Nikon Patents

Nikon Corporation manufactures and sells semiconductor and FPD lithography equipment, digital cameras, lenses and accessories, and microscopes and other measuring instruments.

Nikon Patents by Type
  • Nikon Patents Granted: Nikon patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Nikon Patent Applications: Nikon patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Patent number: 11789245
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprising, in order from an object side, a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a rear lens group having negative refractive power; upon varying a magnification from a wide angle end state to a tele photo end state, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group being varied, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group being varied, and a distance between the third lens group and the rear lens group being varied; the third lens group or the rear lens group comprising a focusing lens group which is moved upon carrying out focusing from an infinitely distant object to a closely distant object; and predetermined conditional expression(s) being satisfied, thereby various aberrations being corrected superbly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 11789246
    Abstract: A zoom lens (ZL) comprises, in order from an object: a first lens group (G1) having negative refractive power; an aperture stop (S); a second lens group (G2) having positive refractive power; a third lens group (G3) having negative refractive power; and a fourth lens group (G4) having positive refractive power. In this zoom lens (ZL), upon zooming from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the aperture stop (S) and the first lens group (G1), a distance between the aperture stop (S) and the second lens group (G2), and a distance between the aperture stop (S) and the third lens group (G3) are changed and the aperture stop (S) is moved in an optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Saburo Masugi
  • Patent number: 11791223
    Abstract: To improve the throughput of substrate bonding. A substrate bonding apparatus that bonds first and second substrates so that contact regions in which the first and second substrates contact are formed in parts of the first and second substrates and the contact regions enlarge from the parts, the apparatus including: a detecting unit detecting information about the contact regions; and a determining unit determining that the first and second substrates can be carried out based on the information detected at the detecting unit. In the substrate bonding apparatus, the information may be information, a value of which changes according to progress of enlargement of the contact regions, and the determining unit may determine that the first and second substrates can be carried out if the value becomes constant or if a rate of changes in the value becomes lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Sugaya, Eiji Ariizumi, Yoshiaki Kito, Mikio Ushijima, Masanori Aramata, Naoto Kiribe, Hiroshi Shirasu, Hajime Mitsuishi, Minoru Fukuda, Masaki Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 11786118
    Abstract: In an ophthalmic imaging system an image imaged by an imaging section for a right eye is formed as an imaging image on a display, and then displayed through a right-eye optical unit and a reflection member. An image imaged by an imaging section for a left eye is formed as an imaging image on a display, and then displayed through an optical unit and the reflection member. This thereby enables the object to be visually inspected as a three-dimensional image by the observer viewing the right-eye imaging image and the left-eye imaging image, which differ from each other according to the parallax therebetween, by viewing the respective images through right and left eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kawasaki, Masahiro Mizuta, Ryoichi Sataka, Toshiyuki Namikawa
  • Patent number: 11792533
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first and a second pixel, each of which includes a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light that has passed through a micro lens and generates a first charge, a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light that has passed through the micro lens and generates a second charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates at least one of the first charge and the second charge, a first transfer unit that transfers the first charge to the accumulation unit, and a second transfer unit that transfers the second charge to the accumulation unit; and a control unit that outputs, to the first transfer unit of the first pixel and to the second transfer unit of the second pixel, a signal that causes the first charge of the first pixel and the second charge of the second pixel to be transferred to their accumulation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Seo
  • Patent number: 11788833
    Abstract: Method and system for defining basis functions for fitting distortions of profiles of objects in a batch, that has undergone a fabrication process, in a manner adaptable to the fabrication process to reduce the errors between profiles approximated with the use of such basis functions and actual object profiles. Process-specific individual basis functions are defined based on spatially-dense measurement of objects from training sub-set of the batch and applying learning algorithm to results of such measurement. Advantages of process-adaptable basis functions over generic basis functions for fitting distortion shapes of objects include higher accuracy of fitting either at larger or a fewer locations across the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Travis D. Bow, Henry Pang, Fardad A. Hashemi
  • Patent number: 11791363
    Abstract: An element includes a plurality of light-receiving elements to photoelectrically convert light received from an object, a convolution processing unit to perform convolution operation on signals that are output from the plurality of light-receiving elements, and a pooling processing unit to sample a signal that is output from the convolution processing unit, based on a predetermined condition. The convolution operation of the convolution processing unit and the sampling of the pooling processing unit are repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru Matsumoto, Sota Nakanishi, Tomohisa Ishida, Atsushi Miyamoto, Kiyoshi Uchikawa
  • Publication number: 20230320584
    Abstract: Predicting a non perfusion area. An enhancement image processing section performs enhancement image processing on a fundus image of a subject eye to enhance vascular portions (304). A prediction processing section predicts a non perfusion area in the fundus image that has been subjected to the enhancement image processing (306 to 312). A generation section generates a non perfusion area candidate image (314).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mariko HIROKAWA, Yasushi TANABE, Tomoharu FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20230320582
    Abstract: A visual function examination device includes a response information acquisition unit configured to acquire response information indicating a response about glare felt by a subject to a visual target based on a glare illusion and a glare index calculation unit configured to calculate an index for the glare felt by the subject on the basis of the response information acquired by the response information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON-ESSILOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsukasa MONMA
  • Publication number: 20230324650
    Abstract: A focus detection device includes: an imaging unit having a first pixel and a second pixel each of which receives light transmitted through an optical system and outputs signal used for focus detection; an input unit to which first information regarding a position on an image plane and an exit pupil distance of the optical system is input; a selection unit that selects a first focus detection based on the signal having been output from the first pixel or a second focus detection based on the signal having been output from the second pixel, based on the first information having been input to the input unit; and a focus detection unit that performs the first focus detection or the second focus detection based on a selection by the selection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki KITA, Akira KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20230328274
    Abstract: A video compression apparatus for compressing video data as a series of frames outputted from an imaging element that has a plurality of imaging regions for imaging a subject and for which imaging conditions can be set for the respective imaging regions, includes: a setting unit configured to set, based on an imaging condition set in a compression target region of a frame different from a reference frame, a search region for detecting a specific region in the reference frame; and a detection unit configured to detect, based on the compression target region, the specific region in the search region set by the setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku KOMIYA, Naoki SEKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230328395
    Abstract: An image capturing device includes: an image capturing element having a first image capturing region that captures an image of a photographic subject and outputs a first signal, and a second image capturing region that captures an image of the photographic subject and outputs a second signal; a setting unit that sets an image capture condition for the first image capturing region to an image capture condition that is different from an image capture condition for the second image capturing region; a correction unit that performs correction upon the second signal, for employment in interpolation of the first signal; and a generation unit that generates an image of the photographic subject that has been captured by the first image capturing region by employing a signal generated by interpolating the first signal according to the second signal as corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi SHIONOYA, Toshiyuki KANBARA, Naoki SEKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230328382
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: an input unit, first image data being a portion of an image with first and second photographic subjects being imaged being inputted therein, the second subject to be displayed after the first, and the first subject again to be displayed by repeating control to shift a portion of the image displayed upon the display unit in a first direction and to display a portion not displayed; and an image generation unit generating, from the first image data, second image data including the first and second subjects, and the second subject is arranged towards the first direction from the first subject, if a first distance by which the image displayed shifts from the first subject being displayed until the second subject is displayed is longer than a second distance by which the image displayed shifts from the second subject until the first subject is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidenori KURIBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11785345
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: an imaging unit including a region having a pixel group that has a plurality of first pixels, and second pixels that are fewer than the first pixels in the pixel group; and a control unit that reads out the signals based upon exposure of the second pixels during exposure of the plurality of first pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Gohara, Satoshi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11782250
    Abstract: A compact zooming optical system, an optical apparatus and a method for manufacturing the zooming optical system having a vibration reduction function, a high zooming ratio, a wide-angle view and superb optical performance are provided, the system including, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 having negative refractive power; upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 and a distance between the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 being respectively varied; the third lens group G3 having, in order from the object side, a first segment group G31 having positive refractive power and a second segment group G32; the second segment group G32 being m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11782253
    Abstract: An objective lens (OL) comprises, disposed in order from an object: a positive lens (L11); a negative meniscus lens (L12) cemented to the positive lens (L11) and having a concave surface facing the object; and a positive meniscus lens (L13) having a concave surface facing the object; wherein the objective lens satisfies following conditional expressions 2.03?n1m?2.30 and 20??1m, where, n1m: a refractive index of the negative meniscus lens (L12) with respect to a d-line, and ?1m: an Abbe number of the negative meniscus lens (L12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuya Watanabe, Azuna Nonaka
  • Patent number: 11778323
    Abstract: A camera accessory that is attachable to and detachable from a camera body, includes: a correction optical system that is movable in a direction intersecting an optical axis thereof; and a first communication unit that transmits to the camera body a first information regarding a position of the correction optical system and a second information regarding a vibration of the camera accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sueyuki Ohishi
  • Patent number: 11774864
    Abstract: A carrier device that carries a substrate to a noncontact holder that is configured to support the substrate in a noncontact manner is equipped with: holding pads that hold a part of the substrate at a first position located above the noncontact holder; a drive section that moves downward the holding pads holding the substrate so that the substrate is supported in a noncontact manner by the noncontact holder; and adsorption pads that hold the substrate supported in a noncontact manner by the noncontact holder, after the substrate held by the holding pads is moved by the drive section, wherein the drive section moves the holding pads from the first position to a second position where the substrate can be delivered to the adsorption pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuo Aoki
  • Patent number: 11774707
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion film that performs photoelectric conversion on light having entered therein; at least two electrodes, including a first electrode and a second electrode, disposed at a surface of the photoelectric conversion film; and at least two electrodes, including a third electrode and a fourth electrode, disposed at another surface of the photoelectric conversion film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kita
  • Publication number: 20230307157
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus that supplies mist to a front surface of an object and deposits a film made of a material substance containing the mist on the front surface of the object, the deposition apparatus comprising a mist supplying section that includes: a mist generating section that generates the mist; an inlet port that introduces the mist generated by the mist generating section into a space; and a supply port that supplies the mist from the space to the front surface of the object, wherein the supply port is provided at a different position than the inlet port in a first direction, in a first prescribed plane that includes the supply port where the first direction and a second direction intersect and that has the mist pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro OKUI, Yoshiaki KITO, Takeshi SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11768360
    Abstract: An imaging lens comprises in order from an object, a first lens group of positive refractive power, a second lens group of positive refractive power, and a third lens group of negative refractive power. In focusing from infinity to a close object, the first lens group is fixed in position, and the second lens group and the third lens group are moved so that the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group is reduced, and the distance between the second lens group and the third lens group is increased. Further, the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied: 1.0<f1/f<2.5??(1) where f1: is the focal length of the first lens group, and f: the focal length of the entire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Keiko Yamada, Ryosuke Imajima, Wataru Tatsuno, Haruo Sato
  • Patent number: 11766757
    Abstract: A processing system includes a control unit that generates positional information related to a position of a measuring unit at a time of measuring a processing object and outputs the generated positional information and a generation period signal indicating a period during which the positional information is generated, an acquisition unit that acquires the positional information and the generation period signal which have been output, an acquisition interval calculation unit that calculates a statistical value indicating an interval between acquisition periods regarding a plurality of generation period signals acquired by the acquisition unit, an estimation unit that estimates the period during which the positional information is generated on the basis of the statistical value calculated by the acquisition interval calculation unit, and a shape calculation unit that calculates a shape of the processing object based on measurement information, the positional information, and the period estimated by the estimat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION, DMG MORI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Yamada, Shizuo Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Junichi Morishita
  • Patent number: 11767327
    Abstract: What is provided is a compound, a pattern forming substrate, a coupling agent, and a pattern formation method. The compound is represented by Formula (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION, KANAGAWA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yusuke Kawakami, Kazuo Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20230296368
    Abstract: Shearography systems provide independent setting of fringe frequency and shear magnitude by situating an interferometer with a tiltable reflector proximate a pupil plane of an imaging optical system. Fringe frequency can be selected based on a modified Savart plate. In other examples, a Wollaston prism or a polarization grating is translated with respect to an image sensor to vary shear magnitude while maintaining a substantially fixed fringe frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Peter Goodwin, Daniel Gene Smith
  • Publication number: 20230298149
    Abstract: A method for generating a learned model that performs an image transformation disclosed in the present description includes a step of learning mapping of a source to a target using a first image group as the source and at least one phase contrast image as the target, the first image group including a first image set having microscopic images of a biological sample captured at different positions along a first optical axis, the microscopic images being other than phase contrast images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru ICHIHASHI, Takahiko YOSHIDA, Moeka NOBUTA, Yasuko OSHIMA, Junko SAKAGAMI, Takayuki UOZUMI
  • Patent number: 11765473
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixel blocks and a connection unit. The plurality of pixel blocks includes: a diffusion unit to which an electric charge resulting from photoelectric conversion is transferred; and a transistor containing a source electrically connected with the diffusion unit. The connection unit is electrically connected with a drain of the transistor included in each of the plurality of pixel blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Komai, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Osamu Saruwatari
  • Publication number: 20230292018
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first readout circuit that reads out a first signal, being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion, to a first signal line; a first holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and a first electric current source that supplies the first signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the first holding circuit, wherein: the first holding circuit holds the voltage based on the electric current from the power supply circuit when the first signal is not read out to the first signal line by the first readout circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20230288785
    Abstract: A camera body at which one or more camera accessories, at which light from a subject enters, are detachably mountable, includes: a body-side terminal; and a communication unit that communicates with at least one of the camera accessories, wherein: the communication unit requests, via the body-side terminal, the camera accessory for a discriminating signal indicating whether or not another camera accessory capable of communicating with the camera body is mountable on a subject side of the camera accessory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20230286848
    Abstract: A holding member is used in a glass manufacturing apparatus that cools down a glass raw material that has been levitated by gas and has been heated and melted, and manufactures glass. The holding member includes a gas injection surface that includes a plurality of injection ports from which the gas is injected. The gas injection surface includes a first region and a second region, the first region including first injection ports that are some injection ports of the plurality of injection ports, the second region including second injection ports that are different from the first injection ports from among the plurality of injection ports. The first region is located inside the second region, when the gas injection surface is viewed from the top. An area of the injection ports per unit area of the first region is smaller than the area of the injection ports per the unit area of the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kohei YOSHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11754820
    Abstract: A zoom optical system (ZL) comprises, in order from an object: a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power; a second lens group (G2) having a negative refractive power; a third lens group (G3) having a positive refractive power; and a subsequent lens group (GR), wherein upon zooming, a distance between the first lens group (G1) and the second lens group (G2) changes, a distance between the second lens group (G2) and the third lens group (G3) changes, and a distance between the third lens group (G3) and the subsequent lens group (GR) changes, the subsequent lens group (GR) comprises a focusing lens group that moves upon focusing, and the second lens group (G2) comprises a partial group that satisfies following conditional expressions, 1.40<fvr/f2<2.30, 1.80<f1/fw<3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11758303
    Abstract: To divide an image capture region into multiple regions for which different image capture conditions are set and to generate multiple moving images corresponding to the multiple regions. An electronic apparatus includes an image sensor that captures first and second moving images in first and second regions of an image capture region on different image capture conditions, the second region differing from the first region, and a moving image generation unit that generates the first and second moving images captured in the first and second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11757247
    Abstract: A pulsed light generation device, includes: a first optical fiber through which first pulsed light and second pulsed light, having an intensity that decreases while an intensity of the first pulsed light increases, and increases while the intensity of the first pulsed light decreases, having been multiplexed and entered therein, are propagated; and a second optical fiber at which the first pulsed light, having exited the first optical fiber and entered therein, is amplified while being propagated therein, wherein: at the first optical fiber, phase modulation occurs in the first pulsed light due to cross phase modulation caused by the second pulsed light; and self-phase modulation occurring in the first pulsed light at the second optical fiber is diminished by the phase modulation having occurred at the first optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Tokuhisa
  • Patent number: 11754856
    Abstract: A method for designing an eyeglass lens includes: displaying an image upon a display device while maintaining a positional relationship of a face of a subject and the display device; acquiring information in which visual sensitivity of the subject is evaluated on the basis of an impression received by the subject who has viewed the image; and designing an eyeglass lens on the basis of the information in which the sensitivity is evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON-ESSILOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11758301
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Patent number: 11757381
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an element displaced by application of voltage; an elastic body having a contact surface coming into contact with the element, a drive surface to produce a vibration wave by displacement of the element, and a plurality of grooves; a moving element come into contact with the drive surface and rotated by the vibration wave; an annular ring rotated by rotating of the moving element; and a lens moved in an optical axis direction by rotating of the annular ring; wherein the element mainly contains a material having potassium sodium niobate, potassium niobate, sodium niobate, or barium titanate, wherein a value of [(T/B)÷W] is in a range of 0.84 to 1.94, where T represents a depth of the groove, B represents a distance from a bottom part of the groove to the contact surface, and W represents a radial width of the elastic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takatoshi Ashizawa
  • Publication number: 20230283881
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a display control unit that is configured to display at a display unit a first image generated by capturing an image with light having entered a first area of an image sensor and a second image generated by capturing an image with light having entered a second area at the image sensor different from the first area; and a selection unit that is configured to select either the first area or the second area as an area for image-capturing condition adjustment in reference to the first image and the second image displayed at the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi TSUCHIYA, Yuuki ASANO, Shuhei YOSHIKAWA, Iori NODA, Takashi SHIONOYA, Toshiyuki KANBARA, Aiko NAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230283910
    Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that includes an imagecapturing area where an image of a subject is captured; a setting unit that sets imagecapturing conditions to be applied to the image-capturing area; a selection unit that selects pixels to be used for interpolation from pixels present in the image-capturing area; and a generation unit that generates an image of the subject captured in the image-capturing area with signals generated through interpolation executed by using signals output from the pixels selected by the selection unit, wherein: the selection unit makes a change in selection of at least some of the pixels to be selected depending upon the image-capturing conditions set by the setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi SHIONOYA, Toshiyuki KANBARA, Naoki SEKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230278914
    Abstract: An optical glass comprising: by mass %, 20% or more and 50% or less of a content rate of P2O5; 12.66% or more and 35% or less of a content rate of TiO2; 0% or more and 20% or less of a content rate of Nb2O5; and 5% or more and 30% or less of a content rate of Bi2O3, wherein a ratio of a content rate of TiO2 to a content rate of P2O5 (TiO2/P2O5) is 0.30 or more and 0.75 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya KOIDE
  • Publication number: 20230280575
    Abstract: A microscope includes: an illumination optical system that focuses illumination light and forms an illumination region on a sample; a detection optical system that forms an image by light from the sample on an image plane; an aberration setting unit that sets an aberration state of at least one of the illumination optical system and the detection optical system; a detector in which a detection surface having a plurality of aligned detection units is arranged on the image plane; a calculation unit that calculates light amount distribution information of a detection image detected by the detection units; and a computation unit that determines an aberration state of at least one of the systems which should be set by the aberration setting unit based on the light amount distribution information of the detection image in a plurality of aberration states set by the aberration setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke FUJIKAKE, Yamato NIITANI
  • Patent number: 11747714
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light having entered therein, and a first light blocking unit that blocks a part of light about to enter the first photoelectric conversion unit; and a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light having entered therein and a second light blocking unit that blocks a part of light about to enter the second photoelectric conversion unit, wherein: the first photoelectric conversion unit and the first light blocking unit are set apart from each other by a distance different from a distance setting apart the second photoelectric conversion unit and the second light blocking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki Takahara
  • Patent number: 11747736
    Abstract: In corner sections of first to fourth quadrants whose origin point is a center of an upper surface of a stage, three each of two-dimensional heads are provided. The three each of two-dimensional heads include one first head and two second heads. The stage is driven, while measuring a position of the stage using three first heads that face a two-dimensional grating of a scale plate provided above the stage from the four first heads, and during the driving, difference data of measurement values of the two second heads with respect to the first head in a measurement direction are taken in for head groups to which the three first heads belong, respectively, and using the difference data, grid errors are calibrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 11744455
    Abstract: An image signal output device including an acquisition section configured to acquire a fundus image, a selection section configured to select a projection for displaying the acquired fundus image from plural projections, a conversion section configured to convert the fundus image into the selected projection, and a processing section configured to output an image signal of the converted fundus image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Tanabe, Tomoharu Fujiwara, Mariko Hirokawa
  • Publication number: 20230270328
    Abstract: An optical imaging system includes a first lens system housed in a body of a mobile telecommunication device, the first lens system having a first optical axis, a first entrance pupil fixed in space in a reference plane associated with said body, and a first focal length; and an optical telescope providing a diffraction-limited imaging within a spectral range from at least 486 nm to at least 656 nm. The optical imaging system is configured to image, when the optical telescope is inserted between the first lens system and an entrance pupil of a visual system of an eye (EPE), the EPE onto the first entrance pupil and vice versa with a substantially unit magnification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: David M. Williamson
  • Publication number: 20230273507
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens that is detachably attached to a camera body and that includes a holding unit at which a plurality of contacts is arranged, includes: a first contact group that includes a plurality of the contacts, arranged at the holding unit, through which a first data communication is performed with the camera body in a first period; a second contact group that includes a plurality of the contacts, arranged at the holding unit, through which a second data communication is performed with the camera body in a second period that is shorter than the first period; and a power source contact arranged at the holding unit, through which operation voltages for the first and second data communications are supplied to the interchangeable lens from the camera body. The first contact group is arranged at a position closer to the power source contact than the second contact group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuharu IMAFUJI, Masafumi OIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230273400
    Abstract: A focus adjustment control apparatus is provided which includes: a focus detection unit that calculates an evaluation value with regard to contrast of an image via an optical system to detect a focus adjustment state of the optical system; an acquisition unit that acquires from a lens barrel at least one of a maximum value and a minimum value of an image plane movement coefficient that represents correspondence relationship between a movement amount of a focus adjustment lens included in the optical system and a movement amount of an image plane; and a control unit that uses at least one of the maximum value and the minimum value of the image plane movement coefficient to determine a drive speed for the focus adjustment lens when the focus detection unit detects the focus adjustment state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TOMITA, Toshiaki MAEDA
  • 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: 11741706
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging portion that images a subject; a positional information acquisition portion that acquires positional information of an imaging position; a control portion which acquires information on the subject based on the positional information, and displays image data of the subject and the information on the subject on a display portion; and a hold control portion that outputs a hold control signal, which holds the image data of the subject and the information on the subject, to the control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideya Inoue
  • Patent number: 11740442
    Abstract: A zoom optical system comprises, in order from an object: a front lens group (GFS) having a positive refractive power; an M1 lens group (GM1) having a negative refractive power; an M2 lens group (GM2) having a positive refractive power; and an RN lens group (GRN) having a negative refractive power, wherein upon zooming, distances between the front lens group and the M1 lens group, between the M1 lens group and the M2 lens group, and between the M2 lens group and the RN lens group change, upon focusing from an infinite distant object to a short distant object, the RN lens group moves, and the M2 lens group comprises an A lens group that satisfies a following conditional expression, 1.10<fvr/fTM2<2.00, where, fvr: a focal length of the A lens group, and fTM2: a focal length of the M2 lens group in a telephoto end state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11740444
    Abstract: A zoom optical system comprises, in order from an object side: a first lens group having positive refractive power; a front-side lens group; an intermediate lens group having positive refractive power; and a rear-side lens group. The front-side lens group is composed of one or more lens groups and has a negative lens group. At least part of the intermediate lens group is a focusing lens group. The rear-side lens group is composed of one or more lens groups. Upon zooming, distances between the first lens group and the front-side lens group, between the front-side lens group and the intermediate lens group, and between the intermediate lens group and the rear-side lens group change. The following conditional expressions are satisfied: ?10.000<fF/fRF<10.000 0.010<|fF/fXR|<10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Shibata, Tomoyuki Sashima
  • Patent number: 11742299
    Abstract: A determination apparatus has a calculation section, where first and second direction pitches intersecting within a predetermined plane of a plurality of detection areas are D1 and D2, respectively, sizes in the first and second directions of each of a plurality of divided areas arranged two-dimensionally along the first and second directions on a substrate are W1 and W2, respectively, and first and second direction pitches of a plurality of marks arranged on the substrate are p1 and p2, respectively, calculates pitch p1 and pitch p2 of the plurality of marks that satisfy formulas (a) and (b) below, based on pitch D1, pitch D2, size W1, and size W2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki