Patents by Inventor Eiichi Nakamoto
Eiichi Nakamoto 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: 12155956Abstract: Power consumption is reduced in a solid-state imaging element that amplifies a voltage for each column. The solid-state imaging element includes a pixel circuit, an input transistor, a reference side current source, and a feedback circuit. The pixel circuit generates an input voltage by photoelectric conversion. The input transistor outputs an output voltage depending on a voltage between a source to which the input voltage is input and a gate from a drain. The reference side current source is connected to a reference node at a predetermined reference voltage and supplies a predetermined current. The feedback circuit feeds back a part of the current to the gate of the input transistor.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2020Date of Patent: November 26, 2024Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventor: Eiichi Nakamoto
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Patent number: 12126927Abstract: There is provided a column signal processing system including a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter and an imaging device. The imaging device includes a pixel array unit including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a column amplifier unit that obtains a difference between a reset component and a signal component input from each pixel of the pixel array unit via a signal line, and outputs the difference as a pixel signal, a capacitance unit that holds the pixel signal input from the column amplifier unit, and a successive approximation register analog-to-digital conversion unit that converts an analog pixel signal input from the capacitance unit into a digital signal, in which the capacitance unit differentiates a single-phase pixel signal input from the column amplifier unit using a reference voltage that defines a zero voltage of the pixel signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2021Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Eiichi Nakamoto, Daisuke Nakagawa
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Publication number: 20240322765Abstract: An amplifier circuit of the present disclosure includes: an input circuit that is configured to generate a differential current including a first current and a second current on the basis of an input signal; a first loop filter including a first former-stage integration circuit, a first inverter circuit, and a first latter-stage integration circuit, the first former-stage integration circuit configured to perform an integral action on the basis of the first current and a current corresponding to a first output signal, and the first latter-stage integration circuit that is configured to generate a first signal by receiving an output signal of the first inverter circuit and the first output signal and performing an integral action; a first modulation circuit; a first output circuit; a second loop filter including a second former-stage integration circuit, a second inverter circuit, and a second latter-stage integration circuit, the second former-stage integration circuit that receives the second current and a cType: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2022Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventor: Eiichi NAKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20230254607Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus in which a column signal processing system includes a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter capable of operating at higher speed and with lower power consumption. An electronic device of the present disclosure includes an imaging apparatus including a pixel array unit on which pixels including a photoelectric conversion element are arranged, a column amplifier unit that obtains a difference between a reset component and a signal component input from each of the pixels of the pixel array unit through a signal line and outputs the difference as a pixel signal, a capacitance unit that holds the pixel signal input from the column amplifier unit, and a successive approximation register analog-to-digital conversion unit that converts an analog signal input from the capacitance unit into a digital signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2021Publication date: August 10, 2023Inventor: Eiichi Nakamoto
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Publication number: 20230247328Abstract: Regarding a column signal processing system including a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter, an imaging device capable of operating at further higher speed and with further lower power consumption is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2022Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: EIICHI NAKAMOTO, DAISUKE NAKAGAWA
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Publication number: 20230066061Abstract: Power consumption is reduced in a solid-state imaging element that amplifies a voltage for each column. The solid-state imaging element includes a pixel circuit, an input transistor, a reference side current source, and a feedback circuit. The pixel circuit generates an input voltage by photoelectric conversion. The input transistor outputs an output voltage depending on a voltage between a source to which the input voltage is input and a gate from a drain. The reference side current source is connected to a reference node at a predetermined reference voltage and supplies a predetermined current. The feedback circuit feeds back a part of the current to the gate of the input transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2020Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventor: Eiichi Nakamoto
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Patent number: 11043957Abstract: Signal quality is improved in a circuit for amplifying and sampling an analog signal. An input signal is input to one end of an input-side resistor. An operational amplifier amplifies the input signal, and outputs the input signal from an output terminal as an amplified signal. One end of a filter capacitor is connected to an input terminal of the operational amplifier. A predetermined frequency component of the input signal passes through the filter capacitor. A sampling capacitor imports the amplified signal during a predetermined sampling period, and holds the amplified signal during a predetermined hold period. A sampling switch connects the output terminal of the operational amplifier to one end of the sampling capacitor during the sampling period, and disconnects the output terminal of the operational amplifier from one end of the sampling capacitor during the hold period.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Eiichi Nakamoto
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Publication number: 20210091777Abstract: Signal quality is improved in a circuit for amplifying and sampling an analog signal. An input signal is input to one end of an input-side resistor. An operational amplifier amplifies the input signal, and outputs the input signal from an output terminal as an amplified signal. One end of a filter capacitor is connected to an input terminal of the operational amplifier. A predetermined frequency component of the input signal passes through the filter capacitor. A sampling capacitor imports the amplified signal during a predetermined sampling period, and holds the amplified signal during a predetermined hold period. A sampling switch connects the output terminal of the operational amplifier to one end of the sampling capacitor during the sampling period, and disconnects the output terminal of the operational amplifier from one end of the sampling capacitor during the hold period.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2018Publication date: March 25, 2021Inventor: EIICHI NAKAMOTO
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Patent number: 10659074Abstract: To effectively suppress an idle tone in a delta-sigma modulator that generates a feedback signal by a digital-to-analog converter. A filter integrates a difference between an input analog signal and a feedback signal, and outputs the integrated difference as an integrated signal. A preceding-stage quantizer quantizes an integrated signal into a digital signal, and outputs the resulting digital signal as a preceding-stage output signal. An adder adds a predetermined dithering signal to a preceding-stage output signal, and outputs the resulting signal as a subsequent-stage input signal. A subsequent-stage quantizer configured to quantize the subsequent-stage input signal into a digital signal of a shorter number of bits than a preceding-stage output signal, and outputs the resulting digital signal as a subsequent-stage output signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Eiichi Nakamoto
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Publication number: 20190296763Abstract: To effectively suppress an idle tone in a delta-sigma modulator that generates a feedback signal by a digital-to-analog converter. A filter integrates a difference between an input analog signal and a feedback signal, and outputs the integrated difference as an integrated signal. A preceding-stage quantizer quantizes an integrated signal into a digital signal, and outputs the resulting digital signal as a preceding-stage output signal. An adder adds a predetermined dithering signal to a preceding-stage output signal, and outputs the resulting signal as a subsequent-stage input signal. A subsequent-stage quantizer configured to quantize the subsequent-stage input signal into a digital signal of a shorter number of bits than a preceding-stage output signal, and outputs the resulting digital signal as a subsequent-stage output signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2017Publication date: September 26, 2019Inventor: EIICHI NAKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20170330508Abstract: A pixel unit (P) of the invention includes a first input terminal (CKIN), a first output terminal (CKOUT), a signal generator (30), and a display device (25). The signal generator (30) is provided on a signal path extending from the first input terminal (CKIN) to the first output terminal (CKOUT). The signal generator (30) generates a second signal (CKA) on the basis of a first signal (CK) and outputs the generated second signal. The signal generator (30) generates a rising edge and a falling edge of the second signal (CKA) on the basis of one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the first signal (CK).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2015Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: KIYOHIRO SAITO, HIDEYUKI SUZUKI, EIICHI NAKAMOTO
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Patent number: 9484932Abstract: A signal generation circuit includes a phase difference detector configured to detect a phase difference between a certain oscillation signal of a plurality of oscillation signals and a predetermined reference signal; an oscillator to which a plurality of delay elements are connected annularly, the oscillator being configured to generate the plurality of oscillation signals depending on the detected phase difference; a low-speed signal generation circuit configured to generate a low-speed signal having a lower frequency than the oscillation signal; a detection circuit configured to detect a difference between a predetermined reference timing and a timing at which the low-speed signal has changed; a selection unit configured to select the oscillation signal so that the phase difference with respect to the reference signal is close to the detected difference; and an output unit configured to output the generated low-speed signal in synchronization with the selected oscillation signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Kazuki Akutagawa, Yasunori Tsukuda, Eiichi Nakamoto, Akito Sekiya
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Patent number: 9264051Abstract: A clock generation circuit includes a delay clock generation unit configured to generate a predetermined number of delay clock signals having different delay time periods for a reference clock signal; a low-speed clock generation unit configured to generate a low-speed clock signal having a lower frequency than the reference signal in accordance with a control signal that controls a phase; a control signal processing unit configured to perform, on the control signal, a quantization process for quantizing a value of the control signal into the predetermined number of discrete values and a modulation process for distributing a quantization error in the quantization process in a band of frequencies higher than a predetermined frequency; a selection unit configured to select any one of the predetermined number of delay signals in accordance with the control signal; and an output unit configured to output the low-speed signal in synchronization with the selected signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akito Sekiya, Eiichi Nakamoto
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Publication number: 20150229313Abstract: A signal generation circuit includes a phase difference detector configured to detect a phase difference between a certain oscillation signal of a plurality of oscillation signals and a predetermined reference signal; an oscillator to which a plurality of delay elements are connected annularly, the oscillator being configured to generate the plurality of oscillation signals depending on the detected phase difference; a low-speed signal generation circuit configured to generate a low-speed signal having a lower frequency than the oscillation signal; a detection circuit configured to detect a difference between a predetermined reference timing and a timing at which the low-speed signal has changed; a selection unit configured to select the oscillation signal so that the phase difference with respect to the reference signal is close to the detected difference; and an output unit configured to output the generated low-speed signal in synchronization with the selected oscillation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Kazuki Akutagawa, Yasunori Tsukuda, Eiichi Nakamoto, Akito Sekiya
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Publication number: 20150229312Abstract: A clock generation circuit includes a delay clock generation unit configured to generate a predetermined number of delay clock signals having different delay time periods for a reference clock signal; a low-speed clock generation unit configured to generate a low-speed clock signal having a lower frequency than the reference signal in accordance with a control signal that controls a phase; a control signal processing unit configured to perform, on the control signal, a quantization process for quantizing a value of the control signal into the predetermined number of discrete values and a modulation process for distributing a quantization error in the quantization process in a band of frequencies higher than a predetermined frequency; a selection unit configured to select any one of the predetermined number of delay signals in accordance with the control signal; and an output unit configured to output the low-speed signal in synchronization with the selected signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2014Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Akito Sekiya, Eiichi Nakamoto