Patents by Inventor Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi

Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi 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: 20140131553
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: an imaging element including an imaging area formed with a plurality of pixel blocks each including pixels; a first optical system forming an image of an object on an imaging surface; and a second optical system re-forming the image, which has been formed on the imaging surface, on the pixel blocks corresponding to microlenses, the second optical system including a microlens array formed with the microlenses provided in accordance with the pixel blocks. The microlenses are arranged in such a manner that an angle ? between a straight line connecting center points of adjacent microlenses and one of a row direction and a column direction in which the pixels are aligned is expressed as follows: ?>sin?1(2 dp/Dml), where Dml represents microlens pitch, and dp represents pixel pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroto HONDA, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Risako Ueno, Honam Kwon, Hideyuki Funaki
  • Publication number: 20140118516
    Abstract: A solid state imaging module according to an embodiment can be attached to and detached from an information processing device, the solid state imaging module including: an imaging element formed on a semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of pixel blocks, each of the plurality of pixel blocks having a plurality of pixels; a first optical system for imaging a subject on an imaging plane; and input and output terminals that are connectable to the information processing device, which processes information from the imaging element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Risako Ueno, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Honam Kwon, Hideyuki Funaki
  • Patent number: 8686340
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid imaging device includes an imaging substrate, a light-shielding member and a AD conversion circuits. The imaging substrate is two-dimensionally arranged with a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels have a top face formed with an optoelectronic conversion element for converting incident light into an electric charge and storing it and a back face opposite to the top faces. The imaging substrate is formed with a top face by the top face of the plurality of pixels and formed with a back face by the back face of the plurality of pixels. The light-shielding member is provided on the top face side of the imaging substrate. The AD conversion circuits is formed on the back face of the pixels shielded from the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Risako Ueno, Hideyuki Funaki, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Honam Kwon
  • Patent number: 8681249
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: a first optical system configured to form an image of an object on an image formation plane; an imaging element comprising an imaging area which includes a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels; a second optical system configured to include a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses provided to correspond to the plurality of pixel blocks and reduce and re-form an image scheduled to be formed on the image formation plane, in a pixel block corresponding to an individual microlens; and a signal processing unit configured to perform image signal processing with an optical position relation between each microlens and the pixel block corrected, by using an image signal of the object obtained by the imaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Hideyuki Funaki, Risako Ueno
  • Publication number: 20130242161
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: an imaging element including a plurality of pixel blocks each containing a plurality of pixels; a first optical system forming an image of an object on an imaging plane; and a second optical system including a microlens array, the microlens array including a light transmissive substrate, a plurality of first microlenses formed on the light transmissive substrate, and a plurality of second microlenses formed around the first microlenses, a focal length of the first microlenses being substantially equal to a focal length of the second microlenses, an area of the first microlenses in contact with the light transmissive substrate being larger than an area of the second microlenses in contact with the light transmissive substrate, the second optical system being configured to reduce and reconstruct the image formed on the imaging plane on the pixel blocks via the microlens array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Risako Ueno, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Hiroto Honda, Hideyuki Funaki
  • Publication number: 20130240709
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: an imaging element including a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of pixel blocks, each of the pixel blocks including at least two of R pixels, G pixels, B pixels, and W pixels; a first optical system configured to form an image of an object on an imaging plane; and a second optical system including a microlens array having a plurality of microlenses provided for the respective pixels blocks, the second optical system being located between the imaging element and the first optical system, the second optical system being configured to reduce and re-image the image formed on the imaging plane onto each of the pixel blocks. A proportion of the W pixels to be provided increases in a direction from a center of each pixel block toward an outer periphery thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Risako UENO, Hiroto HONDA, Mitsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Honam KWON, Hideyuki FUNAKI
  • Patent number: 8502905
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes: an imaging optical system including: a first and second surfaces facing each other; a flat reflector provided on the first surface and having an aperture in an outer circumferential portion; and a plurality of reflectors provided on the second surface and located in a plurality of ring-like areas, each of the reflectors being inclined in a radial direction, the reflectors having different diameters from one another; and an imaging element module including: an imaging element including an imaging area having a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels, and receiving and converting light from the imaging optical system into image data; a visible light transmission substrate provided between the imaging optical system and the imaging element; a microlens array provided on a surface of the visible light transmission substrate on the imaging element side; and an image processing unit processing the image data obtained by the imaging ele
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Risako Ueno, Hideyuki Funaki, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20130128092
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a camera module includes an image sensor, a main lens system and a sublens group. The sublens group is provided in an optical path between the main lens system and the image sensor. The sublens group forms an image piece for every pixel block. The image piece corresponds to a part of a subject image. The sublens group is integrated with a support structure. The support structure serves to support the sublens group above the image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takayuki OGASAHARA, Risako UENO, Mitsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Katsuo IWATA, Atsuko KAWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20130075587
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid state imaging device includes a sensor substrate having a plurality of pixels formed on an upper face, a microlens array substrate having a plurality of microlenses formed and a connection post with one end bonded to a region between the microlenses on the microlens array substrate and with the other end bonded to the upper face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Risako Ueno, Honam Kwon, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Hideyuki Funaki
  • Publication number: 20130075849
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid state imaging device includes a sensor substrate curved such that an upper face having a plurality of pixels formed is recessed and an imaging lens provided on the upper face side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Risako Ueno, Honam Kwon, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Hideyuki Funaki
  • Publication number: 20130075585
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid imaging device includes an imaging substrate, an imaging lens, a microlens array substrate and a polarizing plate array substrate. The imaging substrate has a plurality of pixels formed on an upper side thereof. The imaging lens is provided above the imaging substrate. The optical axis in the imaging lens intersects with the upper side of the imaging substrate. The microlens array substrate is provided between the imaging substrate and the imaging lens. A surface in the microlens array substrate has a plurality of microlenses arranged two-dimensionally. The surface of the microlens array intersects with the optical axis. The polarizing plate array substrate is provided between the imaging substrate and the imaging lens. The plurality of kinds of polarizing plates in the polarizing plate array substrate having polarization axes in mutually different directions are arranged two dimensionally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Hideyuki Funaki, Risako Ueno, Kazuhiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130075586
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid imaging device includes an imaging substrate, a light-shielding member and a AD conversion circuits. The imaging substrate is two-dimensionally arranged with a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels have a top face formed with an optoelectronic conversion element for converting incident light into an electric charge and storing it and a back face opposite to the top faces. The imaging substrate is formed with a top face by the top face of the plurality of pixels and formed with a back face by the back face of the plurality of pixels. The light-shielding member is provided on the top face side of the imaging substrate. The AD conversion circuits is formed on the back face of the pixels shielded from the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Risako UENO, Hideyuki Funaki, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Honam Kwon
  • Publication number: 20120229683
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: a first optical system configured to form an image of an object on an image formation plane; an imaging element comprising an imaging area which includes a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels; a second optical system configured to include a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses provided to correspond to the plurality of pixel blocks and reduce and re-form an image scheduled to be formed on the image formation plane, in a pixel block corresponding to an individual microlens; and a signal processing unit configured to perform image signal processing with an optical position relation between each microlens and the pixel block corrected, by using an image signal of the object obtained by the imaging element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Hideyuki Funaki, Risako Ueno
  • Publication number: 20120218448
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: an imaging element formed on a semiconductor substrate, and comprising an imaging region including a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels; a first optical system forming an image of an object on an imaging plane; and a second optical system comprising a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses each corresponding to one of the pixel blocks, and reducing and re-forming the image to be formed on the imaging plane on the pixel blocks corresponding to the respective microlenses. The imaging plane of the first optical system is located further away from the first optical system than the imaging element when the object is located at an infinite distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Risako UENO, Hideyuki Funaki, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120062771
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes: an imaging optical system including: a first and second surfaces facing each other; a flat reflector provided on the first surface and having an aperture in an outer circumferential portion; and a plurality of reflectors provided on the second surface and located in a plurality of ring-like areas, each of the reflectors being inclined in a radial direction, the reflectors having different diameters from one another; and an imaging element module including: an imaging element including an imaging area having a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels, and receiving and converting light from the imaging optical system into image data; a visible light transmission substrate provided between the imaging optical system and the imaging element; a microlens array provided on a surface of the visible light transmission substrate on the imaging element side; and an image processing unit processing the image data obtained by the imaging ele
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Risako Ueno, Hideyuki Funaki, Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120057020
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes: an imaging device including an imaging area including a plurality of pixel blocks each of which includes a plurality of pixels; an image formation lens forming an image on an image formation plane by using light from a subject; an aperture unit including a plurality of aperture elements provided to associate with the plurality of pixel blocks, each of the aperture elements having an aperture portion and a shield portion, light from the image formation lens being filtered by each aperture element; a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses provided to associate with the plurality of aperture elements, each of the microlenses forming an image in the imaging area by using light filtered by an associated aperture element; and a signal processing circuit configured to process a signal of an image taken in the imaging area and estimates a distance to the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Kobayashi, Hideyuki Funaki, Risako Ueno