Patents by Inventor Minoru Watanabe
Minoru Watanabe 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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Publication number: 20090296178Abstract: To provide an optically reconfigurable logic circuit in which a mount area of an optical circuit is reduced as much as possible and a high gate density is realized. In an optically reconfigurable logic circuit 1 provided with a plurality of configuration information input circuits 6 for converting an optical signal including logic circuit configuration information into an electric signal and holding and outputting this electric signal and a logic configuration variable circuit 7 for performing logic configuration on the basis of the logic circuit configuration information, the configuration information input circuits 6 holds the logic circuit configuration information as electric charge with use of a junction capacitance and a floating capacitance of a photoconductive device P. An inter-terminal voltage of the photoconductive device P is converted into binary data by a binary circuit and output as a circuit configuration signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2005Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: Japan Science and Technology AgencyInventors: Minoru Watanabe, Fuminori Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20090283689Abstract: In a radiation detecting apparatus of the invention, plural pixels are arranged, and the pixel has a conversion element converting a radiation into an electric signal and a switching element connected to the conversion element. The conversion element includes a first electrode disposed on a first surface of an insulating substrate, a second electrode disposed on the first electrode, and a semiconductor layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is made of a light-transmitting conductive material which transmits light emitted from a light source, and the first electrode is formed from a light transmitting electroconductive material transmitting light emitted from a light source disposed on a second surface of the insulating substrate opposite to the first surface. The switching element has a light shielding member which prevents incidence of the light from the light source to the switching element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2006Publication date: November 19, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
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Patent number: 7592129Abstract: With the objective of suppressing resist pattern collapse generated at dry etching, energy rays are applied to a photoresist structure including an antireflection film provided on a base and a resist pattern brought into contact with the antireflection film, the resist pattern being a chemical-amplification photoresist provided on the antireflection film. Thereafter, the photoresist structure is heated at a heating temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition point of the resist pattern and less than a melting point thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Minoru Watanabe
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Publication number: 20090230443Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a pixel region, on an insulating substrate 100, including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel having a conversion element 101 that converts radiation into electric charges and a switching element 102 connected to the conversion element 101. The conversion element 101 has an upper electrode layer 119, a lower electrode layer 115, a semiconductor layer 117 arranged between the upper electrode layer 119 and the lower electrode layer 115. The upper electrode layer 119 or the lower electrode layer 115 has an opening 200 at least within a region where the semiconductor layer 117 is arranged.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2008Publication date: September 17, 2009Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii, Masakazu Morishita
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Publication number: 20090230311Abstract: To improve a sensor resetting method and thereby implement a high rate at which a moving image is read, the invention provides an image pickup apparatus and a radiation image pickup apparatus including: a plurality of pixels arranged on a substrate in row and column directions, each pixel having a conversion element and a transfer switching element; a drive wiring connected to a plurality of the transfer switching elements in the row direction; and a conversion element wiring connected to a plurality of the conversion elements in the row direction, wherein a reset switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a reset wiring for supplying a reset voltage for resetting the conversion element, and a bias switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a bias wiring for supplying a bias voltage for operating the conversion element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2009Publication date: September 17, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Masakazu Morishita, Keiichi Nomura, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
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Publication number: 20090205706Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell having a low cost and a high photoelectric transfer efficiency. Exemplary embodiments include an anode electrode layer contacting at least a part of a solar battery layer, which includes a dye-supporting semiconductor layer and an battery electrolyte layer. An exemplary anode electrode layer includes a plurality of through-extending apertures and is buried in the dye-supporting semiconductor layer at a distance from an anode substrate supporting the dye-supporting semiconductor layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventor: Minoru WATANABE
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Publication number: 20090185659Abstract: Sensitivity is freely changeable to another one in correspondence to a photographing mode, and both still image photographing and moving image photographing for example which are largely different from each other in dosage of exposure to radiation and which are also different from each other in required sensitivity are carried out so as to meet that request. A source or drain electrode of a TFT 21 is connected to a signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14a and an IC 5. A source/drain of a TFT 23 is connected to the signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14b and the IC 5. Thus, in each pixel 6, any one of the signal lines 14a and 14b is freely selectable when a signal is read out.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2009Publication date: July 23, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takamasa Ishii, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keiichi Nomura
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Patent number: 7557355Abstract: To improve a sensor resetting method and thereby implement a high rate at which a moving image is read, the invention provides an image pickup apparatus and a radiation image pickup apparatus including: a plurality of pixels arranged on a substrate in row and column directions, each pixel having a conversion element and a transfer switching element; a drive wiring connected to a plurality of the transfer switching elements in the row direction; and a conversion element wiring connected to a plurality of the conversion elements in the row direction, wherein a reset switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a reset wiring for supplying a reset voltage for resetting the conversion element, and a bias switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a bias wiring for supplying a bias voltage for operating the conversion element.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2005Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Masakazu Morishita, Keiichi Nomura, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
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Patent number: 7550731Abstract: A conversion apparatus includes a pixel region, on a substrate, including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, with each pixel having a conversion element that converts radiation into electric charges, and a switching element. The switching element has a structure having a gate electrode, a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer from the substrate side in this order. The conversion element has an MIS-type structure of a bottom electrode arranged on an insulating layer extending from the first insulating layer of the switching element and being vertically higher than the gate electrode of the switching element, an insulating layer which is formed of the same layer as the second insulating layer of the switching element, and a semiconductor layer which is formed of the same layer as the semiconductor layer of the switching element from the substrate side in this order.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2007Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minoru Watanabe, Chiori Mochizuki, Takamasa Ishii
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Patent number: 7547890Abstract: In an image pick-up apparatus, a plurality of pixels, each pairing a semiconductor conversion element for converting an incident electromagnetic wave to an electric signal and a thin film transistor connected to the semiconductor conversion element, is arranged in a two-dimensional state on a substrate. The image pick-up apparatus includes gate wiring to which gate electrodes of thin film transistors of a plurality of pixels arranged in one direction are commonly connected, and signal wiring to which source electrodes or drain electrodes of thin film transistors of a plurality of pixels arranged in a direction different from the one direction are commonly connected on the substrate. Protection layers are arranged on the thin film transistors, the gate wiring and the signal wiring. The protection layers formed at least at the same time. Then, the protection layers are removed in at least a part or all of regions in which the semiconductor conversion elements are formed.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2006Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minoru Watanabe, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Keiichi Nomura, Takamasa Ishii
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Patent number: 7541617Abstract: In a radiation image pickup device including: a sensor element for converting radiation into an electrical signal; and a thin film transistor connected to the sensor element, an electrode of the sensor element connected to the thin film transistor is disposed above the thin film transistor, and that the thin film transistor has a top gate type structure in which a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode layer are laminated in this order on a substrate, so that a channel portion of the thin film transistor is protected by a gate electrode, thereby providing stable TFT characteristics without undesirable turning ON any of the TFT elements due to the back gate effect by the fluctuation in electric potentials corresponding to outputs from the sensor electrodes, and thereby greatly improving image quality.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2004Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Masakazu Morishita, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii, Keiichi Nomura
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Publication number: 20090127435Abstract: A conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels including switching elements and conversion elements. The pixels are arranged in a pixel region including a switching element region in which switching elements are arranged in row and column directions and a conversion element region in which conversion elements are arranged in row and column directions. A plurality of wirings are including a second metal layer are connected to the plurality of switching elements of the column direction. Plural bias wirings of a fourth metal layer are connected to plural conversion elements. An external signal wiring of the fourth metal layer outside the pixel region is connected to the signal wirings. An external bias wiring of a first metal layer outside the pixel region is connected to the plurality of bias wirings. The external signal wiring and the external bias wiring intersect each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2006Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Keiichi Nomura, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
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Patent number: 7535506Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a plurality of switching elements. The photoelectric conversion element is formed above at least one switching element, and a shielding electrode layer is disposed between the switching elements and the photoelectric conversion elements. Further, a radiation image pickup device according to the present invention has a radiation conversion layer for directly converting radiation into electric charges, and a plurality of switching elements, and has the radiation conversion layer formed above one or more switching elements, and a shielding electrode layer disposed between the switching elements and the radiation conversion layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2004Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Keiichi Nomura, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
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Patent number: 7508234Abstract: A technology for inspecting a write state without requiring a dedicated circuit for write state inspection of a local circuit in an ORGA. Upon switching an optical signal to be irradiated on an optically reconfigurable bit element as an inspection target from ON to OFF, in the logical circuit structure of the ORGA, first and second optical signal patterns having the optical signal ON/OFF to be irradiated to the optically reconfigurable bit element serving as optical signal patterns configuring the logical structure in which at least one logical level or output impedance changes are sequentially irradiated and input to the logical circuit. In addition, an output-state detection circuit that is connected to the logical output terminals and detects whether the logical level of the output terminal is at an H level, L level, or high impedance detects the output state.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2005Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignees: Japan Science and Technology Institute, Kyushu Institute of TechnologyInventors: Minoru Watanabe, Fuminori Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20090075405Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided in which a plurality of pixels, each having a conversion element and a thin-film transistor, are arranged in a two-dimensional fashion on an insulating substrate; the photoelectric conversion element is arranged over the thin-film transistor, with an insulating film, which serves as an interlayer insulating film, inserted between the conversion element and the thin-film transistor; and by way of a contact hole portion provided in the insulating film, the source electrode or the drain electrode of the thin-film transistor and the photoelectric conversion element are connected with each other. The imaging apparatus has a pixel in which the contact hole portion is removed through a laser-beam irradiation so that the connection portion between the conversion element and a conductive layer, which serves as the source electrode or the drain electrode of the thin-film transistor, is discontinued.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Minoru Watanabe, Chiori Mochizuki, Takamasa Ishii
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Publication number: 20090052624Abstract: A conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged. The pixels are including the switching elements and the conversion elements. The pixel region includes a switching element region in which the plurality of switching elements are arranged in row and column directions, and a conversion element region in which the plurality of conversion elements are arranged in row and column directions. A plurality of signal wirings are including a second metal layer, and connected to the plurality of switching elements of the column direction. Bias wirings are including a fourth metal layer, and connected to the plurality of conversion elements. An external signal wiring is including the first metal layer outside the pixel region, and connected to the signal wirings. The external signal wiring and the bias wiring intersect each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2006Publication date: February 26, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii, Masayoshi Tokumoto
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Publication number: 20090040310Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a plurality of switching elements. The photoelectric conversion element is formed above at least one switching element, and a shielding electrode layer is disposed between the switching elements and the photoelectric conversion elements. Further, a radiation image pickup device according to the present invention has a radiation conversion layer for directly converting radiation into electric charges, and a plurality of switching elements, and has the radiation conversion layer formed above one or more switching elements, and a shielding electrode layer disposed between the switching elements and the radiation conversion layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi Nomura, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
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Publication number: 20090040348Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an imaging apparatus capable of reducing image unevenness even if a protective layer including a polarized solvent is used. The imaging apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels each having a conversion element and a TFT connected to the conversion element, a protective layer disposed over the plurality of pixels, a plurality of bias lines each electrically connected to each of the conversion elements, and a plurality of signal lines each electrically connected to each of the TFT. Then, the plurality of bias lines and the plurality of signal lines are alternately disposed at a predetermined interval within a region in the protective layer. Then, the plurality of bias lines is commonly connected through a connecting wiring on the outside of the region in the protective layer, and the connecting wiring is disposed to cross the plurality of signal lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: TAKAMASA ISHII, CHIORI MOCHIDUKI, MINORU WATANABE
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Patent number: 7488948Abstract: Sensitivity is freely changeable to another one in correspondence to a photographing mode, and both still image photographing and moving image photographing for example which are largely different from each other in dosage of exposure to radiation and which are also different from each other in required sensitivity are carried out so as to meet that request. A source or drain electrode of a TFT 21 is connected to a signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14a and an IC 5. A source/drain of a TFT 23 is connected to the signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14b and the IC 5. Thus, in each pixel 6, any one of the signal lines 14a and 14b is freely selectable when a signal is read out.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2004Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takamasa Ishii, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keiichi Nomura
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Publication number: 20090032680Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes plural pixels each provided with a switching element disposed on an insulating substrate and a conversion element disposed on the switching element, and plural signal wirings arranged in one direction and connected with the plural switching elements, wherein the conversion elements have electrodes separated respectively for the pixels, the switching element is connected with the electrode for each pixel, and both ends of the signal wiring, opposed to each other in a width direction, and both ends of the control wiring, opposed to each other in a width direction are disposed inside of an area of the electrode when seen from above the conversion element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2006Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minoru Watanabe, Chiori Mochizuki, Takamasa Ishii