Patents by Inventor Koya TSUCHIMOTO

Koya TSUCHIMOTO 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: 11968463
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one floating diffusion region, and a set of photoelectric conversion regions sharing the at least one floating diffusion region and that convert incident light into electric charges. The imaging device includes a first readout circuit and a second readout circuit. The first readout circuit is coupled to the at least one floating diffusion region and located at a first side of the set of photoelectric conversion region, and the second readout circuit is coupled to the at least one floating diffusion region. The second readout circuit includes a portion located at a second side of the set of photoelectric conversion regions that is opposite the first side, and the second readout circuit is configured to control the first readout circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: Sony Group Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Kitano, Koya Tsuchimoto, Kei Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20240015412
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a sensor and a control method that can flexibly detect an event that is a change in electric signals of pixels. The sensor includes pixels that receive light and that perform photoelectric conversion to generate electric signals, and an event detecting unit that detects an event that is a change in the electric signals of the pixels. The sensor adjusts, for each of the pixels, a gain of the event detecting unit. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a sensor that detects an event that is a change in electric signals of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: KOYA TSUCHIMOTO, HAYATO WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20230059890
    Abstract: Please replace the currently pending Abstract with the following amended A solid-state imaging device is provided with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, a plurality of address event detection circuits, first ground wiring, and second ground wiring. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements is arranged side by side in a first region. The plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits converts currents output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements into voltages, respectively. The plurality of address event detection circuits detects changes in voltages output from the plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively. The first ground wiring is provided in a second region located outside the first region, and supplies first ground potential to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya HANADA, Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Makoto NAKAMURA, Yuki NODA, Yusuke MURAKAWA, Shin KITANO
  • Publication number: 20230058009
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor according to the present disclosure includes a photodiode, a conversion circuit (current-voltage conversion circuit), a luminance change detection circuit (comparator), and a light-shielding unit (light-shielding film). The photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a photocurrent. The conversion circuit (current-voltage conversion circuit) converts the photocurrent into a voltage signal. The luminance change detection circuit (comparator) detects a change in luminance of the incident light on the basis of the voltage signal. The light-shielding unit (light-shielding film) shields incidence of light on the impurity diffusion region included in a circuit that inputs the voltage signal to the luminance change detection circuit (comparator).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Shin KITANO, Yusuke MURAKAWA, Makoto NAKAMURA, Takuya HANADA, Yuki NODA
  • Publication number: 20230058625
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging element according to the present disclosure is provided with a first substrate (light reception chip) and a second substrate (detection chip). The first substrate (light reception chip) is provided with a photodiode that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a photocurrent. The second substrate (detection chip) is provided with a luminance change detection circuit (current-voltage conversion circuit) that detects a change in luminance of the incident light on the basis of a voltage signal converted by a conversion circuit (current-voltage conversion circuit) that converts the photocurrent into the voltage signal, and is bonded to the first substrate (light reception chip). A light shielding unit (light shielding film) provided in at least any one of the first substrate (light reception chip) or the second substrate (detection chip) and shields light between an active element (transistor TR) provided in the second substrate (detection chip) and the photodiode is included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto NAKAMURA, Shin KITANO, Yusuke MURAKAWA, Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Takuya HANADA, Yuki NODA
  • Publication number: 20230052364
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to the present disclosure includes a light-receiving substrate, a circuit board, and a plurality of first connections. The light-receiving substrate includes a plurality of light-receiving circuits provided with photoelectric conversion elements. The circuit board is directly bonded to the light-receiving substrate and includes a plurality of address event detection circuits that detects individual changes in voltages output from the photoelectric conversion elements of the plurality of light-receiving circuits. The plurality of first connections is provided at a joint between the light-receiving substrate and the circuit board to electrically connect the light-receiving circuits and the address event detection circuits corresponding to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki NODA, Yusuke MURAKAWA, Takuya HANADA, Makoto NAKAMURA, Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Shin KITANO
  • Publication number: 20230033688
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging element according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, and a plurality of address event detection circuits. The plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements are arranged side by side in a first region. The second photoelectric conversion elements are arranged side by side in a second region adjacent to the first region. The current-voltage conversion circuits each convert currents output from the first photoelectric conversion elements or the second photoelectric conversion elements into voltages. The address event detection circuits each detect a change in the voltages output from the current-voltage conversion circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke MURAKAWA, Shin KITANO, Makoto NAKAMURA, Takuya HANADA, Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Yuki NODA
  • Patent number: 11451751
    Abstract: To acquire a color image. A solid-state image pickup device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of light receiving portions, each of which receives light of a specific wavelength to generate an electric charge corresponding to an amount of the received light, a detector that detects a photoelectric current based on an electric charge generated in at least one of the plurality of light receiving portions, a generator that generates a voltage signal based on the electric charge generated in each of the plurality of light receiving portions, and a driving circuit that causes the generator to generate voltage signals based on electric charges generated in at least two of the plurality of light receiving portions, respectively, on the basis of a detection result of the photoelectric current by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koya Tsuchimoto
  • Publication number: 20220038662
    Abstract: To acquire a color image. A solid-state image pickup device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of light receiving portions, each of which receives light of a specific wavelength to generate an electric charge corresponding to an amount of the received light, a detector that detects a photoelectric current based on an electric charge generated in at least one of the plurality of light receiving portions, a generator that generates a voltage signal based on the electric charge generated in each of the plurality of light receiving portions, and a driving circuit that causes the generator to generate voltage signals based on electric charges generated in at least two of the plurality of light receiving portions, respectively, on the basis of a detection result of the photoelectric current by the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koya TSUCHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210400223
    Abstract: An imaging device includes at least one floating diffusion region, and a set of photoelectric conversion regions sharing the at least one floating diffusion region and that convert incident light into electric charges. The imaging device includes a first readout circuit and a second readout circuit. The first readout circuit is coupled to the at least one floating diffusion region and located at a first side of the set of photoelectric conversion region, and the second readout circuit is coupled to the at least one floating diffusion region. The second readout circuit includes a portion located at a second side of the set of photoelectric conversion regions that is opposite the first side, and the second readout circuit is configured to control the first readout circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicants: SONY GROUP CORPORATION, SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shin KITANO, Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Kei NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20210320140
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion region that converts incident light into electric charge. The imaging device includes a first readout circuit coupled to the photoelectric conversion region at a first location, and a second readout circuit including a portion coupled to the photoelectric conversion region at a second location. The second readout circuit is configured to control the first readout circuit. The first location and the second location are on a same side of the photoelectric conversion region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicants: SONY GROUP CORPORATION, SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shin KITANO, Koya TSUCHIMOTO, Kei NAKAGAWA