Patents by Inventor Yoshikazu Nitta
Yoshikazu Nitta 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: 11902696Abstract: An imaging device includes a first structure 20, and a second structure 40, in which the first structure 20 includes a first substrate 21, a temperature detection element which is formed on the first substrate 21 and detects a temperature on the basis of an infrared ray, a signal line 71, and a drive line 72, the second structure 40 includes a second substrate 41, and a drive circuit provided on the second substrate 41 and covered with a covering layer 43, the first substrate 21 and a second electrode 41 are stacked, the signal line 71 is electrically connected with the drive circuit via a signal line connection portion 100, the drive line is electrically connected with the drive circuit via a drive line connection portion, and the signal line connection portion 100 includes a first signal line connection portion 102 formed in the first structure 20 and a second signal line connection portion 106 formed in the second structure 40.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Hajime Hosaka, Kenichi Okumura, Yoshikazu Nitta
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Patent number: 11653122Abstract: A solid-state image capturing element includes a pair of first floating diffusion layers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction and a pair of second floating diffusion layers arranged in the perpendicular direction and adjacent to the pair of first floating diffusion layers in the predetermined direction. The element includes a first connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected first floating diffusion layer to a predetermined first wire; a second connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of second floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected second floating diffusion layer to the first wire; and an output circuit configured to output a signal according to an amount of charge of at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers or the pair of second floating diffusion layers.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Katsuhiko Hanzawa, Yoshikazu Nitta, Hirotaka Murakami, Kazumasa Nishimura, Pude Mark, Christopher Moule Eric
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Patent number: 11438541Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first temperature detection element 16 that detects temperature on the basis of infrared rays; a second temperature detection element 17 for temperature reference; and a drive circuit 10A including a switch circuit 101 including a butterfly switch circuit, a first current source 82A, a second current source 82B, a differential circuit 83, and an analog-digital conversion circuit 84. The first temperature detection element 16 and the second temperature detection element 17 are connected to a first input end 101A and a second input end 101B of the switch circuit. A first output end 101C and the first current source 82A are connected to a first input end 83A of the differential amplifier. A second output end 101D of the switch circuit and the second current source 82B are connected to a second input end 83B of the differential amplifier. An output end 83C of the differential amplifier is connected to an input portion of the analog-digital conversion circuit 84.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Hajime Hosaka, Yoshikazu Nitta, Kenichi Okumura
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Patent number: 11405574Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first temperature detection element 16 that detects temperature on the basis of infrared rays; a second temperature detection element 17 for temperature reference; and a drive circuit 10A including a switch circuit 101 including a butterfly switch circuit, a first current source 82A, a second current source 82B, a differential circuit 83, and an analog-digital conversion circuit 84. The first temperature detection element 16 and the second temperature detection element 17 are connected to a first input end 101A and a second input end 101B of the switch circuit. A first output end 101C and the first current source 82A are connected to a first input end 83A of the differential amplifier. A second output end 101D of the switch circuit and the second current source 82B are connected to a second input end 83B of the differential amplifier. An output end 83C of the differential amplifier is connected to an input portion of the analog-digital conversion circuit 84.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Hajime Hosaka, Yoshikazu Nitta, Kenichi Okumura
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Publication number: 20210364360Abstract: A temperature detecting element 15 includes: a light-collecting portion constituted by a first light-collecting portion 101 to which infrared light is incident and a second light-collecting portion 102 to which infrared light having been exited from the first light-collecting portion 101 is incident; and a sensor portion 16 to which infrared light having been exited from the second light-collecting portion 101 is incident, wherein at least one of the first light-collecting portion 101 and the second light-collecting portion 102 is provided on a base 100 that covers the temperature detecting element 15.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2019Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: HAJIME HOSAKA, YOSHIKAZU NITTA, KENICHI OKUMURA
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Publication number: 20210289156Abstract: A solid-state image capturing element includes: a pair of first floating diffusion layers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction; a pair of second floating diffusion layers arranged in the perpendicular direction and adjacent to the pair of first floating diffusion layers in the predetermined direction; a first connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected first floating diffusion layer to a predetermined first wire; a second connection circuit configured to select at least one of the pair of second floating diffusion layers and to connect the selected second floating diffusion layer to the first wire; and an output circuit configured to output a signal according to an amount of charge of at least one of the pair of first floating diffusion layers or the pair of second floating diffusion layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2020Publication date: September 16, 2021Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Katsuhiko Hanzawa, Yoshikazu Nitta, Hirotaka Murakami, Kazumasa Nishimura, Pude Mark, Christopher Moule Eric
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Patent number: 11118961Abstract: An imaging apparatus is configured of a first structure 20 and a second structure 40, in which the first structure 20 includes a first substrate 21, a plurality of temperature detection devices 15 formed on the first substrate 21 and configured to detect a temperature on the basis of an infrared ray, drive lines 72, and signal lines 71, the second structure 40 includes a second substrate 41, and a drive circuit provided on the second substrate 41 and covered with a covering layer 43, the first substrate 21 is bonded to the covering layer 43, a cavity 50 is provided between each temperature detection device 15 and the covering layer 43, and the drive lines 72 and the signal lines 71 are electrically connected to the drive circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Hajime Hosaka, Yoshikazu Nitta, Kenichi Okumura, Shunichi Sukegawa
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Publication number: 20210265415Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of temperature detection element units and a plurality of infrared absorption layer units arranged along a first direction and a second direction, in which: each of the temperature detection element units includes a first temperature detection element 21 and a second temperature detection element 22 adjacent to each other along the first direction; each of the infrared absorption layer units includes a first infrared absorption layer 41 and a second infrared absorption layer 42 adjacent to each other along the second direction; the first infrared absorption layer 41 is arranged above a first A region 211 and a second A region 221 and is thermally connected to the first temperature detection element 21; and the second infrared absorption layer 42 is arranged above a first B region 212 and a second B region 222 and is thermally connected to the second temperature detection element 22.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2019Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: KENICHI OKUMURA, HAJIME HOSAKA, YOSHIKAZU NITTA
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Publication number: 20210160439Abstract: An imaging device includes a first structure 20, and a second structure 40, in which the first structure 20 includes a first substrate 21, a temperature detection element which is formed on the first substrate 21 and detects a temperature on the basis of an infrared ray, a signal line 71, and a drive line 72, the second structure 40 includes a second substrate 41, and a drive circuit provided on the second substrate 41 and covered with a covering layer 43, the first substrate 21 and a second electrode 41 are stacked, the signal line 71 is electrically connected with the drive circuit via a signal line connection portion 100, the drive line is electrically connected with the drive circuit via a drive line connection portion, and the signal line connection portion 100 includes a first signal line connection portion 102 formed in the first structure 20 and a second signal line connection portion 106 formed in the second structure 40.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: May 27, 2021Inventors: HAJIME HOSAKA, KENICHI OKUMURA, YOSHIKAZU NITTA
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Patent number: 10924698Abstract: A solid-state imaging element including pixel signal read lines, and a pixel signal reading unit for reading pixel signals from a pixel unit via the pixel signal read line. The pixel unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element. In the pixel unit, a shared pixel in which an output node is shared among a plurality of pixels is formed, and a pixel signal of each pixel in the shared pixel is capable of being selectively output from the shared output node to a corresponding one of the pixel signal read lines. The pixel signal reading unit sets a bias voltage for a load element which is connected to the pixel signal read line and in which current dependent on a bias voltage flows in the load element, to a voltage causing a current value to be higher than current upon a reference bias voltage when there is no difference between added charge amounts, when addition of pixel signals of the respective pixels in the shared pixel is driven.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yuichi Kato, Yoshikazu Nitta, Noriyuki Fukushima, Takashi Suenaga, Toshiyuki Sugita
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Patent number: 10880503Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup device that is adapted to enable the light exposure time to be shortened, and an image pickup method, and an electronic apparatus. One pixel and the other pixel differ in the timing in which light exposure is started and in the timing in which the light exposure is ended. During the light exposure time of the one pixel, active light starts light emission, and completes the light emission. For example, before or after the light emission of the active light, the one pixel starts light exposure, and ends the light exposure. The other pixel starts light exposure in the timing in which the time Ta1 has passed after the active light starts light emission (the time Ta2 until the end of irradiation remains), and ends the light exposure after the light exposure of the one pixel ends. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image pickup device that performs image pickup by using active light.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Katsuhiko Hanzawa, Yoshikazu Nitta, Hayato Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20200336686Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first temperature detection element 16 that detects temperature on the basis of infrared rays; a second temperature detection element 17 for temperature reference; and a drive circuit 10A including a switch circuit 101 including a butterfly switch circuit, a first current source 82A, a second current source 82B, a differential circuit 83, and an analog-digital conversion circuit 84. The first temperature detection element 16 and the second temperature detection element 17 are connected to a first input end 101A and a second input end 101B of the switch circuit. A first output end 101C and the first current source 82A are connected to a first input end 83A of the differential amplifier. A second output end 101D of the switch circuit and the second current source 82B are connected to a second input end 83B of the differential amplifier. An output end 83C of the differential amplifier is connected to an input portion of the analog-digital conversion circuit 84.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2018Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: HAJIME HOSAKA, YOSHIKAZU NITTA, KENICHI OKUMURA
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Patent number: 10764525Abstract: A system and method for driving a solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array unit including unit pixels. Each unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, column signal lines and a number of analog-digital converting units. The unit pixels are selectively controlled in units of rows. Analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control though the column signal lines are converted to digital signals via the analog-digital converting units. The digital signals are added among a number of unit pixels via the analog-digital converting units. The added digital signals from the analog-digital converting units are read. Each unit pixel in the pixel array unit is selectively controlled in units of arbitrary rows, the analog-distal converting units being operable to performing the converting in a (a) normal-frame-rate mode and a (b) high-frame-rate mode in response to control signals.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshikazu Nitta, Noriyuki Fukushima, Yoshinori Muramatsu, Yukihiko Yasui
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Publication number: 20200084408Abstract: A solid-state imaging element including pixel signal read lines, and a pixel signal reading unit for reading pixel signals from a pixel unit via the pixel signal read line. The pixel unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element. In the pixel unit, a shared pixel in which an output node is shared among a plurality of pixels is formed, and a pixel signal of each pixel in the shared pixel is capable of being selectively output from the shared output node to a corresponding one of the pixel signal read lines. The pixel signal reading unit sets a bias voltage for a load element which is connected to the pixel signal read line and in which current dependent on a bias voltage flows in the load element, to a voltage causing a current value to be higher than current upon a reference bias voltage when there is no difference between added charge amounts, when addition of pixel signals of the respective pixels in the shared pixel is driven.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Yuichi Kato, Yoshikazu Nitta, Noriyuki Fukushima, Takashi Suenaga, Toshiyuki Sugita
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Patent number: 10547318Abstract: A DA converter includes a first DA conversion section for obtaining an analog output signal in accordance with a digital input signal value, and a second DA conversion section for obtaining an analog gain control output signal in accordance with a digital gain control input signal value. In the DA converter, the gain control of the analog output signal generated by the first DA conversion section is performed on the basis of the gain control output signal generated by the second DA conversion section.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Go Asayama, Noriyuki Fukushima, Yoshikazu Nitta, Yoshinori Muramatsu, Kiyotaka Amano
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Patent number: 10511795Abstract: A solid-state imaging element including pixel signal read lines, and a pixel signal reading unit for reading pixel signals from a pixel unit via the pixel signal read line. The pixel unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element. In the pixel unit, a shared pixel in which an output node is shared among a plurality of pixels is formed, and a pixel signal of each pixel in the shared pixel is capable of being selectively output from the shared output node to a corresponding one of the pixel signal read lines. The pixel signal reading unit sets a bias voltage for a load element which is connected to the pixel signal read line and in which current dependent on a bias voltage flows in the load element, to a voltage causing a current value to be higher than current upon a reference bias voltage when there is no difference between added charge amounts, when addition of pixel signals of the respective pixels in the shared pixel is driven.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2018Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yuichi Kato, Yoshikazu Nitta, Noriyuki Fukushima, Takashi Suenaga, Toshiyuki Sugita
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Publication number: 20190182443Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup device that is adapted to enable the light exposure time to be shortened, and an image pickup method, and an electronic apparatus. One pixel and the other pixel differ in the timing in which light exposure is started and in the timing in which the light exposure is ended. During the light exposure time of the one pixel, active light starts light emission, and completes the light emission. For example, before or after the light emission of the active light, the one pixel starts light exposure, and ends the light exposure. The other pixel starts light exposure in the timing in which the time Ta1 has passed after the active light starts light emission (the time Ta2 until the end of irradiation remains), and ends the light exposure after the light exposure of the one pixel ends. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image pickup device that performs image pickup by using active light.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Katsuhiko Hanzawa, Yoshikazu Nitta, Hayato Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20190137331Abstract: An imaging apparatus is configured of a first structure 20 and a second structure 40, in which the first structure 20 includes a first substrate 21, a plurality of temperature detection devices 15 formed on the first substrate 21 and configured to detect a temperature on the basis of an infrared ray, drive lines 72, and signal lines 71, the second structure 40 includes a second substrate 41, and a drive circuit provided on the second substrate 41 and covered with a covering layer 43, the first substrate 21 is bonded to the covering layer 43, a cavity 50 is provided between each temperature detection device 15 and the covering layer 43, and the drive lines 72 and the signal lines 71 are electrically connected to the drive circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hajime Hosaka, Yoshikazu Nitta, Kenichi Okumura, Shunichi Sukegawa
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Publication number: 20180324376Abstract: A system and method for driving a solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array unit including unit pixels. Each unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, column signal lines and a number of analog-digital converting units. The unit pixels are selectively controlled in units of rows. Analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control though the column signal lines are converted to digital signals via the analog-digital converting units. The digital signals are added among a number of unit pixels via the analog-digital converting units. The added digital signals from the analog-digital converting units are read. Each unit pixel in the pixel array unit is selectively controlled in units of arbitrary rows, the analog-distal converting units being operable to performing the converting in a (a) normal-frame-rate mode and a (b) high-frame-rate mode in response to control signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshikazu Nitta, Noriyuki Fukushima, Yoshinori Muramatsu, Yukihiko Yasui
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Publication number: 20180288351Abstract: A solid-state imaging element including pixel signal read lines, and a pixel signal reading unit for reading pixel signals from a pixel unit via the pixel signal read line. The pixel unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element. In the pixel unit, a shared pixel in which an output node is shared among a plurality of pixels is formed, and a pixel signal of each pixel in the shared pixel is capable of being selectively output from the shared output node to a corresponding one of the pixel signal read lines. The pixel signal reading unit sets a bias voltage for a load element which is connected to the pixel signal read line and in which current dependent on a bias voltage flows in the load element, to a voltage causing a current value to be higher than current upon a reference bias voltage when there is no difference between added charge amounts, when addition of pixel signals of the respective pixels in the shared pixel is driven.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Yuichi Kato, Yoshikazu Nitta, Noriyuki Fukushima, Takashi Suenaga, Toshiyuki Sugita