Patents by Inventor Keigo Yokoyama

Keigo Yokoyama 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: 9165957
    Abstract: A detecting device includes a conversion device having a substrate, a pixel electrode formed of a transparent conductive oxide, a impurity semiconductor portion, and a semiconductor portion, the pixel electrode, impurity semiconductor portion, and semiconductor portion having been formed upon the substrate in that order from the substrate side. The impurity semiconductor portion includes a first region including a place in contact with the pixel electrode, and a second region situated nearer to the semiconductor portion than the first region. Concentration of dopant in the second region is higher than concentration of dopant in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Publication number: 20150234056
    Abstract: A radiation detection apparatus includes conversion elements including a first electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a second electrode that are divided for each pixel; switching elements electrically connected to the first electrodes; and a first insulating layer that separates the conversion elements of adjacent pixels. The semiconductor layer is located between the first and second electrodes. A periphery of the semiconductor layer is located outside peripheries of the first and second electrodes. The semiconductor layer includes a first impurity semiconductor layer, a second impurity semiconductor layer, and an intrinsic semiconductor layer located between the first and second impurity semiconductor layers. Parameters of the apparatus are defined to set a residual charge 10 ?ts after the switching element is turned on to be not higher than 2%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Masato Ofuji, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 9093347
    Abstract: A detecting apparatus includes a substrate that permits visible light to pass therethrough, a converting element that includes a pixel electrode, an impurity semiconductor layer, and a semiconductor layer arranged in that order from a side adjacent to the substrate and is configured to convert radiation or light into charge, and a light source configured to emit the visible light through the substrate to the converting element. The pixel electrode includes a metal layer that permits the visible light to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Publication number: 20150194952
    Abstract: An active matrix panel includes a gate line connected to control electrodes of a plurality of transistors; and a drive circuit supplying the gate line with a conducting voltage and a non-conducting voltage. The drive circuit includes a shift register including a plurality of shift register unit circuits connected to each other, and a demultiplexer including a plurality of demultiplexer unit circuits into which output signals of the shift register unit circuits are input. The demultiplexer unit circuit includes a first transistor for supplying the gate line with the conducting voltage, and a second transistor for supplying the gate line with the non-conducting voltage. The first transistor is changed from a non-conducting state into a conducting state when the second transistor is in the conducting state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Masato Ofuji, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 9024676
    Abstract: An active matrix panel includes a gate line connected to control electrodes of a plurality of transistors; and a drive circuit supplying the gate line with a conducting voltage and a non-conducting voltage. The drive circuit includes a shift register including a plurality of shift register unit circuits connected to each other, and a demultiplexer including a plurality of demultiplexer unit circuits into which output signals of the shift register unit circuits are input. The demultiplexer unit circuit includes a first transistor for supplying the gate line with the conducting voltage, and a second transistor for supplying the gate line with the non-conducting voltage. The first transistor is changed from a non-conducting state into a conducting state when the second transistor is in the conducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Ofuji, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 8928779
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a detection unit in which a matrix of pixels converts radiation or light into analog electrical signals, a reading circuit configured to perform signal processing operation by reading the analog electric signals on a row-by-row basis, an A/D converter configured to convert a pixel signal output from the reading circuit into pixel data, and a correction processing unit configured to correct the pixel data. A control unit performs control processing so that the reading circuit outputs reset signals to the A/D converter in a period in which the signal processing operation of a predetermined row is performed, the A/D converter converts the reset signals into pieces of reset data in the period, and the correction processing unit averages the pieces of reset data output from the A/D converter and performs subtraction with the averaged reset data and the pixel data output from the A/D converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuro Takenaka, Daisuke Yoshida, Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Keigo Yokoyama, Sho Sato
  • Patent number: 8907294
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a detector having pixels divided into first and second pixel groups, a signal processor including a reading circuit unit including first and second reading circuits, an A/D conversion unit including first and second A/D converters, a digital data processing circuit, and a controller. The controller instructs the signal processor to perform a signal processing operation several times of adding direct current potentials to analog electric signals of pixels from the reading circuit unit, supplying the signals to the A/D conversion unit, and outputting digital data to the digital data processing circuit while the direct current potentials are changed, and an average processing operation of averaging the digital data for the pixels using the digital data processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Kameshima, Tadao Endo, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Keigo Yokoyama, Sho Sato
  • Publication number: 20140353470
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a detection apparatus including pixels is provided. The method includes forming an organic insulation layer above a substrate above which a switching element is formed, forming pixel electrodes divided for individual pixels above the organic insulation layer; forming an inorganic material portion above a portion of the organic insulation layer, which is uncovered with the pixel electrodes, forming an inorganic insulation film covering the plurality of pixel electrodes and the inorganic material portion, forming a semiconductor film covering the inorganic insulation film, and dividing the semiconductor film for individual pixels by etching using a stacked structure of the inorganic material portion and the inorganic insulation film as an etching stopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Jun Kawanabe, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Publication number: 20140339431
    Abstract: A detecting apparatus includes a substrate that permits visible light to pass therethrough, a converting element that includes a pixel electrode, an impurity semiconductor layer, and a semiconductor layer arranged in that order from a side adjacent to the substrate and is configured to convert radiation or light into charge, and a light source configured to emit the visible light through the substrate to the converting element. The pixel electrode includes a metal layer that permits the visible light to pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Publication number: 20140339561
    Abstract: A detecting device includes a conversion device having a substrate, a pixel electrode formed of a transparent conductive oxide, a impurity semiconductor portion, and a semiconductor portion, the pixel electrode, impurity semiconductor portion, and semiconductor portion having been formed upon the substrate in that order from the substrate side. The impurity semiconductor portion includes a first region including a place in contact with the pixel electrode, and a second region situated nearer to the semiconductor portion than the first region. Concentration of dopant in the second region is higher than concentration of dopant in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 8878972
    Abstract: A source follower connection line connects a gate of a source follower thin film transistor in a first pixel with a gate of a source follower thin film transistor in a second pixel, between adjacent first and second pixel, and a driving circuit turns the transfer thin film transistor in the first pixel region ON and turns the transfer thin film transistor in the second pixel OFF to make the transfer thin film transistor in the first pixel region output the signal of the first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wayama, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8866093
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a detection device including a plurality of pixels arrayed on a substrate, the pixels each including a switch element and a conversion element including an impurity semiconductor layer disposed on an electrode, which is disposed above the switch element, which is isolated per pixel, and which is made of a transparent conductive oxide joined to the switch element, and further including an interlayer insulating layer, which is made of an organic material, which is disposed between the switch elements and the electrodes, and which covers the switch elements, the method includes insulating members each made of an inorganic material and disposed to cover the interlayer insulating layer between adjacent two of the electrodes in contact with the interlayer insulating layer, and forming an impurity semiconductor film covering the insulating members and the electrodes and becoming the impurity semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Keigo Yokoyama, Jun Kawanabe, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 8829438
    Abstract: An imaging operation includes a first imaging operation for outputting image data according to irradiation to the detector with radiation or light in an irradiation field A corresponding to a part of the plurality of pixels, and a second imaging operation for outputting image data according to irradiation to the detector 104 with radiation or light in an irradiation field B wider than the irradiation field A, wherein, responsive to a changing from irradiation in the irradiation field A to irradiation in the irradiation field B, an operation of the detector is controlled so that the detector performs an initializing operation for initializing conversion elements during a period between the first and second imaging operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sho Sato, Tadao Endo, Toshio Kameshima, Masayoshi Akiyama, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Keigo Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8822939
    Abstract: A matrix substrate which realizes high operation speed and high reliability and which is capable of obtaining a high-quality image while the number of connection terminals is limited is provided. The matrix substrate includes pixels arranged in a matrix, N driving lines arranged in a row direction, P connection terminals where P is less than N, a demultiplexer which is disposed between the connection terminals and the driving lines and which includes first polycrystalline semiconductor TFTs and first connection terminals. The demultiplexer further includes second polycrystalline semiconductor TFTs and the second control lines used to maintain the driving lines to have non-selection voltages which bring the pixels to non-selection states between one of the connection terminals and two or more of the driving lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 8818068
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a control unit and a detector that includes multiple pixels and that performs an image capturing operation to output image data corresponding to emitted radiation or light. The image capturing operation includes a first image capturing operation in which the detector is scanned in a first scanning area corresponding to part of the multiple pixels to output image data in the first scanning area and a second image capturing operation in which the detector is scanned in a second scanning area larger than the first scanning area to output image data in the second scanning area. The control unit causes the detector to perform an initialization operation to initialize the conversion element during a period between the first image capturing operation and the second image capturing operation in accordance with switching from the first scanning area to the second scanning area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Yagi, Tadao Endo, Toshio Kameshima, Katsuro Takenaka, Keigo Yokoyama, Sho Sato
  • Patent number: 8809795
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a transmitting path to transmit the output electric signal, and a read-out circuit performing a sampling and holding operation for holding the electric signal read out through the transmitting path, and performing a reset operation to reset the transmitting path, and includes a control unit for controlling an outputting drive circuit and a read-out circuit so as to perform the sampling and holding operation row by row after a start of the output operation, to perform the reset operation after the sampling and holding operation, and to terminate the output operation after the reset operation. This can reduce the frame time without reducing the S/N ratio of the image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuro Takenaka, Tadao Endo, Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Keigo Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8809760
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a conversion unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a conversion element, an output switch element, and an initialization switch element; an output drive circuit controls an output operation; an initialization drive circuit controls an initialization operation; and a readout circuit performs a signal sample-and-hold operation and a reset operation. A control unit performs termination of the output operation of a certain row and start of the output operation of another row after the termination of the reset operation, the start of the signal sample-and-hold operation after the termination of the output operation of the certain row and the start of the output operation of the other row, the start of the reset operation and the initialization operation after the termination of the signal sample-and-hold operation, and the termination of the reset operation after the termination of the initialization operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuro Takenaka, Tadao Endo, Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Keigo Yokoyama, Sho Sato
  • Patent number: 8792024
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided, which improves correction accuracy at the time of pixel addition reading and scarcely deteriorates in resolution of the image data. This apparatus comprises: a conversion unit comprising a plurality of unit-pixels and converting an incident radiation or a light into pixel information; a signal processing unit capable of reading the pixel information for each unit-pixel, or capable of reading additional added pixel information for a plurality of unit-pixels, based on a control from a control unit for controlling a driving of the conversion unit according to a plurality of operation modes; a storage unit for storing a plurality of correction information according to the plurality of operating modes; and a correction unit for performing the correction of the pixel information based on the correction information extracted from the plurality of correct information according to the operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuro Takenaka, Tadao Endo, Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Keigo Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20140151769
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a conversion layer configured to convert incident light or radiation into a charge, electrodes configured to collect a charge produced as a result of the conversion by the conversion layer, and impurity semiconductor layers arranged between the electrodes and the conversion layer. The conversion layer is arranged over the electrodes so as to cover the electrodes. A part of the conversion layer which covers a region between an adjacent pair of the electrodes includes a portion smaller in film thickness than a part of the conversion layer which covers edges of the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wayama, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Akiya Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20140154833
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a detection apparatus is provided. The method includes depositing a first impurity semiconductor layer and a first intrinsic semiconductor layer in this order on a plurality of first electrodes arranged in an array above a substrate. The method also includes patterning the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and the first impurity semiconductor layer and thereby dividing the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and the first impurity semiconductor layer so as to cover each of the plurality of first electrodes separately. The method further includes depositing a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the patterned first intrinsic semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wayama, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi