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).
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Patent number: 12211878Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 18, 2023Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
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Publication number: 20250008239Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2022Publication date: January 2, 2025Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu SARUWATARI, Wataru FUNAMIZU, Shutaro KATO
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Publication number: 20240388815Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2022Publication date: November 21, 2024Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Shutaro KATO, Osamu SARUWATARI, Wataru FUNAMIZU
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Publication number: 20240381005Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2022Publication date: November 14, 2024Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hajime YONEMOCHI, Tomoki HIRATA, Shutaro KATO
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Publication number: 20240355862Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2022Publication date: October 24, 2024Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Shutaro KATO
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Publication number: 20240259710Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2024Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Ryoji ANDO, Toru TAKAGI, Takashi SEO, Yoshiyuki WATANABE, Shutaro KATO
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Patent number: 11910113Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Ryoji Ando, Toru Takagi, Shutaro Kato, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Takashi Seo
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Publication number: 20230261025Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu SARUWATARI, Shutaro KATO, Ryoji ANDO, Yojiro TEZUKA, Atsushi KOMAI
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Patent number: 11664404Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
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Publication number: 20210314512Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2019Publication date: October 7, 2021Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Ryoji ANDO, Toru TAKAGI, Shutaro KATO, Yoshiyuki WATANABE, Takashi SEO
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Publication number: 20210112210Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2020Publication date: April 15, 2021Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu SARUWATARI, Shutaro KATO, Ryoji ANDO, Yojiro TEZUKA, Atsushi KOMAI
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Patent number: 10944924Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
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Patent number: 10904463Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Saruwatari, Shutaro Kato, Ryoji Ando, Yojiro Tezuka, Atsushi Komai
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Publication number: 20200267306Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: Nikon CorporationInventors: Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Toru TAKAGI, Takashi SEO, Ryoji ANDO, Shutaro KATO
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Patent number: 10728439Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 14, 2018Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Satoshi Nakayama, Shutaro Kato
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Patent number: 10686004Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Shutaro Kato, Toru Takagi, Takashi Seo, Ryoji Ando
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Publication number: 20200077014Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2017Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Shutaro KATO, Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Ryoji ANDO
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Publication number: 20200075658Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Shutaro KATO, Toru TAKAGI, Takashi SEO, Ryoji ANDO
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Publication number: 20200053275Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: February 13, 2020Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi SEO, Toru TAKAGI, Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Ryoji ANDO, Shutaro KATO
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Publication number: 20190280033Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2017Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Shutaro KATO, Toru TAKAGI, Satoshi NAKAYAMA, Takashi SEO, Ryoji ANDO