Patents by Inventor Shinichiro Noudo

Shinichiro Noudo 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: 20240089619
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a light detection device and an electronic apparatus capable of increasing sensitivity of a specific pixel. The light detection device includes a pixel array unit in which a plurality of pixels is regularly arranged, the plurality of pixels including a first pixel and a second pixel, the first pixel including at least a photodiode and one or more pixel transistors, the second pixel including at least a photodiode larger in size than the photodiode of the first pixel, in which the pixel transistor in the first pixel is shared by the first pixel and the second pixel. The present technology may be applied to image sensors and the like, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: KAZUYOSHI YAMASHITA, KAZUHIRO GOI, SHINICHIRO NOUDO, TOMOHIRO YAMAZAKI, ATSUSHI TODA, TAKAYUKI OGASAHARA, KOJI MIYATA
  • Publication number: 20240055456
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including a substrate having a first surface serving as a light incident surface, a photoelectric conversion unit located inside the substrate, a light shielding unit provided on a first surface side, the light shielding unit having a hole portion configured to allow light to be incident on the photoelectric conversion unit, and a first lens made of silicon, the first lens being provided on the light shielding unit and condensing incident light toward the hole portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichiro NOUDO, Tomohiro YAMAZAKI, Yoshiki EBIKO, Sozo YOKOGAWA, Tomoharu OGITA, Hiroyasu MATSUGAI, Yusuke MORIYA
  • Publication number: 20240014238
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a light receiving apparatus and an electronic appliance that enable achievement of more preferable image quality. A light receiving apparatus includes: a semiconductor substrate including a first photodetector and a second photodetector arranged within at least substantially a same light receiving plane; and an optical member including at least a first optical system that allows light to enter the first photodetector and a second optical system that allows light to enter the second photodetector. In addition, a first pixel of an image formed at the first photodetector with the light entering the first photodetector through the first optical system is different in orientation of a principal ray on an object side from a second pixel of an image formed at the second photodetector with the light entering the second photodetector through the second optical system. The present technology is applicable to, for example, various authentication devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiko BABA, Shinichiro NOUDO
  • Patent number: 11805324
    Abstract: To suppress entrance of incident light into a charge holding section in a pixel to prevent a reduction in image quality. An imaging device includes a pixel array. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric converter that generates a charge depending on incident light, a charge holding section that holds the generated charge, and a charge transfer section that transfers the generated charge to the charge holding section, each of the plurality of pixels generating an image signal depending on the held charge. The charge holding section or the charge transfer section in each of the plurality of pixels is arranged close to an optical center of the pixel array with respect to the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Noudo
  • Publication number: 20230336883
    Abstract: The present invention. relates to a d-state imaging device capable of highly accurate authentication. The solid-state imaging device includes a light receiving unit and a control unit. The light receiving unit includes event-driven pixels that output the occurrence of an event on the basis of a threshold. The control unit is a control unit that controls the light receiving unit, and is configured to set a first threshold for the event-driven pixels, and, in a case where an event based on the first threshold has been detected, set a second threshold smaller than the first threshold for the event-driven pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Miyatani, Shinichiro Noudo, Masashi Nakata
  • Publication number: 20230282022
    Abstract: Usability in authentication or the like using a light receiving sensor is improved. An electronic device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor includes a constantly driven optical sensor. When the first sensor detects a predetermined environmental change, the second sensor is driven as an authentication mode and shifts to a mode for acquiring information of the authentication target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Masashi Nakata, Tomohiko Baba, Yoshitaka Miyatani, Shinichiro Noudo, Takao Tanikame
  • Patent number: 11749703
    Abstract: To solve at least one of various problems in an image sensor in a 2PD scheme. A solid-state image pickup element includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element formed on a silicon substrate, in which some pixels in the plurality of pixels each have the photoelectric conversion element partitioned by a first-type separating region extending in a plate shape in a direction along a thickness direction of the silicon substrate, and other pixels in the plurality of pixels each have the photoelectric conversion element partitioned by a second-type separating region formed with a material different from a material of the first-type separating region, the second-type separating region extending in a plate shape in the direction along the thickness direction of the silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro Noudo
  • Publication number: 20230246048
    Abstract: Incident light transmitted through a semiconductor substrate is shielded at a boundary between pixels. An imaging element is provided with a pixel, a front surface side light shielding unit, and a back surface side light shielding unit. The pixel is provided with a photoelectric conversion unit that is arranged in a semiconductor substrate on a front surface side of which a wiring region is formed and performs photoelectric conversion of incident light applied from a back surface side of the semiconductor substrate. The front surface side light shielding unit is embedded on the front surface side of the semiconductor substrate at the boundary between the pixels to shield the incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: TAKETO FUKURO, SHINICHIRO NOUDO, YUMA ONO, YOHEI CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20230238416
    Abstract: A plurality of subpixels is included in one pixel. An imaging device includes a subpixel, a pixel, and a pixel array. The subpixel includes a photoelectric conversion element that receives light incident at a predetermined angle and outputs an analog signal on the basis of intensity of the received light. The pixel includes a plurality of the subpixels, a lens that condenses light incident from an outside on the subpixel, and a photoelectric conversion element isolation portion that does not propagate information regarding intensity of the light acquired in the photoelectric conversion element to the adjacent photoelectric conversion element, and further includes a light-shielding wall that shields light incident on the lens of another pixel. The pixel array includes a plurality of the pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichiro NOUDO, Tomohiko BABA, Masashi NAKATA, Atsushi TODA
  • Publication number: 20230230413
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic device capable of suppressing an influence of internal reflected light in a device. An electronic device is provided with, sequentially from one side to the other side, a first polarizing plate that makes incident light linearly polarized light, a first ¼ wavelength plate a slow axis of which is different from an absorption axis of the first polarizing plate by 45 degrees or 135 degrees, a self-luminous element layer, a second ¼ wavelength plate a slow axis of which is in the same direction as the slow axis of the first ¼ wavelength plate, a second polarizing plate an absorption axis of which is orthogonal to the absorption axis of the first polarizing plate, and an imaging device that images light via the second polarizing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro NOUDO
  • Publication number: 20230134765
    Abstract: To provide an electronic device capable of suppressing a decrease in resolution when the distance between an object to be imaged and an imaging unit is decreased. This electronic device includes a plurality of pixels, each of at least two pixels of the plurality of pixels including: a first lens that collects incident light; a first light shielding film portion having a first hole through which a part of the incident light that has been collected passes; and a photoelectric conversion unit configured to photoelectrically convert the incident light having passed through the first hole. The shape of the first hole with respect to the first light shielding film portion is different between a first pixel among the at least two pixels and a second pixel different from the first pixel among the at least two pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: SHINICHIRO NOUDO, TOMOHIKO BABA, MASASHI NAKATA, ATSUSHI TODA
  • Patent number: 11557619
    Abstract: The incidence of incident light transmitted through a photoelectric conversion unit onto a charge holding unit, a pixel in the adjacency, and the like can be blocked in a pixel. An image sensor includes a pixel, a wiring layer, and an incident light attenuation unit. The pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit that is formed in a semiconductor substrate and performs photoelectric conversion based on incident light, and a pixel circuit that generates an image signal according to a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion. The wiring layer is arranged on a surface of the semiconductor substrate different from a surface onto which the incident light is incident, and transports either the image signal or a signal applied to the pixel circuit. The incident light attenuation unit attenuates the incident light transmitted through the photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro Noudo
  • Patent number: 11437419
    Abstract: Image plane phase difference pixels that can handle incident light at two or more chief ray angles are realized. A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel, the pixel including a microlens that condenses light from a subject, a photoelectric conversion unit that receives the subject light condensed by the microlens to generate an electrical signal according to an amount of received light, and a light shielding portion provided between the photoelectric conversion unit and the microlens. The light shielding portion includes an edge portion formed across over a light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion unit, and the edge portion includes a first edge portion and a second edge portion at positions different from each other both in a first direction corresponding to an up and down direction of an output image and a second direction corresponding to a left and right direction of the output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro Noudo
  • Publication number: 20220246666
    Abstract: Leakage of incident light to a charge holding part is reduced in a back surface irradiation type imaging element. The imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion part, a reflection part, and a reflection part formation member. The photoelectric conversion part is formed in a semiconductor substrate and performs photoelectric conversion of incident light. The reflection part is disposed in a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is different from a surface on which the incident light is incident, to reflect transmitted light transmitted through the photoelectric conversion part to the photoelectric conversion part. The reflection part formation member has a bottom surface disposed adjacent to the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and a side on which the reflection part is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sachihito KUNITAKE, Shinichiro NOUDO, Atsushi MASAGAKI
  • Patent number: 11387265
    Abstract: To reduce occurrence of crosstalk in a back-illuminated image capturing element. An image capturing element includes: a pixel including a photoelectric conversion section, a pixel circuit, and a wiring layer; and a polarization section. The photoelectric conversion section is formed on a semiconductor substrate and performs photoelectric conversion based on incident light. The pixel circuit generates an image signal according to a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion. The wiring layer is arranged on a surface of the semiconductor substrate and is configured to transmit any one of the image signal or a signal applied to the pixel circuit, the surface being different from a surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the incident light is incident. The polarization section is arranged between the semiconductor substrate and the wiring layer, and allows transmission of light in a specific polarization direction among incident light transmitted through the photoelectric conversion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro Noudo
  • Publication number: 20220130879
    Abstract: The purpose of the present disclosure is to improve the dynamic range of an image sensor including a polarization pixel. The image sensor includes: a high-sensitivity pixel group; and a low-sensitivity pixel group. The high-sensitivity pixel group included in the image sensor includes a plurality of high-sensitivity pixels. The low-sensitivity pixel group included in the image sensor includes a plurality of low-sensitivity pixels. A polarization unit that causes incident light in a predetermined polarization direction to be transmitted therethrough is disposed in part of pixels of at least the high-sensitivity pixel group, of the high-sensitivity pixel group and the low-sensitivity pixel group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: TOMOHIRO YAMAZAKI, SHINICHIRO NOUDO, IPPEI YOSHIBA, HIROTAKA TAKESHITA, TAKUJI MATSUMOTO, OSAMU OKA, TOSHIYA HASHIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11284046
    Abstract: A decrease in strength is reduced of a polarizer of an imaging element in which the polarizer that detects polarization information of a subject is arranged. The imaging element includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels included in the imaging element each includes a color filter that transmits light having a predetermined wavelength of incident light and a polarizer that performs polarization of the incident light, and generates an image signal based on the incident light transmitted through the color filter and the polarizer. The polarizer included in each of the plurality of pixels adjusts the polarization depending on the color filter in a corresponding one of the pixels of the imaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukari Taguchi, Shinichiro Noudo, Tomohiro Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20220005851
    Abstract: The solid-state imaging apparatus (1) according to the present disclosure includes a semiconductor layer (51), a light shield wall (60b), and an insulation layer. The semiconductor layer (51) is provided with a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a plurality of charge retention units that retain charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units (26). The light shield wall (60b) is provided inside a trench (51a) formed in a depth direction from a light-incident side between the photoelectric conversion units and the charge retention units (26) adjacent to each other in the semiconductor layer (51). The insulation layer is provided on a side of the semiconductor layer (51) opposite from the light-incident side, and having an opening (53a) that surrounds the trench (51a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: HIROHISA UCHIDA, SHINICHIRO NOUDO, TOORU IDEKOBA
  • Publication number: 20210384250
    Abstract: Groove portions are provided between adjacent photoelectric conversion portions, and sidewall surfaces and bottom surfaces of the groove portions are covered with a first fixed charge film, and open ends of the groove portions are closed by a second fixed charge film with voids inside of the groove portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itaru OSHIYAMA, Shinichiro NOUDO, Yasufumi MIYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20210313382
    Abstract: To solve at least one of various problems in an image sensor in a 2PD scheme. A solid-state image pickup element includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element formed on a silicon substrate, in which some pixels in the plurality of pixels each have the photoelectric conversion element partitioned by a first-type separating region extending in a plate shape in a direction along a thickness direction of the silicon substrate, and other pixels in the plurality of pixels each have the photoelectric conversion element partitioned by a second-type separating region formed with a material different from a material of the first-type separating region, the second-type separating region extending in a plate shape in the direction along the thickness direction of the silicon substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro NOUDO