Patents Assigned to PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 11466650
    Abstract: This fuel includes: a first switching element disposed between a booster circuit boosting a battery power and one end of a solenoid; a second switching element disposed between a battery and one end of the solenoid; a third switching element disposed between the other end of the solenoid and a ground; a fourth switching element disposed between one end of the solenoid and a ground; and a control unit configured to control open/closed states of the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element. The control unit is configured to open the fourth switching element during a valve closing detection period of detecting closing of a fuel injection valve and to detect the closing of the fuel injection valve on the basis of a change in voltage of the other end of the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD., PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogawa, Motoaki Kato, Kengo Nomura, Keisuke Kuroda, Takashi Ryu
  • Patent number: 11027604
    Abstract: A hydrogen detection apparatus includes a hydrogen sensor, a sensor control circuit configured to sense a resistance value of the hydrogen sensor, and a microcomputer configured to set an off time that differs depending on an operating environment and intermittently drive the sensor control circuit. The hydrogen sensor includes a first electrode; a metal-oxide layer on the first electrode, and in which a resistance value is configured to change in response to contacting hydrogen atoms; a second electrode on the metal-oxide layer; and an insulating film that covers at least a portion of lateral surfaces of the first electrode, the metal-oxide layer, and the second electrode. A portion of at least one of: (i) a first interface between the first electrode and the metal-oxide layer; and (ii) a second interface between the second electrode and the metal-oxide layer is uncovered by the insulating film and exposed to a detection space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Kawai, Shinichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 11028988
    Abstract: A light source device includes a semiconductor light-emitting device which emits coherent excitation light, and a wavelength conversion element which is spaced from the semiconductor light-emitting device, generates fluorescence by converting the wavelength of the excitation light emitted from semiconductor light-emitting device, and generates scattered light by scattering the excitation light. The wavelength conversion element includes a support member, and a wavelength converter disposed on the support member. The wavelength converter includes a first wavelength converter, and a second wavelength converter which is disposed around the first wavelength converter to surround the first wavelength converter in a top view of the surface of the support member on which the wavelength converter is disposed. The ratio of the intensity of fluorescence to that of scattered light is lower in the second wavelength converter than in the first wavelength converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yamanaka, Hideki Kasugai
  • Patent number: 11024777
    Abstract: A light source device includes a mounted substrate which is a multi-layered substrate, a semiconductor light-emitting device which emits a laser beam, a wavelength-converting member which radiates fluorescence by being irradiated with the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor light-emitting device as an excitation light, a state detection circuit, an electric field effect type transistor which adjusts an electric current amount applied to the semiconductor light-emitting device upon receipt of an output from the state detection circuit, and an external connecting member, and the semiconductor light-emitting device, the state detection circuit, the transistor, and the external connecting member are mounted on the single mounted substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yamanaka, Kenichi Matsumoto, Hideo Yamaguchi, Wakahiko Okazaki, Yasuhiko Enami, Taku Kobayashi, Kazuki Adachi, Hirotaka Ueno
  • Patent number: 10999551
    Abstract: A solid-state image capture device includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate. The first semiconductor substrate includes a first connection and a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix. The second semiconductor substrate includes a second connection and a pad area including a plurality of pad electrodes for electrical connection with external equipment. The second semiconductor substrate controls the pixel array. The first and second semiconductor substrates are stacked and joined together, with the first and second connections electrically connected to each other. The first and second semiconductor substrates are substantially equal in size, and the pad electrodes are included in only the second semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Shimizu, Kazutoshi Onozawa
  • Patent number: 10985533
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes: a first semiconductor layer on a first conductivity side; a second semiconductor layer on the first conductivity side; an active layer; a third semiconductor layer on a second conductivity side different from the first conductivity side; and a fourth semiconductor layer on the second conductivity side. Eg2<Eg3 is satisfied, where Eg2 and Eg3 denote maximum values of band gap energy of the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer, respectively. The third semiconductor layer includes a first region layer in which band gap energy monotonically decreases toward the fourth semiconductor layer. N2>N3 is satisfied, where N2 denotes an impurity concentration of the second semiconductor layer, and N3 denotes an impurity concentration of the third semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tougo Nakatani, Takahiro Okaguchi, Norio Ikedo, Takeshi Yokoyama, Tomohito Yabushita, Toru Takayama, Shoichi Takasuka
  • Patent number: 10971095
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes source lines and gate lines, pixel electrodes, switching elements, a source driver, a gate driver, and a failure inspection circuit. The source lines and the gate lines are disposed in a lattice form. The pixel electrode is disposed in a pixel region defined by the source line and the gate line. The switching element is disposed corresponding to the pixel electrode. The source driver drives the source lines. The gate driver drives the gate lines. The failure inspection circuit is connected to the source lines or the gate lines, and performs inspection of the source lines or the gate lines. The failure inspection circuit includes monitor input signal lines, monitor output signal lines, a determination circuit that detects voltage levels of output signals from the monitor output signal lines, and an expected value comparison circuit that compares outputs from the determination circuit with expected values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: PANASONIC CORPORATION, PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD., PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Akihiro Yoshizawa, Hideki Nozaki, Satoshi Endou, Kenji Fukuta, Hiroaki Goto
  • Patent number: 10971897
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes: a first conductivity side semiconductor layer, an active layer; and a second conductivity side semiconductor layer. The second conductivity side semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, the first semiconductor layer being closer to the active layer than the second semiconductor layer is. The second semiconductor layer defines a width of a current injection region for injecting current into an optical waveguide. The current injection region includes a width varying region in which a width varies. S1>S2, where S1 denotes a width of the width varying region on a front end face side, and S2 denotes a width of the width varying region on a rear end face side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norio Ikedo, Tougo Nakatani, Takahiro Okaguchi, Takeshi Yokoyama, Tomohito Yabushita, Toru Takayama
  • Patent number: 10951115
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a switch device that is connected between an input terminal to which an input DC voltage is applied and an output terminal from which an output DC voltage is output, and that is turned on and off according to a drive signal; a hysteresis generation circuit to which the input DC voltage and the output DC voltage are applied; a reference voltage generation circuit that generates a reference voltage having a gradient proportional to an output current or an output voltage; and a drive signal generation circuit that generates the drive signal by comparing the output DC voltage with the reference voltage, and that, where the hysteresis generation circuit generates the output current or the output voltage that is inversely proportional to a differential voltage between the input DC voltage and the output DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Mihashi, Junji Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 10928493
    Abstract: Provided is a method for driving a solid-state imaging device including a unit pixel which includes at least a first pixel including: a photoelectric converter which receives reflected light from an object and converts the reflected light into charge; an exposure resetter which switches between exposure and discharge of the charge in the photoelectric converter; and a plurality of readers which read the charge from the photoelectric converter and include at least a first reader and a second reader. The method includes: performing a first exposure as the exposure that is performed in a first period in which a gate of the first reader is ON; and performing a second exposure as the exposure that is performed in a second period which is started in conjunction with the end of the first period and in which a gate of the second reader is ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tohru Yamada, Sei Suzuki, Yasuyuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10931908
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a first A/D converter circuit and a second A/D converter circuit per column. The first A/D converter circuit performs a first A/D conversion that (i) refines, using a first comparator, a range including a potential of an analog signal through a binary search, and (ii) generates, based on a result of the binary search, a first digital signal being a high-order portion of the digital signal. The second A/D converter circuit performs a second A/D conversion that generates a second digital signal being a low-order portion that is a remainder of the digital signal by measuring a time required for an output of the second comparator to be inverted, the second comparator comparing a quantitative relationship between the analog signal refined and a ramp signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Abe, Kazuko Nishimura, Hiroshi Fujinaka, Norihiko Sumitani, Yosuke Higashi
  • Patent number: 10930748
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor (10 ?m?tsi?30 ?m); a metal layer (30 ?m?tag?60 ?m) comprising Ag; a metal layer (10 ?m?tni?35 ?m) comprising Ni; and transistors. The transistors include a source electrode and a gate electrode on the semiconductor layer. The metal layer functions as a common drain region for the transistors. The ratio of the lengths of the longer side and the shorter side of the semiconductor layer is at most 1.73. The ratio of the surface area and the perimeter length of each electrode included in the source electrode is at most 0.127. The cumulative surface area of the source electrode and the gate electrode is at most 2.61 mm2. The length of the shorter side of the source electrode is at most 0.3 mm, and 702<2.33×tsi+10.5×tag+8.90×tni<943 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masao Hamasaki, Masaaki Hirako, Ryosuke Okawa, Ryou Kato
  • Patent number: 10903359
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer that includes principal surfaces; a metal layer that includes principal surfaces, is disposed with the principal surface in contact with the principal surface, is thicker than the semiconductor layer, and comprises a first metal material; a metal layer that includes principal surfaces, is disposed with the principal surface in contact with the principal surface, and comprises a metal material having a Young's modulus greater than that of the first metal material; and transistors. The transistor includes a source electrode and a gate electrode on a side facing the principal surface. The transistor includes a source electrode and a gate electrode on a side facing the principal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chie Fujioka, Hiroshi Yoshida, Yoshihiro Matsushima, Hideki Mizuhara, Masao Hamasaki, Mitsuaki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10903254
    Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes a light source that applies light according to timing of a light emission signal; a solid-state imager that performs, for an object, exposure according to timing of an exposure signal, and generates raw data corresponding to an exposure amount of the exposure; a signal amount comparator that determines a magnitude relationship in signal amount in the raw data; and a distance calculator that generates and outputs a distance signal based on a determination result. The solid-state imager accumulates, in each of different signal accumulation regions for accumulating signals detected in a same pixel, a signal by exposure in an exposure period that differs in exposure signal timing. The signal amount comparator determines the magnitude relationship between the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation regions. The distance calculator calculates the distance to the object using an arithmetic expression selected depending on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiko Otani, Junichi Matsuo, Haruka Takano
  • Patent number: 10900926
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes: a first electrode; a metal oxide layer that is on the first electrode and has a resistance value that changes when the metal oxide layer contacts hydrogen atoms; a second electrode on the metal oxide layer; and an insulating film that covers at least a part of side surfaces of the first electrode, the metal oxide layer, and the second electrode. In the metal oxide layer, a part of a first interface between the first electrode and the metal oxide layer is not covered by the insulating film and is exposed to a gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Katayama, Zhiqiang Wei, Shunsaku Muraoka, Kazunari Homma
  • Patent number: 10865955
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a wavelength conversion element, and an excitation light source which radiates excitation light to the wavelength conversion element. The wavelength conversion element includes a support member having a supporting surface, and a wavelength conversion member disposed on the supporting surface so as to be contained within the support member when the support member is viewed from the supporting surface side. An outer peripheral region on the support member, which is an outer peripheral portion of an arrangement region including the wavelength conversion member and is exposed from the wavelength conversion member, includes a light absorbing portion which can absorb first light having same wavelength as the excitation light or a light scattering portion which can scatter the first light. The arrangement region includes a reflective member which is disposed between the wavelength conversion member and the support member, and is different from the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yamanaka, Hideki Kasugai, Hirotaka Ueno, Kimihiro Murakami
  • Patent number: D951212
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Imamura, Kazuma Yoshida, Ryosuke Okawa, Toshikazu Imai
  • Patent number: D951213
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Imamura, Kazuma Yoshida, Ryosuke Okawa, Toshikazu Imai
  • Patent number: D951214
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Imamura, Kazuma Yoshida, Ryosuke Okawa, Toshikazu Imai
  • Patent number: D951215
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Imamura, Kazuma Yoshida, Ryosuke Okawa, Toshikazu Imai