Patents by Inventor Takamitsu Ookura

Takamitsu Ookura 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: 10444066
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a substrate having a plurality of first light receiving elements in a surface, and a light blocking film having a plurality of first openings. The first light receiving elements are provided such that a direction of travel of incident light defined by each of the first openings is different from a thickness direction of the substrate and form at least one light receiving element set in which an angle of incidence defined between the direction of travel of the incident light and the thickness direction is the same with respect to the light receiving elements. In a view projected in the thickness direction, a positional relationship between the first light receiving elements included in a light receiving element set and the corresponding first openings has rotational symmetry of order 3 or more about an axis along the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takamitsu Ookura
  • Patent number: 10228281
    Abstract: In an optical sensor, a detecting part includes detecting elements, and a light-shielding portion providing directional characteristics of light to the detecting elements such that the detecting elements indicate different intensities of light received in a specified direction. A signal processing part has an adjustment value for processing detection signals. The adjustment value is set as follows. Based on information of an inclination angle of a window glass of a vehicle to which the detecting part is attached, from the detecting elements, a detecting element having a directional characteristic of light suitable for the inclination angle is selected. The adjustment value is then set so as to coincide a signal value of a detection signal of the selected detecting element with a target value, when the detecting part is irradiated with light in a predetermined direction in a state where the detecting part is inclined at the inclination angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Ishihara, Takamitsu Ookura
  • Publication number: 20180010960
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a substrate having a plurality of first light receiving elements in a surface, and a light blocking film having a plurality of first openings. The first light receiving elements are provided such that a direction of travel of incident light defined by each of the first openings is different from a thickness direction of the substrate and form at least one light receiving element set in which an angle of incidence defined between the direction of travel of the incident light and the thickness direction is the same with respect to the light receiving elements. In a view projected in the thickness direction, a positional relationship between the first light receiving elements included in a light receiving element set and the corresponding first openings has rotational symmetry of order 3 or more about an axis along the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventor: Takamitsu OOKURA
  • Publication number: 20170363466
    Abstract: In an optical sensor, a detecting part includes detecting elements, and a light-shielding portion providing directional characteristics of light to the detecting elements such that the detecting elements indicate different intensities of light received in a specified direction. A signal processing part has an adjustment value for processing detection signals. The adjustment value is set as follows. Based on information of an inclination angle of a window glass of a vehicle to which the detecting part is attached, from the detecting elements, a detecting element having a directional characteristic of light suitable for the inclination angle is selected. The adjustment value is then set so as to coincide a signal value of a detection signal of the selected detecting element with a target value, when the detecting part is irradiated with light in a predetermined direction in a state where the detecting part is inclined at the inclination angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Jun ISHIHARA, Takamitsu OOKURA
  • Patent number: 8901480
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes: first and second light receiving elements on a semiconductor substrate; a light blocking film over the semiconductor substrate via a light transmitting film; and first and second openings corresponding to the light receiving elements and disposed in the light blocking film. First and second virtual lines are defined to extend from the centers of the first and second light receiving elements and pass through the centers of the first and second openings, respectively. At least one of elevation angles and left-right angles of the first and second virtual lines are different. The photosensitive area of the first light receiving element is larger than the aperture area of the first opening. The photosensitive area of the second light receiving element is larger than the aperture area of the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsunori Michiyama, Takamitsu Ookura, Noboru Endoh, Yasuaki Makino, Takanori Makino, Jyun Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20130037700
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes: first and second light receiving elements on a semiconductor substrate; a light blocking film over the semiconductor substrate via a light transmitting film; and first and second openings corresponding to the light receiving elements and disposed in the light blocking film. First and second virtual lines are defined to extend from the centers of the first and second light receiving elements and pass through the centers of the first and second openings, respectively. At least one of elevation angles and left-right angles of the first and second virtual lines are different. The photosensitive area of the first light receiving element is larger than the aperture area of the first opening. The photosensitive area of the second light receiving element is larger than the aperture area of the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsunori Michiyama, Takamitsu Ookura, Noboru Endoh, Yasuaki Makino, Takanori Makino, Jyun Ishihara