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).

  • Publication number: 20090008533
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus has a pixel region arranged on a substrate. Arranged in a matrix pattern in the pixel region are pixels, each pixel including a conversion element which converts radiation to electrical charges, and a switching element which is connected to the conversion element therein. The radiation imaging apparatus has, in a region outside the pixel region of the substrate, an intersection at which a signal line connected to the switching element and a bias line connected to the conversion element intersects. At the intersection, a semiconductor layer is arranged between the signal line and the bias line, and a carrier blocking portion is arranged between the semiconductor layer and the signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: TAKAMASA ISHII, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090004768
    Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus according to the present invention includes: pixels including switching elements arranged on an insulating substrate and conversion elements arranged on the switching elements to convert a radiation into electric carriers, the switching elements and the conversion elements are connected with each other, the pixels two-dimensionally arranged on the insulating substrate in a matrix; gate wiring commonly connected with a plurality of switching elements arranged in a row direction on the insulating substrate; signal wiring commonly connected with a plurality of switching elements arranged in a column direction; and a plurality of insulating films arranged between the switching elements and the conversion elements, wherein at least one of the gate wiring and the signal wiring is arranged to be put between the plurality of insulating films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: MINORU WATANABE, CHIORI MOCHIZUKI, KEIICHI NOMURA, TAKAMASA ISHII
  • Publication number: 20090001379
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device having a plurality of thin film transistors and matrix wiring lines formed on a substrate, the matrix wiring lines are electrically connected via resistors in order to prevent electrostatic destructions during a panel manufacture process and improve a manufacture yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Noriyuki Kaifu, Chiori Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 7470908
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus has a pixel region arranged on a substrate. Arranged in a matrix pattern in the pixel region are pixels, each pixel including a conversion element which converts radiation to electrical charges, and a switching element which is connected to the conversion element therein. The radiation imaging apparatus has, in a region outside the pixel region of the substrate, an intersection at which a signal line connected to the switching element and a bias line connected to the conversion element intersects. At the intersection, a semiconductor layer is arranged between the signal line and the bias line, and a carrier blocking portion is arranged between the semiconductor layer and the signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamasa Ishii, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7468531
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Chiori Mochizuki, Takamasa Ishii
  • Patent number: 7465933
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus, comprising: a photoelectric conversion substrate including a pixel area where there are arranged a plurality of pixels each formed of a photoelectric conversion element and a switching element connected to the photoelectric conversion element in a matrix formed on an insulating substrate, a bias line for applying a bias to the photoelectric conversion element, a gate line for supplying a driving signal to the switching element, and a signal line for reading electric charges converted in the photoelectric conversion element; a wavelength conversion element for converting radiation to light that can be detected by the photoelectric conversion element, the wavelength conversion element being disposed according to a region including the pixel area; and connection wiring having a photoelectric conversion layer connected to at least a plurality of lines of an identical type of the bias line, the signal line, and the gate line, wherein at least a part of the connection wiring is arr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamasa Ishii, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keiichi Nomura
  • Publication number: 20080290284
    Abstract: A conversion apparatus includes pixels including switching elements provided on an insulating substrate and conversion elements disposed over the switching elements and connected to the switching elements. Conductive lines are coupled to the pixels and have terminal elements for providing a connection to an external circuit. The terminal elements are disposed in a metal layer that is formed over the conversion elements. The conversion apparatus further includes a transparent conductive layer covering surfaces of the terminal elements, and a protective layer covering edges of the terminal elements and having openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Keiichi Nomura, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
  • Patent number: 7435968
    Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus according to the present invention includes: pixels including switching elements arranged on an insulating substrate and conversion elements arranged on the switching elements to convert a radiation into electric carriers, the switching elements and the conversion elements are connected with each other, the pixels two-dimensionally arranged on the insulating substrate in a matrix; gate wiring commonly connected with a plurality of switching elements arranged in a row direction on the insulating substrate; signal wiring commonly connected with a plurality of switching elements arranged in a column direction; and a plurality of insulating films arranged between the switching elements and the conversion elements, wherein at least one of the gate wiring and the signal wiring is arranged to be put between the plurality of insulating films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Chiori Mochizuki, Keiichi Nomura, Takamasa Ishii
  • Publication number: 20080246806
    Abstract: A method for producing an elastic plate for a liquid jet head, which includes etching a rolled metal plate based on a rolling direction of the rolled metal plate, to form an etched portion and a non-etched portion on the rolled metal plate. The thickness of the etched portion is thinner than the thickness of the non-etched portion and the rolling direction is substantially perpendicular to a long side of the rolled metal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoaki Takahashi, Minoru Watanabe, Atsushi Furuhata
  • Publication number: 20080244906
    Abstract: A method for producing an elastic plate for a liquid jet head, which includes etching a rolled metal plate based on a rolling direction of the rolled metal plate, to form an etched portion and a non-etched portion on the rolled metal plate. The thickness of the etched portion is thinner than the thickness of the non-etched portion and the rolling direction is substantially perpendicular to a long side of the rolled metal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoaki TAKAHASHI, Minoru Watanabe, Atsushi Furuhata
  • Patent number: 7429723
    Abstract: A conversion apparatus includes pixels including switching elements provided on an insulating substrate and conversion elements disposed over the switching elements and connected to the switching elements. Conductive lines are coupled to the pixels and have terminal elements for providing a connection to an external circuit. The terminal elements are disposed in a metal layer that is formed over the conversion elements. The conversion apparatus further includes a transparent conductive layer covering surfaces of the terminal elements, and a protective layer covering edges of the terminal elements and having openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiori Mochizuki, Keiichi Nomura, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
  • Publication number: 20080203311
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels disposed on an insulation substrate. Each of the pixels includes a plurality of thin-film transistors, a conversion element disposed above the TFTs, and a plurality of insulating layers disposed between the conversion element and the plurality of TFTs. The plurality of TFTs includes a reading TFT having a gate electrode electrically connected to the conversion element and a first selecting TFT electrically connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the reading TFT. At least one of a signal wiring, to which a signal corresponding to an electric charge obtained by conversion of incident light or radiation performed by the conversion element is transferred, and a gate wiring that supplies a driving signal to a gate electrode of the first selecting thin-film transistor, is disposed between the plurality of insulating layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Chiori Mochizuki, Takamasa Ishii
  • Patent number: 7408169
    Abstract: This invention is to provide a radiation image sensing apparatus capable of automatically adjusting an incident radiation dose without requiring high-speed driving while suppressing any attenuation of the radiation before detection, and a method of manufacturing the same. To accomplish this, a read TFT (1) is formed on an insulating substrate (11). The semiconductor layer (19) and n+-semiconductor layer (20) of an MIS photoelectric conversion element (2) are formed on a second insulating layer (18) that covers the read TFT (1) to be aligned with source and drain electrodes (16) functioning as lower electrodes. The semiconductor layer (21) of a TFT sensor (3) is formed to be aligned with a gate electrode (17) when viewed from the upper side. The semiconductor layers (19, 21) are formed from the same layer. The upper electrode (22) of the MIS photoelectric conversion element (2) is formed on the n+-semiconductor layer (20). Two ohmic contact layers (23) are formed on the semiconductor layer (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamasa Ishii, Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7394101
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device having a plurality of thin film transistors and matrix wiring lines formed on a substrate, the matrix wiring lines are electrically connected via resistors in order to prevent electrostatic destructions during a panel manufacture process and improve a manufacture yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Noriyuki Kaifu, Chiori Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 7393709
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a microlens in a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface, comprising the steps of preparing the semiconductor substrate, forming a first resist layer approximately cylindrical in form on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, reflowing the first resist layer by heat treatment while holding the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the first surface is normal to a vertical line and placed below the second surface, thereby to deform the first resist layer into a second resist layer approximately hemispherical in form, and simultaneously etching the second resist layer and the semiconductor substrate by means of anisotropic etching to form the corresponding lens in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7381965
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus, comprising: a photoelectric conversion substrate including a pixel area where there are arranged a plurality of pixels each formed of a photoelectric conversion element and a switching element connected to the photoelectric conversion element in a matrix formed on an insulating substrate, a bias line for applying a bias to the photoelectric conversion element, a gate line for supplying a driving signal to the switching element, and a signal line for reading electric charges converted in the photoelectric conversion element; a wavelength conversion element for converting radiation to light that can be detected by the photoelectric conversion element, the wavelength conversion element being disposed according to a region including the pixel area; and connection wiring having a photoelectric conversion layer connected to at least a plurality of lines of an identical type of the bias line, the signal line, and the gate line, wherein at least a part of the connection wiring is arr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamasa Ishii, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keiichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 7368724
    Abstract: According to a radiation imaging apparatus, any separate AEC sensor need not be prepared. Additionally, the apparatus main body can be made compact. To accomplish this, the radiation imaging apparatus has a first optical conversion element that converts incident radiation into an electrical signal, and generates image information on the basis of the electrical signal output from the first optical conversion element. Below a portion that is aligned to the gap between the first optical conversion elements, a plurality of second optical conversion elements which detect the incident amount of the radiation from the gap are formed. Exposure control for the radiation or control of the optical conversion elements is executed on the basis of the detection result by the second optical conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiko Morii, Masakazu Morishita, Osamu Tsujii, Minoru Watanabe, Takamasa Ishii
  • Publication number: 20080099688
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus, comprising: a photoelectric conversion substrate including a pixel area where there are arranged a plurality of pixels each formed of a photoelectric conversion element and a switching element connected to the photoelectric conversion element in a matrix formed on an insulating substrate, a bias line for applying a bias to the photoelectric conversion element, a gate line for supplying a driving signal to the switching element, and a signal line for reading electric charges converted in the photoelectric conversion element; a wavelength conversion element for converting radiation to light that can be detected by the photoelectric conversion element, the wavelength conversion element being disposed according to a region including the pixel area; and connection wiring having a photoelectric conversion layer connected to at least a plurality of lines of an identical type of the bias line, the signal line, and the gate line, wherein at least a part of the connection wiring is arr
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takamasa Ishii, Masakazu Morishita, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe, Keiichi Nomura
  • Publication number: 20080067942
    Abstract: An illuminance sensor is formed as a current output type sensor that outputs a current which increases or decreases in an analog manner corresponding to an increasing or decreasing change of the illuminance. A light-emitting device is connected with a detection resistor that detects a current flowing through a light-emitting device. A driving control circuit has a light-emitting device driver that outputs to the light-emitting device a voltage for holding a voltage, which is obtained when a current flowing through the light-emitting device and a current detected by the illuminance sensor flows through the detection resistor, in a predetermined value all the time. The light-emitting device emits a large amount of light in a dark place and emits a small amount of light in a bright place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Mitsuru Kano, Minoru Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7332405
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is fabricated in a substrate having a semiconductor layer and an underlying insulator layer. The fabrication process includes a step of locally oxidizing the semiconductor layer to form a field oxide, during which step the semiconductor layer is protected by a nitride film. The nitride film has both openings to permit local oxidization in the integrated circuit area, and an opening defining an alignment mark adjacent to the circuit area. The alignment mark may be formed either in the semiconductor and insulator layers, or in a part of the nitride film left after the nitride film is removed from the circuit area. In either case, the edge height of the alignment mark is not limited by the thickness of the semiconductor layer. Using the nitride layer to define both the alignment mark and the field oxide reduces the necessary number of fabrication steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachiko Yabe, Takashi Taguchi, Minoru Watanabe