Patents by Inventor Shutaro KATO

Shutaro KATO 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: 12211878
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20250008239
    Abstract: An imaging element includes a storage unit that stores a pixel signal converted into a digital signal; a control line to which a control signal to read out the pixel signal stored in the storage unit is output; an output line to which the pixel signal read out from the storage unit is output; and an amplification unit that amplifies the pixel signal output to the output line. The output line may include a positive and negative pair of output lines connected to the amplification unit, the output line may be connected to one of a positive and negative pair of inputs of the amplification unit, and another of the inputs of the amplification unit may be connected to reference potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu SARUWATARI, Wataru FUNAMIZU, Shutaro KATO
  • Publication number: 20240388815
    Abstract: An imaging element includes a first semiconductor substrate having a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels are disposed, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit that converts light to an electric charge, a retention unit that retains the electric charge, a first transfer unit that transfers the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the retention unit, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge, a second transfer unit that transfers the electric charge from the retention unit to the accumulation unit, and an output unit that outputs a signal based on the electric charge and a second semiconductor substrate having a control circuit unit that is disposed at a position opposing the pixel unit and that controls the first transfer unit and/or the second transfer unit, and a peripheral circuit unit that is disposed outside of the control circuit unit and that controls the output unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shutaro KATO, Osamu SARUWATARI, Wataru FUNAMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240381005
    Abstract: An imaging element includes a first semiconductor substrate having a pixel unit having disposed therein a plurality of pixels that each include a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert light to an electric charge, and to output signals based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion unit and a second semiconductor substrate having an exposure processing unit configured to use the signals read from the pixels to calculate an accumulation time for accumulating the electric charge yielded by the conversion performed by the photoelectric conversion units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime YONEMOCHI, Tomoki HIRATA, Shutaro KATO
  • Publication number: 20240355862
    Abstract: An imaging element includes: a first substrate including first, second, third pixel blocks respectively including first, second, and third pixels; a second substrate including first, second, and third signal processing blocks respectively including first, second, and third signal converters; a first signal joint configured to output the signal from the first pixel to the first signal converter and to join the first and second substrates; a second signal joint configured to output the signal from the second pixel to the second signal converter and to join the first and second substrates; and a third signal joint configured to output the signal from the third pixel to the third signal converter and to join the first and second substrates. The second pixel block is between the first and third pixel blocks. An interval between the first and second signal joints is smaller than one between the second and third signal joints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Shutaro KATO
  • Publication number: 20240259710
    Abstract: An image sensor element includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion part, a first accumulation part which accumulates electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion part, and a first output part based on a voltage of the first accumulation part; a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion part, a second accumulation part wherein electric charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion part, and a second output part which a second signal based on a voltage of the second accumulation part; an output line to which the first and the second output parts are connected and from which the first and second signals are output; and a control unit which is able to control the voltage of the first accumulation part to be a first voltage and ability to control the voltage of the second accumulation part to be a second voltage different from the first voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji ANDO, Toru TAKAGI, Takashi SEO, Yoshiyuki WATANABE, Shutaro KATO
  • Patent number: 11910113
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate an electric charge; a first output unit that outputs a first signal based on the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit; a plurality of second photoelectric conversion units that photoelectrically convert light to generate electric charges; a plurality of second output units that output second signals based on the electric charges generated by the second photoelectric conversion units; an output line to which the first output unit and the plurality of second output units are connected, and from which at least one of the first signal and the second signals is output; a first control line for controlling the output of the first signal from the first output unit; and second control lines for controlling the outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Ando, Toru Takagi, Shutaro Kato, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Takashi Seo
  • Publication number: 20230261025
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu SARUWATARI, Shutaro KATO, Ryoji ANDO, Yojiro TEZUKA, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 11664404
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20210314512
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate an electric charge; a first output unit that outputs a first signal based on the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit; a plurality of second photoelectric conversion units that photoelectrically convert light to generate electric charges; a plurality of second output units that output second signals based on the electric charges generated by the second photoelectric conversion units; an output line to which the first output unit and the plurality of second output units are connected, and from which at least one of the first signal and the second signals is output; a first control line for controlling the output of the first signal from the first output unit; and second control lines for controlling the outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji ANDO, Toru TAKAGI, Shutaro KATO, Yoshiyuki WATANABE, Takashi SEO
  • Publication number: 20210112210
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu SARUWATARI, Shutaro KATO, Ryoji ANDO, Yojiro TEZUKA, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 10944924
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
  • Patent number: 10904463
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20200267306
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light and generates electric charge; a reflecting portion that reflects a portion of light passing through the photoelectric conversion unit toward the photoelectric conversion unit; a first output unit that outputs electric charge generated due to photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric conversion unit of light reflected by the reflecting portion; and a second output unit that outputs electric charge generated due to photoelectric conversion by the photoelectric conversion unit of light other than the light reflected by the reflecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Toru TAKAGI, Takashi SEO, Ryoji ANDO, Shutaro KATO
  • Patent number: 10728439
    Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus includes: an image sensor and a processor. The processor controls a plurality of pixels included in a first region of the image sensor to accumulate the charges with the light from a subject for a first accumulation time length, and controls a plurality of pixels included in a second region of the image sensor to accumulate the charges with the light from the subject for a second accumulation time length, the second region being different from the first region; and calculates at least one of a movement distance and a speed of a measurement target included in the subject, based on a first image obtained from a first pixel signal group from the plurality of pixels in the first region and a second image obtained from a second pixel signal group from the plurality of pixels in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakayama, Shutaro Kato
  • Patent number: 10686004
    Abstract: An image sensor having a plurality of pixels along a first direction includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion and a reflecting portion disposed at least in a part of an area located in the first direction relative to a center of the first photoelectric conversion unit, which reflects part of light having been transmitted through the first photoelectric conversion unit toward the first photoelectric conversion unit; and a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion and a second reflecting portion disposed at least in a part of an area located in a direction opposite from the first direction relative to a center of the second photoelectric conversion unit, which reflects part of light having been transmitted through the second photoelectric conversion unit toward the second photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shutaro Kato, Toru Takagi, Takashi Seo, Ryoji Ando
  • Publication number: 20200077014
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel including a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light and a first reflective unit that reflects light passing through the first photoelectric conversion unit back to the first photoelectric conversion unit; and a second pixel including a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light and a second reflective unit that reflects a part of light passing through the second photoelectric conversion unit back to the second photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shutaro KATO, Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Ryoji ANDO
  • Publication number: 20200075658
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a micro lens; a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light passing through the micro lens and generates electric charge; and a reflecting portion that reflects a portion of light passing through the photoelectric conversion unit in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the micro lens and passing through the photoelectric conversion unit, and in a direction toward the photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shutaro KATO, Toru TAKAGI, Takashi SEO, Ryoji ANDO
  • Publication number: 20200053275
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light and generates electric charge; a reflection prevention portion that prevents reflection of at least a portion of light passing through the photoelectric conversion unit; and a reflecting portion that reflects a portion of light passing through the photoelectric conversion unit toward the photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi SEO, Toru TAKAGI, Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Ryoji ANDO, Shutaro KATO
  • Publication number: 20190280033
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel including a first micro lens, a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light that has passed through the first micro lens, and a reflective unit that reflects light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion unit back to the first photoelectric conversion unit; and a second pixel including a second micro lens and a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light that has passed through the second micro lens, wherein: positions of condensation of incident light in the first pixel and the second pixel are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shutaro KATO, Toru TAKAGI, Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Takashi SEO, Ryoji ANDO