Patents by Inventor Tetsuo Kikuchi
Tetsuo Kikuchi 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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Publication number: 20210327911Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines and a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs that have a plurality of pixel TFTs, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of pixel regions, and a plurality of circuit TFTs constituting a peripheral circuit, in which each of oxide semiconductor TFTs has an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on a channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer via a gate insulating layer, the plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs have a plurality of first TFTs, a plurality of second TFTs, and/or a plurality of third TFTs, and the plurality of first TFTs have the plurality of pixel TFTs, and the plurality of second TFTs and/or the plurality of third TFTs have at least a portion of the plurality of circuit TFTs.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
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Patent number: 11145679Abstract: A method for manufacturing an active matrix board includes (E) a step of forming a source contact hole and a drain contact hole in an interlayer insulating layer such that a portion of a source contact region of an oxide semiconductor layer and a portion of a drain contact region thereof are exposed and forming a connecting portion contact hole in the interlayer insulating layer and a lower insulating layer such that a portion of a lower conductive layer is exposed; and (F) a step of forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an upper conductive layer on the interlayer insulating layer; and the step (E) includes (e-1) a step of forming a photoresist film on the interlayer insulating layer and (e-2) a step of forming a photoresist layer in such a manner that the photoresist film is exposed to light using a multi-tone mask and is then developed.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2020Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Teruyuki Ueda, Hitoshi Takahata
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Publication number: 20210305280Abstract: There is provided a high-definition active matrix substrate while suppressing an occurrence of pixel defects. The active matrix substrate includes a first semiconductor film corresponding to one of two sub-pixels adjacent to each other in a row direction, a second semiconductor film corresponding to the other of two sub-pixels, a transistor using part of the first semiconductor film as a channel in the row direction, and a pixel electrode connected to a drain electrode of the transistor through a contact hole. In a plan view, a distance (dc) in the row direction from a drain electrode-side edge of the channel to a bottom surface of the contact hole is 0.15 or more times a sub-pixel pitch (dp) in the row direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2018Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Hideki KITAGAWA, Hajime IMAI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tohru DAITOH
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Patent number: 11130648Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus and a printing apparatus include simplified mechanisms for supporting a sheet and for guiding the sheet. A sheet storage device that can store a sheet discharged from a discharge port of a printing apparatus includes multiple flappers provided below the discharge port and arranged in a width direction of the sheet, each flapper being rotatable between a first posture in which the sheet discharged from the discharge port is guided downward in a gravitational direction by using a first surface, and a second posture in which the sheet is supported by using a second surface being different from the first surface; and a connecting unit which connects the plurality of flappers to one another.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2018Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuyuki Asai, Hiromasa Yoneyama, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Itaru Wada, Daiki Anayama
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Publication number: 20210294138Abstract: A pixel area in the active matrix substrate 100 includes a thin film transistor 101 that has an oxide semiconductor layer 7, an inorganic insulating layer 11 and an organic insulating layer 12 that cover a thin film transistor, a common electrode 15, a dielectric layer 17 that primarily contains silicon nitride, and a pixel electrode 19. The inorganic insulating layer has a multi-layered structure that includes a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer. A pixel electrode 10 is brought into contact with a drain electrode 9 within a pixel contact hole. The pixel contact hole is configured with a first opening portion, a second opening portion, and a third opening portion that are formed in the inorganic insulating layer 11, the organic insulating layer 12, and the dielectric layer 17, respectively. A flank surface of the first opening portion and a flank surface of the second opening portion are aligned.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2017Publication date: September 23, 2021Inventors: Hideki KITAGAWA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Teruyuki UEDA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA
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Patent number: 11115581Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor having image pixels and phase difference pixels, a phase difference detection section that detects a phase difference based on pixel data of the phase difference pixels, a pixel data calculation section that calculates pixel data of virtual imaging pixels at positions of the phase difference pixels, a degree of coincidence calculation section that calculates a degree of coincidence between each pixel data of the virtual imaging pixels that has been calculated, a reliability determination section that determines reliability of the phase difference detection result in accordance with the degree of coincidence, and a focus adjustment section that performs focus adjustment based on the phase difference detection result and the reliability.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2020Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Akira Ugawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20210273107Abstract: An active matrix substrate has pixel regions, and includes a substrate, pixel TFTs disposed to respectively correspond to the pixel regions, and pixel electrodes electrically connected to the pixel TFTs. The pixel TFTs are each a top gate structure TFT that has an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer on the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode opposing the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer therebetween. The gate insulating layer is formed of silicon oxide and includes a lower layer contacting the oxide semiconductor layer, and an upper layer on the lower layer. The lower layer H/N ratio of hydrogen atoms to nitrogen atoms in the lower layer is 1.5 to 5.0. The upper layer H/N ratio of hydrogen atoms to nitrogen atoms in the upper layer is 0.9 to 2.0. The lower layer H/N ratio is larger than the upper layer H/N ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
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Patent number: 11107429Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an active matrix substrate (100) includes a display region (DR) defined by a plurality of pixel regions (P) arranged in a matrix and a peripheral region (FR) located around the display region. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate (1), a first TFT (10), and a second TFT (20). The first TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the peripheral region. The second TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the display region. The first TFT includes a crystalline silicon semiconductor layer (11), which is an active layer. The second TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer (21), which is an active layer. The first TFT and the second TFT each have a top-gate structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Toshikatsu Itoh, Masahiko Suzuki, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara, Setsuji Nishimiya, Tohru Daitoh
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Publication number: 20210249445Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines located closer to the substrate side; a lower insulating layer that covers the source bus lines; an interlayer insulating layer that covers the gate bus lines; a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs disposed in association with respective pixel regions; a pixel electrode disposed in each of the pixel regions; and a plurality of source contact portions each of which electrically connects one of the oxide semiconductor TFTs to the corresponding one of the source bus lines, in which each of the oxide semiconductor TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, a gate electrode disposed on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode formed of a conductive film, and each of the source contact portions includes a source contact hole, and a connection electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2021Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH
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Patent number: 11043599Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) includes a TFT (10) supported on a substrate (11), wherein the TFT (10) includes a gate electrode (12g), a gate insulating layer (14) that covers the gate electrode (12g), and an oxide semiconductor layer (16) that is formed on the gate insulating layer (14). The oxide semiconductor layer 16 has a layered structure including a first oxide semiconductor layer (16a) in contact with the gate insulating layer (14) and a second oxide semiconductor layer (16b) layered on the first oxide semiconductor layer (16a). The first oxide semiconductor layer (16a) and the second oxide semiconductor layer (16b) both include In, Ga and Zn; an In atomic ratio of the first oxide semiconductor layer (16a) is greater than a Zn atomic ratio thereof, and an In atomic ratio of the second oxide semiconductor layer (16b) is smaller than a Zn atomic ratio thereof; and the oxide semiconductor layer (16) has a side surface of a forward tapered shape.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2018Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Setsuji Nishimiya, Tohru Daitoh, Masahiko Suzuki, Kengo Hara, Hajime Imai, Toshikatsu Itoh, Hideki Kitagawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Teruyuki Ueda
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Publication number: 20210183899Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines, a lower insulating layer covering the source bus lines, a plurality of gate bus lines formed above the lower insulating layer, and an oxide semiconductor TFT disposed to correspond to each pixel area. The oxide semiconductor TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, and a gate electrode disposed above the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode is formed in a different layer from the gate bus lines, and is disposed to be separated from another gate electrode disposed in an adjacent pixel area. The gate electrode is covered by an interlayer insulating layer. The gate bus line is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and in a gate contact hole formed in the interlayer insulating layer, and is connected to the gate electrode in the gate contact hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2020Publication date: June 17, 2021Inventors: Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH, Teruyuki UEDA, Yoshihito HARA, Masaki MAEDA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Yoshiharu HIRATA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI
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Patent number: 11038001Abstract: An oxide semiconductor TFT (201) of an active matrix substrate includes an oxide semiconductor layer (107), an upper gate electrode (112) disposed on a part of the oxide semiconductor layer via a gate insulating layer, and a source electrode (113) and a drain electrode (114). As viewed from a normal direction of the substrate, the oxide semiconductor layer (107) includes a first portion (p1) that overlaps the upper gate electrode, and a second portion (p2) that is located between the first portion and the source contact region or drain contact region, such that the gate insulating layer does not cover the second portion. The upper gate electrode (112) has a multilayer structure including an alloy layer (112L) that is in contact with the gate insulating layer and a metal layer (112U) that is disposed on the alloy layer. The metal layer is made of a first metallic element M; the alloy layer is made of an alloy containing the first metallic element M; and the first metallic element M is Cu, Mo, or Cr.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Teruyuki Ueda, Hideki Kitagawa, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Toshikatsu Itoh, Kengo Hara
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Patent number: 11003123Abstract: A sheet housing apparatus including a housing unit, which houses a sheet to be discharged from a discharging opening of a printer, and a pair of housing-side feet disposed on both sides, in a width direction, of the sheet housing apparatus. The sheet housing apparatus can be combined with the printer. The printer includes a pair of body-side feet disposed on both sides, in the width direction, of the printer. In a state in which the sheet housing apparatus is combined with the printer, the body-side feet and the housing-side feet are arranged not to overlap with each other in the width direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiro Sugiyama, Yasuyuki Asai, Hiromasa Yoneyama, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Itaru Wada, Daiki Anayama
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Patent number: 10999492Abstract: A focus adjustment device, comprising a processor that, during rapid shooting of still pictures, displays an image or performs processing for storage as still picture data based on a pixel signal output as a result of the first imaging operation from the image sensor, generates focus adjustment data by performing focus detection based on a pixel signal output as a result of the second imaging operation, and executes focus control, wherein the processor computes focus movement amount based on the focus adjustment data, and if the focus movement amount is larger than a predetermined value, and focus control based on the focus movement amount and the first imaging operation are executed in parallel, prohibits processing for storage as a still picture on image data based on a pixel signal of the first imaging operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2020Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Tetsuo Kikuchi
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Patent number: 10989948Abstract: A method for manufacturing an active matrix substrate including a thin film transistor for each pixel, and a first electrode and a first wiring line for touchscreen panel function includes: forming a transparent electrically conductive film on an interlayer insulating layer and within a first contact hole; forming, on a portion of the transparent electrically conductive film, an upper wiring portion to become an upper layer of the first wiring line; patterning the transparent electrically conductive film to make a pixel electrode and form a lower wiring portion to become a lower layer of the first wiring line; forming a dielectric layer covering the pixel electrode and the first wiring line and having a second contact hole through which a portion of the first wiring line is exposed; and forming a common electrode which is electrically connected to the first wiring line within the second contact hole.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2019Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hikaru Yoshino, Junichi Morinaga, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Kengo Hara
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Patent number: 10967658Abstract: A printing apparatus and a sheet storage device meet a need for diversification in printing modes while reducing a load on a user. A printing apparatus includes a first holder which rotatably holds a roll sheet, a second holder which is located below the first holder and rotatably holds a roll sheet, a printing unit which performs printing on a shed reeled out of the first holder or the second holder, a discharge port which is provided above the first holder and discharges the sheet printed by the printing unit, and a receiving unit which is provided between the first holder and the second holder and is capable of establishing a first stab of receiving a front end portion of the sheet discharged from the discharge port and a second state of not receiving the front end portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromasa Yoneyama, Daiki Anayama, Yasuyuki Asai, Tetsuo Kikuchi
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Patent number: 10957268Abstract: An active-matrix substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of first TFTs that are arranged within a display area, an inorganic insulating layer that covers the plurality of first TFTs, an organic insulating layer that is provided on the inorganic insulating layer, a plurality of second TFTs that are arranged within a non-display area, and a source and gate metal connection portion that is positioned within the non-display area, a first conductive layer that is formed from an identical conductive film with a gate wiring line and a second conductive layer that is formed from an identical conductive film with a source wiring line being connected to each other at the source and gate metal connection portion. Each of the plurality of first TFTs is an oxide semiconductor TFT. At least one second TFT among the plurality of second TFTs is covered with the organic insulating layer. The source and gate metal connection portion is not covered with the organic insulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2017Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Takashi Terauchi, Shinya Ohira, Isao Ogasawara, Satoshi Horiuchi
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Patent number: 10928691Abstract: An active matrix substrate 10 includes: switching elements 120 that are connected with gate lines and data lines provided on a substrate; pixel electrodes 130 that are connected with the switching elements 120; counter electrodes 140 that overlap with the pixel electrodes 130 when viewed in a plan view; a flattening film 154; and lines 142. The flattening film 154 covers the switching elements 120, and first contact holes CH1 that pass through the flattening film 154 are formed at positions that overlap with the lines 142 when viewed in a plan view. The pixel electrodes 130 and the counter electrodes 140 are arranged so that each of the same partially covers the flattening film 154. The line 142 and the counter electrode 140 are connected with each other in the first contact hole CH1.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Setsuji Nishimiya, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Teruyuki Ueda, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata
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Publication number: 20210036158Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) includes a TFT (10) supported on a substrate (11), wherein the TFT (10) includes a gate electrode (12g), a gate insulating layer (14) that covers the gate electrode (12g), and an oxide semiconductor layer (16) that is formed on the gate insulating layer (14). The oxide semiconductor layer 16 has a layered structure including a first oxide semiconductor layer (16a) in contact with the gate insulating layer (14) and a second oxide semiconductor layer (16b) layered on the first oxide semiconductor layer (16a). The first oxide semiconductor layer (16a) and the second oxide semiconductor layer (16b) both include In, Ga and Zn; an In atomic ratio of the first oxide semiconductor layer (16a) is greater than a Zn atomic ratio thereof, and an In atomic ratio of the second oxide semi-conductor layer (16b) is smaller than a Zn atomic ratio thereof; and the oxide semiconductor layer (16) has a side surface of a forward tapered shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2018Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tohru DAITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI, Kengo HARA, Hajime IMAI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Hideki KITAGAWA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Teruyuki UEDA
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Patent number: 10906764Abstract: A printing apparatus is capable of preventing a sheet discharged from a discharge unit from entering a feeding unit while guiding the sheet properly to a storage unit located below the feeding unit. The printing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store a sheet discharged from a discharge unit and a guide unit configured to guide the sheet discharged from the discharge unit to the storage unit. The guide unit has a turning unit which prevents the sheet discharged from the discharge unit from entering a feeding unit and which turns when the sheet comes into contact with the turning unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromasa Yoneyama, Yasuyuki Asai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Itaru Wada, Daiki Anayama