Patents by Inventor Motoi Kimura

Motoi Kimura 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: 20220342070
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a light-emitting element having multiple first light-emitting sections and multiple second light-emitting sections; a first optical member that causes multiple pieces of first light outputted from the multiple first light-emitting sections and multiple pieces of second light outputted from the multiple second light-emitting sections to be substantially collimated, and outputs the multiple pieces of first light and the multiple pieces of second light; and a second optical member that shapes beam shapes of the multiple pieces of first light, beam shapes of the multiple pieces of second light, or both the beam shapes of the multiple pieces of first light and the multiple pieces of second light, and outputs the multiple pieces of first light and the multiple pieces of second light in a manner that the beam shapes are different between the multiple pieces of first light and the multiple pieces of second light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Takashi KOBAYASHI, Motoi KIMURA, Tatsuya OIWA, Jialun XU
  • Publication number: 20220285909
    Abstract: The present technique reduces the wiring inductance between a semiconductor laser and a laser driver in a semiconductor laser driving apparatus. A semiconductor laser driving apparatus includes a substrate, a laser driver, and a semiconductor laser. The substrate incorporates the laser driver. The semiconductor laser has at least one light emitting point. The semiconductor laser is mounted on one surface of the substrate in such a manner that an electrode of the light emitting point and a pattern of the substrate are connected to each other via a bump. Connection wiring electrically connects the laser driver and the semiconductor laser to each other with a wiring inductance of 0.5 nanohenries or less. A sealing portion seals a connection terminal portion of the semiconductor laser for the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoi KIMURA, Hirohisa YASUKAWA, Nobuaki KAJI, Takashi KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20220260684
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a light-emitting element that has a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser structure and is suitable for a long-distance light irradiation, and a ranging apparatus. [Solving Means] A light-emitting element according to the present technology includes a plurality of light emitters, a first electrode terminal, and a second electrode terminal. The plurality of light emitters is a plurality of light emitters one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arranged in a direction that is vertical to an optical axis corresponding to light that exits each of the plurality of light emitters, each of the plurality of light emitters being a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser element, each of the plurality of light emitters including a first electrode and a second electrode, each of the plurality of light emitters emitting the light due to current flowing from the first electrode to the second electrode. The first electrode terminal is electrically connected to the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: TAKASHI KOBAYASHI, KAZUYA WAKABAYASHI, MOTOI KIMURA, TATSUYA OIWA
  • Publication number: 20210384710
    Abstract: A surface emission laser driving method according to an embodiment of the present technology includes the following two steps. (A) Generating drive pulses to be sequentially outputted to, out of a plurality of surface emission lasers disposed on a same substrate, each of the surface emission lasers selected as light-emission targets, on the basis of the number of surface emission lasers selected as the light-emission targets and a monitoring temperature that is immediately prior to light emission of each of the surface emission lasers selected as the light-emission targets. (B) Outputting the generated drive pulses to each of the surface emission lasers selected as the light-emission targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Osamu MAEDA, Shota WATANABE, Motoi KIMURA, Jugo MITOMO
  • Patent number: 9973738
    Abstract: A generation unit generates adjustment information to adjust a first clock indicating a timing of illumination of a laser beam to scan on a screen, based on a scanning position to be scanned by the laser beam. On the basis of the adjustment information, adjustment unit adjusts the first clock to a second clock different from the first clock. Then, in synchronization with the second clock, the laser beam is allowed to illuminate as a pixel. This may be applicable to a projection apparatus for projecting an image on the screen, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9813682
    Abstract: A laser driving circuit, a laser driving method, and a device using laser light that can reduce speckle noise caused by laser light as coherent light are provided. In the laser driving circuit that generates laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources emitting laser light of different wavelengths on the basis of an input video signal, a high-frequency signal of a frequency exceeding the band of the video signal is superimposed on the laser driving current generated on the basis of the input video signal, whereby speckle noise caused by the laser light as coherent light is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoi Kimura, Tsutomu Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20170171520
    Abstract: A generation unit generates adjustment information to adjust a first clock indicating a timing of illumination of a laser beam to scan on a screen, based on a scanning position to be scanned by the laser beam. On the basis of the adjustment information, adjustment unit adjusts the first clock to a second clock different from the first clock. Then, in synchronization with the second clock, the laser beam is allowed to illuminate as a pixel. This may be applicable to a projection apparatus for projecting an image on the screen, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventor: Motoi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20170064265
    Abstract: A laser driving circuit, a laser driving method, and a device using laser light that can reduce speckle noise caused by laser light as coherent light are provided. In the laser driving circuit that generates laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources emitting laser light of different wavelengths on the basis of an input video signal, a high-frequency signal of a frequency exceeding the band of the video signal is superimposed on the laser driving current generated on the basis of the input video signal, whereby speckle noise caused by the laser light as coherent light is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Motoi Kimura, Tsutomu Kurihara
  • Patent number: 9516258
    Abstract: A laser driving circuit, a laser driving method, and a device using laser light that can reduce speckle noise caused by laser light as coherent light are provided. In the laser driving circuit that generates laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources emitting laser light of different wavelengths on the basis of an input video signal, a high-frequency signal of a frequency exceeding the band of the video signal is superimposed on the laser driving current generated on the basis of the input video signal, whereby speckle noise caused by the laser light as coherent light is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoi Kimura, Tsutomu Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20160006999
    Abstract: A generation unit generates adjustment information to adjust a first clock indicating a timing of illumination of a laser beam to scan on a screen, based on a scanning position to be scanned by the laser beam. On the basis of the adjustment information, adjustment unit adjusts the first clock to a second clock different from the first clock. Then, in synchronization with the second clock, the laser beam is allowed to illuminate as a pixel. This may be applicable to a projection apparatus for projecting an image on the screen, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventor: Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9225928
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser driving circuit, including: a plurality of laser driving video current generation circuits configured to generate a plurality of kinds of laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources configured to emit laser light having wavelengths different from each other based on an inputted video signal; a high frequency superposition section configured to superpose a high frequency signal having a frequency higher than a frequency band of the video signal on the laser driving current generated by the laser driving video current generation circuits; and a waveform correction section configured to correct a waveform of the high frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kurihara, Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9185330
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser driving circuit, including: a plurality of laser driving video current generation circuits configured to generate a plurality of kinds of laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources configured to emit laser light having wavelengths different from each other based on an inputted video signal; a high frequency superposition section configured to superpose a high frequency signal having a frequency higher than a frequency band of the video signal on the laser driving current generated by the laser driving video current generation circuits; and a waveform correction section configured to correct a waveform of the high frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kurihara, Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9154753
    Abstract: A generation unit generates adjustment information to adjust a first clock indicating a timing of illumination of a laser beam to scan on a screen, based on a scanning position to be scanned by the laser beam. On the basis of the adjustment information, adjustment unit adjusts the first clock to a second clock different from the first clock. Then, in synchronization with the second clock, the laser beam is allowed to illuminate as a pixel. This may be applicable to a projection apparatus for projecting an image on the screen, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Motoi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140240611
    Abstract: A laser driving circuit, a laser driving method, and a device using laser light that can reduce speckle noise caused by laser light as coherent light are provided. In the laser driving circuit that generates laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources emitting laser light of different wavelengths on the basis of an input video signal, a high-frequency signal of a frequency exceeding the band of the video signal is superimposed on the laser driving current generated on the basis of the input video signal, whereby speckle noise caused by the laser light as coherent light is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoi Kimura, Tsutomu Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20140126590
    Abstract: A generation unit generates adjustment information to adjust a first clock indicating a timing of illumination of a laser beam to scan on a screen, based on a scanning position to be scanned by the laser beam. On the basis of the adjustment information, adjustment unit adjusts the first clock to a second clock different from the first clock. Then, in synchronization with the second clock, the laser beam is allowed to illuminate as a pixel. This may be applicable to a projection apparatus for projecting an image on the screen, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Motoi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20130258210
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser driving circuit, including: a plurality of laser driving video current generation circuits configured to generate a plurality of kinds of laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources configured to emit laser light having wavelengths different from each other based on an inputted video signal; a high frequency superposition section configured to superpose a high frequency signal having a frequency higher than a frequency band of the video signal on the laser driving current generated by the laser driving video current generation circuits; and a waveform correction section configured to correct a waveform of the high frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kurihara, Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8369368
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser driving device including: a sample-hold section; a first pulse generating section; a second pulse generating section; a light emission waveform generating section; a storing section; and a sampling pulse generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kurihara, Motoi Kimura, Koichi Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8335144
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a laser driving apparatus, including: a driving unit adapted to current drive a laser device with a current value in accordance with a level of a signal supplied thereto; and an emission light waveform correction unit adapted to receive supply of a pulsed reference signal and generate, based on a correction timing pulse interlocked with a rising edge and/or a falling edge of a pulse, a correction signal having a level different from that of the reference signal and then supply the correction signal to the driving unit so that the shape of the emission light waveform of the laser device becomes close to that of a rectangular wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Chiba, Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8279720
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hard disk apparatus, including: a magnetic recording medium; a recording head adapted to record information on the magnetic recording medium; a semiconductor laser adapted to be controlled for light emission in a cycle of a recording clock to irradiate a light spot upon the magnetic recording medium to carry out thermal assistance in magnetic recording by the recording head; a laser driving circuit adapted to drive the semiconductor laser at a timing and with optical power in accordance with a light emission timing signal and a laser power controlling signal; and a controller adapted to set laser power in accordance with at least one of characteristics of the magnetic recording medium, semiconductor laser and recording head and output the laser power controlling signal to the laser driving circuit so that the laser power is adaptively varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Motoi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8228773
    Abstract: A laser driving device includes a storage unit that stores signal patterns for recording-waveform control representing level information of each divided driving signal to drive a laser device on a space and a mark based on the divided driving signals. Also, it includes a pulse generator that generates the reference pulse and the switching pulse based on a first transmission signal and a second transmission signal. The first transmission signal contains timing information for acquiring a reference pulse that represents a timing of repetitively switching between the space and the mark. The second transmission signal contains timing information for acquiring a switch pulse that represents a timing of switching the signals. Among level information for each of the signals in the storage, reference level information is read together with the reference pulse. Other level information after the reference level information is sequentially read for each switching pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kurihara, Motoi Kimura, Koichi Yokoyama, Toshiaki Yoshihara