Patents by Inventor Hongbo Zhu

Hongbo Zhu 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: 11632505
    Abstract: In a solid-state image sensor that detects presence or absence of an address event, erroneous detection of the address event is suppressed. Each of a plurality of pixels executes detection processing for detecting whether or not a change amount of an incident light amount exceeds a predetermined threshold, and outputting a detection result. An abnormal pixel determination unit determines whether or not each of the plurality of pixels has an abnormality, and enables a pixel without an abnormality and disables a pixel with an abnormality. A control unit performs control for causing the enabled pixel to execute detection processing and control for fixing the detection result of the disabled pixel to a specific value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Hongbo Zhu, Shin Kitano
  • Patent number: 11627268
    Abstract: To further capture an image in a solid-state image sensor that detects an address event. The solid-state image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion element, a charge accumulation unit, a transfer transistor, a detection unit, and a connection transistor. The photoelectric conversion element generates a charge by photoelectric conversion. The charge accumulation unit accumulates the charge and generates a voltage according to an amount of the charge. The transfer transistor transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion element to the charge accumulation unit. The detection unit detects whether or not a change amount of a photocurrent according to the amount of the charge exceeds a predetermined threshold. The connection transistor connects the charge accumulation unit and the detection unit to cause the photocurrent to flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hongbo Zhu
  • Patent number: 11622086
    Abstract: To reduce power consumption in a solid-state image sensor that detects weak light. The solid-state image sensor includes a photodiode, a resistor, a measuring unit, and a control unit. The photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light and outputs a photocurrent. The resistor drops a potential of one end of the photodiode to a value lower than a power supply potential every time a photocurrent is output. The measuring unit measures illuminance of the incident light on the basis of a frequency of dropping of the potential of one end. The control unit controls the power supply potential to a lower value as the measured illuminance is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Inaoka, Hongbo Zhu, Takafumi Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 11582406
    Abstract: To reduce a circuit scale in a solid-state image sensor that detects an address event. The solid-state image sensor includes a pixel array unit and a drive circuit. In the solid-state image sensor, in the pixel array unit, a logarithmic response pixel that outputs an analog signal proportional to a logarithmic value of an incident light amount and a detection pixel that detects whether or not a change amount of the incident light amount has exceeded a predetermined threshold and outputs a detection signal indicating a detection result are arrayed. Furthermore, in the solid-state image sensor, the drive circuit drives the logarithmic response pixel and the detection pixel to output the analog signal and the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hongbo Zhu, Masaki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20230041216
    Abstract: A user matching and power distribution methods for a MIMO-NOMA downlink communication system is provided. The user matching method includes: dividing all users into a strong user group and a weak user group according to a channel gain sorting result; and sequentially selecting a user in the strong user group, calculating a correlation coefficient between the user and each user in the weak user group, selecting a weak user with the highest correlation coefficient as a weak user in a cluster where the strong user is located, and excluding matched users from respective user groups, until the matching between all strong users and weak users are completed. The present invention enables weak users in a cluster to experience less inter-cluster interference in scenarios where the channel correlation between users is relatively low, thereby improving the total throughput of the communication system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
    Inventors: Yin LU, Yihuang QU, Chuying YANG, Taosen LI, Xiumei WANG, Hongbo ZHU
  • Publication number: 20230025329
    Abstract: An image collection chip, an object imaging recognition device and an object imaging recognition method are provided. The image collection chip comprises an optical modulation layer and an image sensing layer. The optical modulation layer is located on the image sensing layer. The optical modulation layer is provided with at least two modulation units and the image sensing layer is provided with sensing units corresponding to the at least two modulation units in a form of up and down. Each of the at least two modulation units is provided with at least one modulation subunit. Two or more modulation units among the at least two modulation units have different graphic structures, and the two or more modulation units having different graphic structures have different modulation roles on spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Kaiyu CUI, Xusheng CAI, Hongbo ZHU, Yidong HUANG, Wei ZHANG, Xue FENG, Fang LIU
  • Publication number: 20220410122
    Abstract: A gas chromatography device for peak focusing of one or more target analytes is provided that include a chromatographic column with an inlet and an outlet. A stationary phase is deposited inside the chromatographic column and has a positive thickness gradient. The stationary phase extends from the inlet to the outlet and has a first thickness at the inlet of the chromatographic column and a second thickness at the outlet of the chromatographic column. The second thickness is at least about 10% greater than the first thickness. Methods of peak focusing in a gas chromatography device, method of verifying peak focusing in a gas chromatography device and creating a gas chromatography device having a chromatographic column with a positive thickness gradient are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Xudong FAN, Hongbo ZHU, Jinyan SHE, Maxwell Wei-Hao LI, Katsuo KURABAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11489596
    Abstract: An image collection chip, an object imaging recognition device and an object imaging recognition method are provided. In each set of the pixel confirmation modules of the chip, each modulation unit and each sensing unit are correspondingly provided up and down on the optical modulation layer and the image sensing layer respectively; each modulation unit is provided with at least one modulation subunit, and each of the modulation subunits is provided with several modulation holes penetrating into the optical modulation layer; and the respective modulation holes in a same modulation subunit are arranged into a two-dimensional graphic structure having a specific pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kaiyu Cui, Xusheng Cai, Hongbo Zhu, Yidong Huang, Wei Zhang, Xue Feng, Fang Liu
  • Publication number: 20220344386
    Abstract: To realize miniaturization of a pixel, reduction in noise, and high quantum efficiency, and to improve short-wavelength sensitivity while suppressing inter-pixel interference and variations for each pixel. According to the present disclosure, there is provided an imaging device including: a first semiconductor layer formed in a semiconductor substrate; a second semiconductor layer of a conductivity type opposite to a conductivity type of the first semiconductor layer formed on the first semiconductor layer; a pixel separation unit which defines a pixel region including the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a first electrode which is connected to the first semiconductor layer from one surface side of the semiconductor substrate; and a second electrode which is connected to the second semiconductor layer from a light irradiation surface side that is the other surface of the semiconductor substrate, and is formed to correspond to a position of the pixel separation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun OGI, Yoshiaki TASHIRO, Takahiro TOYOSHIMA, Yorito SAKANO, Yusuke OIKE, Hongbo ZHU, Keiichi NAKAZAWA, Yukari TAKEYA, Atsushi OKUYAMA, Yasufumi MIYOSHI, Ryosuke MATSUMOTO, Atsushi HORIUCHI
  • Patent number: 11424281
    Abstract: To realize miniaturization of a pixel, reduction in noise, and high quantum efficiency, and to improve short-wavelength sensitivity while suppressing inter-pixel interference and variations for each pixel. According to the present disclosure, there is provided an imaging device including: a first semiconductor layer formed in a semiconductor substrate; a second semiconductor layer of a conductivity type opposite to a conductivity type of the first semiconductor layer formed on the first semiconductor layer; a pixel separation unit which defines a pixel region including the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a first electrode which is connected to the first semiconductor layer from one surface side of the semiconductor substrate; and a second electrode which is connected to the second semiconductor layer from a light irradiation surface side that is the other surface of the semiconductor substrate, and is formed to correspond to a position of the pixel separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Ogi, Yoshiaki Tashiro, Takahiro Toyoshima, Yorito Sakano, Yusuke Oike, Hongbo Zhu, Keiichi Nakazawa, Yukari Takeya, Atsushi Okuyama, Yasufumi Miyoshi, Ryosuke Matsumoto, Atsushi Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11387551
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a triple-resonant null frequency scanning antenna, which belongs to the technical fields of the Internet of Things and microwave. The triple-resonant null frequency scanning antenna comprises a circular sector magnetic dipole arranged on a medium substrate, and rectangular notches are symmetrically arranged on a sector patch of the circular sector magnetic dipole. The circular sector magnetic dipole is fixed on the medium substrate by a second shorting pin and third shorting pins, an flared angle of the circular sector magnetic dipole is a first central angle, and two third shorting pins are present and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the angular bisector of the first central angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
    Inventors: Wenjun Lv, Sijie Li, Yun Shao, Jianyuan Wang, Han Wu, Zhibin Zhao, Zhifang Wu, Xiaohui Li, Hongbo Zhu, Xiaofei Li
  • Publication number: 20220178748
    Abstract: An optical modulation micro-nano structure, a micro-integrated spectrometer and a spectrum modulation method are provided. The optical modulation micro-nano structure includes an optical modulation layer located on a photoelectric detection layer that can modulate incident light to form differential responses on the photoelectric detection layer, so as to obtain an original spectrum by reconstruction, thereby overcoming the defects that the existing spectrometers rely too much on precise optical components, which makes spectrometers bulky, heavy and expensive. The optical modulation layer includes a base plate and at least one modulation unit; the base plate is provided on the photoelectric detection layer, and each of the modulation units is located on the base plate; each modulation unit is provided with several modulation holes penetrating into the base plate, and respective modulation holes inside a same modulation unit are arranged into a two-dimensional graphic structure with a specific pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Kaiyu CUI, Xusheng CAI, Hongbo ZHU, Yidong HUANG, Fang LIU, Wei ZHANG, Xue FENG
  • Patent number: 11349216
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a sector dual-resonant dipole antenna. Radiation elements of the antenna are two identical sector patches. Two identical rectangular notches can be symmetrically arranged or two identical tuning stubs can be symmetrically loaded on the sector patches at positions deviating from the central axis of the two sector patches. Exciting points are symmetrically arranged on sides of the sector patches close to a central axis. The present invention realizes a wide beamwidth radiation characteristic through a two-dimensional sectorial resonator, and then the notches are arranged or the tuning stubs are loaded at appropriate positions of two arms of the sectorial resonator, and thereby a dual-resonant characteristic can be realized within a working band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
    Inventors: Wenjun Lv, Zhibin Zhao, Zhuang Li, Han Wu, Sijie Li, Jianyuan Wang, Zhifang Wu, Xiaohui Li, Hongbo Zhu, Xiaofei Li
  • Publication number: 20220155153
    Abstract: A light-receiving apparatus (1a) includes a counting unit (11), a setting unit (12), and an acquiring unit (13). The counting unit is configured to measure a detection number of times that represents the number of times incidence of a photon to a light-receiving element has been detected within an exposure period and to output a counted value. The setting unit is configured to set a cycle of updating time information in accordance with an elapsed time during the exposure period. The acquiring unit is configured to acquire the time information indicating a time at which the counted value reaches a threshold before the exposure period elapses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Hongbo Zhu, Kazuki Hizu, Takafumi Takatsuka, Yusuke Oike, Jun Ogi, Yoshiaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 11330202
    Abstract: To reduce power consumption in a solid-state image sensor that measures a time. The solid-state image sensor includes a count unit, a count control unit, a clock unit, and an estimation unit. The count unit counts the number of times a photon has been incident within a predetermined exposure period, and outputs a count value. The count control unit performs control to stop the count unit and performs a request of time information in a case where the count value has reached a predetermined value before the predetermined exposure period elapses. The clock unit measures a time and outputs the time information in response to the request. The estimation unit estimates the number of incident times of a photon within the predetermined exposure period on the basis of the output time information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Tochigi, Takafumi Takatsuka, Hongbo Zhu
  • Patent number: 11323192
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an adaptive modulation method for a naive Bayes classifier-based energy harvesting relay system. First, a sending end determines its modulation mode based on a status of a data buffer of a relay, so that sent data does not exceed a storage capability of the relay. Then, based on data sent by the sending end, and channel status information and energy harvesting status information within a period of time, the relay determines an optimal modulation mode used by the relay within the period of time. After that, the modulation mode, the channel status information, and the energy harvesting status information are used as training data to obtain a classification model based on a naive Bayes classifier algorithm. In this way, the relay can adaptively select a modulation mode when only knowing of channel information and energy information in a current timeslot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
    Inventors: Qi Zhu, Kang Liu, Hongbo Zhu, Longxiang Yang
  • Publication number: 20220132054
    Abstract: To reduce a circuit scale in a solid-state image sensor that detects an address event. The solid-state image sensor includes a pixel array unit and a drive circuit. In the solid-state image sensor, in the pixel array unit, a logarithmic response pixel that outputs an analog signal proportional to a logarithmic value of an incident light amount and a detection pixel that detects whether or not a change amount of the incident light amount has exceeded a predetermined threshold and outputs a detection signal indicating a detection result are arrayed. Furthermore, in the solid-state image sensor, the drive circuit drives the logarithmic response pixel and the detection pixel to output the analog signal and the detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: HONGBO ZHU, MASAKI SAKAKIBARA
  • Publication number: 20220085891
    Abstract: An image collection chip, an object imaging recognition device and an object imaging recognition method are provided. In each set of the pixel confirmation modules of the chip, each modulation unit and each sensing unit are correspondingly provided up and down on the optical modulation layer and the image sensing layer respectively; each modulation unit is provided with at least one modulation subunit, and each of the modulation subunits is provided with several modulation holes penetrating into the optical modulation layer; and the respective modulation holes in a same modulation subunit are arranged into a two-dimensional graphic structure having a specific pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Kaiyu CUI, Xusheng CAI, Hongbo ZHU, Yidong HUANG, Wei ZHANG, Xue FENG, Fang LIU
  • Publication number: 20220061672
    Abstract: A noninvasive glucometer and a blood glucose detection method are provided. The noninvasive glucometer includes a light source, a spectrometer and detecting space into which an object to be detected intervenes; the detecting space is connected with the light source and the spectrometer respectively, so that a spectrum emitted by the light source can generate incident light entering the spectrometer after passing through the object to be detected. The spectrometer includes: an optical modulation layer configured to perform light modulation on the incident light to obtain a modulated spectrum; a photoelectric detection layer located below the optical modulation layer, and configured to receive the modulated spectrum and provide differential responses with respect to the modulated spectrum; and a signal processing circuit layer located below the photoelectric detection layer and configured to reconstruct the differential responses to obtain an original spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kaiyu CUI, Xusheng CAI, Hongbo ZHU, Yidong HUANG, Xue FENG, Fang LIU, Wei ZHANG
  • Patent number: 11257668
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes: providing a substrate includes a first region and a second region; forming a first polycrystalline silicon layer on the substrate, wherein the first polycrystalline silicon layer covers the first region and the second region; forming a stacked structure on the first polycrystalline silicon layer; forming a protective layer on the stacked structure; forming a patterned photoresist layer on the protective layer, wherein the patterned photoresist layer exposes the protective layer in the second region; removing the protective layer and the stacked structure in the second region to expose the first polycrystalline silicon layer in the second region; removing the patterned photoresist layer; and forming a second polycrystalline silicon layer on the protective layer in the first region and the first polycrystalline silicon layer in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Nexchip Semiconductor Co., LTD
    Inventors: Yongbo Feng, Hongbo Zhu, Houyou Wang, Mingyang Tsai