Patents by Inventor Kazuko Nishimura

Kazuko Nishimura 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: 12375828
    Abstract: A camera system including an imaging device; and a signal processor. The imaging device includes; a first imaging cell having a first photoelectric converter generating a first signal; and a second imaging cell having a second photoelectric converter generating a second signal; and a capacitor having a first and second terminal, the first terminal electrically coupled to second photoelectric converter. An area of the first photoelectric converter is greater than an area of the second photoelectric converter in a plan view, the first imaging cell has a first number of saturation charges, and the second imaging cell has a second number of saturation charges, the number of saturation charges by the first photoelectric converter is greater than the number of saturation charges by the second photoelectric converter. The capacitor causes the second number of saturation charges to become greater than the first number of saturation charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Tokuhiko Tamaki, Masashi Murakami
  • Patent number: 12364034
    Abstract: An imaging device including a photoelectric convertor that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric convertor has a photoelectric conversion characteristic in which a rate of change of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric convertor with respect to a first bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode when the first bias voltage is in a first voltage range, is greater than the rate of change with respect to a second bias voltage when the second bias voltage is in a second voltage range that is higher than the first voltage range, and a first voltage is applied to the first electrode or the second electrode so that a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode exists in the first voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Yasunori Inoue
  • Patent number: 12348681
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, the plurality of pixels respectively including photoelectric converters that convert light into signal charge and charge accumulators that accumulate the signal charge; and a control circuit. The control circuit causes pixels included in the plurality of pixels and belonging to at least one row to sequentially perform, for each row or for two or more rows at a time, a reset operation for initializing potentials of the charge accumulators, before receiving a trigger signal for giving an instruction for starting exposure, and causes, after receiving the trigger signal, the plurality of pixels to simultaneously perform an exposure operation for accumulating the signal charge in the charge accumulators without causing the pixels included in the plurality of pixels and belonging to at least one row to perform the reset operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Yuya Ito, Yasuo Miyake
  • Patent number: 12342643
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric converter, a charge storage region, and an amplification transistor. The photoelectric converter includes a pixel electrode, a counter electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion layer is positioned above the semiconductor substrate and is disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. Charge generated by the photoelectric converter is stored in the charge storage region. The amplification transistor includes a source, a drain, and a gate electrode. The gate electrode is electrically connected to the charge storage region. In a plan view, the width of the drain of the amplification transistor is less than the width of the source of the amplification transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Hirase, Masaaki Yanagida, Kazuko Nishimura, Yoshinori Takami
  • Patent number: 12289543
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided with a pixel array section including multiple pixels arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, and a column signal processor. The multiple pixels include multiple imaging pixels that each output a pixel signal corresponding to incident light and multiple reference pixels which are aligned in the column direction in at least two columns and which each output a reset signal corresponding to the output signal at reset of each of the multiple first pixels. The column signal processor outputs the difference between the pixel signal outputted by one imaging pixel from among the multiple imaging pixels and a reference signal based on the reset signals outputted by at least two reference pixels, from among the multiple reference pixels, located in the same row as the one imaging pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Satou, Yasuo Miyake, Yusuke Okada, Kazuko Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20240397209
    Abstract: A camera system includes: a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer converting incident light into electric charge; voltage application circuitry that supplies a first voltage and a second voltage less than the first voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode in a frame; and a controller that derives a voltage value corresponding to an attenuation ratio set for the frame and that causes the voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage having the voltage value and the second voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode in the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Inventors: Tsutomu KOBAYASHI, Kazuko NISHIMURA, Yasuo MIYAKE, Sanshiro SHISHIDO
  • Publication number: 20240387570
    Abstract: A camera system including a lens; and an imaging device that receives a light through the lens. The imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric converter that is configured to convert the light into a signal charge and that is stacked on the semiconductor substrate; a node to which the signal charge is input; a transistor having a source and a drain, one of the source and the drain being connected to the node; and a capacitive element connected between the transistor and a voltage source or a ground. The transistor is configured to switch between a first state and a second state, a sensitivity in the first state being different from a sensitivity in the second state, and in a cross-sectional view, the capacitive element is located between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA, Yutaka ABE, Yoshiyuki MATSUNAGA, Yoshihiro SATO, Junji HIRASE
  • Publication number: 20240365017
    Abstract: A camera system including an imaging device; and a signal processor. The imaging device includes; a first imaging cell having a first photoelectric converter generating a first signal; and a second imaging cell having a second photoelectric converter generating a second signal; and a capacitor having a first and second terminal, the first terminal electrically coupled to second photoelectric converter. An area of the first photoelectric converter is greater than an area of the second photoelectric converter in a plan view, the first imaging cell has a first number of saturation charges, and the second imaging cell has a second number of saturation charges, the number of saturation charges by the first photoelectric converter is greater than the number of saturation charges by the second photoelectric converter. The capacitor causes the second number of saturation charges to become greater than the first number of saturation charges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Kazuko NISHIMURA, Tokuhiko TAMAKI, Masashi MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20240313012
    Abstract: An imaging device including a semiconductor substrate; a first photoelectric converter that is located in the semiconductor substrate and that generates a first signal charge by photoelectric conversion; a first node to which the first signal charge is input; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the first node; and a second photoelectric converter that is located in the semiconductor substrate and that generates a second signal charge by photoelectric conversion. The area of the second photoelectric converter is greater than the area of the first photoelectric converter in a plan view, and the number of saturation charges of a first imaging cell including the first photoelectric converter and the capacitor is greater than the number of saturation charges of a second imaging cell including the second photoelectric converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Sanshiro SHISHIDO, Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20240297200
    Abstract: An imaging device including a photoelectric convertor that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric convertor has a photoelectric conversion characteristic in which a rate of change of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric convertor with respect to a first bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode when the first bias voltage is in a first voltage range, is greater than the rate of change with respect to a second bias voltage when the second bias voltage is in a second voltage range that is higher than the first voltage range, and a first voltage is applied to the first electrode or the second electrode so that a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode exists in the first voltage range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2024
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA, Yasuo MIYAKE, Yasunori INOUE
  • Patent number: 12081878
    Abstract: A camera system includes: a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer converting incident light into electric charge; voltage application circuitry that supplies a first voltage and a second voltage less than the first voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode such that the first voltage is applied at least one time in a frame; and a controller that derives a total length of at least one period in which the first voltage is applied in the frame, the total length corresponding to an attenuation ratio set for the frame, and causes the voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage in the at least one period having the total length in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kobayashi, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Sanshiro Shishido
  • Patent number: 12080732
    Abstract: An imaging device including a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into a signal charge, the photoelectric converter being stacked on the semiconductor substrate; a node to which the signal charge is input; a transistor having a source and a drain, one of the source and the drain being connected to the node; and a capacitive element connected between the transistor and a voltage source or a ground. The transistor is configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode, a sensitivity in the first mode being different from a sensitivity in the second mode, and in a cross-sectional view, the capacitive element is located between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yutaka Abe, Yoshiyuki Matsunaga, Yoshihiro Sato, Junji Hirase
  • Patent number: 12041382
    Abstract: An imaging device including a first filter that passes a first light and a second light; a second filter that blocks the second light; photoelectric converters that have sensitivity to the first light and the second light; and a processor, in which one of the photoelectric converters detects a light passing through the first filter to generate a first signal, one of the photoelectric converters detects a light passing through the first filter and the second filter to generate a second signal, and the processor performs the second light sensing based on the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Satou, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Osamu Shibata, Hiroshi Iwai
  • Publication number: 20240214700
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided with a pixel array section including multiple pixels arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, and a column signal processor. The multiple pixels include multiple imaging pixels that each output a pixel signal corresponding to incident light and multiple reference pixels which are aligned in the column direction in at least two columns and which each output a reset signal corresponding to the output signal at reset of each of the multiple first pixels. The column signal processor outputs the difference between the pixel signal outputted by one imaging pixel from among the multiple imaging pixels and a reference signal based on the reset signals outputted by at least two reference pixels, from among the multiple reference pixels, located in the same row as the one imaging pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: YOSHIAKI SATOU, YASUO MIYAKE, YUSUKE OKADA, KAZUKO NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 12022215
    Abstract: An imaging device including: a first imaging cell including a first photoelectric converter that generates a first signal; and a second imaging cell including: a second photoelectric converter that generates a second signal; and a capacitor having a first and second terminal, the first terminal electrically coupled to second photoelectric converter. An area of the first photoelectric converter is greater than an area of the second photoelectric converter in a plan view, the first imaging cell has a first number of saturation charges, and the second imaging cell has a second number of saturation charges, the first number of saturation charges is greater than the second number of saturation charges, and the capacitor has capacitance that causes the second number of saturation charges of the second imaging cell to become greater than the first number of saturation charges of the first imaging cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Tokuhiko Tamaki, Masashi Murakami
  • Patent number: 12021094
    Abstract: An imaging device that includes a semiconductor substrate; a first photoelectric converter that is located in the semiconductor substrate and that generates a first signal charge by photoelectric conversion; a first node to which the first signal charge is input; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the first node; a second photoelectric converter that is located in the semiconductor substrate and that generates a second signal charge by photoelectric conversion; a second node to which the second signal charge is input; a transistor having a gate coupled to the second node; and a switch element coupled between the first node and the second node, where a number of saturation charges of a first imaging cell including the first photoelectric converter and the capacitor is greater than a number of saturation charges of a second imaging cell including the second photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sanshiro Shishido, Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 12021109
    Abstract: A camera system including a photoelectric convertor including a first and second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer; and a correction circuit correcting a signal corresponding to a potential change of the second electrode. The photoelectric convertor has a photoelectric conversion characteristic in which rate of change of the photoelectric conversion efficiency with respect to a first bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode when the first bias voltage is in a first voltage range, is greater than the rate of change with respect to a second bias voltage when the second bias voltage is in a second voltage range that is higher than the first voltage range, and a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode exists in the first voltage range, and the correction circuit corrects the signal so that variation of an output regarding an amount of incident light becomes linear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Yasunori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20240171877
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a photoelectric converter that generates charge through photoelectric conversion; a charge accumulator in which the charge is accumulated; and a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor including a first terminal, a second terminal, a gate, an oxide layer, and at least one semiconductor region. During exposure, the first terminal is electrically connected to the charge accumulator. The gate is electrically connected to the first terminal. The at least one semiconductor region is electrically connected to the second terminal. The oxide layer is located between the gate and the at least one semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: JUNJI HIRASE, TAKAYOSHI YAMADA, KAZUKO NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 11991462
    Abstract: An imaging device including a pixel that includes: a photoelectric converter that converts light into a charge; a charge accumulation region to which the charge is input; and an amplifier transistor that includes a gate electrically connected to the charge accumulation region. The amplifier transistor being configured to output a signal that corresponds to a potential of the charge accumulation region. The imaging device further including a detection circuit that is configured to detect a level of the signal from the amplifier transistor, wherein a sensitivity of the pixel is caused to be increased, in a case where the level detected by the detection circuit is greater than a first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Yasunori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20230336886
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a charge accumulator, a first transistor, and a first capacitive element. The first transistor has a first source, a first drain, and a first gate electrode electrically connected to one of the first source and the first drain. The first capacitive element holds the charges and has a first terminal. A fixed potential is supplied to the other of the first source and the first drain. One of the first source and the first drain is always electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitive element from start to end of an exposure period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: MASASHI MURAKAMI, MAKOTO SHOUHO, YOSHIHIRO SATO, KAZUKO NISHIMURA, JUNJI HIRASE