Patents by Inventor Yasunori Tsukuda

Yasunori Tsukuda 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: 20240012150
    Abstract: A light reception device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a stacked chip structure in which at least two semiconductor chips including a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip are stacked. On the first semiconductor chip, a pixel array section in which pixels each including a light-receiving element are disposed is formed. On the second semiconductor chip, a readout circuit that reads a signal to be outputted by the pixel is formed with use of a three-dimensional transistor, and a circuit using a two-dimensional transistor is formed in a region around a region where the readout circuit is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventor: YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20230396898
    Abstract: Provided are an avalanche photodiode (APD) sensor and a ranging system capable of counting, with high accuracy, a value relating to signals from a plurality of pixels with one counter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: YASUNORI TSUKUDA, YUKI MORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230387175
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus according to the present technology includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, each including a photoelectric conversion element that performs photoelectric conversion with light in a different wavelength region, the photoelectric conversion units being stacked in a light incident direction, and a charge holding unit that holds charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element in the different photoelectric conversion units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20230231060
    Abstract: There is provided a photodetection circuit capable of improving distance measuring performance. The photodetection circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an avalanche photodiode; a charging circuit that supplies a voltage to the avalanche photodiode; an input amplifier including a comparison circuit in which a voltage level of an output terminal changes according to a comparison result between a voltage of an input terminal connected to the avalanche photodiode and a reference voltage, and a voltage control circuit that changes a potential of the reference voltage; and a state detecting circuit that sets timing for causing the voltage control circuit to change the potential of the reference voltage on the basis of a detection result of the voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventor: YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20230204770
    Abstract: A ranging device according to the present disclosure includes an avalanche photodiode (APD) (10), a first histogram generating section (24), an element operating section (26), a second histogram generating section (31), and a calculating section (25). The first histogram generating section (24) generates a first histogram that is a histogram of time from a timing at which a light source emits light to a timing at which the APD (10) receives the light. The element operating section (26) enables operation of the APD (10) on the basis of an enable signal (S1). The second histogram generating section (31) generates a second histogram that is a histogram of time from a timing at which the enable signal (S1) is switched to a timing at which the APD (10) is brought into a valid state. The calculating section (25) calculates a distance (D) to an object to be measured (X) on the basis of at least one of the first histogram or the second histogram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventor: YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Patent number: 11677319
    Abstract: Noise is reduced in a circuit that converts voltage. A voltage conversion circuit includes a conversion transistor, a current source transistor, and a control circuit. In this voltage conversion circuit, the conversion transistor converts a potential of an input signal, the potential being changed from one of two different potentials to the other, by using predetermined current, and outputs the converted signal as an output signal. Furthermore, the current source transistor supplies the predetermined current. Then, in a case where the potential of the input signal is changed to the other potential, the control circuit stops supplying the predetermined current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Tsukuda, Kazutoshi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20230112018
    Abstract: In a solid-state imaging element that measures a distance on the basis of a light receiving timing of reflected light, the shortest distance that can be measured is shortened. A photoelectric conversion region generates charges through photoelectric conversion. A multiplication region multiplies the generated charges. An output electrode outputs the multiplied charges. A detection circuit detects the presence or absence of photons contained in reflected light with respect to radiation light on the basis of the charges output from the output electrode. An additional electrode discharges the charges from the photoelectric conversion region in a case where a predetermined potential is applied to the additional electrode. A control circuit applies the predetermined potential to the additional electrode at a radiation timing when the radiation light is radiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: YASUNORI TSUKUDA, KYOSUKE ITO, SHOHEI SHIMADA
  • Publication number: 20230046614
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an observation apparatus, an observation method, and a distance measurement system capable of improving distance measurement accuracy. A first measurement unit that measures a first number of reactions of a light receiving element in response to incidence of photons on a first pixel, a second measurement unit that measures a second number of reactions of the light receiving element in response to incidence of photons on a second pixel, a light emitting unit that emits light to the second pixel, and a light emission control unit that controls the light emitting unit according to a difference between the first number of reactions and the second number of reactions are included. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a distance measurement apparatus that measures a distance to a predetermined object, and can be applied to an observation apparatus that observes a characteristic of a pixel included in the distance measurement apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventor: YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20220413108
    Abstract: [Object] Provided are a light receiving device and a light receiving circuit that are capable of performing highly accurate ranging with an increased field of view (FOV). [Solving Means] A light receiving device according to the present disclosure includes a light detector array including a plurality of pixels each configured to output a pulse in response to a reaction of a light detector with a photon, a counter circuit configured to count the pulse outputted from at least one of the pixels of the light detector array, and a control circuit configured to select, from the light detector array, one of the pixels to be enabled and one of the pixels to be disabled, on the basis of the number of counts of the pulse from the counter circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: NOBORU SAKIMURA, FUMIHIKO HANZAWA, YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Patent number: 11476853
    Abstract: A level shift circuit includes an input section to which input signal of a first power supply system is input, a supply section that includes a pair of nodes, and a regulator. The supply section is connected to one of a pair of power supply lines serving as a second power supply system of which a voltage level is higher than a voltage level of the first power supply system, the supply section supplying a potential of the one of the pair of power supply lines to one of the pair of nodes according to the input signal. The regulator is connected to another of the pair of power supply lines, the regulator regulating current flowing between the one of the pair of nodes that is supplied with the potential of the one of the pair of power supply lines, and the other of the pair of power supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Ichihashi, Tetsuya Tashiro, Yasunori Tsukuda
  • Publication number: 20220276341
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a measurement device, a measurement method, and a program that enable measurement of a distance with high accuracy in a shorter time. A signal for giving an instruction on emission timing to emit a pulse of laser light is generated repeatedly for each predetermined processing cycle, and a count code indicating timing at which a pulse of reflected light that is the laser light reflected by a distance measurement target and returned is received is continuously counted at the time of switching a processing cycle. Then, an instruction on an emission delay value indicating a time for delaying the emission timing from the start of the processing cycle is given to be different for each processing cycle. The present disclosure can be applied to a measurement device that measures a distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: KAZUKI AKUTAGAWA, YASUNORI TSUKUDA, HIROYUKI HIRANO, NOBORU SAKIMURA, TATSUO KUROIWA
  • Publication number: 20220236414
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a measurement device, a measurement method, and a program that enable measurement in a shorter time. A signal for giving an instruction on emission timing to emit a pulse of laser light is generated in order to output the laser light having the number of pulse emissions of two or more times within a distance measurement range time of one time by setting, as the distance measurement range time, a width of a flight time in which light reciprocates between the measurement device and a distance measurement range representing a fixed distance width including a distance to be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hirano, Kazuki Akutagawa, Tatsuo Kuroiwa, Yasunori Tsukuda, Noboru Sakimura
  • Publication number: 20220052083
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a light receiving device and a distance measurement system that enable light to be surely received by a reference pixel. A light receiving device includes a plurality of pixels each including a light receiving element having a light receiving surface, and a light emission source provided on an opposite side of the light receiving surface with respect to the light receiving element. The plurality of pixels includes a first pixel including a light shielding member provided between the light receiving element and the light emission source, and a second pixel including a light guiding unit that is configured to propagate a photon and is provided between the light receiving element and the light emission source. The present technology can be applied to a distance measurement system or the like that detects a distance to a subject in a depth direction, for example, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventor: YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Patent number: 11228727
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging element, a driving method, and electronic equipment that enable imaging to be performed at higher speed. The imaging element includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix shape, an AD converter that performs AD conversion in parallel on pixel signals that have been output from the plurality of pixels for each column of the plurality of pixels arranged in the pixel array, and a reference signal generator that generates a reference signal that the AD converter refers to when the AD converter performs AD conversion on a pixel signal for an identical pixel signal, the reference signal having a waveform that includes a slope having a constant gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuta Okamoto, Yosuke Ueno, Yasunori Tsukuda
  • Publication number: 20220014194
    Abstract: A level shift circuit according to an embodiment of the present technology includes an input section, a supply section, and a regulator. An input signal of a first power supply system is input to the input section. The supply section includes a pair of nodes, the supply section being connected to one of a pair of power supply lines serving as a second power supply system of which a voltage level is higher than a voltage level of the first power supply system, the supply section supplying a potential of the one of the pair of power supply lines to one of the pair of nodes according to the input signal. The regulator is connected to another of the pair of power supply lines, the regulator regulating current flowing between the one of the pair of nodes that is supplied with the potential of the one of the pair of power supply lines, and the other of the pair of power supply lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: MASAHIRO ICHIHASHI, TETSUYA TASHIRO, YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20210359601
    Abstract: Noise is reduced in a circuit that converts voltage. A voltage conversion circuit includes a conversion transistor, a current source transistor, and a control circuit. In this voltage conversion circuit, the conversion transistor converts a potential of an input signal, the potential being changed from one of two different potentials to the other, by using predetermined current, and outputs the converted signal as an output signal. Furthermore, the current source transistor supplies the predetermined current. Then, in a case where the potential of the input signal is changed to the other potential, the control circuit stops supplying the predetermined current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: YASUNORI TSUKUDA, KAZUTOSHI TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20210337156
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging element, a driving method, and electronic equipment that enable imaging to be performed at higher speed. The imaging element includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix shape, an AD converter that performs AD conversion in parallel on pixel signals that have been output from the plurality of pixels for each column of the plurality of pixels arranged in the pixel array, and a reference signal generator that generates a reference signal that the AD converter refers to when the AD converter performs AD conversion on a pixel signal for an identical pixel signal, the reference signal having a waveform that includes a slope having a constant gradient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: RYUTA OKAMOTO, YOSUKE UENO, YASUNORI TSUKUDA
  • Patent number: 11108323
    Abstract: Noise is reduced in a circuit that converts voltage. A voltage conversion circuit includes a conversion transistor, a current source transistor, and a control circuit. In this voltage conversion circuit, the conversion transistor converts a potential of an input signal, the potential being changed from one of two different potentials to the other, by using predetermined current, and outputs the converted signal as an output signal. Furthermore, the current source transistor supplies the predetermined current. Then, in a case where the potential of the input signal is changed to the other potential, the control circuit stops supplying the predetermined current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Tsukuda, Kazutoshi Tomita
  • Patent number: 11006060
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging device and an electronic device capable of restricting an occurrence of a sunspot phenomenon in a simple configuration. The imaging device includes a sample/hold part that samples and holds a reset voltage as a reset level voltage of a pixel signal and an AD conversion part that analog digital (AD) converts the pixel signal, in which the AD conversion part selects and outputs one of a first output signal as the AD converted pixel signal and a second output signal at a predetermined level on the basis of a comparison result between the reset voltage held by the sample/hold part and a predetermined reference voltage. The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to a CMOS image sensor, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Tsukuda, Noam Eshel
  • Patent number: 10917602
    Abstract: An imaging device comprising a pixel substrate including pixel element circuitry, a logic substrate including read circuitry configured to receive an output signal voltage from the pixel element circuitry, and electrically-conductive material arranged between the pixel substrate and the logic substrate, wherein the electrically-conductive material is configured to transfer at least one reference voltage from the logic substrate to the pixel substrate, wherein the electrically-conductive material comprises a Cu—Cu bonding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Tsukuda, Kenichi Takamiya