Nikon Patents Granted

Patents granted to Nikon by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11994811
    Abstract: In a beam irradiation apparatus in which a movable body holds an object, a mark detection system detects a first mark on the movable body while moving the movable body in a first direction and changing an irradiation position of a measurement beam in the first direction, the mark detection system detects a second mark while moving the movable body in the first direction and changing the irradiation position of the measurement beam in the first direction, a controller controls a position of the movable body in a second direction intersecting the first direction during a time period between the detection of the first mark and the detection of the second mark, and the controller controls the movement of the movable body to adjust a positional relation between the object on the movable body and a processing beam, based on results of the detection of the first and second marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11994746
    Abstract: A zoom lens comprises, in order from an object: a first lens group (G1) having positive refractive power; a second lens group (G2) having negative refractive power; a third lens group (G3) having positive refractive power; a fourth lens group (G4) having negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group (G5) having positive refractive power, in which the first to the fifth lens groups (G1 to G5) each move in an optical axis direction upon zooming from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state, at least a part of the fourth lens group (G4) is configured to serve as a focusing lens group to move in the optical axis direction upon focusing, the first lens group (G1) consists of two lenses, and the following conditional expression is satisfied. 0.30<GD3/ft<0.8 where, GD3 denotes a thickness of the third lens group (G3) on the optical axis, and ft denotes a focal length of the zoom lens in the telephoto end state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11989887
    Abstract: A processing system includes a machine tool including a measuring unit which outputs measurement information for calculating a shape of a processing object, a control unit which generates position information related to a position of the measuring unit at the time of measuring the processing object and outputs the generated position information and a generation time signal indicating a time at which the position information is generated, an acquisition unit which acquires the output position information and the generation time signal, an estimation unit which estimates the time at which the position information is generated on the basis of a time at which the acquisition unit acquires the generation time signal, and a shape calculation unit which calculates a shape of the processing object on the basis of the measurement information, the position information, and the time estimated by the estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11988822
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a microscope of which visibility, controllability and operability can be improved. In the microscope, an optical path and optical path of an image forming system are set so as to be perpendicular to each other when viewed from the top. In other words, in this microscope, there exists an ocular optical system that guides light, which propagates the optical path to optical path of the image forming system, to a user. The optical path is formed in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the light from a sample emitted from the ocular optical system to the user. The present invention can be applied to an inverted microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Murayama, Atsushi Takeuchi, Yumiko Ouchi, Yuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11982868
    Abstract: A lens barrel and an imaging device which can be miniaturized, the lens barrel with a movable cylinder that moves along the optical axis with a change in focal length; first and second drive units in the movable cylinder; and first and second lens driven by the first and second drive units respectively to move along the optical axis relative to the movable cylinder. The movement amount of the first lens relative to the cylinder when the focal length is changed to a second focal length from a first state where the first lens is at a position closest to a subject with a first focal length is less than the movement amount of the first lens relative to the cylinder when the focal length is changed to the second focal length from a second state where the first lens is closer to an image plane than the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Gomibuchi, Makoto Horikoshi, Mizuki Wayu, Tsuneo Watanabe, Kenichi Kitano
  • Patent number: 11980417
    Abstract: In an ophthalmology system, an right-eye imaged image is displayed on a display section for presentation to an observer through an optical unit and a reflection member. A left-eye imaged image is also displayed on a display section for presentation to an observer through an optical unit and a reflection member. A separation between the left and right imaged images is made wider than a spacing between the left and right optical units. This enables image presentation with the optical axes for the observer viewing the images intersecting in front so as to cause a convergence angle to arise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kawasaki, Ryoichi Sataka, Masahiro Mizuta
  • Patent number: 11982521
    Abstract: A method for measuring a spatial distortion of a target surface (110) of a workpiece (110A). Light is transmitted twice through a reference pattern-generator (104) and impinged upon a workpiece pattern-generator (108). Then, with an optical detector (116), first and second beams formed by the light as a result of interaction with two pattern- generators (104) (106) is acquired to produce a signal characterizing geometry of interference fringes formed at the detector (116) by the first and second beams. Indicia representing at least one of a type and a value of spatial distortion of the target surface (110) is generated and recorded. A system embodying the implementation of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Gene Smith, Michael B. Binnard
  • Patent number: 11982602
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fluidic device in which solutions of different concentrations can be easily obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Kobayashi, Hirofumi Shiono
  • Patent number: 11977339
    Abstract: A lithography system is provided with: a measurement device measuring position information of marks on a substrate held in a first stage; and an exposure apparatus on a second stage, the substrate for which the position information measurement for the marks has been completed, performs alignment measurement to measure position information for part of marks selected from among the marks on the substrate, and performs exposure. The measurement device measures position information of marks on the substrate to obtain higher-degree components of correction amounts of an arrangement of divided areas, and the exposure apparatus measures position information of a small number of marks on the substrate to obtain lower-degree components of the correction amounts of the arrangement of the divided areas and exposes the plurality of divided areas while controlling the position of the substrate by using the obtained lower-degree components and the higher-degree components obtained by the measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 11979654
    Abstract: A portable information device includes: an image sensor; a position information acquisition portion that outputs position information; an orientation sensor; and a display that displays an image of an object output from the image sensor and displays relevant information on the object, the relevant information on the object being obtained based on at least measurement data from the position information acquisition portion and the orientation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideya Inoue, Toru Iwaoka, Michiko Noborisaka, Masayuki Hatori, Tomohide Hamada
  • Patent number: 11978757
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a pixel substrate that includes a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion executed on light having entered therein and an output unit that generates a signal based upon the electric charge and outputs the signal; and an arithmetic operation substrate that is laminated on the pixel substrate and includes an operation unit that generates a corrected signal by using a reset signal generated after the electric charge in the output unit is reset and a photoelectric conversion signal generated based upon an electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit and executes an arithmetic operation by using corrected signals each generated in correspondence to one of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11979672
    Abstract: A backside illumination image sensor that includes a semiconductor substrate with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a read circuit formed on a front surface side of the semiconductor substrate, and captures an image by outputting, via the read circuit, electrical signals generated as incident light having reached a back surface side of the semiconductor substrate is received at the photoelectric conversion elements includes: a light shielding film formed on a side where incident light enters the photoelectric conversion elements, with an opening formed therein in correspondence to each photoelectric conversion element, and an on-chip lens formed at a position set apart from the light shielding film by a predetermined distance in correspondence to each photoelectric conversion element. The light shielding film and an exit pupil plane of the image forming optical system achieve a conjugate relation to each other with regard to the on-chip lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yosuke Kusaka
  • Patent number: 11974056
    Abstract: An image-capturing unit includes: an image-capturing chip; a power supply circuit unit that outputs electrical power to be fed to the image-capturing chip; a power supply line that feeds electrical power from the power supply circuit unit to the image-capturing chip; a disconnecting unit that is provided to the power supply line and is electrically disconnecting the power supply circuit unit and the image-capturing chip when a leakage current of the image-capturing chip is measured; and an implementation substrate on which the power supply circuit unit, the image-capturing chip, the power supply line and the disconnecting unit are implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi Arima, Ryoichi Suganuma, Ryuuzou Motoori
  • Patent number: 11971540
    Abstract: An optical system (LS) includes lenses (L22,L23) satisfying the following conditional expressions, ndLZ+(0.01425×?dLZ)<2.12, and ?dLZ<35.0, where ndLZ: a refractive index of the lens with reference to d-line, and ?dLZ: Abbe number of the lens with reference to d-line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Yamashita, Tomoki Ito, Hiroshi Yabumoto, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Satoshi Miwa, Keisuke Tsubonoya, Ayumu Makida, Takeru Uehara
  • Patent number: 11969822
    Abstract: The processing system is provided with: a liquid supply device which can supply a liquid; a liquid processing device which processes a liquid supplied from the liquid supply device such that a non-liquid-immersion state is generated locally in a partial area including a target portion on a predetermined surface; a beam irradiation section which emits beams toward the target portion; and a moving apparatus which moves the predetermined surface. The beams are irradiated on the target portion to apply a predetermined processing to the target portion, in a state in which the target portion is in the non-liquid-immersion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 11972325
    Abstract: A determination method includes causing the state in each of the plurality of pixels to correspond to a plurality of states of a plurality of bits of an Ising model, and setting an evaluation function for evaluating a degree of coincidence between the target image and the formed image as a function of the plurality of bits, and determining which one of the plurality of states is to be set for each of the plurality of pixels on the basis of states of the plurality of bits included in a result obtained by evaluating the evaluation function by an Ising machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Okudaira
  • Patent number: 11966032
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, a negative third lens group and a positive fourth lens group. Upon varying a magnification, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group, and a distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group are varied. The first lens group consists of, in order from the object side, a negative lens and a positive lens. The second lens group consists of, in order from the object side, a positive 2a lens group, a positive 2b lens group, and a negative 2c lens group. A downsized system having high optical performance is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Komatsubara, Takeshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 11967094
    Abstract: To reduce the feel of incongruity in a model, provided is a detection device comprising: a texture detector that detects texture information of a target object from a first position; a position detector that detects depth information to each point in the target object from a second position different from the first position; a region detector that detects a data deficient region in which the depth information has been acquired but the texture information has not been acquired, on the basis of a detection result of the texture detector and a detection result of the position detector; and an adder that adds specific texture information to the data deficient region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Hasegawa, Yoshihiro Nakagawa, Masashi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11960065
    Abstract: A zoom optical system (ZL) comprises, in order from an object, a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power, a second lens group (G2) having a negative refractive power, a third lens group (G3) having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens group (G4) having a positive refractive power and a succeeding lens group (GR). In the zoom optical system, upon zooming, distances between adjacent lens groups change, and the succeeding lens group (GR) includes a plurality of focusing lens groups that have positive refractive powers and move upon focusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11953833
    Abstract: A compound represented by Formula (1). [In the formula, X represents a halogen atom or an alkoxy group, R1 represents any one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a group represented by Formula (R2-1), and a group represented by Formula (R2-2), R2 represents a group represented by Formula (R2-1) or (R2-2), n0 represents an integer of 0 or greater, n1 represents an integer of 0 to 5, and n2 represents a natural number of 1 to 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Kawakami, Kazuo Yamaguchi, Michiko Itou
  • Patent number: 11953664
    Abstract: A zoom optical system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group disposed on an image side of the first lens group, a positive third lens group disposed on an image side of the second lens group, a negative fourth lens group disposed on an image side of the third lens group, and a final lens group disposed on an image side of the fourth lens group and closest to an image. During zooming, distances between lens groups change, and the first lens group moves along an optical axis. A negative focusing lens group is provided, and the final lens group is disposed on an image side of the focusing lens group. A negative vibration proof group of the second lens group may include, in order from an object, a negative lens, an air gap and a cemented lens of a negative lens and a positive lens. The final lens group may have negative refractive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Umeda, Tomoki Ito, Atsushi Shibayama
  • Patent number: 11954872
    Abstract: A first image is projective transformed into a reference image by using a projective transformation matrix on each pixel of the first image. A projective transformation matrix for transforming a tilted image n into a central image G0 is computed based on positions of combinations of twelve corresponding points indicated in a combination of the central image G0 with the tilted image n. The computed projective transformation matrix is then employed to perform a projective transformation of the tilted image n. A projective-transformed tilted image n1 is created thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mariko Hirokawa, Yasushi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11954888
    Abstract: A device includes an image processing unit configured to calculate color information of at least one cell in a captured image and a determination unit configured to determine a cultured state of the cell on the basis of the color information calculated by the image processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kii, Shinichi Takayama
  • Patent number: 11952508
    Abstract: Provided are ITO particles having a non-rectangular parallelepiped shape and an aligned crystal orientation inside particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Muramatsu, Kiyoshi Kanie, Ryoko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11953498
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a processor; and a memory encoded with instructions executed by the processor, including: imaging pluripotent stem cells with time in a culture process and acquiring a plurality of images, extracting a colony region of the cells from the image, extracting a high luminance region on the basis of a group of pixels with larger luminance values than a standard value from among pixels constituting the image, extracting an extraction target region with relatively high contrast in the colony region on the basis of the colony and high luminance regions, and outputting the extraction target region as an extraction result, wherein as a relationship among the colony, high luminance, and extraction target regions, the colony region is formed, the high luminance region is then formed therein, and the extraction target region is then formed in the high luminance region in the culture process of the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoro Dan, Hiroaki Kii, Takayuki Uozumi, Yasujiro Kiyota
  • Patent number: 11941788
    Abstract: An image processing method comprising acquiring a first fundus image obtained by photographing a fundus using first light having a first wavelength, and a second fundus image obtained by photographing the fundus using second light having a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength; specifying, in the first fundus image, respective positions of retinal blood vessels appearing in the second fundus image; and generating a choroidal blood vessel image by processing the positions identified in the first fundus image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mariko Hirokawa
  • Patent number: 11941801
    Abstract: A device includes: a distribution information acquiring part configured to acquire, based on an image in which a plurality of cells that are cultivated in a predetermined area are imaged, distribution information relating to a distribution in the predetermined area of the plurality of cells; and a determination part configured to determine a cultivated state of the plurality of cells based on the distribution information acquired by the distribution information acquiring part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kii, Shinichi Takayama
  • Patent number: 11933951
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprising, in order from an object side, a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a rear lens group having positive refractive power; upon varying a magnification, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group being varied, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group being varied, and a distance between the third lens group and the rear lens group being varied; the rear lens group comprising a focusing lens group which is moved upon carrying out focusing from an infinitely distant object to a closely distant object; and predetermined conditional expression(s) being satisfied, thereby various aberrations being corrected superbly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 11934104
    Abstract: An optical apparatus, which illuminates a first area with light from a light source while the first area is longer in a second direction intersecting a first direction than in the first direction, includes a collector optical member which is arranged in an optical path between the light source and the first area, and condenses the light from the light source to form a second area in a predetermined plane, the second area being longer in a fourth direction intersecting a third direction than in the third direction; and a first fly's eye optical member which is provided within the predetermined plane including the second area, and has a plurality of first optical elements guiding the light of the collector optical member to the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Komatsuda, Yoshio Kawabe
  • Patent number: 11936988
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for controlling an imaging condition of a sensor having one or more pixels, comprising an event detection unit for detecting an event indicating that a luminance signal changes in excess of a predetermined threshold value in one or more pixels, and for outputting an event detection signal; a counter for counting a number of events detected by the event detection unit; and a control unit for controlling the imaging condition of the sensor, based on the event detection signal. In addition, provided is a control method for controlling an imaging condition of a sensor having one or more pixels. The control method comprises detecting an event indicating that a luminance signal changes in excess of a predetermined threshold value in one or more pixels; counting a number of events; and controlling the imaging condition of the sensor, based on the detection of events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hajime Yonemochi
  • Patent number: 11934105
    Abstract: A catoptric system having a reference axis and first, second, and third reflectors. The first reflector contains a pattern-source carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern. A combination of the second and third reflectors is configured to form an optical image of the pattern, with a demagnification coefficient N>1 in extreme UV light, and with only two beams of light that have originated at the first reflector as a result of irradiation of the first reflector with light incident upon it. An exposure apparatus employing the catoptric system and method of device manufacturing with the use of the exposure apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Gene Smith, David M. Williamson
  • Patent number: 11933950
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power and a fourth lens group G4 having negative refractive power; upon varying a magnification, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 being varied, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 being varied, and a distance between the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 being varied; upon focusing, the fourth lens group G4 being moved; and a predetermined conditional expression being satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11928794
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a first processing unit which executes blurring processing in a common focus position on each of plural images in mutually different focus positions, an integration unit which generates an integrated image resulting from integration of the plural images on which the blurring processing is executed, and a second processing unit which generates a composite image having a predetermined blur degree by executing sharpening processing on the integrated image generated by the integration unit based on information in which optical information indicating optical characteristics of an optical system in which the plural images are acquired and a blur degree of the blurring processing in the common focus position are composited together along a depth direction of the plural image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuneyuki Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 11918286
    Abstract: An ophthalmic instrument including a light emitter, an optical system, and a control section. The light emitter includes a light source including at least one out of a first light source unit or a second light source unit that emits light for examining a subject eye. The light emitter is configured to emit light from the light source. The optical system guides light emitted from the light emitter onto a right-eye retina and/or onto a left-eye retina. The control section is configured to control the light emitter and the optical system such that the light is shone onto the right-eye retina and/or onto the left-eye retina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Obara, Ken Tomioka, Shota Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11921436
    Abstract: A lithography system is provided with: a measurement device measuring position information of marks on a substrate held in a first stage; and an exposure apparatus on a second stage, the substrate for which the position information measurement for the marks has been completed, performs alignment measurement to measure position information for part of marks selected from among the marks on the substrate, and performs exposure. The measurement device measures position information of marks on the substrate to obtain higher-degree components of correction amounts of an arrangement of divided areas, and the exposure apparatus measures position information of a small number of marks on the substrate to obtain lower-degree components of the correction amounts of the arrangement of the divided areas and exposes the plurality of divided areas while controlling the position of the substrate by using the obtained lower-degree components and the higher-degree components obtained by the measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 11921025
    Abstract: A slurry analysis system (14) for estimating a first characteristic of a slurry (12) having a plurality of particles (18) suspended in a dispersion medium (20) can include a slurry filter (40) that filters the slurry (12); and a control system (26) that estimates the first characteristic of the slurry (12) using a flow rate of a filtrate (50) through the slurry filter (40) and a slurry filtration pressure of the slurry (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Nagata, Ting-Chien Teng, Yohei Konishi, Kiyoshi Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11914125
    Abstract: A first lens group (G1) having positive refractive power, a second lens group (G2) having negative refractive power, a third lens group (G3) having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group (G4) having negative refractive power, and a fifth lens group (G5) having positive refractive power are arranged in order from an object, and zooming is performed by changing distances between each lens group, and the first lens group (G1) is composed of three or more lenses, the fourth lens group (G4) is composed of two or less lenses, and the fifth lens group (G5) is composed of two or less lenses and moves to an image surface side upon zooming from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied. 8.40<f1/(?f2)??(1) where, f1 denotes a focal length of the first lens group (G1), and f2 denotes a focal length of the second lens group (G2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Suzuki, Kenji Ishida, Saburo Masugi
  • Patent number: 11917310
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate a charge, a first accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit, and a first output unit that is connected to the first accumulation unit; a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate a charge, a second accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion unit, and a second output unit that is connected to and disconnected from the second accumulation unit via a second connection unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts capacitances of the first accumulation unit and the second accumulation unit if a signal based on the charges generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and the second photoelectric conversion unit is output from the first output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11915961
    Abstract: A measurement system used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices includes: a plurality of measurement devices in which each device performs measurement processing on a substrate; and a carrying system to perform delivery of a substrate with the plurality of measurement devices. The plurality of measurement devices includes a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate. Position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate can be acquired under a setting of a first predetermined condition in the first measurement device, and position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate can be acquired under a setting of a second predetermined condition different from the first predetermined condition in the second measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Ichinose, Tomonori Dosho
  • Patent number: 11917292
    Abstract: A focus detection device includes: an imaging unit having a first and second pixel each of which receives light transmitted through an optical system and outputs signal used for focus detection, and a third pixel which receives light transmitted through the optical system and outputs signal used for image generation; an input unit to which information regarding the optical system is input; a selection unit that selects one of the first and second pixel based on the information to the input unit; a readout unit that reads out the signal from one of the first and second pixel based on a selection result at a timing different from reading out the signal from the third pixel to be read out; and a focus detection unit that performs the focus detection based on at least one of the signals of the first and second pixel read out by the readout unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sinsuke Sambongi, Akira Kinoshita, Yuki Kita
  • Patent number: 11911844
    Abstract: A shaping apparatus is equipped with: a beam shaping system having a beam irradiation section that includes a condensing optical system which emits a beam and a material processing section which supplies a shaping material irradiated by the beam from the beam irradiation section; and a controller which, on the basis of 3D data of a three-dimensional shaped object to be formed on a target surface, controls a workpiece movement system and the beam shaping system such that a target portion on the target surface is shaped by supplying the shaping material from the material processing section while moving the beam from the beam irradiation section and the target surface on a workpiece (or a table) relative to each other. Further the intensity distribution of the beam in the shaping plane facing the emitting surface of the condensing optical system can be modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 11910113
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate an electric charge; a first output unit that outputs a first signal based on the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit; a plurality of second photoelectric conversion units that photoelectrically convert light to generate electric charges; a plurality of second output units that output second signals based on the electric charges generated by the second photoelectric conversion units; an output line to which the first output unit and the plurality of second output units are connected, and from which at least one of the first signal and the second signals is output; a first control line for controlling the output of the first signal from the first output unit; and second control lines for controlling the outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Ando, Toru Takagi, Shutaro Kato, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Takashi Seo
  • Patent number: 11910118
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion unit that converts light incident through a first opening to an electric charge, a second photoelectric conversion unit that converts light incident through a second opening which is smaller than the first opening to an electric charge, and a signal output wiring that outputs a first signal generated by the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit and a second signal generated by the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit. The second photoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the second opening and the signal output wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu Murata
  • Patent number: 11906431
    Abstract: A microscope apparatus including: an illumination optical system that radiates activation light to activate some of fluorescent materials included in a sample and excitation light to excite at least some of the activated fluorescent materials; an image forming optical system that: has an objective lens and an astigmatic optical system that generates astigmatism to at least part of fluorescence from the fluorescent materials; and forms an image of the fluorescence; an image-capturing unit that captures an image formed by the image forming optical system; a drive unit that moves an image-capturing position in the sample along an optical axis-direction of the objective lens; and a control unit, wherein the control unit causes the image-capturing unit to capture images in a plurality of numbers of frames respectively at a first image-capturing position and at a second image-capturing position different from the first image-capturing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro Sase, Yasutoshi Kaneko, Tatsuo Fukui
  • Patent number: 11906716
    Abstract: A zoom optical system includes a plurality of lens groups, and upon zooming distances between adjacent lens groups change. The zoom optical system has a focusing lens group that moves upon focusing and an image-side lens group disposed adjacent to an image side of the focusing lens group. The zoom optical system satisfies the conditional expression 0.000<dL0t/dL1t<1.000, where dL0t denotes a distance on an optical axis between the focusing lens group and the image-side lens group upon focusing on an infinity object in a telephoto end state, and dL1t denotes a distance on the optical axis between the focusing lens group and the image-side lens group upon focusing on a short-distance object in the telephoto end state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Machida, Osamu Gomibuchi, Kenichi Kitano, Mizuki Wayu, Tsuneo Watanabe, Makoto Horikoshi, Ichiro Imaei
  • Patent number: 11905000
    Abstract: A flying device includes a flight unit; and a flight control unit that performs, in a case where a flight position by the flight unit is out of a predetermined range, a control that is different from a control in a case where the flight position is within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuki Ohata, Takanori Shioda, Marie Shimoyama, Toru Kijima, Shinichi Miyauchi, Sho Nakamura, Ryo Tsubata, Masaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11899372
    Abstract: An optical device includes a plurality of laser light sources, an output module having an optical modulator, and a time divider that is disposed between the plurality of laser light sources and the output module and that is configured to divide laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser light sources in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Mizuno, Masaki Kato
  • Patent number: D1021991
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON VISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Asano
  • Patent number: RE49928
    Abstract: A plurality of pixels PX include effective pixels and optical black pixels. Signal lines VL are provided corresponding to each column of the pixels PX and supplied with output signals of the pixels PX of the corresponding column. Clip transistors CL are provided corresponding to the respective signal lines VL and limit a potential of the corresponding vertical signal lines VL based on a gate potential. At least in a predetermined operating mode, a potential Vclip_dark is supplied to a gate of one of the clip transistors CL corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels PX corresponding to the clip transistors CL and when reading a data level from the pixels PX corresponding to the clip transistors CL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Shima
  • Patent number: D1028062
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Imamizu, Masayoshi Ueno