Patents by Inventor Hirotaka Murakami

Hirotaka Murakami 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).

  • Publication number: 20240056699
    Abstract: Color image sensors and systems are provided. A color image sensor as disclosed includes a plurality of pixels disposed within an array, each of which includes a plurality of sub-pixels. A pixel array includes pixel cells, each pixel cell including one or more photodiodes. Pixel cells are arranged in rows and columns. The pixel array includes transistors for vertical binning of pixel cells in different rows and transistors for horizontal binning of pixel cells in different columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gui GUI, Hirotaka Murakami, Hung DOAN, Sungin HAN, Frederick Brady
  • Patent number: 11758302
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a controller, a power supply, a regulator, and a switch. The controller is configured to control an imaging unit, on the basis of a command and data that are received from a host in accordance with an I2C/I3C communication protocol. The power supply is configured to supply a voltage to a digital block of the controller. The digital block is configured to be subjected to dynamic voltage frequency scaling within one-frame operation. The regulator and the switch are provided between the digital block and the power supply, and coupled in parallel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Chiaki Takano, Toshimasa Shimizu, Yuki Takizawa, Mark Pude, Hirotaka Murakami, Kevin Fronczak
  • Patent number: 11705473
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photodetector and an optical filter disposed on a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The optical filter may include a diffraction grating, a core layer, and a reflector disposed on first and second opposing sides of the core layer. In some cases, the optical filter (e.g., a GMR filter) uses interference of electromagnetic waves on an incidence plane of light or a plane parallel to the incidence plane. The reflector may reflect electromagnetic waves between adjacent optical filters. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an image sensor provided with a GMR filter, such as a back-side-illuminated or front-side-illuminated CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Sozo Yokogawa, Hirotaka Murakami, Mikinori Ito
  • Patent number: 11653122
    Abstract: A solid-state image capturing element includes a pair of first floating diffusion layers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction and a pair of second floating diffusion layers arranged in the perpendicular direction and adjacent to the pair of first floating diffusion layers in the predetermined direction. The element includes a first connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected first floating diffusion layer to a predetermined first wire; a second connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of second floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected second floating diffusion layer to the first wire; and an output circuit configured to output a signal according to an amount of charge of at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers or the pair of second floating diffusion layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Hanzawa, Yoshikazu Nitta, Hirotaka Murakami, Kazumasa Nishimura, Pude Mark, Christopher Moule Eric
  • Publication number: 20230070410
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a controller, a power supply, a regulator, and a switch. The controller is configured to control an imaging unit, on the basis of a command and data that are received from a host in accordance with an I2C/I3C communication protocol. The power supply is configured to supply a voltage to a digital block of the controller. The digital block is configured to be subjected to dynamic voltage frequency scaling within one-frame operation. The regulator and the switch are provided between the digital block and the power supply, and coupled in parallel with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Chiaki Takano, Toshimasa Shimizu, Yuki Takizawa, Mark Pude, Hirotaka Murakami, Kevin Fronczak
  • Publication number: 20220375282
    Abstract: An acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information related to a vehicle state of a vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether the vehicle has traveled in a state in which energy consumption efficiency of the vehicle is poor within a predetermined time from a predetermined driving operation of the vehicle based on the vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a display control unit that causes a display unit to display the number of times of traveling in the state per unit time within the predetermined time from the predetermined driving operation, the traveling being determined by the determination unit, are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Tatsunobu MURAI, Hirotaka MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 11490042
    Abstract: An image sensor and pixel circuit therefor includes a photoelectric conversion device; an amplifier including a first input terminal connected to the photoelectric conversion device, and an output terminal; a capacitor disposed between the first input terminal and the output terminal; and a reset switch network disposed between the first input terminal and the output terminal in parallel with the capacitor, the reset switch network including at least a first reset transistor, a second reset transistor, and a third reset transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Bohannon, Hirotaka Murakami, Christopher Urban
  • Publication number: 20220208826
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photodetector and an optical filter disposed on a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The optical filter may include a diffraction grating, a core layer, and a reflector disposed on first and second opposing sides of the core layer. In some cases, the optical filter (e.g., a GMR filter) uses interference of electromagnetic waves on an incidence plane of light or a plane parallel to the incidence plane. The reflector may reflect electromagnetic waves between adjacent optical filters. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an image sensor provided with a GMR filter, such as a back-side-illuminated or front-side-illuminated CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Sozo Yokogawa, Hirotaka Murakami, Mikinori Ito
  • Publication number: 20220191422
    Abstract: An image sensor and pixel circuit therefor includes a photoelectric conversion device; an amplifier including a first input terminal connected to the photoelectric conversion device, and an output terminal; a capacitor disposed between the first input terminal and the output terminal; and a reset switch network disposed between the first input terminal and the output terminal in parallel with the capacitor, the reset switch network including at least a first reset transistor, a second reset transistor, and a third reset transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Eric Bohannon, Hirotaka Murakami, Christopher Urban
  • Patent number: 11264424
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photodetector and an optical filter disposed on a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The optical filter may include a diffraction grating, a core layer, and a reflector disposed on first and second opposing sides of the core layer. In some cases, the optical filter (e.g., a guided mode resonance (“GMR”) filter) uses interference of electromagnetic waves on an incidence plane of light or a plane parallel to the incidence plane. The reflector may reflect electromagnetic waves between adjacent optical filters. In some cases, the imaging device is a back-side-illuminated or front-side-illuminated CMOS or CCD image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Sozo Yokogawa, Hirotaka Murakami, Mikinori Ito
  • Publication number: 20210289156
    Abstract: A solid-state image capturing element includes: a pair of first floating diffusion layers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction; a pair of second floating diffusion layers arranged in the perpendicular direction and adjacent to the pair of first floating diffusion layers in the predetermined direction; a first connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected first floating diffusion layer to a predetermined first wire; a second connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of second floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected second floating diffusion layer to the first wire; and an output circuit configured to output a signal according to an amount of charge of at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers or the pair of second floating diffusion layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Hanzawa, Yoshikazu Nitta, Hirotaka Murakami, Kazumasa Nishimura, Pude Mark, Christopher Moule Eric
  • Publication number: 20210091135
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photodetector and an optical filter disposed on a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The optical filter may include a diffraction grating, a core layer, and a reflector disposed on first and second opposing sides of the core layer. In some cases, the optical filter (e.g., a GMR filter) uses interference of electromagnetic waves on an incidence plane of light or a plane parallel to the incidence plane. The reflector may reflect electromagnetic waves between adjacent optical filters. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an image sensor provided with a GMR filter, such as a back-side-illuminated or N front-side-illuminated CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Sozo Yokogawa, Hirotaka Murakami, Mikinori Ito
  • Patent number: 9363452
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having an analog-digital converter, and an analog-digital conversion method are described herein. An example of a solid-state imaging device comprises a bit inconsistency prevention section configured to prevent bit inconsistency between output of a low-level bit latch section and a high-level bit counting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Iwaki, Hirotaka Murakami, Yoshiaki Inada, Yasuaki Hisamatsu
  • Publication number: 20150229853
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having an analog-digital converter, and an analog-digital conversion method are described herein. An example of a solid-state imaging device comprises a bit inconsistency prevention section configured to prevent bit inconsistency between output of a low-level bit latch section and a high-level bit counting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Iwaki, Hirotaka Murakami, Yoshiaki Inada, Yasuaki Hisamatsu
  • Patent number: 9053999
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having an analog-digital converter, and an analog-digital conversion method are described herein. An example of a solid-state imaging device includes a bit inconsistency prevention section configured to prevent bit inconsistency between output of a low-level bit latch section and a high-level bit counting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Iwaki, Hirotaka Murakami, Yoshiaki Inada, Yasuaki Hisamatsu
  • Publication number: 20140240565
    Abstract: Solid-state imaging devices and electronic apparatuses are provided. More particularly, a solid-state imaging device that includes first and second substrates are provided. The first and second substrates are stacked on top of one another. The first substrate includes a pixel array and a peripheral circuit. The second substrate also includes a peripheral circuit. The device can be configured such that all resistors are formed in the second substrate, with no resistors being formed in the first substrate. Alternatively, the device can be configured such that all capacitors are formed in the second substrate, with no capacitors being formed in the first substrate. As yet another alternative, the second substrate can be configured such that it contains all resistors and capacitors of the peripheral circuits, with no resistors or capacitors being formed in the peripheral circuit of the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Murakami
  • Publication number: 20130068931
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having an analog-digital converter, and an analog-digital conversion method are described herein. An example of a solid-state imaging device includes a bit inconsistency prevention section configured to prevent bit inconsistency between output of a low-level bit latch section and a high-level bit counting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Iwaki, Hirotaka Murakami, Yoshiaki Inada, Yasuaki Hisamatsu
  • Publication number: 20100137131
    Abstract: The present invention provides a photocatalyst structure capable of improving catalyst efficiency dramatically and stably. In the present invention, the photocatalyst structure is comprised of a metal nanoparticle, a semiconductor photocatalyst, and a material intervening between the metal nanoparticle and the semiconductor photocatalyst. The material is transparent to a light of a wavelength which excites the semiconductor photocatalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Koichi Awazu, Hirotaka Murakami, Toshiya Watanabe, Naoya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6935186
    Abstract: Although there has been described what is the present embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Niino, Hirotaka Murakami
  • Patent number: D752716
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Hirosawa, Norihiro Teramoto, Hirotaka Murakami