Patents by Inventor Yasuji Ikeda

Yasuji Ikeda 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: 20240111033
    Abstract: A photodetection device according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of light-receiving sections that each generates a pulse signal including a pulse corresponding to a result of light reception, a plurality of edge detectors that each generates a detection signal by detecting an edge of the pulse in the pulse signal generated by a corresponding light-receiving section, and an adder that generates a detection value indicating number of the pulses on the basis of a plurality of the detection signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventor: YASUJI IKEDA
  • Patent number: 10971539
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photon detector that operates in a Geiger mode and outputs an output signal in accordance with incidence of a photon, a quench element that causes the photon detector to transition to a non-Geiger mode in accordance with the output signal, a control unit that, when the photon detector transitions from a Geiger mode to a non-Geiger mode, switches the quench element from a detection mode, in which the quench element is in a relatively low resistance state and the photon detector detects a photon, to a hold mode, in which the quench element is in a relatively high resistance state and holds the output signal, and a signal processing circuit that performs a predetermined process on the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Maehashi, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10879282
    Abstract: An imaging sensor according to an exemplary embodiment includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit arranged on the first semiconductor substrate, a plurality of transfer units arranged on the first semiconductor substrate and configured to transfer charges generated in the photoelectric conversion unit or signals based on the charges via a plurality of mutually parallel paths respectively, and a plurality of signal holding units connected to the plurality of transfer units respectively, and a plurality of lines that are arranged between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate, each of the plurality of lines connecting a corresponding one of the plurality of transfer units to a corresponding one of the plurality of signal holding units in one pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10750103
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device including row drive unit having a first storage unit that stores and outputs a first signal for a readout from the pixels on an associated row, a second storage unit that stores and outputs a second signal for an operation for causing the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row to be reset to a charge accumulation state, and a third storage unit that stores and outputs a third signal for maintaining the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row in a charge accumulation state or a reset state based on the first signal output from the first storage unit and the second signal output from the second storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Takenaka, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20190305030
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photon detector that operates in a Geiger mode and outputs an output signal in accordance with incidence of a photon, a quench element that causes the photon detector to transition to a non-Geiger mode in accordance with the output signal, a control unit that, when the photon detector transitions from a Geiger mode to a non-Geiger mode, switches the quench element from a detection mode, in which the quench element is in a relatively low resistance state and the photon detector detects a photon, to a hold mode, in which the quench element is in a relatively high resistance state and holds the output signal, and a signal processing circuit that performs a predetermined process on the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Yu Maehashi, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10432878
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a first holding circuit, a second holding circuit, and a calculator. The first holding circuit is configured to hold and output a logical value based on a logical value supplied from an address decoder. The second holding circuit is configured to hold and output a logical value based on the logical value output from the first holding circuit. The calculator is configured to receive the logical values supplied from the first and second holding circuits and perform a logical operation for generating a driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Takenaka, Daisuke Yoshida, Noriyuki Shikina, Yasuji Ikeda, Hidetoshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20190215469
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device including row drive unit having a first storage unit that stores and outputs a first signal for a readout from the pixels on an associated row, a second storage unit that stores and outputs a second signal for an operation for causing the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row to be reset to a charge accumulation state, and a third storage unit that stores and outputs a third signal for maintaining the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row in a charge accumulation state or a reset state based on the first signal output from the first storage unit and the second signal output from the second storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Shintaro Takenaka, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10277839
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device including row drive unit having a first storage unit that stores and outputs a first signal for a readout from the pixels on an associated row, a second storage unit that stores and outputs a second signal for an operation for causing the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row to be reset to a charge accumulation state, and a third storage unit that stores and outputs a third signal for maintaining the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row in a charge accumulation state or a reset state based on the first signal output from the first storage unit and the second signal output from the second storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Takenaka, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20190006403
    Abstract: An imaging sensor according to an exemplary embodiment includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit arranged on the first semiconductor substrate, a plurality of transfer units arranged on the first semiconductor substrate and configured to transfer charges generated in the photoelectric conversion unit or signals based on the charges via a plurality of mutually parallel paths respectively, and a plurality of signal holding units connected to the plurality of transfer units respectively, and a plurality of lines that are arranged between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate, each of the plurality of lines connecting a corresponding one of the plurality of transfer units to a corresponding one of the plurality of signal holding units in one pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10122954
    Abstract: In a photoelectric conversion apparatus, the number of differential transistors in which ON states thereof overlap with one another is increased when the number of the amplification transistors in which ON states thereof overlap with one another is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Ohshitanai, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10115754
    Abstract: Provided is an image pickup device in which intervals at which well contacts are arranged are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10009561
    Abstract: In a period in which a pixel signal of another pixel is read out from the pixel, a transistor connected to a floating diffusion region of a pixel not performing reading out of a pixel signal from the pixel is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Hiyama, Hiroaki Kameyama, Yasuji Ikeda, Kazuhiro Sonoda, Hideo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9979913
    Abstract: A driving method of an imaging device, and a driving method of an imaging system set the number of unit cells based on signals output from a plurality of unit cells in a phase difference detection area within an imaging area to a number larger than the number of unit cells based on signals output from a plurality of unit cells in a range other than the phase difference detection area within the imaging area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9942497
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus and an imaging system which can reduce the occurrence of darkening and decrease deterioration in CDS performance are provided. The solid-state imaging apparatus has: a pixel unit including a photoelectric conversion unit for generating a signal by a photoelectric conversion; an amplifier unit for amplifying the signal generated by the photoelectric conversion unit; and a limiting circuit for limiting a level of an output signal from the amplifier unit. The pixel unit outputs a noise signal under a reset state during a first period and outputs a pixel signal under a non-reset state during a second period. The limiting circuit limits the level of the output signal from the amplifier unit in the first period, lower than the level of the output signal from the amplifier unit in the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuji Ikeda, Hiroki Hiyama
  • Publication number: 20180007287
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a first holding circuit, a second holding circuit, and a calculator. The first holding circuit is configured to hold and output a logical value based on a logical value supplied from an address decoder. The second holding circuit is configured to hold and output a logical value based on the logical value output from the first holding circuit. The calculator is configured to receive the logical values supplied from the first and second holding circuits and perform a logical operation for generating a driving signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Shintaro Takenaka, Daisuke Yoshida, Noriyuki Shikina, Yasuji Ikeda, Hidetoshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20170243905
    Abstract: Provided is an image pickup device in which intervals at which well contacts are arranged are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20170237912
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device including row drive unit having a first storage unit that stores and outputs a first signal for a readout from the pixels on an associated row, a second storage unit that stores and outputs a second signal for an operation for causing the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row to be reset to a charge accumulation state, and a third storage unit that stores and outputs a third signal for maintaining the photoelectric conversion element on an associated row in a charge accumulation state or a reset state based on the first signal output from the first storage unit and the second signal output from the second storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Shintaro Takenaka, Yasuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20170150075
    Abstract: In a period in which a pixel signal of another pixel is read out from the pixel, a transistor connected to a floating diffusion region of a pixel not performing reading out of a pixel signal from the pixel is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki Hiyama, Hiroaki Kameyama, Yasuji Ikeda, Kazuhiro Sonoda, Hideo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20170078601
    Abstract: A driving method of an imaging device, and a driving method of an imaging system set the number of unit cells based on signals output from a plurality of unit cells in a phase difference detection area within an imaging area to a number larger than the number of unit cells based on signals output from a plurality of unit cells in a range other than the phase difference detection area within the imaging area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9560302
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a pixel configured to generate a signal through photoelectric conversion; a comparator configured to compare a signal generated by the pixel with a first reference signal that changes with time; and a control unit configured to change the rate of change of the first reference signal with respect to time according to a comparison result of the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohichi Nakamura, Yasuji Ikeda