Patents Assigned to SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 11662827
    Abstract: A mobile device configured to perform gesture recognition for a vehicle information and/or entertainment system comprises a depth camera; an orientation sensor; and a processor configured to detect one or more gestures from images captured by the depth camera according to a gesture detection algorithm; in which the processor is configured to vary the gesture detection algorithm in dependence upon an orientation of the mobile device detected by the orientation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Arora, Avasare Prabhat
  • Patent number: 11665448
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus including a specification section specifying, from among a plurality of blocks that are set by dividing pixels included in at least a partial region of a pixel region having a plurality of pixels arrayed therein and each of which includes at least one or more of the pixels, at least one or more of the blocks, and a generation section generating a unique value based on pixel values of the pixels included in the specified blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Minagawa, Toru Akishita
  • Patent number: 11662446
    Abstract: Provided is a ranging sensor (2), including: a light emitting unit (110) that applies light to a target; a light receiving unit (120) that receives light from the light emitting unit (110) reflected from the target; and a calculation unit (150) that calculates a distance from the light receiving unit (120) to the target based on light reception data acquired by the light receiving unit (120). The calculation unit (150) compares detection light reception data with predetermined data, the detection light reception data being obtained as light is emitted from the light emitting unit (110) to a reference object provided at a predetermined distance and the light of the light emitting unit (110) reflected by the reference object is received by the light receiving unit (120), and controls notification processing to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Patent number: 11662754
    Abstract: A reference voltage circuit (1) includes a PTAT voltage generation circuit (20) that generates a voltage with a positive temperature coefficient, a CTAT voltage generation circuit (10) that generates a voltage with a negative temperature coefficient, and a temperature characteristic adjustment circuit (30) that generates a voltage for adjusting temperature characteristics. The reference voltage circuit outputs a reference voltage (VOUT) formed by calculation based on the output of the PTAT voltage generation circuit, output of the CTAT voltage generation circuit, and output of the temperature characteristic adjustment circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11665442
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes an imager configured to acquire image data, a processing unit configured to perform a process based on a neural network calculation model for data based on the image data acquired from the imager, and a control unit configured to switch between a first process mode of performing a first process at a first frame rate and, based on a result of the first process, a second process mode of performing a second process at a second frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryoji Eki
  • Patent number: 11665440
    Abstract: An image processor according to the present disclosure includes: an image segmentation processing section to generate a plurality of first map data on the basis of first image map data including a plurality of pixel values, the plurality of first map data having arrangement patterns of pixel values different from each other and including pixel values located at positions different from each other; an interpolation processing section to generate a plurality of second map data by determining a pixel value at a position where no pixel value is present in each of the plurality of first map data with use of interpolation processing; and a synthesis processing section to generate third map data by generating, on the basis of pixel values at positions corresponding to each other in the plurality of second map data, a pixel value at a position corresponding to the positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumihiko Koga, Tetsuji Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20230161036
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a signal generation apparatus that is used in a ToF camera system especially adopting an indirect system and can suppress occurrence of erroneous distance measurement caused by distance measurement of a same target by a plurality of cameras with a simple configuration. [Solving means] There is provided a signal generation apparatus including a first pulse generator configured to generate a pulse to be supplied to a light source that irradiates light upon a distance measurement target, a second pulse generator configured to generate a pulse to be supplied to a pixel that receives the light reflected by the distance measurement target, and a signal generation section configured to generate a pseudo-random signal for inverting a phase of signals to be generated by the first pulse generator and the second pulse generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohtaro Yasu, Nobuhiko Shigyo
  • Patent number: 11659291
    Abstract: Stability of a current-voltage conversion circuit is increased in a solid-state imaging element that converts photocurrent to a voltage signal. A photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light and generates photocurrent. A conversion transistor converts photocurrent to a voltage signal and outputs the voltage signal from a gate. A current source transistor supplies predetermined constant current to an output signal line connected to the gate. A voltage supply transistor supplies a certain voltage corresponding to the predetermined constant current from the output signal line to a source of the conversion transistor. A capacitance is connected between the gate and the source of the conversion transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Atsumi Niwa
  • Patent number: 11658071
    Abstract: To more reliably suppress deterioration in characteristics due to signals (distortions) other than input and output waves while suppressing manufacturing cost. A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a circuit substrate including an insulating film layer located above a predetermined semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer located above the insulating film layer, a plurality of passive elements provided on the circuit substrate and electrically connected with one another, and an electromagnetic shield layer locally provided in the insulating film layer corresponding to a portion where at least one of the plurality of passive elements is provided, and the electromagnetic shield layer and the semiconductor substrate are electrically separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Saka
  • Patent number: 11659304
    Abstract: An object is to reduce a circuit scale in a solid-state imaging element that detects an address event. The solid-state imaging element is provided with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a signal supply unit, and a detection unit. In this solid-state imaging element, each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a first electric signal. Furthermore, in the solid-state imaging element, the detection unit detects whether or not a change amount of the first electric signal of each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements exceeds a predetermined threshold and outputs a detection signal indicating a result of the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Atsumi Niwa, Yusuke Oike
  • Patent number: 11659300
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel array section including a plurality of unit pixels each having a photoelectric conversion unit, the plurality of unit pixels being arranged in a matrix, a constant current source circuit unit having a constant current source connected to each of vertical signal lines provided in association with column arrangement of the pixel array section; and a control unit configured to control the constant current source circuit unit. The constant current source includes a plurality of transistors. The control unit switches, in a case where the plurality of transistors constituting the constant current source is regarded as one transistor having a gate width and a gate length being equivalent to each other, a ratio between the gate width and the gate length of the plurality of transistors on the basis of illumination in image-capturing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hung Luong
  • Publication number: 20230154952
    Abstract: To enhance a charge transfer efficiency in a transfer gate having a vertical gate electrode. A solid-state imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion section, a charge accumulating section, and a transfer gate. The photoelectric conversion section is formed in a depth direction of a semiconductor substrate, and generates charges corresponding to a quantity of received light. The charge accumulating section accumulates the charges generated by the photoelectric conversion section. The transfer gate transfers the charges generated by the photoelectric conversion section to the charge accumulating section. The transfer gate includes a plurality of vertical gate electrodes which is filled to a predetermined depth from an interface of the semiconductor substrate, and at least a part of a diameter is different in the depth direction of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Haruyuki NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20230156331
    Abstract: A signal processing device according to the present technology includes a feature quantity extraction unit including a neural network and trained to extract a feature quantity for a specific event with respect to an input signal from a sensor. and a correction unit that performs correction of the input signal on the basis of the feature quantity extracted by the feature quantity extraction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi ARAI, Yuriko OHTSUKA, Kenichiro NISHI, Takeshi MASUURA, Norimitsu OKIYAMA, Yuji MATSUI, Satoshi TAKASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20230154964
    Abstract: An imaging element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a third substrate that are stacked in this order. The first substrate including a sensor pixel that performs photoelectric conversion and the second substrate including a readout circuit are electrically coupled to each other by a first through wiring line provided in an interlayer insulating film. The second substrate and the third substrate including a logic circuit are electrically coupled to each other by a junction between pad electrodes or a second through wiring line penetrating through a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi NAKAZAWA, Yoshiaki KITANO, Hirofumi YAMASHITA, Minoru ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230156375
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: an imaging section that acquires image data; and a control section that causes DNN processing on the image data and readout processing of the image data to be executed in parallel and causes noise reduction processing to be executed on the image data that is read out when the DNN processing on the image data and the readout processing of the image data are being executed in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki OKUIKE
  • Publication number: 20230154948
    Abstract: A charge transfer path of a transfer transistor constituted by a vertical transistor is reduced. An imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge holding unit, a charge transfer unit, and an image signal generation unit. The photoelectric conversion unit is disposed on a semiconductor substrate and generates charge corresponding to incident light by photoelectric conversion. The charge holding unit holds the charge. The charge transfer unit includes an opening portion, which is formed in the semiconductor substrate and having a polygonal shape in a plan view, and an embedded gate disposed in the opening portion and transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the charge holding unit. The image signal generation unit generates an image signal based on the held charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya TAKANO, Kentaro EDA, Shintaro OKUJO, Kuniaki UTSUMI
  • Patent number: 11647890
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state image pickup element, electronic equipment, and a semiconductor apparatus that make it possible to reduce a surface reflection in an area in which a slit is formed and improve flare characteristics. A solid-state image pickup element includes a pixel area in which a plurality of pixels is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix, a chip mounting area in which a chip is flip-chip mounted, and a dam area that is arranged around the chip mounting area and in which one or more slits that block an outflow of a resin are formed. In the dam area, the same OCL as that in the pixel area is formed. The present technology can be applied to a solid-state image pickup element etc. in which a chip is flip-chip mounted, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichiro Fujimagari, Tomohiro Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 11653119
    Abstract: In a solid-state image sensor provided with a comparator that compares a reference signal and a pixel signal, the image quality of image data is improved. A voltage divider circuit supplies a divided voltage of an input voltage and a predetermined reference voltage that are input. An input-side differential transistor outputs a drain current corresponding to the gate-source voltage between the divided voltage input to the gate and a predetermined source voltage. An output-side differential transistor outputs a voltage corresponding to the drain current as a result of comparison between the input voltage and the reference voltage. A control transistor reduces the gate-source voltage in a case where the input voltage is out of a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solution Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Akebono, Yosuke Ueno
  • Patent number: 11652333
    Abstract: A surface-emitting semiconductor laser includes a substrate, a first electrode provided in contact with the substrate, a first light reflection layer provided over the substrate, a second light reflection layer provided over the substrate, an active layer provided between the second light reflection layer and the first light reflection layer, a current confining layer that is provided between the active layer and the second light reflection layer and includes a current injection region, a second electrode provided over the substrate, with the second light reflection layer being interposed between the second electrode and the substrate, and a contact layer that is provided between the second electrode and the second light reflection layer and includes a contact region that is in contact with the second electrode, in which the contact region has a smaller area than an area of the current injection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Watanabe, Takayuki Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 11652175
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a light reception device and a distance measurement module whose characteristic can be improved. The light reception device includes an on-chip lens, a wiring layer, and a semiconductor layer arranged between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first tap having a first voltage application portion and a first charge detection portion arranged around the first voltage application portion, and a second tap having a second voltage application portion and a second charge detection portion arranged around the second voltage application portion. Furthermore, the light reception device is configured such that a phase difference is detected using signals detected by the first tap and the second tap. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a light reception device that generates distance information, for example, by a ToF method, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuro Murase, Ryota Watanabe, Toshifumi Wakano, Takuya Maruyama, Yusuke Otake, Tsutomu Imoto, Yuji Isogai