Patents by Inventor Taiichiro Watanabe

Taiichiro Watanabe 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: 11477404
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: an effective pixel region that includes a plurality of imaging elements-A, amplifies signal charges generated by photoelectric conversion, and reads the signal charges into a drive circuit; and an optical black region that includes a plurality of imaging elements-B, surrounds the effective pixel region, and outputs optical black that serves as the reference for black level. In the imaging device, the photoelectric conversion layer forming the plurality of imaging elements-A and the plurality of imaging elements-B is a common photoelectric conversion layer, the common photoelectric conversion layer is located on an outer side of the optical black region, and extends toward an outer edge region surrounding the optical black region, and an outer edge electrode is disposed in the outer edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro Takada, Taiichiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11445135
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a voltage applier. The first electrode includes a plurality of electrodes independent from each other. The second electrode is disposed opposite to the first electrode. The photoelectric conversion layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The voltage applier applies different voltages to at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode during a charge accumulation period and a charge non-accumulation period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Tetsuji Yamaguchi, Yusuke Sato, Fumihiko Koga
  • Patent number: 11424277
    Abstract: There is provided a solid-state image pickup device including: a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode formed in the semiconductor substrate; a transistor having a gate electrode part or all of which is embedded in the semiconductor substrate, the transistor being configured to read a signal electric charge from the photodiode via the gate electrode; and an electric charge transfer layer provided between the gate electrode and the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke Nakamura, Fumihiko Koga, Taiichiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11348965
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided. The imaging device may include a substrate having a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit at a light-incident side of the substrate. The second photoelectric conversion unit may include a photoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode, a second electrode above the photoelectric conversion layer, a third electrode, and an insulating material between the third electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein a portion of the insulating material is between the first electrode and the third electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Togashi, Fumihiko Koga, Tetsuji Yamaguchi, Shintarou Hirata, Taiichiro Watanabe, Yoshihiro Ando, Toyotaka Kataoka, Satoshi Keino, Yukio Kaneda
  • Patent number: 11218656
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that is one aspect of the present disclosure has a first photoelectric conversion portion, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode formed outside a substrate, the first photoelectric conversion portion performing photoelectric conversion in accordance with incident light, the upper electrode and the lower electrode being formed to sandwich the first photoelectric conversion portion. The solid-state imaging device includes an aperture pixel that is disposed on a pixel array, and generates a normal pixel signal; an OPB pixel that is disposed at an end portion on the pixel array, and generates a pixel signal indicating a dark current component; and a charge releasing portion that is disposed between the aperture pixel and the OPB pixel, and releases electric charge flowing out from the aperture pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Fumihiko Koga
  • Publication number: 20210288092
    Abstract: An imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion unit including a first electrode 11, a photoelectric conversion layer 13, and a second electrode 12 that are stacked, in which the photoelectric conversion unit further includes a charge storage electrode 14 arranged apart from the first electrode 11 and arranged to face the photoelectric conversion layer 13 through an insulating layer 82, and when photoelectric conversion occurs in the photoelectric conversion layer 13 after light enters the photoelectric conversion layer 13, an absolute value of a potential applied to a part 13C of the photoelectric conversion layer 13 facing the charge storage electrode 14 is a value larger than an absolute value of a potential applied to a region 13B of the photoelectric conversion layer 13 positioned between the imaging element and an adjacent imaging element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Taiichiro WATANABE, Fumihiko KOGA, Kyosuke ITO, Hideaki TOGASHI, Yusaku SUGIMORI
  • Publication number: 20210257414
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: an effective pixel region that includes a plurality of imaging elements-A, amplifies signal charges generated by photoelectric conversion, and reads the signal charges into a drive circuit; and an optical black region that includes a plurality of imaging elements-B, surrounds the effective pixel region, and outputs optical black that serves as the reference for black level. In the imaging device, the photoelectric conversion layer forming the plurality of imaging elements-A and the plurality of imaging elements-B is a common photoelectric conversion layer, the common photoelectric conversion layer is located on an outer side of the optical black region, and extends toward an outer edge region surrounding the optical black region, and an outer edge electrode is disposed in the outer edge region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro TAKADA, Taiichiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210082987
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging element includes a pixel including a first imaging element, a second imaging element, a third imaging element, and an on-chip micro lens 90. The first imaging element includes a first electrode 11, a third electrode 12, and a second electrode 16. The pixel further includes a third electrode control line VOA connected to the third electrode 12 and a plurality of control lines 62B connected to various transistors included in the second and third imaging elements and different from the third electrode control line VOA. In the pixel, a distance between the center of the on-chip micro lens 90 included in the pixel and any one of the plurality of control lines 62B included in the pixel is shorter than a distance between the center of the on-chip micro lens 90 included in the pixel and the third electrode control line VOA included in the pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Nobuhiro KAWAI, Hideaki TOGASHI, Fumihiko KOGA, Tetsuji YAMAGUCHI, Shintarou HIRATA, Taiichiro WATANABE, Yoshihiro ANDO
  • Publication number: 20200366859
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that is one aspect of the present disclosure has a first photoelectric conversion portion, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode formed outside a substrate, the first photoelectric conversion portion performing photoelectric conversion in accordance with incident light, the upper electrode and the lower electrode being formed to sandwich the first photoelectric conversion portion. The solid-state imaging device includes an aperture pixel that is disposed on a pixel array, and generates a normal pixel signal; an OPB pixel that is disposed at an end portion on the pixel array, and generates a pixel signal indicating a dark current component; and a charge releasing portion that is disposed between the aperture pixel and the OPB pixel, and releases electric charge flowing out from the aperture pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: TAIICHIRO WATANABE, FUMIHIKO KOGA
  • Patent number: 10841521
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that enable generation of stable PUFs. The information processing device includes: a reading unit that reads output data from a predetermined element a plurality of times; an average value calculation unit that calculates average values of the output data read by the reading unit; a median calculation unit that calculates the median of the average values calculated by the average value calculation unit; and a PUF generation unit that generates a physical unclonable function (PUF) by comparing the median with the average values. The predetermined element is an image sensor, and the reading unit reads output data from the image sensor when the image sensor is shielded from light. The present technology can be applied to imaging devices, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Baba, Taiichiro Watanabe, Hirokazu Ejiri
  • Publication number: 20200350358
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: plural photodiodes formed in different depths in a unit pixel area of a substrate; and plural vertical transistors formed in the depth direction from one face side of the substrate so that gate portions for reading signal charges obtained by photoelectric conversion in the plural photodiodes are formed in depths corresponding to the respective photodiodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Akihiro Yamada, Hideo Kido, Hiromasa Saito, Keiji Mabuchi, Yuko Ohgishi
  • Publication number: 20200303449
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided. The imaging device may include a substrate having a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit at a light-incident side of the substrate. The second photoelectric conversion unit may include a photoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode, a second electrode above the photoelectric conversion layer, a third electrode, and an insulating material between the third electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein a portion of the insulating material is between the first electrode and the third electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki TOGASHI, Fumihiko KOGA, Tetsuji YAMAGUCHI, Shintarou HIRATA, Taiichiro WATANABE, Yoshihiro ANDO, Toyotaka KATAOKA, Satoshi KEINO, Yukio KANEDA
  • Patent number: 10764523
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus that can reduce the influence on an OPB pixel in a case where blooming has occurred in an aperture pixel. A solid-state imaging device that is one aspect of the present disclosure has a first photoelectric conversion portion, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode formed outside a substrate, the first photoelectric conversion portion performing photoelectric conversion in accordance with incident light, the upper electrode and the lower electrode being formed to sandwich the first photoelectric conversion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Fumihiko Koga
  • Publication number: 20200267341
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that enable generation of stable PUFs. The information processing device includes: a reading unit that reads output data from a predetermined element a plurality of times; an average value calculation unit that calculates average values of the output data read by the reading unit; a median calculation unit that calculates the median of the average values calculated by the average value calculation unit; and a PUF generation unit that generates a physical unclonable function (PUF) by comparing the median with the average values. The predetermined element is an image sensor, and the reading unit reads output data from the image sensor when the image sensor is shielded from light. The present technology can be applied to imaging devices, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi BABA, Taiichiro WATANABE, Hirokazu EJIRI
  • Patent number: 10748958
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: plural photodiodes formed in different depths in a unit pixel area of a substrate; and plural vertical transistors formed in the depth direction from one face side of the substrate so that gate portions for reading signal charges obtained by photoelectric conversion in the plural photodiodes are formed in depths corresponding to the respective photodiodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Akihiro Yamada, Hideo Kido, Hiromasa Saito, Keiji Mabuchi, Yuko Ohgishi
  • Patent number: 10714532
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided. The imaging device may include a substrate having a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit at a light-incident side of the substrate. The second photoelectric conversion unit may include a photoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode, a second electrode above the photoelectric conversion layer, a third electrode, and an insulating material between the third electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein a portion of the insulating material is between the first electrode and the third electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Togashi, Fumihiko Koga, Tetsuji Yamaguchi, Shintarou Hirata, Taiichiro Watanabe, Yoshihiro Ando, Toyotaka Kataoka, Satoshi Keino, Yukio Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20200219918
    Abstract: There is provided a solid-state image pickup device including: a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode formed in the semiconductor substrate; a transistor having a gate electrode part or all of which is embedded in the semiconductor substrate, the transistor being configured to read a signal electric charge from the photodiode via the gate electrode; and an electric charge transfer layer provided between the gate electrode and the photodiode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke NAKAMURA, Fumihiko KOGA, Taiichiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20200221042
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a voltage applier. The first electrode includes a plurality of electrodes independent from each other. The second electrode is disposed opposite to the first electrode. The photoelectric conversion layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The voltage applier applies different voltages to at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode during a charge accumulation period and a charge non-accumulation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: TAIICHIRO WATANABE, TETSUJI YAMAGUCHI, YUSUKE SATO, FUMIHIKO KOGA
  • Patent number: 10629645
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus that perform a stable overflow from a photodiode and prevent Qs from decreasing and color mixing from occurring. A solid-state imaging device according to an aspect of the present technology includes, at a light receiving surface side of a semiconductor substrate, a charge retention part that generates and retains a charge in response to incident light, an OFD into which the charge saturated at the charge retention part is discharged, and a potential barrier that becomes a barrier of the charge that flows from the charge retention part to the OFD, the OFD including a low concentration OFD and a high concentration OFD having different impurity concentrations of the same type, and the high concentration OFD and the potential barrier being formed at a distance. For example, the present technology is applicable to a CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Ryosuke Nakamura, Yusuke Sato, Fumihiko Koga
  • Patent number: 10553629
    Abstract: There is provided a solid-state image pickup device including: a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode formed in the semiconductor substrate; a transistor having a gate electrode part or all of which is embedded in the semiconductor substrate, the transistor being configured to read a signal electric charge from the photodiode via the gate electrode; and an electric charge transfer layer provided between the gate electrode and the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Nakamura, Fumihiko Koga, Taiichiro Watanabe