Patents by Inventor Gen Kasai

Gen Kasai 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: 9900537
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging unit includes: a pixel section including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section, a charge-voltage conversion section, and a transfer transistor transferring charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section to the charge-voltage conversion section; and a storage section storing information about an optimum value of an intermediate voltage to be applied to a gate of the transfer transistor at time of an intermediate transfer operation when a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section is divided to be read in a predetermined times of the intermediate transfer operations and a complete transfer operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ito, Gen Kasai
  • Patent number: 9398239
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix, the pixels including a charge holding section configured to hold a signal charge transferred from a photoelectric conversion section, and to include a capacitor section having a first capacitance value and an additional capacitor section for increasing the first capacitance value to be a second capacitance value; and to part of a reset transistor configured to reset a charge held by the charge holding section, a test-voltage power source configured to apply a test voltage having a voltage different from a drive voltage of the reset transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ito, Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20160198113
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging unit includes: a pixel section including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section, a charge-voltage conversion section, and a transfer transistor transferring charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section to the charge-voltage conversion section; and a storage section storing information about an optimum value of an intermediate voltage to be applied to a gate of the transfer transistor at time of an intermediate transfer operation when a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section is divided to be read in a predetermined times of the intermediate transfer operations and a complete transfer operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshiaki ITO, Gen KASAI
  • Patent number: 9363454
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging unit includes: a pixel section including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section, a charge-voltage conversion section, and a transfer transistor transferring charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section to the charge-voltage conversion section; and a storage section storing information about an optimum value of an intermediate voltage to be applied to a gate of the transfer transistor at time of an intermediate transfer operation when a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section is divided to be read in a predetermined times of the intermediate transfer operations and a complete transfer operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ito, Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20150229856
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a device portion in which unit constituent elements, each of which includes a charge detection unit detecting a charge that is generated on the basis of changes in physical information and a transfer unit transferring a signal charge detected by the charge detection unit, are arranged in a predetermined direction; and a supplied voltage control portion capable of transferring a part of the charge detected by the charge detection unit through supplying of a control voltage for suppressing blooming to the transfer unit and capable of transferring the signal charge detected by the charge detection unit through supplying of a first control voltage that is different from the control voltage for suppressing the blooming to the transfer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Patent number: 9030581
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a device portion in which unit constituent elements, each of which includes a charge detection unit detecting a charge that is generated on the basis of changes in physical information and a transfer unit transferring a signal charge detected by the charge detection unit, are arranged in a predetermined direction; and a supplied voltage control portion capable of transferring a part of the charge detected by the charge detection unit through supplying of a control voltage for suppressing blooming to the transfer unit and capable of transferring the signal charge detected by the charge detection unit through supplying of a first control voltage that is different from the control voltage for suppressing the blooming to the transfer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Patent number: 8988560
    Abstract: A pixel driving portion 102 can carry out first read drive with which a transfer element is turned OFF in accordance with a drive signal TG to output a signal at an output node, and second read drive with which the transfer element is turned ON in accordance with the drive signal TG to transfer signal charges to the output node, thereby outputting a signal at the output node. A pixel signal reading portion 103, 104 outputs a signal corresponding to a difference between the signal read out in accordance with the second read drive and the signal read out in accordance with the first read drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20150021462
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging unit includes: a pixel section including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section, a charge-voltage conversion section, and a transfer transistor transferring charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section to the charge-voltage conversion section; and a storage section storing information about an optimum value of an intermediate voltage to be applied to a gate of the transfer transistor at time of an intermediate transfer operation when a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section is divided to be read in a predetermined times of the intermediate transfer operations and a complete transfer operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ito, Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20140151532
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix, the pixels including a charge holding section configured to hold a signal charge transferred from a photoelectric conversion section, and to include a capacitor section having a first capacitance value and an additional capacitor section for increasing the first capacitance value to be a second capacitance value; and to part of a reset transistor configured to reset a charge held by the charge holding section, a test-voltage power source configured to apply a test voltage having a voltage different from a drive voltage of the reset transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ito, Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20130128088
    Abstract: A pixel driving portion 102 can carry out first read drive with which a transfer element is turned OFF in accordance with a drive signal TG to output a signal at an output node, and second read drive with which the transfer element is turned ON in accordance with the drive signal TG to transfer signal charges to the output node, thereby outputting a signal at the output node. A pixel signal reading portion 103, 104 outputs a signal corresponding to a difference between the signal read out in accordance with the second read drive and the signal read out in accordance with the first read drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Patent number: 8345126
    Abstract: A pixel driving portion 102 can carry out first read drive with which a transfer element is turned OFF in accordance with a drive signal TG to output a signal at an output node, and second read drive with which the transfer element is turned ON in accordance with the drive signal TG to transfer signal charges to the output node, thereby outputting a signal at the output node. A pixel signal reading portion 103, 104 outputs a signal corresponding to a difference between the signal read out in accordance with the second read drive and the signal read out in accordance with the first read drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20120235021
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a device portion in which unit constituent elements, each of which includes a charge detection unit detecting a charge that is generated on the basis of changes in physical information and a transfer unit transferring a signal charge detected by the charge detection unit, are arranged in a predetermined direction; and a supplied voltage control portion capable of transferring a part of the charge detected by the charge detection unit through supplying of a control voltage for suppressing blooming to the transfer unit and capable of transferring the signal charge detected by the charge detection unit through supplying of a first control voltage that is different from the control voltage for suppressing the blooming to the transfer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Publication number: 20100245643
    Abstract: A pixel driving portion 102 can carry out first read drive with which a transfer element is turned OFF in accordance with a drive signal TG to output a signal at an output node, and second read drive with which the transfer element is turned ON in accordance with the drive signal TG to transfer signal charges to the output node, thereby outputting a signal at the output node. A pixel signal reading portion 103, 104 outputs a signal corresponding to a difference between the signal read out in accordance with the second read drive and the signal read out in accordance with the first read drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gen Kasai
  • Patent number: 6738283
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a smaller number of elements. A method for reading stored data within the semiconductor memory device suppresses the reduction in the static noise margin accompanying a voltage drop of a power supply voltage, and improves the degree of integration of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Kasai, Koji Furumi
  • Publication number: 20020159312
    Abstract: A method of reading stored data in a semiconductor memory device able to suppress the reduction in the static noise margin accompanying a voltage drop of a power supply voltage, and able to improve the degree of integration of the circuit, that is, a method of reading stored data of a semiconductor memory device which has a first storage node and a second storage node, a first transistor having a control terminal connected to the first storage node and having a pair of input/output terminals connected between the second storage node and a reference potential, a second transistor having a control terminal connected to the second storage node and having a pair of input/output terminals connected between the first storage node and the reference potential, a third transistor having a pair of input/output terminals connected between the first storage node and a first bit line and having a control terminal connected to a word line, and a fourth transistor having a pair of input/output terminals connected between th
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Gen Kasai, Koji Furumi