Patents by Inventor Wataru FUNAMIZU

Wataru FUNAMIZU 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).

  • Publication number: 20230396894
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 11812172
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Patent number: 11800252
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20230292018
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first readout circuit that reads out a first signal, being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion, to a first signal line; a first holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and a first electric current source that supplies the first signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the first holding circuit, wherein: the first holding circuit holds the voltage based on the electric current from the power supply circuit when the first signal is not read out to the first signal line by the first readout circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 11758301
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20230239591
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a pixel that generates a pixel signal based upon incident light having entered therein; and a generation unit that includes a first input unit to which the pixel signal is input, a second input unit to which a first reference signal with a shifting voltage is input, and an output unit that outputs an output signal generated based upon the pixel signal and the first reference signal, wherein: the generation unit further includes a first capacitance disposed between the first input unit and the output unit, a second capacitance disposed between the second input unit and the output unit, and a third capacitance connected to either one of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Yojiro TEZUKA, Masahiro JUEN
  • Patent number: 11696047
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first readout circuit that reads out a first signal, being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion, to a first signal line; a first holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and a first electric current source that supplies the first signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the first holding circuit, wherein: the first holding circuit holds the voltage based on the electric current from the power supply circuit when the first signal is not read out to the first signal line by the first readout circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20220328543
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels each including: a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit that perform photoelectric conversion upon light that has passed through a micro lens and generates a charge; a first accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the first conversion unit; a second accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the second conversion unit; a third accumulation unit that accumulates the charges generated by the first and second conversion units; a first transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the first conversion unit to the first accumulation unit; a second transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the second conversion unit to the second accumulation unit; and a third transfer unit that transfers the charges generated by the first and second conversion units to the third accumulation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sota NAKANISHI, Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN
  • Patent number: 11387267
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels each including: a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit that perform photoelectric conversion upon light that has passed through a micro lens and generates a charge; a first accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the first conversion unit; a second accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the second conversion unit; a third accumulation unit that accumulates the charges generated by the first and second conversion units; a first transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the first conversion unit to the first accumulation unit; a second transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the second conversion unit to the second accumulation unit; and a third transfer unit that transfers the charges generated by the first and second conversion units to the third accumulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sota Nakanishi, Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen
  • Publication number: 20220210356
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20210314506
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first readout circuit that reads out a first signal, being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion, to a first signal line; a first holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and a first electric current source that supplies the first signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the first holding circuit, wherein: the first holding circuit holds the voltage based on the electric current from the power supply circuit when the first signal is not read out to the first signal line by the first readout circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 11057578
    Abstract: An image-capturing device allowing skew reduction, and an image-capturing system allowing skew reduction are provided. An image-capturing device is provided, including a plurality of photoelectric converting units; and a plurality of light-receiving units that are arranged corresponding to a plurality of blocks each constituted by one or more photoelectric converting units, and receive drive light instructing driving of the photoelectric converting units to output a drive signal to a corresponding photoelectric converting unit among the photoelectric converting units. In addition, an image-capturing system is provided, including the image-capturing device; and a light-emitting unit that is spaced apart from the plurality of light-receiving units, and emits the drive light to the plurality of light-receiving units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Juen, Toru Takagi, Osamu Saruwatari, Wataru Funamizu, Sota Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20210185253
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a pixel that generates a pixel signal based upon incident light having entered therein; and a generation unit that includes a first input unit to which the pixel signal is input, a second input unit to which a first reference signal with a shifting voltage is input, and an output unit that outputs an output signal generated based upon the pixel signal and the first reference signal, wherein: the generation unit further includes a first capacitance disposed between the first input unit and the output unit, a second capacitance disposed between the second input unit and the output unit, and a third capacitance connected to either one of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Yojiro TEZUKA, Masahiro JUEN
  • Patent number: 11012644
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first readout circuit that reads out a first signal, being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion, to a first signal line; a first holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and a first electric current source that supplies the first signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the first holding circuit, wherein: the first holding circuit holds the voltage based on the electric current from the power supply circuit when the first signal is not read out to the first signal line by the first readout circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20210104562
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels each including: a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit that perform photoelectric conversion upon light that has passed through a micro lens and generates a charge; a first accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the first conversion unit; a second accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the second conversion unit; a third accumulation unit that accumulates the charges generated by the first and second conversion units; a first transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the first conversion unit to the first accumulation unit; a second transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the second conversion unit to the second accumulation unit; and a third transfer unit that transfers the charges generated by the first and second conversion units to the third accumulation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sota NAKANISHI, Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN
  • Patent number: 10965892
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first readout circuit that reads out a first signal, being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion, to a first signal line; a first holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and a first electric current source that supplies the first signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the first holding circuit, wherein: the first holding circuit holds the voltage based on the electric current from the power supply circuit when the first signal is not read out to the first signal line by the first readout circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Patent number: 10742920
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a storage circuit including an analog/digital converter that converts a first voltage signal based on an electric current from a first power supply circuit into a digital signal and a first storage unit that stores the first voltage signal converted into a digital signal by the analog/digital converter; and a first electric current source that supplies the signal line with an electric current generated by the first voltage signal stored in the first storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Komai, Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen
  • Patent number: 10708518
    Abstract: There is a demand for increasing the dynamic range of an imaging unit. Provided is an imaging unit comprising a pixel section that outputs a pixel signal corresponding to a reset potential after a reset and a signal potential after charge accumulation; an amplifying section that amplifies the pixel signal with a first amplification ratio or a second amplification ratio that is different from the first amplification ratio; and a control section that causes the amplifying section to amplify the pixel signal corresponding to a change from the reset potential to the signal potential with the first amplification ratio, and then causes the amplifying section to amplify the pixel signal corresponding to a change from the signal potential to the reset potential with the second amplification ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru Funamizu
  • Patent number: 10554916
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Funamizu, Masahiro Juen, Atsushi Komai
  • Publication number: 20200036921
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru FUNAMIZU, Masahiro JUEN, Atsushi KOMAI