Patents by Inventor Atsushi Komai
Atsushi Komai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10958856Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes: a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge accumulating unit that accumulates an electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit; and a connection unit that includes a plurality of linking units each of which electrically connects the charge accumulating units of two adjacent pixels among the plurality of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi Komai, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Osamu Saruwatari
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Publication number: 20210074756Abstract: An image sensor includes: a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion unit that converts incident light into an electric charge, the incident light being incident from one side of a substrate, and an output unit that outputs a signal caused by the electric charge, the plurality of pixels being arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction; and an accumulation unit provided to be stacked on the photoelectric conversion unit on a side opposite to the one side of the substrate, the accumulation unit accumulating the signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi KOMAI
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Patent number: 10944924Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
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Patent number: 10904463Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
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Patent number: 10879300Abstract: An image sensor includes: a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion unit that converts incident light into an electric charge, the incident light being incident from one side of a substrate, and an output unit that outputs a signal caused by the electric charge, the plurality of pixels being arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction; and an accumulation unit provided to be stacked on the photoelectric conversion unit on a side opposite to the one side of the substrate, the accumulation unit accumulating the signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2017Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi Komai
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Publication number: 20200389609Abstract: An image sensor including a pixel that includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit, each of which generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light; an output unit that outputs a first signal generated based upon the electric charge generated in the first photoelectric conversion unit and a second signal generated based upon an electric charge generated in the second photoelectric conversion unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance at the output unit upon outputting of the first signal and the second signal from the output unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2018Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi KOMAI
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Patent number: 10742920Abstract: 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 storage circuit including an analog/digital converter that converts a first voltage signal based on an electric current from a first power supply circuit into a digital signal and a first storage unit that stores the first voltage signal converted into a digital signal by the analog/digital converter; and a first electric current source that supplies the signal line with an electric current generated by the first voltage signal stored in the first storage unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi Komai, Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen
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Publication number: 20200244899Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light, and a first output unit that generates a first signal based upon the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and outputs the first signal; a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light, and a second output unit that generates a second signal based upon the electric charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion unit and outputs the second signal; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance at the first output unit upon outputting of the first signal and the second signal from the first output unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2018Publication date: July 30, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi KOMAI
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Publication number: 20200137343Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor layer provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, a second semiconductor layer provided with a supply unit that supplies the transfer unit with a transfer signal for transferring the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a third semiconductor layer into which a signal is inputted, the signal being based on the electric charge that has been transferred to the accumulation unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi Kamashita, Atsushi Komai, Toru Takagi, Tomohisa Ishida
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Patent number: 10638067Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes: a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge accumulating unit that accumulates an electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit; and a connection unit that includes a plurality of linking units each of which electrically connects the charge accumulating units of two adjacent pixels among the plurality of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2014Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi Komai, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Osamu Saruwatari
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Publication number: 20200105818Abstract: Image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that includes a first pixel and a second pixel, each having a filter unit that can be switched to a light-shielding state in which light is blocked or to a transmissive state in which light is transmitted, a photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light transmitted through the filter unit and an output unit that outputs a signal based upon electric charge generated at the photoelectric conversion unit, and; a correction unit that corrects a signal output from the output unit of the first pixel while the filter unit of the first pixel is in a transmissive state, based upon a signal output from the output unit of the first pixel with the filter unit of the first pixel set in a light-shielding state and with the filter unit of the second pixel set in a transmissive state.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2017Publication date: April 2, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi KOMAI
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Patent number: 10574930Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor layer provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, a second semiconductor layer provided with a supply unit that supplies the transfer unit with a transfer signal for transferring the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a third semiconductor layer into which a signal is inputted, the signal being based on the electric charge that has been transferred to the accumulation unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi Kamashita, Atsushi Komai, Toru Takagi, Tomohisa Ishida
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Patent number: 10554916Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
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Publication number: 20200036921Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2019Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
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Publication number: 20200036917Abstract: An image sensor, includes: a plurality of pixels arranged along a first direction, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light, and outputs a signal generated based upon the electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; a first signal line to which signals from one or more pixels among the plurality of pixels are output; a second signal line to which a signal from another pixel among the plurality of pixels is output; and an arithmetic unit that executes an arithmetic operation with a signal generated by combining the signals from the one or more pixels output to the first signal line and the signal output to the second signal line.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi KOMAI
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Publication number: 20200021757Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
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Publication number: 20190394412Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes: a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge accumulating unit that accumulates an electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit; and a connection unit that includes a plurality of linking units each of which electrically connects the charge accumulating units of two adjacent pixels among the plurality of pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi KOMAI, Yoshiyuki WATANABE, Osamu SARUWATARI
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Patent number: 10516840Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
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Publication number: 20190346599Abstract: An image sensor includes: a plurality of filter units, transmission wavelengths of which can be adjusted; a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that receive light transmitted through the filter unit; and a control unit that alters a size of a first region containing a first filter unit, among the plurality of filter units, through which light at a first wavelength is transmitted before entering a photoelectric conversion unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: November 14, 2019Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Atsushi KOMAI
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Patent number: 10462392Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai