Patents by Inventor Noriya Maeda

Noriya Maeda 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).

  • Patent number: 9113102
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of acquiring physical information that acquires physical information by using a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes unit elements, each of which has a detecting unit and a unit signal generating unit. The method includes the steps of: providing an operation current supply unit supplying an operation current such that the unit signal generating unit outputs a unit signal, and a signal processing unit receiving the unit signal output from each of the unit elements forming the semiconductor device and outputting an output unit signal; and when a selective read mode is designated for reading the unit signal from a portion of the respective unit elements, an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit not to be read is reduced so as to be smaller than an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit to be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noriya Maeda, Hiroki Ui, Shinichiro Nishizono
  • Publication number: 20140125855
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of acquiring physical information that acquires physical information by using a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes unit elements, each of which has a detecting unit and a unit signal generating unit. The method includes the steps of: providing an operation current supply unit supplying an operation current such that the unit signal generating unit outputs a unit signal, and a signal processing unit receiving the unit signal output from each of the unit elements forming the semiconductor device and outputting an output unit signal; and when a selective read mode is designated for reading the unit signal from a portion of the respective unit elements, an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit not to be read is reduced so as to be smaller than an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit to be read.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noriya MAEDA, Hiroki UI, Shinichiro NISHIZONO
  • Patent number: 8665352
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of acquiring physical information that acquires physical information by using a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes unit elements, each of which has a detecting unit and a unit signal generating unit. The method includes the steps of: providing an operation current supply unit supplying an operation current such that the unit signal generating unit outputs a unit signal, and a signal processing unit receiving the unit signal output from each of the unit elements forming the semiconductor device and outputting an output unit signal; and when a selective read mode is designated for reading the unit signal from a portion of the respective unit elements, an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit not to be read is reduced so as to be smaller than an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit to be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noriya Maeda, Hiroki Ui, Shinichiro Nishizono
  • Patent number: 8031241
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array unit configured by arranging plural unit pixels including charge generating units and output transistors that output processing object signals corresponding to charges generated by the charge generating units, an imaging-condition determining unit that determines whether a large light-amount imaging condition, when an amount of light larger than that of light representing a saturation level is made incident on the charge generating units, is satisfied, and a control unit that performs control, on condition that the imaging-condition determining unit determines that the large light-amount imaging condition is satisfied, to correct an output signal based on processing object signals outputted from the unit pixels such that a harmful effect due to the large light-amount imaging condition is suppressed in the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noriya Maeda, Hideo Nakayama, Kenichi Okumura, Nozomu Takatori
  • Publication number: 20090086077
    Abstract: A solid-state image capture apparatus includes a pixel array section with a plurality of pixels arranged in two-dimensional directions, each having a photoelectric conversion section, and pixel drive control section for performing pixel signal readout by sequentially scanning the pixel array section either in a row direction or in a column direction, and driving and controlling individual pixels of the pixel array section through a level shifter circuit. The pixel drive control means includes thinning-out readout control means for performing pixel signal readout, reset control means for resetting either a non-readout pixel row or a non-readout pixel column not being selected by the thinning-out readout control means and gate means for causing the pixel drive control means to perform driving control, whereby current concurrently flowing into the level shifter circuit during the thinning-out readout driving, may be avoided and large current caused by the level shifter circuit may be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamasa Wada, Hiroki Ui, Noriya Maeda
  • Publication number: 20090009635
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array unit configured by arranging plural unit pixels including charge generating units and output transistors that output processing object signals corresponding to charges generated by the charge generating units, an imaging-condition determining unit that determines whether a large light-amount imaging condition, when an amount of light larger than that of light representing a saturation level is made incident on the charge generating units, is satisfied, and a control unit that performs control, on condition that the imaging-condition determining unit determines that the large light-amount imaging condition is satisfied, to correct an output signal based on processing object signals outputted from the unit pixels such that a harmful effect due to the large light-amount imaging condition is suppressed in the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriya Maeda, Hideo Nakayama, Kenichi Okumura, Nozomu Takatori
  • Publication number: 20070146514
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of acquiring physical information that acquires physical information by using a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes unit elements, each of which has a detecting unit and a unit signal generating unit. The method includes the steps of: providing an operation current supply unit supplying an operation current such that the unit signal generating unit outputs a unit signal, and a signal processing unit receiving the unit signal output from each of the unit elements forming the semiconductor device and outputting an output unit signal; and when a selective read mode is designated for reading the unit signal from a portion of the respective unit elements, an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit not to be read is reduced so as to be smaller than an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit to be read.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Noriya Maeda, Hiroki Ui, Shinichiro Nishizono