Patents by Inventor Seiichi Kawamoto

Seiichi Kawamoto 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: 5973736
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a color linear sensor of a simple structure which can accurately measure a degree of a color mixture in a sensor section. In a color linear sensor having a dot-sequential sensor array (1), only one pixel of a predetermined color (R) in a reference pixel region (3) is allowed to receive an incident light. Then, a degree of color mixture is estimated by calculating a level difference between a signal output of this pixel and a signal output of a pixel of the same color as that of the former pixel in an effective pixel region (2). Also, the present invention is to provide a color linear sensor which can prevent sensors from being displaced from each other in position, simplify a configuration of an external circuit and which can prevent a color mixture from being caused by signal charges deteriorated after they are transferred by a transfer register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 5920063
    Abstract: A linear sensor includes first, second, and third linear sensor sections each composed of a linear array of sensor elements, wherein the linear arrays of sensor elements are spaced seven lines apart from each other. In operation, an image is sensed while moving the linear sensor three lines at a time. The output signals of the respective linear sensor sections are adjusted in terms of the timing relative to each other by a timing adjustment circuit. This allows the linear sensor to sense an image at a higher scanning speed and thus for a shorter time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 5831298
    Abstract: There is disclosed a solid-state imager for preventing an unwanted potential barrier in the overflow control gate when ions are implanted into the sensor portion. The imager is capable of easily controlling the amount of overflow. The sensor portion takes the hole accumulation diode (HAD) sensor structure. A potential barrier is created in the overflow control gate by ion implantation. A potential difference created between the overflow control gate and the sensor portion is determined by the amount of ions implanted. A DC voltage V.sub.D applied to the overflow drain is variable. The potential difference is adjusted by varying the DC voltage V.sub.D. Thus, elements of the imager are uniform in potential barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 5818075
    Abstract: A charge transfer device comprising charge transfer means for transferring charges, a floating diffusion layer for accumulating the charges transferred from said charge transfer means, a floating gate electrode formed on said floating diffusion layer via an insulating layer, charge detection means connected to the floating gate electrode for outputting a voltage corresponding to an amount of charges accumulated in the floating diffusion layer, first precharge means connected to the floating gate electrode, the first precharge means starting precharging of the floating gate electrode responsive to transition of a first pulse voltage from a first state to a second state, the first precharge means terminating precharging of the floating gate electrode responsive to transition of the first pulse voltage from the second state to the first state, second precharge means connected to the floating diffusion layer, the second precharge means starting precharging of the floating diffusion layer responsive to transition
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Yasuhito Maki, Tadakuni Narabu, Masahide Hirama
  • Patent number: 5703355
    Abstract: In a monochrome sensor, a sensor unit is covered with a protective film, and a light-transmitting organic film is formed on this protective film. Consequently, ripples in the spectral sensitivity characteristics are reduced. Even if the positions of the peaks and valleys of these ripples vary due to variations in the thicknesses of the protective film and the organic film or due to effective variations in these film thicknesses caused by the difference in the incident angle of light, a variation in the sensitivity at a given wavelength is small. This results in a small variation in the wavelength at which the maximum value of the spectral sensitivity is obtained and a small variation in the sensitivity derived from the difference in the incident angle of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Seiichi Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 5640028
    Abstract: A charge transfer device formed on a semiconductor substrate comprising: a charge transfer section formed on the semiconductor substrate for transferring charges, a floating gate having a floating gate diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate for accumulating the charges transferred from the charge transfer section, an output gate section formed between the charge transfer section and the floating gate on the semiconductor substrate, and a charge detecting circuit electrically connected to the floating gate for outputting a voltage corresponding to the amount of the charges accumulated in the floating gate diffusion layer, the output gate section having a first output gate region adjacent to the charge transfer means and a second output gate region adjacent to the floating gate diffusion layer, the first output gate region having a first output gate electrode formed thereon with an insulating film therebetween, the second output gate region having a second output gate electrode formed thereon wit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Yasuhito Maki, Tadakuni Narabu, Masahide Hirama
  • Patent number: 5621231
    Abstract: There is disclosed a solid-state imager for preventing an unwanted potential barrier in the overflow control gate when ions are implanted into the sensor portion. The imager is capable of easily controlling the amount of overflow. The sensor portion takes the hole accumulation diode (HAD) sensor structure. A potential barrier is created in the overflow control gate by ion implantation. A potential difference created between the overflow control gate and the sensor portion is determined by the amount of ions implanted. A DC voltage V.sub.D applied to the overflow drain is variable. The potential difference is adjusted by varying the DC voltage V.sub.D. Thus, elements of the imager are uniform in potential barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 5539226
    Abstract: A charge transfer device formed on a semiconductor substrate comprising: a charge transfer section formed on the semiconductor substrate for transferring charges, a floating gate having a floating gate diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate for accumulating the charges transferred from the charge transfer section, an output gate section formed between the charge transfer section and the floating gate on the semiconductor substrate, and a charge detecting circuit electrically connected to the floating gate for outputting a voltage corresponding to the amount of the charges accumulated in the floating gate diffusion layer, the output gate section having a first output gate region adjacent to the charge transfer means and a second output gate region adjacent to the floating gate diffusion layer, the first output gate region having a first output gate electrode formed thereon with an insulating film therebetween, the second output gate region having a second output gate electrode formed thereon wit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Yasuhito Maki, Tadakuni Narabu, Masahide Hirama
  • Patent number: 5536956
    Abstract: A charge transfer device formed on a semiconductor substrate comprising: a charge transfer section formed on the semiconductor substrate for transferring charges, a floating gate having a floating gate diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate for accumulating the charges transferred from the charge transfer section, an output gate section formed between the charge transfer section and the floating gate on the semiconductor substrate, and a charge detecting circuit electrically connected to the floating gate for outputting a voltage corresponding to the amount of the charges accumulated in the floating gate diffusion layer, the output gate section having a first output gate region adjacent to the charge transfer means and a second output gate region adjacent to the floating gate diffusion layer, the first output gate region having a first output gate electrode formed thereon with an insulating film therebetween, the second output gate region having a second output gate electrode formed thereon wit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Yasuhito Maki, Tadakuni Narabu, Masahide Hirama
  • Patent number: 5426290
    Abstract: A color linear image sensing device for scanning and sensing an image in a vertical scanning direction and generating signal charges corresponding to the image. The device comprises at least two arrays of a plurality of sets of color sensors disposed in a horizontal scanning direction. The sensor arrays sense the image and generate the signal charges corresponding to the image. Each set of color sensors includes a first color sensor sensing a first color and a second color sensor sensing a second color different from the first color. The color sensors are arranged such that both of the first and the second color sensors are located on any line in the vertical scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 5369434
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a charge transfer device having a four-phase drive system register in which first, second, third and fourth transfer sections sequentially arrayed constitute one bit. The first, second, third and fourth transfer sections are arranged such that, when applied with drive pulses of the same level, a potential difference occurs between the first and third transfer sections and the second and fourth transfer sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 5337163
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a linear image sensor, the electric charge storage time of which can be varied. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a linear image sensor in which a read-out gate and a charge-transfer gate are disposed on one side of an image sensor array, and a drain gate and a drain region are disposed on the other side of the image sensor array, whereby the electric charge storage time in which a signal charge is transferred by the charge-transfer register after the signal charge is read out by the application of a read-out signal to the read-out gate and the next read-out signal is applied to the read-out gate can be varied by varying the application timing of the drain gate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Maki Sato, Tadakuni Narabu, Hisanori Miura
  • Patent number: 5298776
    Abstract: A solid state imager element has a sensor portion, a register portion and a read gate portion for reading a signal charge from the sensor portion and transferring the same to the register portion, wherein a potential difference is formed in the read gate portion in a reading and transferring direction for directing an unnecessary charge or noise toward the register portion to thereby suppress noise in the sensor portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Maki Sato, Tadakuni Narabu, Hisanori Miura, Masahide Hirama
  • Patent number: 5206530
    Abstract: A charge transfer device has a plurality of registers which run parallel to each other and across which electrical charges are transferred. For efficient charge transfer across the registers, the transfer elecrtrode of one register and the transfer electrode of an adjacent register are arrayed in contiguity to each other and driven by different driving pulses and a deeper potential is provided in the signal charge receiving side than in the signal charge forwarding side. The registers are arrayed parallel to a sensor row constituted by a linear array of different color sensors and each handle signal charges of the respective colors. In this manner, the outputs from the registers are in the form of the separate color signals to prevent color mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Kawamoto, Tadakuni Narabu