Patents by Inventor Takahiro Abiru
Takahiro Abiru 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: 9930283Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid state image sensor and an electronic apparatus capable of performing a gain transition at high speed. A ramp generation circuit includes sample hold circuits and ramp generation DACs, the number of which depends on kinds of required gains (for example, two kinds, i.e. a low gain and a high gain). Then, the two sample hold circuits can individually hold gain DAC output voltages at the different gains. This enables a switch to the ramp generation DAC holding the required gain voltage by means of a ramp selection signal. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to a CMOS solid state image sensor that is used for an imaging device.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2015Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takahiro Abiru, Yasuaki Hisamatsu, Tadafumi Nagata
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Publication number: 20170230599Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid state image sensor and an electronic apparatus capable of performing a gain transition at high speed. A ramp generation circuit includes sample hold circuits and ramp generation DACs, the number of which depends on kinds of required gains (for example, two kinds, i.e. a low gain and a high gain). Then, the two sample hold circuits can individually hold gain DAC output voltages at the different gains. This enables a switch to the ramp generation DAC holding the required gain voltage by means of a ramp selection signal. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to a CMOS solid state image sensor that is used for an imaging device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2015Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Takahiro ABIRU, Yasuaki HISAMATSU, Tadafumi NAGATA
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Patent number: 9628729Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Publication number: 20150146059Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2015Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Patent number: 9001244Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2014Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Publication number: 20140204254Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2014Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Patent number: 8767104Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2011Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Patent number: 8711260Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Patent number: 8599305Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having a pixel array section in which pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a matrix form, and sweeping out unnecessary charges by setting a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent rows or a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent columns, in the pixel array section, to a single group, and by applying a shutter pulse in units of groups before storing signal charges, and sequentially reading the signal charges in the units of groups. In the solid-state imaging device, a pre-shutter pulse is applied to pixels belonging to at least a single row or a single column within a succeeding group and adjacent to a preceding group, prior to the shutter pulse, before a reading timing for the preceding group, to sweep out unnecessary charges stored in the pixels.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Eiji Makino, Takayuki Usui
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Publication number: 20110292262Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having a pixel array section in which pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a matrix form, and sweeping out unnecessary charges by setting a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent rows or a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent columns, in the pixel array section, to a single group, and by applying a shutter pulse in units of groups before storing signal charges, and sequentially reading the signal charges in the units of groups. In the solid-state imaging device, a pre-shutter pulse is applied to pixels belonging to at least a single row or a single column within a succeeding group and adjacent to a preceding group, prior to the shutter pulse, before a reading timing for the preceding group, to sweep out unnecessary charges stored in the pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2011Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Eiji Makino, Takayuki Usui
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Patent number: 8031246Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Patent number: 8013931Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device having a pixel array section in which pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a matrix form, and sweeping out unnecessary charges by setting a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent rows or a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent columns, in the pixel array section, to a single group, and by applying a shutter pulse in units of groups before storing signal charges, and sequentially reading the signal charges in the units of groups. In the solid-state imaging device, a pre-shutter pulse is applied to pixels belonging to at least a single row or a single column within a succeeding group and adjacent to a preceding group, prior to the shutter pulse, before a reading timing for the preceding group, to sweep out unnecessary charges stored in the pixels.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2008Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Eiji Makino, Takayuki Usui
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Publication number: 20110205415Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Patent number: 7897969Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array area in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element are two-dimensionally arranged; first control means for performing control such that signals of pixels in a desired region of the pixel array area are sequentially read row by row; and second control means for performing control such that, when the signals of the pixels in the desired region are sequentially read row by row by the first control means, pixels in particular regions below and above the desired region are sequentially reset row by row.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2006Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshinori Muramatsu, Takahiro Abiru, Takaichi Hirata
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Publication number: 20080284884Abstract: An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Eiji Makino, Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Masahiro Itoh
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Publication number: 20080192133Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device having a pixel array section in which pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a matrix form, and sweeping out unnecessary charges by setting a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent rows or a predetermined number, two or more, of adjacent columns, in the pixel array section, to a single group, and by applying a shutter pulse in units of groups before storing signal charges, and sequentially reading the signal charges in the units of groups. In the solid-state imaging device, a pre-shutter pulse is applied to pixels belonging to at least a single row or a single column within a succeeding group and adjacent to a preceding group, prior to the shutter pulse, before a reading timing for the preceding group, to sweep out unnecessary charges stored in the pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2008Publication date: August 14, 2008Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Takahiro Abiru, Ryoji Suzuki, Eiji Makino, Takayuki Usui
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Publication number: 20060237721Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array area in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element are two-dimensionally arranged; first control means for performing control such that signals of pixels in a desired region of the pixel array area are sequentially read row by row; and second control means for performing control such that, when the signals of the pixels in the desired region are sequentially read row by row by the first control means, pixels in particular regions below and above the desired region are sequentially reset row by row.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2006Publication date: October 26, 2006Inventors: Yoshinori Muramatsu, Takahiro Abiru, Takaichi Hirata