Patents by Inventor Yukihiro Kuroda

Yukihiro Kuroda 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: 20240073561
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11856306
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11846542
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pixel and a counter circuit. The pixel includes a first avalanche photodiode and a second avalanche photodiode having different sensitivity to light. The counter circuit is configured to count a first signal based on charges generated in the first avalanche photodiode, and a second signal based on charges generated in the second avalanche photodiode. Processing on the count value is different between a case where a count value output from the counter circuit is larger than a threshold value and a case where the count value output from the counter circuit is smaller than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuo Yamazaki, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11818483
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels each including an avalanche diode, a quench unit reducing the avalanche multiplication of the avalanche diode, a pulse conversion unit converting an output signal of the avalanche diode into pulses, and a signal generation unit generating an accumulation signal obtained by accumulating the number of pulses, a detection unit detecting whether or not the width of the pulse is not smaller than a predetermined width, and a voltage control unit controlling a reverse bias voltage applied to the avalanche diode within a range not lower than the breakdown voltage of the avalanche diode based on the result of the detection. The voltage control unit lowers the reverse bias voltage within a range not lower than the breakdown voltage when the accumulation value of pixels whose pulse width is not smaller than a predetermined width is not smaller than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11592329
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a waveform shaping circuit, a reference circuit, and a counter. The waveform shaping circuit is configured to generate a first pulse signal based on a signal output from an avalanche diode. The reference circuit is configured to generate a second pulse signal without depending on incident light. The counter is connected to the waveform shaping circuit and the reference circuit to count a number of occurrences of a pulse signal. The pulse signal is based on at least one of the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal, and is input to the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ryoki, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20220326076
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes an avalanche multiplying photodiode, a signal generation unit that includes a control unit configured to control an applied voltage to the photodiode and generates a photon detection pulse based on an output generated by incidence of a photon to the photodiode, and a counter that counts the photon detection pulse output from the signal generation unit, and the counter outputs a setting value detection signal when a count value of the photon detection pulse reaches a predetermined setting value, and in response to receiving the setting value detection signal, the control unit controls the applied voltage to the photodiode so as to stop generation of an avalanche current in the photodiode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Yasuharu Ota, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20220321814
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11418743
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11411028
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a first diode which is an avalanche multiplication-type and a second diode which is an avalanche multiplication-type formed within a semiconductor substrate, a first transistor forming a first quench element, and a second transistor forming a second quench element. The first transistor and the second transistor are disposed between the first diode and the second diode in a planar view. The first transistor and the second transistor are disposed in a common semiconductor well region formed within the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11402264
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes an avalanche multiplying photodiode, a signal generation unit that includes a control unit configured to control an applied voltage to the photodiode and generates a photon detection pulse based on an output generated by incidence of a photon to the photodiode, and a counter that counts the photon detection pulse output from the signal generation unit, and the counter outputs a setting value detection signal when a count value of the photon detection pulse reaches a predetermined setting value, and in response to receiving the setting value detection signal, the control unit controls the applied voltage to the photodiode so as to stop generation of an avalanche current in the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuharu Ota, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11368639
    Abstract: In an aspect of the present disclosure, a photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising includes a scan unit and a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit and configured to output a digital signal corresponding to an electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit. The scan unit performs a scan to read the digital signal from the plurality of pixels and an operation of inputting a signal based on the digital signal output from the plurality of pixels to the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20220132065
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including: first signal generation units arranged so as to form rows and columns and corresponding to pixels configured to output a signal in response to incidence of light, each of the first signal generation units being configured to output a first digital signal in response to an output from a corresponding pixel; second signal generation units arranged corresponding to at least a part of the rows and the columns, each of the second signal generation units being configured to output a second digital signal having a predetermined digital value; and a readout unit configured to output a signal based on at least one of the first digital signal and the second digital signal that is output from a selected part of the first signal generation units and the second signal generation units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20220115366
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes: a first substrate including an avalanche photodiode; and a second substrate, in which the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked on each other, and further includes: a temperature detection unit arranged in at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate and having an output characteristic depending on a temperature; and a temperature value generating circuit arranged outside the first substrate and configured to convert output from the temperature detection unit into a temperature value signal that is a signal indicating temperature information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Yasuharu Ota, Yukihiro Kuroda, Kazuhiro Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20220014698
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels each including an avalanche diode, a quench unit reducing the avalanche multiplication of the avalanche diode, a pulse conversion unit converting an output signal of the avalanche diode into pulses, and a signal generation unit generating an accumulation signal obtained by accumulating the number of pulses, a detection unit detecting whether or not the width of the pulse is not smaller than a predetermined width, and a voltage control unit controlling a reverse bias voltage applied to the avalanche diode within a range not lower than the breakdown voltage of the avalanche diode based on the result of the detection. The voltage control unit lowers the reverse bias voltage within a range not lower than the breakdown voltage when the accumulation value of pixels whose pulse width is not smaller than a predetermined width is not smaller than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Tomoya Sasago, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11212473
    Abstract: An embodiment includes a plurality of pixels each including a light receiving unit that outputs a pulse in response to incidence of a photon, and a signal generation unit that generates a signal in accordance with the number of pulses output from the light receiving unit, wherein the plurality of pixels includes a first pixel in which an upper limit value of a signal generated by the signal generation unit is a first value and a second pixel in which an upper limit value of a signal generated by the signal generation unit is a second value that is smaller than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20210389176
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pixel and a counter circuit. The pixel includes a first avalanche photodiode and a second avalanche photodiode having different sensitivity to light. The counter circuit is configured to count a first signal based on charges generated in the first avalanche photodiode, and a second signal based on charges generated in the second avalanche photodiode. Processing on the count value is different between a case where a count value output from the counter circuit is larger than a threshold value and a case where the count value output from the counter circuit is smaller than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Kazuo Yamazaki, Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11172147
    Abstract: A disclosed photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels each including a light receiving portion that outputs a pulse in response to incidence of a photon and a signal generation unit that outputs a signal based on output from the light receiving portion, and each of the plurality of pixels further includes a detection unit that detects whether or not a width of a pulse output from the light receiving portion exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11164718
    Abstract: An electron beam detection element according to an exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of unit cells. Each of the plurality of unit cells includes a diode of avalanche multiplication type and a plurality of memories. The diode of avalanche multiplication type is configured to detect an electron beam. The plurality of memories store signals of different frames respectively, each of the signals being output from the diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11069823
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a plurality of output lines to which signals from the plurality of pixels are output, and each of the plurality of pixels includes a light receiving unit that outputs a pulse in response to incidence of a photon and a signal generation unit that, based on output from the light receiving unit, generates a pixel signal output to each of the output lines. The signal generation unit includes a count unit that generates a count signal indicating a count value of pulses output from the light receiving unit and a comparison unit that compares the count value indicated by the count signal with a predetermined threshold value, and the signal generation unit outputs a signal in accordance with a result of comparison performed by the comparison unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11024752
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes: an avalanche amplification-type diode; a pulse shaping circuit that shapes output from the avalanche amplification-type diode into a pulse; and a signal processing circuit that processes a signal corresponding to output from the pulse shaping circuit. A first base body in which the avalanche amplification-type diode is provided and a second base body in which the signal processing circuit is provided are stacked on each other, and the pulse shaping circuit is provided in the first base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda