Solid-state Patents (Class 358/513)
  • Patent number: 11675174
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems. An example optical system includes at least one primary optical element configured to receive incident light from a scene and a plurality of relay mirrors optically coupled to the at least one primary optical element. The optical system also includes a lens optically coupled to the plurality of relay mirrors, and an image sensor configured to receive focused light from the lens. The image sensor includes a first light-sensitive area and a second light-sensitive area. The primary optical element, the plurality of relay mirrors, and the lens interact with the incident light to form a first focused light portion and a second focused light portion. The first focused light portion forms a first image portion of the scene on the first light-sensitive area and the second focused light portion forms a second image portion of the scene on the second light-sensitive area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Brendan Hermalyn
  • Patent number: 11309356
    Abstract: An organic light emitting diode display includes a first electrode, a pixel defining layer positioned on the first electrode and including a first opening having a first polygonal shape opening the first electrode, and a first organic emission layer positioned on the pixel defining layer through the first electrode corresponding to the first opening and including a first chamfer adjacent to a corner of the first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Oh-Seob Kwon
  • Patent number: 11257859
    Abstract: The invention relates to a TDI line detector (1), comprising n TDI lines (Z1-Zn), wherein each TDI line (Z) has m pixels (P), and at least one read-out electronics (11-14), wherein the TDI line detector (1) is subdivided into x submodules (S1-S4), wherein the number of lines (Z) of a submodule (S1-S4) is n/x, wherein a discrete read-out electronics (11-14) is associated with the last line of each submodule (S1-S4), wherein the length (L1) of the read-out electronics (11-14) corresponds to an integer multiple of the length (L2) of a pixel (P), wherein x?2 is, wherein the associated pixels (P) of different submodules (S1-S4) are arranged pixel to pixel relative to one another or the submodules (S1-S4) or groups of submodules (S1-S4) are laterally interlinked alternately by half a pixel (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Andreas Eckardt
  • Patent number: 10735631
    Abstract: A camera module includes an optical lens, a plurality of different camera components, and a plurality of connection elements pre-formed on at least one of the camera components for electrical connection. Each of the connection elements includes a first connection element formed on a surface of the camera component and a first conduction element electrically formed on the first connection element and protruded from the first connection element in order to electrically connect with other camera components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Baozhong Zhang, Mingzhu Wang, Nan Guo, Zhen Huang, Feifan Chen
  • Patent number: 10187541
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light guide including a light guide portion configured to guide light emitted from a plurality of light sources, a deflection portion configured to deflect and emit light guided by the light guide portion, and a projection portion. The light guide portion includes a first surface and a second surface configured to internally reflect the light from the light sources. At least one of the first surface and the second surface includes a concave portion positioned to cover the projection portion in the arrangement direction. In a plane passing through the concave portion and parallel to the arrangement direction, a distance between the first surface and the second surface in a portion where the concave portion is formed is smaller than a distance between the first surface and the second surface in a portion where the concave portion is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10134943
    Abstract: A method for producing a multiplicity of semiconductor chips (13) is provided, comprising the following steps: —providing a wafer (1) comprising a multiplicity of semiconductor bodies (2), wherein separating lines (9) are arranged between the semiconductor bodies (2), —depositing a contact layer (10) on the wafer (1), wherein the material of the contact layer (10) is chosen from the following group: platinum, rhodium, palladium, gold, and the contact layer (10) has a thickness of between 8 nanometers and 250 nanometers, inclusive, —applying the wafer (1) to a film (11), —at least partially severing the wafer (1) in the vertical direction along the separating lines (9) or introducing fracture nuclei (12) into the wafer (1) along the separating lines (9), and —breaking the wafer (1) along the separating lines (9) or expanding the film (11) such that a spatial separation of the semiconductor chips (13) takes place, wherein the contact layer (10) is also separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: OSRAM OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Barchmann, Fabian Eigenmann, Andreas Ploessl
  • Patent number: 10116843
    Abstract: A camera module includes an optical lens, a plurality of different camera components, and a plurality of connection elements pre-formed on at least one of the camera components for electrical connection. Each of the connection elements includes a first connection element formed on a surface of the camera component and a first conduction element electrically formed on the first connection element and protruded from the first connection element in order to electrically connect with other camera components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Baozhong Zhang, Mingzhu Wang, Nan Guo, Zhen Huang, Feifan Chen, Yinhuan Wang, Bo Peng
  • Patent number: 10043840
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of photo-sensing devices, a photoelectric conversion device disposed on the semiconductor substrate and absorbing the mixed light of a first color and a second color, and a color filter disposed on one side of the photoelectric conversion device and configured to selectively transmit a mixed light including a third color, and an electronic device including the image sensor is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Wan Jin, Gae Hwang Lee, Seon-Jeong Lim, Sung Young Yun, Kwang Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 9848149
    Abstract: This invention has for purpose to provide a photosensor that is small in size and can obtain high-contrast image data and to provide a semiconductor device including the photosensor. In the photosensor including a light-receiving element, a transistor serving as a switching element, and a charge retention node electrically connected to the light-receiving element through the transistor, the reduction in charge held in the charge retention node is suppressed by extending the fall time of the input waveform of a driving pulse supplied to the transistor to turn off the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Aoki, Hikaru Tamura
  • Patent number: 9832378
    Abstract: Special blend operations for wide area-of-view image generation utilizing a “floating auto exposure” scheme are described. Pixel values in the two images being stitched together are blended within a transition band around a “seam.” identified in the overlap region between the images after changes in exposure and/or color saturation are accounted for. In some embodiments, changes in exposure and/or color saturation are accounted for through the use of one or more exposure mapping curves, the selection and use of which are based, at least in part, on a determined “Exposure Ratio” value, i.e., the amount that the camera's exposure settings have deviated from their initial capture settings. In other embodiments, the Exposure Ratio value is also used to determine regions along the seam where either: alpha blending, Poisson blending—or a combination of the two—should be used to blend in the transitional areas on each side of the seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Doepke, Marius Tico, Ting Chen, Yongfang Liang
  • Patent number: 9706148
    Abstract: This invention has for purpose to provide a photosensor that is small in size and can obtain high-contrast image data and to provide a semiconductor device including the photosensor. In the photosensor including a light-receiving element, a transistor serving as a switching element, and a charge retention node electrically connected to the light-receiving element through the transistor, the reduction in charge held in the charge retention node is suppressed by extending the fall time of the input waveform of a driving pulse supplied to the transistor to turn off the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Aoki, Hikaru Tamura
  • Patent number: 9554069
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert light into an electric charge; a floating diffusion region configured to convert the electric charge into a voltage; a transfer transistor configured to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the floating diffusion region; and a transfer transistor driving circuit configured to control a gate potential of the transfer transistor, wherein the transfer transistor driving circuit controls the gate potential so as to be changed in at least two changing rates during a period of transition from the ON state to the OFF state of the transfer transistor, and the second changing rate out of the two changing rates is higher than the first changing rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichiro Shimizu, Akira Ohtani, Masaru Fujimura
  • Patent number: 9554019
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus reads an image on an original and generates lines of data by causing a carriage to perform scanning, then by referring to the data, detects chromatic color pixels that exist between two achromatic color pixels, being first and second achromatic color pixels, from among pixels in the image that has been read in the scanning direction of the carriage, and determines one of the detected chromatic color pixels as a pixel of interest and corrects the pixel of interest to an achromatic color pixel while shifting the position of the pixel of interest pixel-by-pixel N times from a pixel position adjacent to the first achromatic color pixel in a direction toward the second achromatic color pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidetsugu Kagawa
  • Patent number: 9438762
    Abstract: An image sensor IC includes: light receiving elements disposed linearly adjacent to each other on a surface of a quadrilateral semiconductor substrate having opposite parallel sides, and disposed oblique to at least one set of opposite sides from a predetermined position on one side thereof to be opposed in the semiconductor substrate to a predetermined position on the other side thereof; and interpolation elements provided at one end portion or both end portions of the one set of opposite sides on a side of a region in which an angle formed by the linearly disposed light receiving elements and the set of opposite sides is obtuse, the interpolation elements having an oblique angle to the linearly disposed light receiving elements and receiving light on an outer side of the linearly disposed light receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Ichihiro Abe
  • Patent number: 9300937
    Abstract: There is provided a color image sensor including a sensing array and a processing unit. The sensing array includes a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel, a red and green pixel and a red and blue pixel configured to output a detected signal, respectively. The processing unit is configured to calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the red pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a red detected signal, calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the green pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a green detected signal, and calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the blue pixel and the red and blue pixel to be served as a blue detected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Pixart Imaging (Penang) Sdn, Bhd.
    Inventors: Kevin Len-Li Lim, Willie Song, Keng-Yeen Lye
  • Patent number: 9224769
    Abstract: A pixel device having an improved energy resolution includes at least one photodiode and at least one voltage supply unit for applying a voltage to the photodiode. The pixel device includes a voltage storage unit and a voltage adjusting unit. In a precharge mode, the voltage storage unit stores a first anode voltage. In a sensing mode, the voltage adjusting unit adjusts a second anode voltage of the anode of the photodiode to be the same as the first anode voltage stored in the voltage storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-chul Park, Young Kim, Chang-jung Kim
  • Patent number: 9030601
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus in which a pixel area including arrangement of a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion portion and a common output portion for sequentially amplifying and outputting signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel area are formed on a single semiconductor substrate, comprises a power supply unit for effecting power supply control of the common output portion independently of control on power supply to the pixel area, and a control circuit for effecting control to supply no power to the common output portion in a predetermined period after starting photo charge accumulation in the photoelectric conversion portion and supply the power to the common output portion before the end of a photo charge accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Sato
  • Patent number: 9025060
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor which comprises a pixel group in which unit pixels each including a microlens and a plurality of photo-electric converters are arrayed two-dimensionally, wherein a shielding unit that shields part of all of a plurality of photo-electric converters corresponding to a single microlens is provided in a portion of the unit pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Nishio, Ichiro Onuki, Koichi Fukuda, Ryo Yamasaki, Hideaki Yamamoto, Makoto Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8970932
    Abstract: A decolorizing device includes a first reading section, a decolorizing section, a second reading section and a controller. The first reading section reads a first side of the sheet. The decolorizing section performs a decolorizing process on the sheet and the second reading section reads the first side of the sheet. The controller is configured to determine if the decolorizing process is necessary or not on the first side based on first image data of the first side read by the first reading section, to read the first side of the sheet having been subjected to the decolorizing process at the decolorizing section by the second reading section if it is determined that the decolorizing process is necessary, and to avoid reading of the first side of the sheet by the second reading section if it is determined that the decolorizing process is unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunichi Megawa
  • Patent number: 8953233
    Abstract: Correction of brightness of image data outputted by an image sensor which includes a light emitting portion, a photoelectric conversion portion in which a plurality of photoelectric transducers are arrayed in line, and a charge transfer portion. For a smear occurred at the charge transfer portion, reference smear amount data is stored, corresponding to each of color components of light from the light emitting portion and a correction target pixel. A correction amount for brightness is based on a difference between brightness values of a first color component and a second color component and the reference smear amount data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8941898
    Abstract: A sensor IC of the present invention is provided with plurality of light receiving portions arranged in a row along a primary scanning direction and including a first light receiving portion for receiving light of a first wavelength, a second light receiving portion for receiving light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a third light receiving portion for receiving light of a third wavelength different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength. The sensor IC further includes a control circuit that outputs a first electric signal corresponding to light of the first wavelength received by the first light receiving portion, a second electric signal corresponding to light of the second wavelength received by the second light receiving portion, and a third electric signal corresponding to light of the third wavelength received by the third light receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Onishi, Kuniaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8922846
    Abstract: A reading apparatus reads an object placed faceup on a reading plate by using an imaging unit attached above the reading plate, and determines whether a user has reversed the read object by using information about the read object. If the read object is determined to have been reversed, the reading apparatus reads the reversed object by using the imaging unit and associates respective pieces of data of the two read objects with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromi Omi
  • Patent number: 8908246
    Abstract: An image reading device has a light source and an image sensor configured to transfer an electric charge accumulated on an opto-electric conversion element to a shift register through a shift gate. A reading controller configured to control image reading inserts a dummy interval into a shift period for which the electric charge is transferred from the opto-electric conversion element so as to shift timing to start sensor reading on every line and to arrange peak positions of noise included in a read image differ from one another on every line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8885232
    Abstract: A scanner lens includes a first lens group with a positive refractive power, having a first positive lens and a second negative lens which are cemented, second to fifth lens groups having a third negative lens, a fourth positive lens, a fifth negative lens, and a sixth negative lens, respectively, arranged in order from an object side to an image side, and an aperture stop disposed between the first and second lens groups. The scanner lens satisfies the following three conditions: 0.01<BF/L<0.10 0.50<f1/f<9.5 0.20<d10/f<0.90 where BF is a back focus of the scanner lens, L is a total lens length, f1 is a focal length of e-line of the first lens group, f is a focal length of e-line of the entire lens system and d10 is an air space between the fifth and six lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Nakayama, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 8873114
    Abstract: A lens array including: a plurality of imaging portions arrayed in a first direction; wherein each of the plurality of imaging portions includes a first optical system configured to form an intermediate image of an object and a second optical system configured to re-form the intermediate image of the object in a first cross section parallel to the first direction and a direction of optical axes of the imaging portions, and wherein in each of the plurality of imaging portions, an optical flux from an object height at which a light available efficiency becomes 90% is restricted by at least one of a first aperture surface of the first optical system and a second aperture surface of the second optical system, and the optical flux from an object height at which the light available efficiency becomes 10% is restricted by the aperture surface which restricts the optical flux from the object height at which the light available efficiency becomes 90%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 8854704
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source unit, an image sensor, an attenuator, an analog processor and an A/D converter. The attenuator generates a second analog signal by voltage-dividing a first analog signal by two resistors. The analog processor generates a third analog signal by amplifying the second analog signal with a predetermined gain. The A/D converter converts the third analog signal into a digital signal. A voltage-dividing ratio of the attenuator is not higher than a ratio of a maximum value of the amplitude of a signal inputtable to the analog processor to a maximum value of the amplitude of a signal having a possibility of being output from the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8817345
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for image processing using multiple imaging devices are provided. A first imaging device is configured to acquire a first image of a portion of a printed substrate and the second imaging device is configured to acquire a second image of a portion of the printed substrate. At least a portion of the first image and the second image are acquired from the same portion of the printed substrate at the same time. The first imaging device is configured to process color data from the first image using a first processing circuit of the first imaging device and the second imaging device is configured to process spatial information from the second image using a separate second processing circuit of the second imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Quad/Tech, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick James Noffke
  • Patent number: 8804209
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including, an input unit for inputting image data including a document region, a storage for storing the brightness of each pixel on a first main scan line outside the document region, a corrector for correcting the brightness of each pixel on the first main scan line in accordance with the brightness of pixels in a first part and the brightness of pixels in a second part on a second main scan line following the first main scan line, and an edge point detector for detecting an edge point of the document region situated on the second main scan line in accordance with the difference between the brightness of each pixel on the first main scan line corrected and the brightness of each pixel on the second main scan line respectively corresponding to each pixel on the first main scan line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Akira Iwayama, Masayoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8730544
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a decolorizing section is placed on a downstream side of a first reading section in a sheet transferring direction. A second reading section is placed on a downstream side of the decolorizing section in the sheet transferring direction. A controller is configured to determine if the decolorizing process is necessary or not on a first side of a sheet based on first image data of the first side read by the first reading section, to read the first side of the sheet having been subjected to the decolorizing process at the decolorizing section by the second reading section if it is determined that the decolorizing process is necessary, and to avoid reading of the first side of the sheet passed through the decolorizing section by the second reading section if it is determined that the decolorizing process is unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunichi Megawa
  • Patent number: 8717649
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. A color contact image sensor (CIS) module employing a single channel line sensor can be used to produce substantially the same performance as a color CIS module employing a three-channel line sensor and having color filters to, for example, reduce manufacturing costs. Moreover, a blurring phenomenon that can occur in a scanned image can be reduced and the quality of the scanned image can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Mi Kim, Jong Hyon Yi
  • Patent number: 8687246
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel array in which a plurality of unit cells are arranged to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells includes a pixel, and the pixel comprising a photoelectric conversion element and an in-pixel readout circuit which outputs a signal corresponding to charges generated in the photoelectric conversion element, power is supplied to the plurality of unit cells via a power supply line and a ground line, and at least one of the plurality of unit cells includes at least a part of a capacitive element having a first electrode connected to the power supply line and a second electrode connected to the ground line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaru Fujimura, Shoji Kono, Yuichiro Yamashita, Shin Kikuchi, Shinichiro Shimizu, Yu Arishima
  • Patent number: 8654417
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a transport unit; a first reading unit which reads one surface of a document transported by the transport unit and generates first read data of a front end portion or a rear end portion of the one surface of the document; a second reading unit which reads the other surface of the document transported by the transport unit and generates second read data of a front end portion or a rear end portion of the other surface of the document; an edge detection unit which performs edge detection processing on each of the first read data and the second read data; and a determination unit which determines that there is double feeding of documents by the transport unit when the edge detection unit detects a plurality of edges from at least either the first read data or the second read data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Okada
  • Publication number: 20140029072
    Abstract: A sensor IC of the present invention is provided with plurality of light receiving portions arranged in a row along a primary scanning direction and including a first light receiving portion for receiving light of a first wavelength, a second light receiving portion for receiving light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a third light receiving portion for receiving light of a third wavelength different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength. The sensor IC further includes a control circuit that outputs a first electric signal corresponding to light of the first wavelength received by the first light receiving portion, a second electric signal corresponding to light of the second wavelength received by the second light receiving portion, and a third electric signal corresponding to light of the third wavelength received by the third light receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki ONISHI, Kuniaki NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8634106
    Abstract: Read data indicative of first and second surfaces of manuscript is divided into a plurality of first and second blocks, respectively. A judging unit judges, based on a first condition, whether each second block is a specified second block and whether each first block is a specified first block. A second condition is set for each first block corresponding to the specified second block. Each second block is more difficult to be judged as the specified second block based on respective second condition than based on the first condition. The judging unit judges whether each first block corresponding to the specified second block is the specified first block based on the respective second condition. The first surface is a specified color first surface when a ratio of a number of the specified first blocks to a total number of first blocks is greater than or equal to a prescribed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8610979
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a pixel area including an arrangement of a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion portion and a common output portion for sequentially amplifying and outputting signals from the plurality of pixels included in the pixel area. The pixel area is formed on a single semiconductor substrate and includes a power supply unit for effecting power supply control of the common output portion independently of control of the power supply to the pixel area, and a control circuit for effecting control to supply no power to the common output portion in a predetermined period after starting photo charge accumulation in the photoelectric conversion portion and to supply the power to the common output portion before the end of a photo charge accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8610924
    Abstract: A mechanism for scanning and capturing digital images using document layer detection. Upon detecting a document placed on a scanning surface of a scanning device, the illustrative embodiments identify one or more layers within the document. The illustrative embodiments then scan the one or more layers within the document on a layer by layer basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lydia M. Do, Pamela A. Nesbitt, Lisa S. DeLuca
  • Patent number: 8605347
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus which performs shading correction using black reference data, wherein in the process of obtaining the black reference data, the image reading apparatus includes a reading control section that outputs a shift pulse which is the start timing of charge accumulation corresponding to each RGB color and controls the process of lighting of the light source of a predetermined color for a predetermined period after a predetermined period having elapsed since the output of each shift pulse, and a data processing section that does not obtain the data output from the image sensor as the black reference data according to the shift pulse and obtains the data output from the image sensor as the black reference data during a period that at least overlaps with the lighting period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Junya Suga
  • Patent number: 8593699
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image sensor module including a plurality of image sensors and a common signal line. The common signal line is commonly electrically connected to the plurality of image sensors. To the common signal line, image signals are output sequentially from the plurality of image sensors. The image sensor module feeds back a feedback signal from a first image sensor to a predetermined image sensor. The first image sensor is an image sensor which lastly outputs the image signal among the plurality of image sensors. The predetermined image sensor is an image sensor which outputs an offset signal to the common signal among the plurality of image sensors. The feedback signal indicates a completion of an output of image signal to the common signal line. The predetermined image sensor outputs the offset signal to the common signal line in response to the feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomotake Hasuo, Masayuki Ohki
  • Patent number: 8593700
    Abstract: An erecting equal-magnification lens array plate includes a stack of a first lens array plate provided with a plurality of first lenses arranged on a first surface and a plurality of second lenses arranged on a second surface, and a second lens array plate provided with a plurality of third lenses arranged on a third surface and a plurality of fourth lenses arranged on a fourth surface. The erecting equal-magnification lens array plate is provided with a first light shielding wall provided upright to surround the first lens, and a second light shielding wall provided upright to surround the fourth lens. An area on the first surface of the first lens array plate outside the effective region of the first lenses is roughened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Mamada, Katsuhide Shimmo, Teruhide Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130278980
    Abstract: A method for converting a hard copy original to a digital image by a scanner system having an image line sensor and a transport system for transporting the hard copy original across the image line sensor are provided. The scanner system has several modes of operation, each mode being associated with a predefined original type and each mode assembling either grey lines or color lines for composing the digital image. The method includes determining an optimal mode of operation for converting the hard copy original by transporting a first part of the hard copy original across the image line sensor. Grey lines from the image line sensor are used in the determination, because this allows the hard copy original to be transported three times as fast across the image line sensor. It is still possible to discern originals with color information from scanned originals with only black-and-white information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: OCE TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes H.M. JANSSEN, Tim MULDER
  • Patent number: 8547465
    Abstract: An imaging device module includes an imaging device including a light incident plane on which light is incident, and a reverse face disposed on an opposite side of the light incident plane; and a thermal conductive sheet provided on the reverse face for dissipating heat generated from the imaging device. The thermal conductive sheet contains a plate-like boron nitride particle, and the thermal conductive sheet has a thermal conductivity in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of 4 W/m·K or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Izutani, Hisae Uchiyama, Takahiro Fukuoka, Kazutaka Hara
  • Patent number: 8542420
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an image reading apparatus including: a monochrome CCD sensor including a first photo-diode array; plural color CCD sensors each including a second photodiode array; an AD converter configured to apply analog-to-digital conversion to each of analog outputs from the second photodiode array and the first photodiode array; a delay processing unit configured to delay at least one of color image data of plural colors from the AD converter and interpolate, with delayed any one or more of the color image data, a blank of image data that is to be read on a line in a sub-scanning direction; and an inter-line correction unit configured to correct, by the intervals and a set reduction magnification, a positional deviation in the sub-scanning direction between the monochrome image data and the color image data, respective timings of which are aligned on the line by the delay processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Ogawa, Yoshio Yoshimura, Tadashi Mokudai
  • Patent number: 8537432
    Abstract: In an image reader, the first reading unit outputs first image data corresponding to the image of the first surface of the original document. The second image reading unit outputs second image data corresponding to the image of the second surface of the original document. The image process circuit acquires at least one of a part of the first image data and a part of the second image data from the storing unit, and performs an image process on the image data acquired from the storing unit. When the image process circuit finishes performing the image process on either the first image data or the second image data, the initialization instruction unit instructs initializing either the first setting or the second setting corresponding to the either the first image data or the second image data and the image process circuit initializes the either the first setting or the second setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Yokochi
  • Patent number: 8503050
    Abstract: An optical filter is provided on photoelectric conversion elements for monochrome reading. Each of a reflecting optical system and the optical filter has an end portion and a central portion in a predetermined direction. The optical filter suppresses light at a peak wavelength of a light source such that a difference between a sensitivity of optical path via the end portion of the reflecting optical system and the optical filter and a sensitivity of optical path via the central portion of the reflecting optical system and the optical filter fall within a range of 5% at the peak wavelength of light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Morikawa
  • Patent number: 8462399
    Abstract: An image reader includes a casing, a contact glass plate, a contact image sensor, and a sliding mechanism; wherein the contact image sensor has a housing, a light source attached to the housing so as to face the contact glass plate, a plurality of light receiving elements attached to the housing so as to face the contact glass plate and aligned in parallel in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and a bearing formed integral to the housing at a position below a lower surface of the housing; and the sliding mechanism includes a guide shaft provided on the casing and extending in a short direction of the housing and inserted through the bearing, and an urging member elastically which urges the guide shaft toward the contact glass plate so that the housing is pressed against the contact glass plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tatsuya Sato, Akihiro Sakakibara, Takashi Ohama
  • Patent number: 8432583
    Abstract: An image-data acquiring unit acquires image data of an image. An image processing unit performs a predetermined image processing on the image data. A signal generating unit generates a scanning signal for determining a section of the image data for performing the image processing. A signal control unit stores waveform information of a scanning signal in a normal operation as a control signal, compares the control signal with the scanning signal generated by the signal generating unit, and detects an abnormality of the scanning signal. A scan control unit determines whether the image processing is to be continued based on a result of detection by the signal control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shingo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8427719
    Abstract: An image reader includes a loading unit including a first transparent member that has a loading surface on which a document sheet is placed, a reading unit that includes light receiving elements arranged in a first direction under the first transparent member and is configured to move in a second direction parallel to the loading surface and perpendicular to the first direction and to read an image from the document sheet placed on the loading surface by repeating an operation of scanning the document sheet in the first direction with the light receiving elements while moving in the second direction, and a black reference member including a black area that is disposed in a position lower than the loading surface of the first transparent member and higher than the light receiving elements and configured to be read in acquiring black reference data for black level correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8411336
    Abstract: An image reader is provided, which includes a feeder feeding a document sheet, a first reading sensor, a first reference member, a moving mechanism moving the first reading sensor to a document reading position to read an image of the document sheet and a reference reading position to read an image of the first reference member, and a controller that controls the moving mechanism to move the first reading sensor to the reference reading position, controls the first reading sensor to read the image of the first reference member, and controls the moving mechanism to move the first reading sensor to the document reading position after the first reading sensor reads the image of the first reference member. The controller controls the feeder to start feeding the document sheet to the document reading position before the first reading sensor reaches the document reading position from the reference reading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroko Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8373910
    Abstract: An image scanning device includes a base part; and multiple image sensors each including a substrate, a line sensor including scanning elements arranged on the substrate, and a holder for holding the substrate. The base part holds the image sensors such that the scanning elements of an image sensor partly overlap the scanning elements of an adjacent image sensor in the main-scanning direction. The coefficients of linear expansion of the substrate and the base part are substantially the same; the holder and the base part are fixed together at a first fixing point; the holder and the substrate are fixed together at a second fixing point; and the distance in the main-scanning direction between the first fixing point and the second fixing point and the direction of the second fixing point with respect to the first fixing point are the same for all the image sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwasaki, Hiroshi Takahashi, Kazushi Takei, Norikazu Taki, Hideaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8368972
    Abstract: A surface-emitting semiconductor laser includes a substrate, a first semiconductor multi-layered reflector of a first conductivity type, an active region, a second semiconductor multi-layered reflector of a second conductivity type, a columnar structure, a current-confining layer including a conductive area surrounded with an oxidized area, a first electrode defining a light-emitting window, a first dielectric film covering the light-emitting window, and a second dielectric film formed on the first dielectric film. The second dielectric film has an asymmetrical shape having a long axis and a short axis, the second dielectric film is located at a position overlapping with the conductive area, the second refractive index n2 is greater than the first refractive index n1, the thickness of the first dielectric film is an odd multiple of ?/4·n1 (?: oscillation wavelength), and the thickness of the second dielectric film is an odd multiple of ?/4·n2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Takeda, Hideo Nakayama