Patents by Inventor Kohei Tanaka
Kohei Tanaka 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).
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Patent number: 8803791Abstract: Provided is a display device that includes an optical sensor having a high sensitivity in which a potential difference of an accumulation node due to an illuminance difference on a light receiving surface after boosting is set greater than a potential difference of the same at an end of an integration period. The display device includes an optical sensor in a pixel region. The optical sensor includes a diode D1; a reset signal line RST for supplying a reset signal; a readout signal line RWS for supplying a readout signal; an accumulation node having a potential (VINT) that varies with an amount of light received by the diode D1 during a period from supply of the reset signal to supply of the readout signal; an amplifying element C1 for amplifying VINT according to the readout signal; and a sensor switching element M2 for reading out the amplified potential and outputting the same to an output line.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
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Patent number: 8772699Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device including a photosensor in a pixel region. The photosensor of the present invention includes a diode (D1) that receives incident light, reset signal wiring (RST) that supplies a reset signal, readout signal wiring (RWS) that supplies a readout signal, a storage node (INT) whose potential changes in accordance with the amount of light received by the photodetection element in a sensing period, the sensing period being from when the reset signal is supplied until when the readout signal is supplied, an amplification element (C1) that amplifies the potential of the storage node in accordance with the readout signal, and a sensor switching element (M2) for reading out the potential amplified by the amplification element to output wiring (OUT) as sensor circuit output.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2010Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Christopher Brown, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh
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Patent number: 8759739Abstract: Provided are an optical sensor having a wider dynamic range with reduced temperature dependence, and a display apparatus in which these optical sensors are used. An optical sensor includes an accumulation node (INT); a reset signal line (RST); a readout signal line (RWS); a photodiode (D1) (photodetecting element); a photodiode (D2) (reference element) that has a light-shielding layer; a thin-film transistor (M1) (first switching element) that outputs a potential of the accumulation node (INT) in response to the readout signal during a sensing period; and a thin-film transistor (M2) (second switching element) that is provided between the accumulation node (INT) and the photodiode (D2), and that electrically separates the accumulation node (INT) from the photodiode (D2) when the potential of the accumulation node (INT) upon supply of the readout signal is higher than a potential on a side of the photodiode (D2) opposite to the accumulation node (INT).Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2010Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kohei Tanaka, Christopher Brown
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Patent number: 8658957Abstract: A sensor circuit or a display apparatus from which a highly accurate sensor output can be obtained includes a photodiode, a capacitor that is connected to the photodiode via an accumulation node and accumulates charges according to an electric current in the photodiode; a sensor switching element transistor that causes the accumulation node and an output line to be conductive with respect to each other in response to a readout signal and outputs an output signal according to the potential of the accumulation node to the output line; a variable capacitor that is provided between the accumulation node and an input electrode, and whose capacitance varies when a pressure is applied by a touching operation; and a control switching element transistor to which a control signal for switching conduction and non-conduction between the variable capacitor and the accumulation node is input.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh, Kohei Tanaka
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Patent number: 8654266Abstract: An optical sensor is provided with a photodiode (D1) which receives light in a first range, including light to be detected, and a photodiode (D2) which receives light in a second range other than the light to be detected. For instance, the photodiode (D1) receives light at all the incident angles, and the photodiode (D2) has a light blocking film on an incident light path so as to selectively receive only the incident light from the oblique directions. The differential between the output from the photodiode (D1) and that from the photodiode (D2) is read out as sensor output.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2009Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromi Katoh, Kohei Tanaka, Christopher Brown
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Patent number: 8519363Abstract: An ion implanter performs ion implantation by irradiating a wafer having a notch at its outer peripheral region by an ion beam. In ion implanter, a twist angle adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a twist angle, an aligner is configured to adjust an alignment angle, a wafer transfer device is configured to transfer the wafer between the aligner and the twist angle adjustment mechanism, an image processing device is configured to detect the twist angle of the wafer on the twist angle adjustment mechanism, and a control device is configured to carry out a twist control in which the wafer is rotated by the twist angle adjustment mechanism by an angle obtained from a first difference between the detected twist angle and the alignment angle and a second difference between the alignment angle and a target twist angle given as one of ion implantation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Nissin Ion Equipment Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kohei Tanaka, Takashi Nogami, Masayoshi Hino
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Publication number: 20130120331Abstract: A sensor pixel circuit (9) includes: a light receiving element (PD); a first node Vsig that retains charges corresponding to an amount of light incident on the light receiving element; and a second node Vint that receives charges from the first node Vsig and retains the charges. Under control by a driving circuit (7), during one of a detection period while a light source (3) for sensors is in an ON state and a detection period while the light source (3) for sensors is in an OFF state, charges corresponding to an amount of light incident on the light receiving element (PD) during this detection period are accumulated in the first node Vsig. The charges accumulated are transferred from the first node Vsig to the second node Vint.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kaoru Yamamoto, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka
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Publication number: 20130120332Abstract: A display device including optical sensors in a pixel region, in which the number of bus lines for supplying driving signals to the optical sensors is reduced, is provided. The display device includes a display pixel circuit (8) and a sensor pixel circuit (9) that are provided in a pixel region (4) of an active matrix substrate. The sensor pixel circuit (9) includes: a light receiving element (D1); an accumulation node for accumulating charges corresponding to an amount of light incident on the light receiving element (D1); and a readout switching element (T2) that reads out charges in the accumulation node.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kohei Tanaka, Yasuhiro Sugita
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Publication number: 20130113768Abstract: Disclosed is a display device having an optical sensor with increased sensitivity. The display device is provided with: a display panel that includes a plurality of display pixel circuits (8) and a plurality of sensor pixel circuits (9a) in a display region (4); and a driver circuit (7) that supplies a driving signal to the sensor pixel circuits (9a). The sensor pixel circuits (9a) are each provided with: a light receiving element (PD1); a storage node (INT) that retains electrical charges corresponding to the light amount that entered the light receiving element (PD1); and a read-out switching element (M1) connected to the storage node (INT). The display device is further provided with a first switching element (T1) that is connected between the light receiving element (PD1) and the storage node (INT) and that operates in a saturation region, and a second switching element (T2) that resets the storage node (INT).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kaoru Yamamoto, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka
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Patent number: 8398375Abstract: To provide a can manufacturing pump impeller in which a stress of a base portion of a blade is prevented from increasing while improving the strength of a joint portion of a hub and a boss. In order to reinforce a joint portion of a hub and a boss, a plate is jointed to the inside of an impeller. In order not to overlap a base portion of a blade and the plate with each other on the hub, an opening portion is provided in the plate around the base portion of the blade on the hub. As a shape of the opening portion, a semicircular shape, a semielliptical shape, a rectangular shape, or a trapezoidal shape can be selected. Further, as a plate shape, a flat plate structure, a shell structure, or a curved structure can be selected.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2009Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd.Inventors: Kohei Tanaka, Yoshimasa Chiba, Sadashi Tanaka, Koji Hayashi, Tomohiro Naruse, Takaki Fukuchi, Takeshi Kazama
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Publication number: 20130063403Abstract: Provided is a display device that has a photodetection element in a pixel, and has an input function that is not dependent on the light environment. The display device includes a photosensor in a pixel region. The photosensor includes a first sensor pixel circuit that outputs a sensor signal that corresponds to charge accumulated in an accumulation period when a light source for the sensor is lit, and a second sensor pixel circuit that outputs a sensor signal that corresponds to charge accumulated in an accumulation period when the light source is extinguished.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2011Publication date: March 14, 2013Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Naru Usukura, Tadashi Nemoto, Hiromi Katoh
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Publication number: 20130063407Abstract: Disclosed is a display device that can compensate for variations of light-detecting element while securing a wide dynamic range of light sensors. This is a display device equipped with light sensors having operation modes for one frame period, which are: a sensor driving mode for obtaining sensor signals, a first correction data acquisition mode for obtaining a first correction data, and a second correction data acquisition mode for obtaining a second correction data. This display device further includes a memory that stores light sensor signal levels obtained, under a controlled ambient environmental condition, by driving the light sensors in the above-mentioned three modes as offset elimination data. A signal-processing circuit uses the first correction data and the second correction data, and the light sensor signal level corrected with the offset elimination data to correct the light sensor signal obtained in the sensor driving mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2011Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Naru Usukura, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh, Tadashi Nemoto
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Publication number: 20130057518Abstract: Provided is a display device that has a photodetection element in a pixel and can automatically correct a photosensor signal during operation, while resolving offset error with respect to the true black level or white level. As operation modes, a sensor row driver (5) has: (a) a sensor drive mode in which a sensor drive signal of a first pattern is supplied, and a photosensor signal that corresponds to the amount of light received by the photosensor is output to a signal processing circuit (8), and (b) a correction data acquisition mode in which a sensor drive signal of a second pattern that is different from the first pattern is supplied, and a correction photosensor signal level that corresponds to the case where the photosensor detected a black level or a white level is acquired. The photosensor signal levels obtained in the two modes while the ambient environment is controlled to a predetermined condition are stored in a memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2011Publication date: March 7, 2013Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Naru Usukura, Tadashi Nemoto, Hiromi Katoh
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Publication number: 20130057527Abstract: Provided is a display device that is capable of ensuring a wide dynamic range of an optical sensor even in the case where an offset due to ambient temperature changes is compensated with use of an output of a reference element. The display device has optical sensors in a pixel region of an active matrix substrate (100), wherein the optical sensors include a photodetecting sensor which outputs a sensor signal according to an amount of received light, and a reference sensor which has a configuration obtained by adding a light shielding film to the photodetecting sensor and outputs a sensor signal according to an offset component.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2011Publication date: March 7, 2013Inventors: Kohei Tanaka, Yasuhiro Sugita, Naru Usukura, Kazuhiro Maeda, Yousuke Nakagawa
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Publication number: 20130057528Abstract: Provided is a display device having a photodetecting element in a pixel, and having an input function that is not dependent on light environments. This is a display device having an optical sensor in a pixel region. The optical sensor includes a first sensor pixel circuit that outputs a sensor signal corresponding to electric charges accumulated during an accumulation period in an ON time of a light source for the sensor; and a second sensor pixel circuit that that outputs a sensor signal corresponding to electric charges accumulated during an accumulation period in an OFF time of the light source. A sensor driving circuit for driving the first sensor pixie circuit and the second sensor pixel circuit supplies reset signals (RST1, RST2) to the first sensor pixel circuit and the second sensor pixel circuit, respectively, during vertical flyback periods in pixel display in the pixel region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2011Publication date: March 7, 2013Inventors: Kohei Tanaka, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kazuhiro Maeda, Hiroaki Sugiyama
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Publication number: 20120293475Abstract: Provided is a display device that has excellent accuracy in image capturing by improving linearity of sensitivity characteristics of a photodiode. An optical sensor provided on an active matrix substrate of the display device includes; a photodiode (D1a) for receiving incident light; a reset signal line (RSTa) for supplying a reset signal RST to the optical sensor; a readout signal line (RWSa) for supplying a readout signal RWS to the optical sensor; and a sensor switching element (M1a) for reading out a photoelectric current output from the photodiode (D1a), according to the readout signal, during a period from the supply of the reset signal to the supply of the readout signal. A potential VLS of a light shielding film (LS) provided on a back side of the photodiode (D1a) is caused to be a high level potential during a period that at least partially overlaps a period while the reset signal is supplied.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2010Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Christopher Brown
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Patent number: 8294079Abstract: Each of even-numbered photodiodes 1 and 2 for constituting a diode of the present invention (i) has regions (regions 1a through 1c and regions 2a through 2c) whose sizes in a certain direction are identical to sizes of regions of a reference diode 5, and (ii) has a channel width equal to ½ of a channel width W of the reference diode 5. The regions 1a through 1c and the regions 2a through 2c are arranged so as to (i) extend parallel to the certain direction which is provided parallel to a channel length L of the reference diode 5, and so as to be (ii) line-symmetric or point-symmetric to each other as a whole. The photodiodes 1 and 2 are electrically connected to each other in series so as to carry out an equivalent operation to that of the reference diode 5. Employing of the photodiodes 1 and 2 provides a configuration of diodes each having an identical characteristic and occupying a reduced area on a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2009Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kohei Tanaka, Christopher Brown
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Publication number: 20120261557Abstract: Provided is a display device that includes an optical sensor having a high sensitivity in which a potential difference of an accumulation node due to an illuminance difference on a light receiving surface after boosting is set greater than a potential difference of the same at an end of an integration period. The display device includes an optical sensor in a pixel region. The optical sensor includes a diode D1; a reset signal line RST for supplying a reset signal; a readout signal line RWS for supplying a readout signal; an accumulation node having a potential (VINT) that varies with an amount of light received by the diode D1 during a period from supply of the reset signal to supply of the readout signal; an amplifying element C1 for amplifying VINT according to the readout signal; and a sensor switching element M2 for reading out the amplified potential and outputting the same to an output line.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2010Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
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Publication number: 20120187455Abstract: The sensitivity of a photosensor is improved without decreasing read-out efficiency. The photosensor includes: a photodiode (D1) that converts received light into an electric current; a light shielding film (LS) that generates a parasitic capacitance between the photodiode (D1) and itself, a control signal line (RWST) that supplies a storage node (INT) with a reset signal and a read-out signal via the photodiode (D1); and a transistor (M2) connected with the storage node (INT) and an output line (OUT) for outputting, to the output line (OUT), an output signal corresponding to the potential of the storage node (INT) in response to the read-out signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2010Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Christopher Brown, Kohei Tanaka
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Publication number: 20120112047Abstract: A sensor circuit or a display apparatus from which a highly accurate sensor output can be obtained includes a photodiode, a capacitor that is connected to the photodiode via an accumulation node and accumulates charges according to an electric current in the photodiode; a sensor switching element transistor that causes the accumulation node and an output line to be conductive with respect to each other in response to a readout signal and outputs an output signal according to the potential of the accumulation node to the output line; a variable capacitor that is provided between the accumulation node and an input electrode, and whose capacitance varies when a pressure is applied by a touching operation; and a control switching element transistor to which a control signal for switching conduction and non-conduction between the variable capacitor and the accumulation node is input.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh, Kohei Tanaka