Patents Examined by Tony Ko
  • Patent number: 12389703
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device in which first and second substrates are bonded to each other is provided. The first substrate includes a first semiconductor layer having light receiving elements. The second substrate includes a second semiconductor layer having a circuit element for processing a signal generated by the light receiving elements. The photoelectric conversion device includes an electrode pad for external connection, an opening extending to the electrode pad, and a conductive pattern located between the first and second semiconductor layers. The conductive pattern includes wiring members that are used to drive the photoelectric conversion device and dummy members that are not used to drive the photoelectric conversion device. The dummy members include a dummy member located on an outer side relative to the opening in a plan view relative to a boundary between the first and second substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 12386072
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes first and second light detectors, an optical path, and an evaluation unit. The first light detector detects light in the infrared wavelength range. A light sensitivity of the CCD sensors of the first and second light detectors differ from one another with regard to a predefined wavelength range. The first and second light detectors include pixels in columns and situated next to one another so that a first longitudinal side of the first light detector adjoins a first longitudinal side of the second light detector, and the first and second light detectors receive light via the optical path. The first and second light detectors generate first and second measuring signals, respectively, from electrical charges. The evaluation unit receives the first measuring signals at a first sampling frequency and the second measuring signals at a second sampling frequency, and combines these to form an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Mustafa Kamil, Nico Heussner
  • Patent number: 12366693
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a group of sensor units and a color filter layer disposed within the group of sensor units. The image sensor further includes a dielectric structure and a plurality of polarization splitters disposed corresponding to the color filter layer. Each of the plurality of polarization splitters has a first meta element extending in a first direction from top view and a second meta element extending in a second direction from top view. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chun-Yuan Wang, Yu-Chi Chang, Po-Hsiang Wang
  • Patent number: 12367666
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multi-sensor fusion system and an autonomous mobile apparatus. The multi-sensor fusion system includes: a trigger module including a pulse signal output, the pulse signal output being used to output a pulse signal; and a plurality of depth camera modules, at least one depth camera module including a trigger signal generation module and a trigger signal output, the trigger signal generation module being used to generate a trigger signal according to the pulse signal, and the trigger signal output being connected to the trigger signal generation module, and used to output the trigger signal, where the trigger signal is used for triggering the at least one depth camera module to perform an exposure operation, and other depth camera modules perform exposure operations according to the received trigger signal output by the trigger signal output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dinghua Bao
  • Patent number: 12360048
    Abstract: A field portable device for determining the unconfined compressive strength of a soil sample includes a sample holder, a heating device, a scale, a spectrometer, and a microprocessor. The sample holder receives a soil sample. The heating device dries the soil sample for a specified time. The scale measures a weight of the soil sample and a dried weight of the soil sample. The spectrometer performs laser induced breakdown spectroscopy on the soil sample and generates spectral emission intensities of the soil sample. The microprocessor calculates a bulk density and a water content of the soil sample, actuates the spectrometer to generate the spectral emission intensities. The microprocessor applies the spectral emission intensities, the bulk density and the water content to a trained machine learning regressor combined with an adaptive boosting classifier to predict the unconfined compressive strength of the soil sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Yakubu Sani Wudil, Mohammed A. Al-Osta, Omar S. Baghabra Al-Amoudi, Muhammad A. Gondal, Osama Atef Al Najjar
  • Patent number: 12358467
    Abstract: A method for detecting liquid on a windowpane in which radiation is emitted by at least one radiation emitter, the radiation is coupled into the windowpane via at least one optical element, and, after reflection in the windowpane, the radiation is coupled out of the windowpane. The radiation which is coupled out of the windowpane is captured in single measurements. A measurement cycle is formed from a multiplicity of single measurements. An average value is calculated from the measurement results of a measurement cycle. The average value is used a reference value for the single measurements of the subsequent measurement cycle currently in progress. The differences between the measured values of the single measurements of a measurement cycle currently in progress and the reference value are determined. The differences between the measured values of the single measurements of the measurement cycle currently in progress and the reference value are evaluated statistically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: HELLA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Dirk Jegminat, Oliver Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 12364047
    Abstract: Provided is an image sensor including a first layer including a first semiconductor substrate including a pixel unit in which a plurality of unit pixels are provided, and a first wiring layer provided on the first semiconductor substrate, a second layer including a second semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of transistors configured to operate a global shutter operation are provided, and a second wiring layer provided on the second semiconductor substrate, and provided on the first layer such that the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer oppose each other in a first direction, a plurality of first bonding structures bonding the first layer to the second layer based on a first bonding metal exposed on a surface of the first wiring layer being in contact with a second bonding metal exposed on a surface of the second wiring layer, a third layer including a third semiconductor substrate on which a logic circuit is provided, and a third wiring layer provided on the third semiconductor substrate,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Doowon Kwon, Changrok Moon, Kyungtae Lim
  • Patent number: 12354290
    Abstract: A measuring device includes a light source unit, a light modulation unit, a spectrum sensing unit, an image sensing unit, and a processing unit. The light source unit projects a first light path to a sample and receives a second light path reflected from the sample. The light module unit tilts the second light path to become a third light path or a fourth light path. The spectrum sensing unit receives the third light path to capture a spectrum corresponding to the microstructures. The image sensing unit receives the fourth light path to measure a captured image that corresponds to the sample. When the processing unit identifies the position of at least one of the microstructures in the captured image, the processing unit measures the depth of at least one of the microstructures from the spectrum for the identified area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chia-Hung Cho, Yi-Sha Ku, Cheng-Kang Lee
  • Patent number: 12352894
    Abstract: An optical system includes a housing defining a cylindrical lens array. A first light source is located in the housing and positioned to emit a first wavelength of light into a first field of illumination impinging on the cylindrical lens array. A second light source is located in the housing and positioned to emit a second wavelength of light into a second field of illumination impinging on the cylindrical lens array. The cylindrical lens array alters the first field of illumination and the second field of illumination and increases an overlap between the first field of illumination and the second field of illumination. A detector is located in the housing and positioned to receive a first redirected portion of the first wavelength of light and a second redirected portion of the second wavelength of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Xi Chen, Xiaoyang Zhang, Prashanth S. Holenarsipur, Yuta Kuboyama
  • Patent number: 12352602
    Abstract: An optical module includes: a carrier; an optical element disposed on the upper side of the carrier; and a housing disposed on the upper side of the carrier, the housing defining an aperture exposing at least a portion of the optical element, an outer sidewall of the housing including at least one singulation portion disposed on the upper side of the carrier, wherein the singulation portion of the housing is a first portion of the housing, and wherein the housing further includes a second portion and a surface of the singulation portion of the housing is rougher than a surface of the second portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Inventors: Ying-Chung Chen, Hsun-Wei Chan, Lu-Ming Lai, Kuang-Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 12349494
    Abstract: A light receiving device (3) includes a first circuit substrate (10) and a second circuit substrate (20). An avalanche photodiode (APD) (101) and a protection element (130) that protects the APD (101) are disposed on the first circuit substrate (10). The second circuit substrate (20) is stacked on the first circuit substrate (10), and a signal processing circuit that processes a signal output from the APD (101) is disposed on the second circuit substrate (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Neya, Akira Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 12345657
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a damage inspection method for a reverse osmosis membrane, in which at least one of: presence or absence of physical damage; and a degree of physical damage in a reverse osmosis membrane is inspected based on presence or absence of a stained area on at least a permeate side of a stained membrane obtained by supplying a water-to-be-treated including a staining agent to the reverse osmosis membrane to stain the reverse osmosis membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Koji Nakatsuji, Hiroo Takabatake, Shinya Shimoda
  • Patent number: 12342639
    Abstract: An image sensor device including: a first digital pixel including a first photodetector and first memory cells to store a first digital signal corresponding to a first output from the first photodetector; and a second digital pixel including a second photodetector and second memory cells to store a second digital signal corresponding to a second output from the second photodetector, the second digital pixel is adjacent to one side of the first digital pixel, the first memory cells and the second memory cells are connected with a plurality of bit lines, the first memory cells are connected with a first word line and a third word line, the second memory cells are connected with a second word line and a fourth word line, the second word line is between the first and third word lines, and the third word line is between the second and fourth word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seoksan Kim, Minwoong Seo, Myunglae Chu, Jong-yeon Lee, Min-Jun Choi
  • Patent number: 12339402
    Abstract: A method for operating a photodiode. In the method, a voltage made up of a sum of a constant first voltage and a second voltage having a fixed frequency is applied to the photodiode and an output signal of the photodiode is detected. A spectral composition of the output signal is subsequently detected and at least one coefficient of a non-linear term of a gain of the photodiode is ascertained on the basis of the spectral composition. An adapted first voltage is then applied to the photodiode, the first voltage being adapted based on the coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Mirko Hattass
  • Patent number: 12339219
    Abstract: An adaptive characteristic spectral line screening method and system based on atomic emission spectrum are provided, the method includes: using a set characteristic screening optimization method to perform a plurality of optimization rounds of characteristic screening, obtaining an initialized spectral dataset of each round of the characteristic screening and initialized characteristic population genes; obtaining an optimal characteristic population gene of each round by a set analysis method, a fitness function, and an iteration of a genetic algorithm; obtaining an optimized characteristic spectral information set when the plurality of optimization rounds reach set optimization rounds; performing combination statistics and discriminant analyses on the optimized characteristic spectral information set to complete an adaptive characteristic spectral line screening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: NCS TESTING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jia Liu, Feipeng Cui, Xiaopeng Li, Ling Liu, Hongwei Shi, Feifei Guo, Ying Zhao, Xuejing Shen, Haizhou Wang
  • Patent number: 12342643
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric converter, a charge storage region, and an amplification transistor. The photoelectric converter includes a pixel electrode, a counter electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion layer is positioned above the semiconductor substrate and is disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. Charge generated by the photoelectric converter is stored in the charge storage region. The amplification transistor includes a source, a drain, and a gate electrode. The gate electrode is electrically connected to the charge storage region. In a plan view, the width of the drain of the amplification transistor is less than the width of the source of the amplification transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Hirase, Masaaki Yanagida, Kazuko Nishimura, Yoshinori Takami
  • Patent number: 12332402
    Abstract: Single board multi-channel programmable detection sensor is disclosed. The sensor has a processor operatively connected to the emitter driver, and a photodetector for controlling one or more operational parameters of the sensor in response to a program. Sensor outputs the TTL signal when desired level of light attenuated or transmitted through the system of fiber optics sensors. The processor sets triggering levels of the signal detected by the sensor in analog fast comparator circuit to threshold based on the signal difference pre-set and actual values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Photon Control Inc.
    Inventor: Yuriy Syvenkyy
  • Patent number: 12328962
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a stack of a first level having a SPAD, a second level having a quench circuit for said SPAD, and a third level having a circuit for processing data generated by said SPAD. A method for making the device includes: a) forming of the first level; b) bonding, on the first level, by molecular bonding, of a stack of layers including a semiconductor layer; and c) forming the quench circuit of the second level in the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Research &Development) Limited
    Inventors: Francois Guyader, Sara Pellegrini, Bruce Rae
  • Patent number: 12302653
    Abstract: A method of operating an image sensor includes accumulating first charges through a photo diode, applying a first transfer gate signal having a first voltage level to a transfer transistor, performing, through a reset transistor, a first reset operation on a floating diffusion node connected with the reset transistor and the transfer transistor, changing the first voltage level of the first transfer gate signal to a second voltage level higher than the first voltage level, during the first reset operation, changing the second voltage level of the first transfer gate signal to a third voltage level higher than the second voltage level, and changing the third voltage level of the first transfer gate signal to the second voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeongjin Cho, Kyungho Lee, Taesub Jung
  • Patent number: 12302648
    Abstract: A sensor chip including a resistor and a backside illuminated single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) that is connected to the resistor; and a sensor including a sensor chip with a resistor and a backside illuminated SPAD that is connected to the resistor. The backside illuminated SPAD including an anode, a cathode, and a multiplication structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Adarsh Basavalingappa, Cristian Tivarus, Sungin Hwang, Yoshiaki Tashiro