Patents by Inventor Yasushi Iwakura
Yasushi Iwakura 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: 11716550Abstract: An imaging arrangement comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing arrangement. A first and a second line of the matrix each comprise a light-receiving pixel and a reference pixel, the light-receiving pixels each receive incident light and output a light signal based on the incident light, and each reference pixel outputs a pixel signal for forming an address signal. The processing arrangement provides a first address signal and a second address signal, wherein: the first address signal indicates the position of the first line and comprises a signal value based on the pixel signal from the first line; and the second address signal indicates the position of the second line and comprises a signal value based on the pixel signal from the second line; and the signal value of the first address signal is different to the signal value of the second address signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noriyuki Shikina, Kentaro Tsukida, Yasushi Iwakura, Yoichi Wada
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Patent number: 11652983Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel that outputs a pixel signal of an analog signal, a readout unit that converts the pixel signal into a digital signal to generate a digital pixel signal, a memory unit that stores the digital pixel signal, and a first inspection signal output unit that outputs a first inspection signal to the memory unit such that the memory unit stores the first inspection signal. The first inspection signal stored in the memory unit is output from the memory unit in a period after output of the digital pixel signal of a frame ends and before output of the digital pixel signal of a next frame starts.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2022Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shoji Kono, Tetsuya Itano, Yasushi Iwakura
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Publication number: 20220279160Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel that outputs a pixel signal of an analog signal, a readout unit that converts the pixel signal into a digital signal to generate a digital pixel signal, a memory unit that stores the digital pixel signal, and a first inspection signal output unit that outputs a first inspection signal to the memory unit such that the memory unit stores the first inspection signal. The first inspection signal stored in the memory unit is output from the memory unit in a period after output of the digital pixel signal of a frame ends and before output of the digital pixel signal of a next frame starts.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2022Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventors: Shoji Kono, Tetsuya Itano, Yasushi Iwakura
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Patent number: 11189649Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus, comprising: a photoelectric conversion unit; a charge accumulation unit configured to accumulate charges generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; and a transfer transistor configured to connect the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge accumulation unit to each other and to perform a transfer operation of a charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the charge accumulation unit, wherein the photoelectric conversion apparatus outputs: a first signal obtained by performing an on-off operation of the transfer transistor a plurality of times in a state where the charge accumulation unit is accumulating charges; and a second signal obtained by performing an on-off operation of the transfer transistor a plurality of times in a state where the charge accumulation unit is not accumulating charges.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasushi Iwakura, Tomoya Onishi
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Patent number: 11159759Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a first detection pixel and a second detection pixel, each of the first detection pixel and the second detection pixel including a transfer transistor and an amplifier transistor connected to the transfer transistor via a first node, a voltage supply unit that supplies a predetermined voltage, and a connection switch connected between the voltage supply unit and a second node at which the transfer transistor of the first detection pixel and the transfer transistor of the second detection pixel are connected.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hisashi Takado, Yasushi Iwakura, Tetsuya Itano
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Patent number: 11115601Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a first acquisition unit for acquiring a visible-light image signal representing a visible-ray image which comes into focus at a first distance and an infrared image signal representing an infrared-ray image which comes into focus at a second distance that is shorter than the first distance and an infrared-ray image which comes into focus at a third distance that is longer than the first distance; a second acquisition unit for acquiring first brightness information, hue information, and saturation information from the visible-light image signal and at least second brightness information from the infrared image signal; a third acquisition unit for acquiring third brightness information based on edge information obtained from the first brightness information and edge information obtained from the second brightness information; and a generation unit for generating a second visible-light image using the third brightness information, the hue information, and the saturation iType: GrantFiled: June 3, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yasushi Iwakura
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Patent number: 10948288Abstract: At least one image pickup system that acquires distance information and prevents missing, or loss of, information while taking countermeasures against flicker, includes a first image pickup apparatus, a second image pickup apparatus, and a signal processing unit configured to process signals acquired from the first image pickup apparatus and the second image pickup apparatus. An exposure period of the first image pickup apparatus and an exposure period of the second image pickup apparatus are repeated a plurality of times in one frame. The exposure period of the first image pickup apparatus is overlapped with a non-exposure period of the second image pickup apparatus, and a non-exposure period of the first image pickup apparatus is overlapped with the exposure period of the second image pickup apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2017Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasushi Iwakura, Tomoya Onishi
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Patent number: 10771775Abstract: An imaging device comprising a plurality of pixels and a processing unit. The plurality of pixels includes (i) a light-receiving pixel arranged to receive incident light and output a light signal based on the incident light, and (ii) a reference pixel arranged to output a pixel signal for configuring a failure detection signal. The processing unit is arranged to determine whether or not the failure detection signal is correct based on abnormality information indicating the abnormality of the reference pixel.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinya Igarashi, Noriyuki Shikina, Yasushi Iwakura, Yoichi Wada
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Publication number: 20200280690Abstract: A charge generated in a single photoelectric conversion unit during a certain period is stored in a first charge storing unit, and a charge generated in the single photoelectric conversion unit during a different period is stored in a second charge storing unit, and then a third transferring unit is set to on-state to transfer the charge to a floating diffusion, and then, in a state where the charge transferred to the floating diffusion is stored, a fourth transferring unit is set to on-state.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2020Publication date: September 3, 2020Inventors: Hisashi Takado, Noriyuki Kaifu, Yasushi Iwakura, Masaaki Minowa, Takeshi Akiyama, Toshiki Tsuboi
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Publication number: 20200236348Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel that outputs a pixel signal of an analog signal, a readout unit that converts the pixel signal into a digital signal to generate a digital pixel signal, a memory unit that stores the digital pixel signal, and a first inspection signal output unit that outputs a first inspection signal to the memory unit such that the memory unit stores the first inspection signal. The first inspection signal stored in the memory unit is output from the memory unit in a period after output of the digital pixel signal of a frame ends and before output of the digital pixel signal of a next frame starts.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Shoji Kono, Tetsuya Itano, Yasushi Iwakura
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Publication number: 20200228741Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a first detection pixel and a second detection pixel, each of the first detection pixel and the second detection pixel including a transfer transistor and an amplifier transistor connected to the transfer transistor via a first node, a voltage supply unit that supplies a predetermined voltage, and a connection switch connected between the voltage supply unit and a second node at which the transfer transistor of the first detection pixel and the transfer transistor of the second detection pixel are connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Hisashi Takado, Yasushi Iwakura, Tetsuya Itano
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Publication number: 20200185435Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus, comprising: a photoelectric conversion unit; a charge accumulation unit configured to accumulate charges generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; and a transfer transistor configured to connect the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge accumulation unit to each other and to perform a transfer operation of a charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the charge accumulation unit, wherein the photoelectric conversion apparatus outputs: a first signal obtained by performing an on-off operation of the transfer transistor a plurality of times in a state where the charge accumulation unit is accumulating charges; and a second signal obtained by performing an on-off operation of the transfer transistor a plurality of times in a state where the charge accumulation unit is not accumulating charges.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2019Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Yasushi Iwakura, Tomoya Onishi
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Patent number: 10652531Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel that outputs a pixel signal of an analog signal, a readout unit that converts the pixel signal into a digital signal to generate a digital pixel signal, a memory unit that stores the digital pixel signal, and a first inspection signal output unit that outputs a first inspection signal to the memory unit such that the memory unit stores the first inspection signal. The first inspection signal stored in the memory unit is output from the memory unit in a period after output of the digital pixel signal of a frame ends and before output of the digital pixel signal of a next frame starts.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shoji Kono, Tetsuya Itano, Yasushi Iwakura
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Patent number: 10645325Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a first detection pixel and a second detection pixel, each of the first detection pixel and the second detection pixel including a transfer transistor and an amplifier transistor connected to the transfer transistor via a first node, a voltage supply unit that supplies a predetermined voltage, and a connection switch connected between the voltage supply unit and a second node at which the transfer transistor of the first detection pixel and the transfer transistor of the second detection pixel are connected.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hisashi Takado, Yasushi Iwakura, Tetsuya Itano
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Publication number: 20200120297Abstract: An imaging arrangement comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing arrangement. A first and a second line of the matrix each comprise a light-receiving pixel and a reference pixel, the light-receiving pixels each receive incident light and output a light signal based on the incident light, and each reference pixel outputs a pixel signal for forming an address signal. The processing arrangement provides a first address signal and a second address signal, wherein: the first address signal indicates the position of the first line and comprises a signal value based on the pixel signal from the first line; and the second address signal indicates the position of the second line and comprises a signal value based on the pixel signal from the second line; and the signal value of the first address signal is different to the signal value of the second address signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Inventors: Noriyuki Shikina, Kentaro Tsukida, Yasushi Iwakura, Yoichi Wada
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Patent number: 10609243Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged on a substrate, a temperature signal output unit arranged on the substrate and configured to output a temperature signal representing a temperature, and a reference signal output unit arranged on the substrate and configured to output a reference signal used to correct the temperature signal. The temperature signal output unit and the reference signal output unit are arranged in regions different from each other on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2017Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kei Ochiai, Takahiro Shirai, Tetsuya Itano, Yasushi Iwakura
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Patent number: 10547803Abstract: An imaging arrangement comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing arrangement. A first and a second line of the matrix each comprise a light-receiving pixel and a reference pixel, the light-receiving pixels each receive incident light and output a light signal based on the incident light, and each reference pixel outputs a pixel signal for forming an address signal. The processing arrangement provides a first address signal and a second address signal, wherein: the first address signal indicates the position of the first line and comprises a signal value based on the pixel signal from the first line; and the second address signal indicates the position of the second line and comprises a signal value based on the pixel signal from the second line; and the signal value of the first address signal is different to the signal value of the second address signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noriyuki Shikina, Kentaro Tsukida, Yasushi Iwakura, Yoichi Wada
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Publication number: 20190387150Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a first acquisition unit for acquiring a visible-light image signal representing a visible-ray image which comes into focus at a first distance and an infrared image signal representing an infrared-ray image which comes into focus at a second distance that is shorter than the first distance and an infrared-ray image which comes into focus at a third distance that is longer than the first distance; a second acquisition unit for acquiring first brightness information, hue information, and saturation information from the visible-light image signal and at least second brightness information from the infrared image signal; a third acquisition unit for acquiring third brightness information based on edge information obtained from the first brightness information and edge information obtained from the second brightness information; and a generation unit for generating a second visible-light image using the third brightness information, the hue information, and the saturation iType: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventor: Yasushi Iwakura
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Patent number: 10368041Abstract: An imaging device has: a pixel unit including a first pixel and second pixels arranged around the first pixel and adapted to provide more brightness information than is provided by the first pixel; a directional property determination unit that determines a direction of an intensity distribution based on differences of the values of the second pixels; a correlation value calculation unit that calculates a correlation value of the values of the second pixels; and an interpolation processing unit that, when the correlation value is greater than a threshold based on a noise signal intensity in the values of the second pixels, interpolates a value of the first pixel that is based on the direction of the intensity distribution from the values of the second pixels and, otherwise, interpolates the value of the first pixel from the values of the second pixels without depending on the direction of the intensity distribution.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2017Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasushi Iwakura, Fujio Kawano
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Publication number: 20180278865Abstract: A charge generated in a single photoelectric conversion unit during a certain period is stored in a first charge storing unit, and a charge generated in the single photoelectric conversion unit during a different period is stored in a second charge storing unit, and then a third transferring unit is set to on-state to transfer the charge to a floating diffusion, and then, in a state where the charge transferred to the floating diffusion is stored, a fourth transferring unit is set to on-state.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Hisashi Takado, Noriyuki Kaifu, Yasushi Iwakura, Masaaki Minowa, Takeshi Akiyama, Toshiki Tsuboi