Patents by Inventor TOSHIAKI HIRAOKA

TOSHIAKI HIRAOKA 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: 9019142
    Abstract: In a solid-state imaging device which includes column analog-to-digital conversion circuits (ADCs) for converting pixel signals output from pixels into digital signals, each of the column ADCs includes a comparator which outputs a result of voltage comparison (comparison result signal) between the voltage of the pixel signal and an analog ramp voltage; a column counter which counts a column counter clock signal, which is either a clock signal or a phase-shifted clock signal, and stores a value represented by upper bits of a count value at a time of change in the comparison result signal; and a first latch unit which stores a value represented by lower bits of the count value. A second latch unit stores the value stored in the first latch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Hiraoka, Kenichi Shimomura, Yutaka Abe, Yusuke Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8502889
    Abstract: A solid-state image capturing device includes: a pixel array including a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed pixels; a row scanning circuit that performs row scanning to sequentially select a row; a column ADC circuit that simultaneously converts analog pixel signals output from the plurality of pixels belonging to a row selected by the row scanning circuit into pieces of digital pixel data; a column digital memory that stores pixel data of one row therein; and a one-line compression circuit that sequentially performs compression coding to pixel data output from the column digital memory. In the solid-state image capturing device, when performing the compression coding to the pixel data, the one-line compression circuit refers to pixel data belonging to a row identical to that of the pixel data in question while not referring to pixel data belonging to a row different from that of the pixel data in question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Hiraoka, Kenichi Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20120147209
    Abstract: A solid-state image capturing device includes: a pixel array including a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed pixels; a row scanning circuit that performs row scanning to sequentially select a row; a column ADC circuit that simultaneously converts analog pixel signals output from the plurality of pixels belonging to a row selected by the row scanning circuit into pieces of digital pixel data; a column digital memory that stores pixel data of one row therein; and a one-line compression circuit that sequentially performs compression coding to pixel data output from the column digital memory. In the solid-state image capturing device, when performing the compression coding to the pixel data, the one-line compression circuit refers to pixel data belonging to a row identical to that of the pixel data in question while not referring to pixel data belonging to a row different from that of the pixel data in question.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: TOSHIAKI HIRAOKA, KENICHI SHIMOMURA