Patents by Inventor Masashi Murakami

Masashi Murakami 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).

  • Publication number: 20240122818
    Abstract: The present invention relates to light-scattering silica particles having a light scattering property, the light-scattering silica particles including: a plurality of hollow portions each having a closed pore structure inside the particle, in which the light-scattering silica particles have a volume-based cumulative 50% particle diameter of 1 ?m to 500 ?m and an average circularity of 0.80 or more, and in use of the light-scattering silica particles, a reflectance A of a water cake containing 20 mg/cm2 of silica per measurement cross-sectional area at an ultraviolet wavelength of 310 nm is 30% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicants: AGC Inc., AGC SI-TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime KATAYAMA, Masashi KONDO, Kohta FUKUMOTO, Yuriko TAKANO, Shinnosuke ARIMITSU, Takeshi MURAKAMI, Kenji HIGASHI, Daisuke YAMAZUMI
  • Publication number: 20240082740
    Abstract: Exemplary communication system 1 includes game devices 10, communication terminals 20, and game support server 30. Game devices 10 enable users to perform a multi-play activity. Each of communication terminals 20 runs an application associated with corresponding game device 10. Game support server 30 divides communication terminals 20 into separate communication groups in accordance with a situation of the multi-play activity performed by game devices 10 so that communication terminals 20 belonging to a same communication group can communicate with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Daisuke NAKAMURA, Masashi SEIKI, Yosuke FUJINO, Miki MURAKAMI, Hideaki TANABE, Sho ONUMA, Naoya HIROTA, Kojiro TAGUCHI, Daisuke TSUJIMURA
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20230253422
    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: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA, Yutaka ABE, Yoshiyuki MATSUNAGA, Yoshihiro SATO, Junji HIRASE
  • Publication number: 20230253424
    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: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA, Yasuo MIYAKE, Yasunori INOUE
  • Publication number: 20230247315
    Abstract: An imaging device including pixels each including a photoelectric converter that converts light into a signal charge; and controller, where the controller causes the pixels to perform global shutter operation in a first frame period and causes the pixels to perform rolling shatter operation in a second frame period different from the first frame period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Yasuo MIYAKE, Masashi MURAKAMI, Tokuhiko TAMAKI, Yoshiaki SATOU
  • Publication number: 20230224600
    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: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kazuko NISHIMURA, Tokuhiko TAMAKI, Masashi MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 11678083
    Abstract: An imaging device including a semiconductor substrate that includes a first impurity region; a photoelectric converter that is coupled to the first impurity region and that converts light into charges; a capacitor that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first impurity region; voltage supply circuitry coupled to the second terminal; a first transistor including the first impurity region as a source or a drain; and control circuitry. The control circuitry is programmed to cause the voltage supply circuitry to supply a first voltage in a first period, and to cause the voltage supply circuitry to supply a second voltage different from the first voltage in a second period continuous to the first period, the first transistor being in on-state in the first period, the first transistor being in off-state in the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Satou, Shota Yamada, Masashi Murakami, Yutaka Hirose
  • Patent number: 11670653
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a photoelectric converter including first and second electrodes, and a photoelectric conversion layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode; a voltage supply circuit applying a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode; an amplifier transistor including a gate electrically connected to the second electrode, the amplifier transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a potential of the second electrode; and a detection circuit configured to detect a level of the signal from the amplifier transistor. The voltage supply circuit applies the bias voltage in a first voltage range when the level detected by the detection circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and applies the bias voltage in a second voltage range that is greater than the first voltage range when the level detected by the detection circuit is less than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Yasunori Inoue
  • Patent number: 11670652
    Abstract: An imaging device including: a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into a signal charge; 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. The capacitive element including a first electrode, a second electrode and a dielectric film sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode being connected to the other of the source and the drain of the transistor, the second electrode being connected to a voltage source or a ground. The transistor is configured to switch a first mode and a second mode, a sensitivity in the first mode being different from a sensitivity in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yutaka Abe, Yoshiyuki Matsunaga, Yoshihiro Sato, Junji Hirase
  • Patent number: 11662117
    Abstract: Provided is a fan control apparatus which includes: a first sensor; a second sensor; an RF fan; and a controller. The first sensor is provided in a first room, and is configured to acquire a measured value of at least one condition selected from conditions of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity for the first room, the second sensor is provided in a second room adjacent to the first room, and is configured to acquire a measured value of the same condition as the at least one selected condition for the second room, the RF fan is placed at a boundary between the first and second rooms, and the controller is configured to control a rotational speed and rotational direction of the RF fan in such a manner that the measured values of the first and second sensors are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Murakami, Honami Osawa, Souma Araki, Masashi Murakami
  • Publication number: 20230154944
    Abstract: An imaging device including a pixel including: a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion film between the first electrode and the second electrode, the photoelectric conversion film converting light into a charge; a first transistor having a first source, drain and gate, the first gate connected to the first electrode; and a second transistor having a second source and drain, one of the second source and the second drain connected to the first electrode and being a charge accumulation region that accumulates the charge. The imaging device further including a first voltage supply circuit supplying a first voltage to the second electrode, where the second transistor has a characteristic that when a voltage of the charge accumulation region is equal to or greater than a clipping voltage, the second transistor is turned off, and the clipping voltage is lower than the first voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Junji HIRASE, Masashi MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 11647299
    Abstract: An imaging device including pixels each including: a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the second electrode of each of the pixels being electrically connected to each other; and a transistor having a gate electrically connected to the first electrode. The imaging device further including voltage supply circuitry electrically connected to the second electrode, in which the voltage supply circuitry supplies a first voltage to the second electrode in an exposure period, the voltage supply circuitry supplies a second voltage to the second electrode in a non-exposure period, an a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode in the non-exposure period is less than a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode in the exposure period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Miyake, Masashi Murakami, Tokuhiko Tamaki, Yoshiaki Satou
  • Patent number: 11637976
    Abstract: An imaging device including: a first photoelectric converter that generates a first signal by photoelectric conversion; a first transistor having a gate configured to be electrically coupled to the first photoelectric converter; a second photoelectric converter that generates a second signal by photoelectric conversion; a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being configured to be electrically coupled to second photoelectric converter, a first potential being applied to the second terminal; and a switch element provided between the gate of the first transistor and the first terminal of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Tokuhiko Tamaki, Masashi Murakami
  • Publication number: 20230097274
    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: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Sanshiro SHISHIDO, Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 11595599
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photoelectric converter that converts light into signal charge, a charge accumulation region that accumulates the signal charge, a first transistor having a gate connected to the charge accumulation region, and a common gate amplifier circuit that amplifies an output of the first transistor to output to the charge accumulation region. The common gate amplifier circuit includes a second transistor. One of a source and a drain of the second transistor is connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor, and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is connected to the charge accumulation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Abe, Kazuko Nishimura, Masashi Murakami
  • Patent number: 11552115
    Abstract: An imaging device having a semiconductor substrate that includes a first photoelectric converter, and a second photoelectric converter adjacent to the first photoelectric converter. The imaging device further includes a capacitive element one end of which is coupled to the first photoelectric converter, where the first capacitive element at least partly overlaps, in a plan view, with the second photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sanshiro Shishido, Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11496702
    Abstract: An imaging device including a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into an electric charge; a transfer transistor; a first node coupled to the photoelectric converter via the transfer transistor; a first signal detection transistor having a gate coupled to the first node; a second signal detection transistor having a gate coupled to the photoelectric converter; a signal line coupled to one of a source and a drain of the first signal detection transistor; a first transistor coupled to the first node; and a second transistor coupled to the photoelectric converter, wherein one of the source and the drain of the first signal detection transistor is coupled to the first transistor, one of a source and a drain of the second signal detection transistor is coupled to the second transistor, and no transistor is coupled between the photoelectric converter and the gate of the second signal detection transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Yamada, Yasuo Miyake, Masashi Murakami
  • Patent number: 11482558
    Abstract: An imaging device having a pixel including: a photoelectric converter that generates an electric signal through photoelectric conversion of incident light; a first transistor that has a gate coupled to the photoelectric converter and that amplifies the electric signal; and a second transistor that has a gate coupled to the photoelectric converter, one of a source and a drain of the second transistor being coupled to the photoelectric converter. The imaging device further includes a voltage supply circuit configured to supply two or more different voltages to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuko Nishimura, Yutaka Abe, Masashi Murakami, Yoshiyuki Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20220320161
    Abstract: An imaging device including: a photoelectric converter that converts incident light into a signal charge; 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. The capacitive element including a first electrode, a second electrode and a dielectric film sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode being connected to the other of the source and the drain of the transistor, the second electrode being connected to a voltage source or a ground. The transistor is configured to switch a first mode and a second mode, a sensitivity in the first mode being different from a sensitivity in the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Masashi MURAKAMI, Kazuko NISHIMURA, Yutaka ABE, Yoshiyuki MATSUNAGA, Yoshihiro SATO, Junji HIRASE