have a fixed positional relationship. The camera substrate is fixed to the optical unit in a position in which an optical axis of the lens passes through a center of a light receiving surface of the image sensor and is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Takama, Yasuki Furutake, Soji Masui
  • Patent number: 10466450
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Takeshi Kazama, Soji Masui
  • Patent number: 10412282
    Abstract: A camera device which includes a holder which retains an optical member therein and a circuit board on which an image sensor is mounted. The holder is joined to the circuit board using an adhesive agent. The circuit board at least partially includes a metallic layer and a resinous layer stacked in a thickness-wise direction of the circuit board. The circuit board has a metallic layer-absent portion in which the metallic layer is partially omitted. The metallic layer-absent portion is located so as to overlap the joint between the holder and the circuit board in the thickness-wise direction of the circuit board, thereby minimizing the transfer of heat of the adhesive agent to the metallic layer. This achieves effective hardening the adhesive agent, which will facilitate the ease with which the camera device is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soji Masui, Yasuki Furutake, Daisuke Takama, Kazuma Yamaguchi, Takashi Aoki
  • Publication number: 20190250383
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Yasuki FURUTAKE, Takeshi KAZAMA, Soji MASUI
  • Patent number: 10317651
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Takeshi Kazama, Soji Masui
  • Patent number: 10244153
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus provided with a lens module which has a main body and two vane members. The main body holds a lens on an inside thereof. The vane members are plate shaped sections projected from an outside surface of the main body, which are provided with through-holes enabling fastening members to be threaded through. A base is provided with an imaging element and configured to fix thereto the main body. The case which accommodates the lens, the lens module and the base has two thread-holes formed on an inside thereof, into which the fastening members are fastened thereto. The lens module is fixed to the case by threading the fastening members through the through-holes, and fastening the fastening members into the thread-holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Daisuke Takama, Soji Masui
  • Publication number: 20190007587
    Abstract: A camera apparatus is mounted to a vehicle. The camera apparatus includes a camera module, a casing, and a restraining portion. The camera module includes a lens and a camera board on which an image sensor is provided. The casing houses the camera module. The restraining portion is configured to mechanically restrain movement of the camera module that is mounted in a predetermined mounting position within the casing, from the mounting position. The camera module is fixed to the casing by an adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Soji MASUI, Sho OKUDA, Daisuke TAKAMA, Yasuki FURUTAKE
  • Publication number: 20180284400
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuki FURUTAKE, Takeshi KAZAMA, Soji MASUI
  • Publication number: 20180284398
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Ken Nishioka, Nobuhisa Shimizu, Yoichi Kajino, Kazuma Yamaguchi, Kensuke Chikata, Takeshi Kazama, Soji Masui