Patents by Inventor Fumiaki Kato

Fumiaki Kato 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).

  • Patent number: 8895975
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric element that includes an electron transport layer having excellent electron transport properties and a sufficiently large reaction interface and has low resistance loss and excellent conversion efficiency between light and electricity. The photoelectric element includes a first electrode 3, a second electrode 4, an electron transport layer 1 and a hole transport layer 5 interposed between the first electrode 3 and the second electrode 4, an electrolyte solution, and a sensitizing dye. The electron transport layer 1 includes an organic compound having an oxidation-reduction site capable of repeated oxidation-reduction. The electrolyte solution serves to stabilize a reduction state of the oxidation-reduction site. The organic compound and the electrolyte solution form a gel layer 2. The sensitizing dye is provided in contact with the electron transport layer 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Waseda University
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashi, Michio Suzuka, Takashi Sekiguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Naoki Sano
  • Patent number: 8841550
    Abstract: A photoelectric element provided with an electron transport layer having excellent electron transport property and sufficiently wide reaction interface, and that has excellent conversion efficiency. The photoelectric element has an electron transport layer 3 and a hole transport layer 4 sandwiched between a pair of electrodes 2 and 5. The electron transport layer 3 is formed of an organic compound having a redox moiety capable of being oxidized and reduced repeatedly. The organic compound contains an electrolyte solution which stabilizes the reduced state of the redox moiety, and forms a gel layer 6 containing a sensitizing dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Waseda University
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Michio Suzuka, Satoko Kambe
  • Patent number: 8729532
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light-absorbing material capable of providing high photoelectric conversion efficiency when applied to a photoelectric conversion element. The light-absorbing material of the present invention has a structure represented by Formula (1) below: X—Y??(1) (wherein X represents a light-absorbing site, and Y represents a radical site that becomes a radical when in an oxidized state and/or when in a reduced state, and is capable of repeated oxidation-reduction).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Waseda University
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki Nishide, Michio Suzuka, Takeyuki Yamaki, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Satoko Kambe
  • Publication number: 20140124757
    Abstract: To provide a photoelectric element A including a first electrode 2, a second electrode 3 arranged opposite to the first electrode 2, an electron transport layer 1 provided on a face of the first electrode 2, the face being opposite to the second electrode 3, a photosensitizer 5 supported on the electron transport layer 1, and a hole transport layer 4 interposed between the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 3. The electron transport layer 1 includes a filled part 8 containing an organic molecule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicants: WASEDA UNIVERSITY, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Michio Suzuka, Naoki Hayashi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Naoki Sano
  • Patent number: 8674215
    Abstract: This invention aims to provide a photpelectrical device with a superior conversion efficiency, which comprises an electron transport layer giving a superior electron-transporting performance and a sufficiently large dimentional interface. The photoelectric device further comprises a pair of electrode and a hole transport layer with the electron transport layer and the hole transport layer being interposed between electrodes. The electron transport layer is made of an organic compound having a redox moiety capable of being oxidized and reduced repeatedly. The organic compound is included in a gel layer containing an electrolyte solution which stabilizes a reduction state of the redox moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Waseda University
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Akira Takahashi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Michio Suzuka, Satoko Kambe
  • Publication number: 20140070202
    Abstract: A photoelectric element includes a first electrode; and a second electrode positioned so as to face the first electrode; and a semiconductor disposed on a face of the first electrode, the face being positioned so as to face the second electrode; and a photosensitizer carried on the semiconductor; and a first charge-transport layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a second charge-transport layer interposed between the first charge-transport layer and the second electrode. The first charge-transport layer and the second charge-transport layer contain different oxidation-reduction materials. The oxidation-reduction material in the first charge-transport layer has an oxidation-reduction potential higher than an oxidation-reduction potential of the oxidation-reduction material in the second charge-transport layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Suzuka, Takashi Sekiguchi, Naoki Hayashi, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20140048786
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode composite that has a reaction interface with a large area and can constitute a photoelectric element having high electron transport properties between the reaction interface and the electrode. The electrode composite of the present invention includes a first electrode and a conductive particle layer stacked on the first electrode. The conductive particle layer includes conductive particles containing acicular particles. The conductive particle layer has a three-dimensional porous network structure that is formed by the interconnection of the conductive particles. The three-dimensional network structure is joined to the first electrode. The conductive particle layer contains pores having a pore size of 50 nm or more in a total volume of 50% or more based on the volume of all pores in the conductive particle layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Michio Suzuka, Takashi Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato
  • Patent number: 8592807
    Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric element having an excellent conversion efficiency and provided with a hole transporting layer that is endowed with excellent hole transporting properties and a sufficiently large reaction interface. The photoelectric element of the invention has a pair of electrodes, an electron transporting layer and a hole transporting layer which are disposed between the electrodes, and an electrolyte solution. The hole transporting layer includes a first organic compound having a redox moiety capable of repeated oxidation and reduction. The electrolyte solution stabilizes a reduced state of the redox moiety. The organic compound and the electrolyte solution together form a first gel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Waseda University
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Michio Suzuka, Satoko Kambe
  • Publication number: 20130306954
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric element that includes an electron transport layer having excellent electron transport properties and a sufficiently large reaction interface and has low resistance loss and excellent conversion efficiency between light and electricity. The photoelectric element includes a first electrode 3, a second electrode 4, an electron transport layer 1 and a hole transport layer 5 interposed between the first electrode 3 and the second electrode 4, an electrolyte solution, and a sensitizing dye. The electron transport layer 1 includes an organic compound having an oxidation-reduction site capable of repeated oxidation-reduction. The electrolyte solution serves to stabilize a reduction state of the oxidation-reduction site. The organic compound and the electrolyte solution form a gel layer 2. The sensitizing dye is provided in contact with the electron transport layer 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicants: WASEDA UNIVERSITY, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashi, Michio Suzuka, Takashi Sekiguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Naoki Sano
  • Publication number: 20130285043
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element having high photovoltaic conversion efficiency is provided. The photoelectric conversion element includes a first electrode, a second electrode arranged opposite to the first electrode, and an electron transport layer provided on a face of the first electrode, and the face is opposite to the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion element further includes a photosensitizer supported on the electron transport layer and a hole transport layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electron transport layer contains a perylene imide derivative of [Chemical Formula 1].
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicants: WASEDA UNIVERSITY, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Suzuka, Takashi Sekiguchi, Naoki Hayashi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20130199614
    Abstract: A photoelectric element 1 includes a first electrode, an electron transport layer supporting a photosensitizer, a hole transport layer, and a second electrode, and these components are stacked in the above order. The electron transport layer is formed of an organic compound produced by electrolytic polymerization of a precursor having, within one molecule thereof, two or more moieties each having a structure represented by the following structural formula (1). The photoelectric element 1 includes a gel layer composed of the organic compound and an electrolyte solution infiltrated into the organic compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicants: WASEDA UNIVERSITY, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Suzuka, Takashi Sekiguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Naoki Sano
  • Publication number: 20130025683
    Abstract: The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion element comprising: an electron transport layer which has an excellent electron transport property and a sufficient reaction interface, and having excellent conversion efficiency. In the present invention, a photoelectric conversion element comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode; a stack of an electron transport layer and hole transport layer, the stack being interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; an electrolyte solution; and a conductive agent; the electron transport layer containing an organic compound having a redox moiety causing repetitive oxidation-reduction reactions, the electrolyte solution being selected to give stable reduction condition of the redox moiety, the organic compound and the electrolyte solution being cooperative to form a gel layer. Wherein the conductive agent is present within the gal layer and kept at least partly in contact with the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Michio Suzuka, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Satoko Kambe
  • Patent number: 8320685
    Abstract: Data can be transferred from a picture processing section to an encoding section without necessity of using an external memory. In addition, with internal data transfer having a wider band than an external memory, data can be processed at high speed. An entire picture 41 as an original picture is divided into six blocks of (64×4) pixels each. An enlargement process is performed for each block. Data of blocks are read in the order of blocks 1, 2, 3, and so forth. A size changing section processes a first block and generates picture data of a block 42 of (128×8) pixels. From this picture data 42, macroblocks 43 of (16×8) pixels each are read and encoded. As a result, JPEG data 44 are obtained. A code rearrangement section rearranges the order of the JPEG data 46 in the unit of a block. As a result, JPEG data 48 are generated. When JPEG data 48 are decoded in this order, a decoded picture 49 whose block order matches an area 41 of the original picture is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ozaki, Fumiaki Kato, Kenichi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20120187387
    Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric element having an excellent conversion efficiency and provided with a hole transporting layer that is endowed with excellent hole transporting properties and a sufficiently large reaction interface. The photoelectric element of the invention has a pair of electrodes, an electron transporting layer and a hole transporting layer which are disposed between the electrodes, and an electrolyte solution. The hole transporting layer includes a first organic compound having a redox moiety capable of repeated oxidation and reduction. The electrolyte solution stabilizes a reduced state of the redox moiety. The organic compound and the electrolyte solution together form a first gel layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicants: Waseda University, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Michio Suzuka, Shingo Kambe, Satoko Kambe
  • Publication number: 20120181516
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light-absorbing material capable of providing high photoelectric conversion efficiency when applied to a photoelectric conversion element. The light-absorbing material of the present invention has a structure represented by Formula (1) below: X—Y??(1) (wherein X represents a light-absorbing site, and Y represents a radical site that becomes a radical when in an oxidized state and/or when in a reduced state, and is capable of repeated oxidation-reduction).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki Nishide, Michio Suzuka, Takeyuki Yamaki, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Shingo Kambe, Satoko Kambe
  • Publication number: 20120119193
    Abstract: A photoelectric element provided with an electron transport layer having excellent electron transport property and sufficiently wide reaction interface, and that has excellent conversion efficiency. The photoelectric element has an electron transport layer 3 and a hole transport layer 4 sandwiched between a pair of electrodes 2 and 5. The electron transport layer 3 is formed of an organic compound having a redox moiety capable of being oxidized and reduced repeatedly. The organic compound contains an electrolyte solution which stabilizes the reduced state of the redox moiety, and forms a gel layer 6 containing a sensitizing dye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Michio Suzuka, Shingo Kambe, Sakoto Kambe
  • Patent number: 8023748
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image with solid state imaging devices may include a compressing section, a memory, a decompressing section, and a signal processing section. The compressing section may compress digitalized data of an image captured with the solid state imaging devices. The memory may temporarily store the compressed image data that is compressed by the compressing section. The decompressing section may decompress the compressed image data that is read out from the memory. The signal processing section may perform an image quality correction operation on the image data decompressed by the decompressing section. The compressed image data may contain a maximum value and a minimum value of pixel data in a block, information regarding positions of the maximum value and the minimum value in the block, and quantized data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Kato, Ken Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8013910
    Abstract: An image by using a solid-state imaging sensor, the imaging apparatus including: a compression section configured to compress image data by dividing the image data into blocks each composed of same color component pixels adjacent to each other as a unit of compression; a memory used for temporarily storing compressed image data; a decompression section configured to decompress the compressed image data read out from the memory; and a signal processing section configured to carry out an image-quality correction process on decompressed image data, wherein each of the blocks is split in advance into two quantization-subject areas, block types are distinguished from each other by the position of the inter-area boundary between the two quantization-subject areas, and the compression section has a dynamic-range computation sub-section, a block-type select sub-section, and a quantization processing sub-section are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Kato, Ken Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20110146796
    Abstract: This invention aims to provide a photpelectrical device with a superior conversion efficiency, which comprises an electron transport layer giving a superior electron-transporting performance and a sufficiently large dimentional interface. The photoelectric device further comprises a pair of electrode and a hole transport layer with the electron transport layer and the hole transport layer being interposed between electrodes. The electron transport layer is made of an organic compound having a redox moiety capable of being oxidized and reduced repeatedly. The organic compound is included in a gel layer containing an electrolyte solution which stabilizes a reduction state of the redox moiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicants: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd, Waseda University
    Inventors: Takashi Sekiguchi, Shingo Kambe, Satoko Kambe, Hiroyuki Nishide, Kenichi Oyaizu, Fumiaki Kato, Akira Takahashi, Takeyuki Yamaki, Mitsuo Yaguchi, Michio Suzuka
  • Publication number: 20080291295
    Abstract: An image by using a solid-state imaging sensor, the imaging apparatus including: a compression section configured to compress image data by dividing the image data into blocks each composed of same color component pixels adjacent to each other as a unit of compression; a memory used for temporarily storing compressed image data; a decompression section configured to decompress the compressed image data read out from the memory; and a signal processing section configured to carry out an image-quality correction process on decompressed image data, wherein each of the blocks is split in advance into two quantization-subject areas, block types are distinguished from each other by the position of the inter-area boundary between the two quantization-subject areas, and the compression section has a dynamic-range computation sub-section, a block-type select sub-section, and a quantization processing sub-section are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiaki Kato, Ken Nakajima