Patents Examined by Kevin K Pyo
  • Patent number: 11223786
    Abstract: An imaging device includes first and second pixels, arranged in a first direction, each of which includes: a photoelectric converter converting incident light into signal charge; an impurity region, in a semiconductor substrate, coupled to the photoelectric converter; a first transistor having a first gate coupled to the impurity region, and first source and drain; and a second transistor having second gate, source and drain. One of the second source and the second drain is the impurity region, and another is coupled to the first source or the first drain. The imaging device further includes a signal line, coupled to the first source or the first drain, and extends along the first direction and overlaps with both of the first and second pixels. The signal line is located on an opposite side from the impurity region across a center line of the first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sato, Junji Hirase
  • Patent number: 11222910
    Abstract: A backside-illuminated multi-collection-gate image sensor is expected to achieve ultra-high-speed imaging. Signal electrons generated by incident light are collected to the pixel center of the front side and distributed to multiple collection gates placed around the center at a very short time interval. The temporal resolution is measured by the spread of arrival times of signal electrons to a collection gate. The major cause of the spread is mixing of signal electrons generated near the pixel border travelling a longer horizontal distance to the pixel center and those generated near the pixel center. Suppression of the horizontal travel time effectively decreases the standard deviation of the distribution of the arrival time. Therefore, devices to suppress the effects of the horizontal motion are introduced, such as a pipe-like photoelectron conversion layer with a much narrower cross section than the pixel area and a funnel-like photoelectron conversion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventor: Takeharu Etoh
  • Patent number: 11223785
    Abstract: A compressive sensing image sensor includes: a pixel array; and a readout circuit configured to receive pixel data on a shot image in an analogue form, and to process the pixel data, wherein the pixel array includes a plurality of blocks each having a plurality of pixels and arranged in an array form, wherein the circuit includes: a compressive sensing multiplexer to which a plurality of pixel data outputted from a corresponding block from among the plurality of blocks are inputted; an LFSR configured to arbitrarily select at least one pixel data from the plurality of pixel data inputted to the compressive sensing multiplexer; and a delta-sigma ADC configured to receive the at least one pixel data selected by the LFSR, to delta-sigma modulate the received at least one pixel data, and to generate compressive sensing data for restoring an image of the corresponding block from among the shot images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: GWANGJU INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Byung Geun Lee, Jin Ho Kim, Hyun Keun Lee, Woo Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 11215481
    Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide having a mode-field diameter greater than 11 ?m and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Michel J. F. Digonnet, Behrad Habib Afshar
  • Patent number: 11215698
    Abstract: A range sensor includes a silicon substrate and a transfer electrode. The silicon substrate includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposing each other. The silicon substrate is provided with a charge generation region configured to generate a charge in response to incident light and a charge collection region configured to collect charges from the charge generation region, on the first principal surface side. The transfer electrode is disposed between the charge generation region and the charge collection region on the first principal surface. A region of the second principal surface corresponding at least to the charge generation region is formed with a plurality of protrusions. The plurality of protrusions includes a slope inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the silicon substrate. A (111) plane of the silicon substrate is exposed as the slope at the protrusion. A height of the protrusion is 200 nm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Mitsuhito Mase, Jun Hiramitsu, Akihiro Shimada
  • Patent number: 11211417
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a first lens layer; and a second lens layer, wherein the second lens layer is formed at least at a periphery of each first microlens formed based on the first lens layer, and the second lens layer present at a central portion of each of the first microlenses is thinner than the second lens layer present at the periphery of the first microlens or no second lens layer is present at the central portion of each of the first microlenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Ootsuka, Tomoyuki Yamashita, Kiyotaka Tabuchi, Yoshinori Toumiya, Akiko Ogino
  • Patent number: 11209292
    Abstract: A system 1 for remote sensing of information to be transmitted, said system 1 comprising; an optical time-domain reflectometer, OTDR, 2 adapted to transmit an optical probe signal OPS into an optical fiber 3 and to measure a backscattered signal power; and at least one electro-optical signaling unit 4 connected to said optical fiber 3, wherein the electro-optical signaling unit 4 is configured to change an attenuation and/or a reflection of the optical probe signal OPS depending on at least one signal provided by one or more signal sources 5 in response to the information to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ADVA OPTICAL NETWORKING SE
    Inventors: Sander Jansen, Uwe Gröschner, Gunter Schubert, Hendrik Beil
  • Patent number: 11204415
    Abstract: A 3D image sensor include a depth pixel and at least two polarization pixels adjacent to the depth pixel. The depth pixel includes a charge generation region in a substrate. The depth pixel is configured to generate depth information associated with a depth of an object from the 3D image sensor in a 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. Each polarization pixel includes a photodiode in the substrate and a polarizer on the substrate in a light-incident direction. The polarization pixel is configured to generate shape information associated with a shape of a surface of the object in the 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. The polarization pixels and the depth pixel collectively define a unit pixel. The respective polarizers are associated with different polarization directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-gu Jin, Young-chan Kim, Chang-rok Moon, Yong-hun Kwon, Tae-sub Jung
  • Patent number: 11202355
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to an outdoor lighting fixture that includes a ballast for controlling the amount of current provided to a lamp. The lighting fixture also includes a fixture housing at least partially surrounding the ballast and the lamp and a mounting system for holding the fixture housing to at least one of a wall and a pole. The lighting fixture yet further includes a camera coupled to the housing and a control circuit wired to the camera. The lighting fixture also includes a radio frequency transceiver wired to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to cause information from the camera to be wirelessly transmitted by the radio frequency transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: ORION ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Neal R. Verfuerth
  • Patent number: 11194007
    Abstract: A measurement device which enables to determine the optimum angle values and orientations of collectors/cells and which enables to measure both direct radiation and diffuse radiation, essentially includes a main body; a solar cell which generates current from solar energy; an actuation mechanism which is adapted to move the solar cell in horizontal and vertical axis; an upper cover which prevents the sun beams reaching the solar cell by covering the upper part of the main body; a second cover on each one of the lateral walls of the upper cover; a current detector which measures the current generated by the solar cell, a control unit which includes a processing unit adapted to generate angle signals that will move the first motor and second motor and determine the optimum angle values according to current information corresponding to the angle signals and the angle information corresponding to the current information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ESKISEHIR OSMANGAZI UNIVERSITESI
    Inventors: Mevlana Celalettin Baykul, Ismail Sadanoglu
  • Patent number: 11183522
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a pixel array for a camera, in particular for a light propagation time camera, having: a plurality of pixel elements arranged in a matrix arrangement, wherein each individual pixel element has a photoelectric region and at least one other region which is non-sensitive to light; and a plurality of routing paths which are arranged in a grid-like manner and which divide the pixel array into fields. A group of first fields and a group of second fields are created, in which each of the first fields is provided by a photoelectric region of one of the pixel elements and each of the second fields is provided by the other regions, wherein the first fields and the second fields are arranged in an alternating manner similar to a chessboard. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding camera, in particular a light propagation time camera for a light propagation time camera system, and to a corresponding light propagation time camera system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: PMDTECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventor: Florian Sennhenn
  • Patent number: 11175433
    Abstract: The present invention maintains sealing of the housing over a long period of time. A multiple-optical-axis photoelectric sensor (100) includes a light projector (110) and a light receiver (120) whose external forms are each formed by a housing (1) including an outer case (10) constituted by a main body case (11) and a first cap member (12), a light-transmitting plate (15), a first pressing member (20A), second pressing members (20B), a first adhesive tape (17A), and second adhesive tapes (17B). The first cap member (12) has a supporting part (12a) provided on its inner side, and an elastic member (18) is provided between the second pressing member (20B) and a portion of the light-transmitting plate (15) supported by the supporting part (12a). The light-transmitting plate (15) is pressed toward the first cap member (12) via the elastic member (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunkichi Sasaki, Nobuchika Takiguchi, Satoshi Nishiuchi, Keisaku Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11177310
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device capable of suppressing the generation of dark current and/or leakage current is provided. The solid-state image pickup device has a first substrate provided with a photoelectric converter on its primary face, a first wiring structure having a first bonding portion which contains a conductive material, a second substrate provided with a part of a peripheral circuit on its primary face, and a second wiring structure having a second bonding portion which contains a conductive material. In addition, the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion are bonded so that the first substrate, the first wiring structure, the second wiring structure, and the second substrate are disposed in this order. Furthermore, the conductive material of the first bonding portion and the conductive material of the second bonding portion are surrounded with diffusion preventing films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mineo Shimotsusa
  • Patent number: 11177311
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a plurality of pixels having photoelectric conversion units that convert incident light to charges, and readout units; a first signal line, connected to the plurality of pixels, that outputs a first signal transferred to the readout unit based upon the charge converted by the photoelectric conversion unit; and a second signal line, connected to the plurality of pixels, that outputs a second signal after the readout unit has been reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Patent number: 11169780
    Abstract: Photonic processors are described. The photonic processors described herein are configured to perform matrix-matrix (e.g., matrix-vector) multiplication. Some embodiments relate to photonic processors arranged according to a dual-rail architecture, in which numeric values are encoded in the difference between a pair optical signals (e.g., in the difference between the powers of the optical signals). Relative to other architectures, these photonic processors exhibit increased immunity to noise. Some embodiments relate to photonic processors including modulatable detector-based multipliers. Modulatable detectors are detectors designed so that the photocurrent can be modulated according to an electrical control signal. Photonic processors designed using modulatable detector-based multipliers are significantly more compact than other types of photonic processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Lightmatter, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Harris, Darius Bunandar, Michael Gould, Carl Ramey, Shashank Gupta, Carlos Dorta-Quinones
  • Patent number: 11169020
    Abstract: A light barrel configured to filter out stray light of a test light includes a casing and a number of light shield plates arranged within the casing. The light shield plates are parallel to each other and arranged within the casing along a direction in which the light source emits the test light. Each of the light shield plates defines a through hole for light from the test light to pass through. The through holes of the light shield plates are a same size and aligned. The light shield plates sequentially filter out stray light that does not pass through the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Gang-Jia Li
  • Patent number: 11162820
    Abstract: An optical reflective component and an optical encoder using the same are disclosed. The optical reflective component includes a main body, an optical pattern, a first attaching portion and a second attaching portion. The main body has a first central axis and a reflective surface perpendicular to each other. The optical pattern is disposed on the reflective surface and centered at the central axis. The first attaching portion is centered at the first central axis of the main body and extends from the man body in a direction parallel to the first central axis. The first attaching portion has an inner wall. The second attaching portion has a plane perpendicular to the first central axis. The plane is connected to the inner wall. The main body, the first attaching portion and the second attaching portion are formed of a metal material and are integrally formed with the optical pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Horng-Jou Wang, Tsung-En Chan
  • Patent number: 11150347
    Abstract: Embodiments describe optical imagers that include one or more micro-optic components. Some imagers can be passive imagers that include a light detection system for receiving ambient light from a field. Some imagers can be active imagers that include a light emission system in addition to the light detection system. The light emission system can be configured to emit light into the field such that emitted light is reflected off surfaces of an object in the field and received by the light detection system. In some embodiments, the light detection system and/or the light emission system includes micro-optic components for improving operational performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: OUSTER, INC.
    Inventors: Angus Pacala, Mark Frichtl
  • Patent number: 11132525
    Abstract: A light intensity detecting unit, a display panel, and a method of detecting light intensity are provided. The light intensity detecting unit includes N scanning signal lines, J reading signal lines, at least one enable signal line, N×J photoelectric conversion circuits configured to convert optical signals into electric signals, and at least one gating circuit. Each of the reading signal lines is connected to one or more of at least one gating circuit. Each of the gating circuits is connected to output terminals of a plurality of photoelectric conversion circuits. Each of the scanning signal lines is connected to one or more photoelectric conversion circuits. Each of the enable signal line is connected to one or more of the at least one gating circuit. The gating circuit is configured to transmit the electric signal to the reading signal line in response to an enable signal from the enable signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dongsheng Li, Guangcai Yuan
  • Patent number: 11125609
    Abstract: A photodetector includes a semiconductor substrate; a light receiving part for signal detection and an infrared light receiving part which are formed in the semiconductor substrate and are covered at least by first color filters having a common color; and second color filters which overlap with the first color filters on the infrared light receiving part and are configured to block light in a wavelength range transmitting through the first color filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Uedaira, Takahiro Kitahara