Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100013442 | CHARGING SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT DEVICE INCLUDING SECONDARY CELL, AND POWER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR CHARGING - Provided is a charging system wherein a voltage and a current can be accurately supplied from a power supply device even with a cable wiring resistance and a connector contact resistance, and the power supply device can be commonly used even for a plurality of kinds of electronic circuit devices whereupon different secondary cells are mounted. The charging system is provided with an electronic circuit device ( | 01-21-2010 |
20100127676 | POWER SOURCE APPARATUS - Disclosed is a power source apparatus including: a connector for outputting electric power, wherein the apparatus performs power output through a cable connected to the connector, a power source circuit capable of changing an output thereof; a control circuit to perform output control of the power source circuit; and a first detection circuit including an input terminal for detection connected to wiring on a side of a tip of the cable to perform detection pertaining to an output quantity of electric power, wherein the output control is performed based on a detection signal of the first detection circuit, the detection signal fed back to the control circuit. | 05-27-2010 |
20100188051 | Secondary battery charging circuit - The present invention provides a highly safe charging circuit with which overcharge of a secondary battery will never occur even when a failure occurs in a transistor or the like that controls the charging voltage or charging current or when a protection circuit does not operate normally. In a secondary battery charging circuit | 07-29-2010 |
20100308778 | ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND POWER SUPPLY DEVICE - Provided is an electronic system wherein power is accurately supplied even with a power delivery line resistance and a connector contact resistance, and furthermore, a plurality of electronic devices having requiring different power supply voltages can be handled with one power supply device. The electronic system is provided with an electronic device ( | 12-09-2010 |
20100314945 | BIDIRECTIONAL CONVERTER AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Provided is a bidirectional converter which has flexibility to be applicable in various conditions and performs stable switching of operation mode at high efficiency. An electronic device which supplies power in various conditions and operates with excellent efficiency is also provided. An electronic device is provided with a bidirectional converter, which has a reactor and four switches between power supply input terminals and a secondary battery, and a system circuit is supplied with an operation voltage through the bidirectional converter. A status signal indicating the operation status of the system circuit is transmitted to a microcomputer of the bidirectional converter, and based on the status signal, switching of operation mode of the bidirectional converter is controlled. | 12-16-2010 |
20110074356 | Charge and Discharge Circuit of Secondary Battery and Battery Pack - A charge and discharge circuit and a battery pack, both capable of voluntarily perform proper switching between a charge operation and a discharge operation of a secondary battery according to various situations, are provided. The charge and discharge circuit of a secondary battery is one capable of charging the secondary battery E | 03-31-2011 |
20110248670 | CHARGING POWER SOURCE APPARATUS - There is provided a charging power source apparatus by which quick charging can be carried out within a required range without imposing a burden on a secondary battery or a charging circuit. The charging power source apparatus is equipped with a plurality of control modes (e.g. normal charging mode and quick charging mode) for operating respectively with a plurality of output characteristics where the magnitudes of output currents being limited are different, and a detecting circuit for detecting a voltage appearing between the output terminals, and is configured such that one of the plurality of control modes is selected based on detection result from the detection circuit to perform an output operation. | 10-13-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090108731 | ELECTRODE FOR COLD-CATHODE FLUORESCENT LAMP - A cold-cathode fluorescent lamp having high brightness with long life and an electrode for this lamp are offered. At least one part of the electrode surface is formed by using one material selected from the group consisting of rhodium, palladium, and alloys of these. For example, a surface layer made of the foregoing material is formed on a base. To increase the bonding strength between the surface layer and the base, a bonding layer made of gold or gold alloy is formed on the base. Because a metal such as rhodium is resistant to alloying with mercury and has a high melting point, a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp provided with an electrode made of the foregoing metal can suppress not only the consumption of the mercury due to the formation of an amalgam but also the reduction in brightness due to insufficient discharging. Furthermore, because the lamp can suppress the consumption of the mercury and electrode, the lamp has long life. | 04-30-2009 |
20090128001 | ELECTRODE FOR COLD-CATHODE FLUORESCENT LAMP - A cold-cathode fluorescent lamp having high brightness with long life and an electrode for this lamp are offered. The electrode comprises a base and a covering layer that covers the surface of the base. The base is formed of one metal selected from nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy. Consequently, a base having a shape, such as a cup, can be easily produced. The covering layer comprises (a) a surface layer made of tungsten or molybdenum and (b) a bonding layer that is made of zinc alloy and that is placed between the base and the surface layer. In comparison with nickel and iron, tungsten and molybdenum are resistant to sputtering, have a small work function, and have a high melting point. The presence of the bonding layer enables sufficient bonding between the surface layer and base. A cold-cathode fluorescent lamp provided with the foregoing electrode can suppress the reduction in brightness and the consumption of the electrode. Therefore, it has high brightness and long life. | 05-21-2009 |
20100013371 | ELECTRODE MEMBER FOR COLD CATHODE FLUORESCENT LAMP - An electrode member for a cold cathode fluorescent lamp which is excellent in sputtering resistance and a discharge property, and which is excellent in productivity, a method of producing the electrode member, and a cold cathode fluorescent lamp are provided. | 01-21-2010 |
20110012500 | SPARK PLUG FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - A spark plug comprising: a cylindrical metal shell; a cylindrical insulator provided in an inner hole of said metal shell; a center electrode provided in a leading end side inner hole of said insulator; and a ground electrode having one end bonded to a leading end side of said metal shell and having another end face forming a spark discharge gap with said center electrode, wherein said ground electrode comprises an electrode material containing from 0.5 to 1.5 wt. % of Si, from 0.5 to 1.5 wt. % of Al, from 0.02 to 1.0 wt. % of at least one of Ti, V, Zr, Nb and Hf, from 0.03 to 0.09 wt. % of C and 95.5 wt. % or more of Ni, and having a specific resistance at 20° C. of 25 tincm or less. | 01-20-2011 |
20110027586 | ELECTRODE MEMBER FOR COLD CATHODE FLUORESCENT LAMP - The invention offers an electrode member for a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, the member having excellent ability to attain intimate contact between the lead portion and glass, and a production method thereof. The electrode member | 02-03-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080278611 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND CONTACT-TYPE IMAGE SENSOR - To prevent such a situation that a signal from a pixel in a dark state is output at a level shifted from an originally set level to deteriorate an image quality, and to improve the image quality. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to the present invention includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a plurality of amplifying units for amplifying a signal in accordance with a photo-carrier generated in the photoelectric conversion elements; a plurality of signal holding units for holding output signals from the amplifying units through a plurality of switch units; and a control signal supplying unit for supplying a control signal to the switch units through a control line, in which the control line is sequentially connected to the plurality of switch units and has both ends connected to the control signal supplying units, or a change rate with time of an amplitude of a signal held by the signal holding units is set lower than a change rate with time of am amplitude of the control signal at the time of turning off the switch units. | 11-13-2008 |
20090050993 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND MULTI-CHIP IMAGE SENSOR - A pixel space is narrowed without increasing PN junction capacitance. A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels arranged therein, each including a first impurity region of a first conductivity type forming a photoelectric conversion region, a second impurity region of a second conductivity type forming a signal acquisition region arranged in the first impurity region, a third impurity region of the first conductivity type and a fourth impurity region of the first conductivity type are arranged in a periphery of each pixel for isolating the each pixel, the fourth impurity region is disposed between adjacent pixels, and an impurity concentration of the fourth impurity region is smaller than an impurity concentration of the third impurity region. | 02-26-2009 |
20090256936 | METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - When a horizontal skipping operation is performed in a solid-state imaging apparatus that includes an A/D converting circuit in each column and that applies an arithmetic operation process to a digitalized signal and an arithmetic operation is performed with signals held by a plurality of register circuits, A/D converters and register circuits in columns in which signals are skipped, or not read out, are not involved in the operations. A more consideration is needed in terms of the use efficiency of circuits. A unit for connecting a register circuit of a certain column and a register circuit of a different column is arranged. | 10-15-2009 |
20100110257 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF THE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a pixel array in which pixels for outputting an analog signal are arranged in a matrix, vertical output lines each of which is connected to pixels in a same column, A/D conversion units, which are individually connected to the vertical output lines, for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a constant current supply unit for supplying a constant current to the A/D conversion units. Each of the A/D conversion units includes an integration unit for integrating the constant current, a comparison unit for comparing the integrated constant current with the analog signal and outputting a comparison signal, and a digital signal storage unit for storing a digital signal corresponding to the comparison signal. The integration unit includes an input capacitor for receiving the constant current. The comparison unit is connected to the constant current supply unit via the input capacitor. | 05-06-2010 |
20100149394 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus that outputs digital signals at high speed. A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided that includes plural analog-to-digital converters that convert analog signals obtained by photoelectric conversion into digital signals, plural digital memories that store the digital signals converted by the analog-to-digital converters, plural block digital output lines that are provided to correspond to blocks of the plural digital memories and to which the digital signals stored in the plural digital memories included in the blocks are output, a common digital output line that outputs the digital signals output from the plural block digital output lines, buffer circuits that buffer the digital signals output from the block digital output lines, and block selecting units that can switch the block digital output lines electrically connected to the common digital output line. | 06-17-2010 |
20110155893 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - An apparatus according to the present invention in which a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion element and a gate electrode of a transistor, and a second substrate including a peripheral circuit portion are placed upon each other. The first substrate does not include a high-melting-metal compound layer, and the second substrate includes a high-melting-metal compound layer. | 06-30-2011 |
20120013778 | METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - When a horizontal skipping operation is performed in a solid-state imaging apparatus that includes an A/D converting circuit in each column and that applies an arithmetic operation process to a digitalized signal and an arithmetic operation is performed with signals held by a plurality of register circuits, A/D converters and register circuits in columns in which signals are skipped, or not read out, are not involved in the operations. A more consideration is needed in terms of the use efficiency of circuits. A unit for connecting a register circuit of a certain column and a register circuit of a different column is arranged. | 01-19-2012 |
20120038343 | CONSTANT CURRENT SOURCE AND SOLID IMAGING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A constant current source has a first current source circuit for outputting a first current; a second current source circuit for outputting a second current according to a reference voltage; a current comparison circuit for comparing magnitudes of the first and second currents; and a current adjustment unit for adjusting a current value of the first current output from the first current source circuit in accordance with a comparison result of the current comparison circuit. | 02-16-2012 |
20130063639 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus that outputs digital signals at high speed. A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided that includes plural analog-to-digital converters that convert analog signals obtained by photoelectric conversion into digital signals, plural digital memories that store the digital signals converted by the analog-to-digital converters, plural block digital output lines that are provided to correspond to blocks of the plural digital memories and to which the digital signals stored in the plural digital memories included in the blocks are output, a common digital output line that outputs the digital signals output from the plural block digital output lines, buffer circuits that buffer the digital signals output from the block digital output lines, and block selecting units that can switch the block digital output lines electrically connected to the common digital output line. | 03-14-2013 |
20130194474 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF THE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a pixel array in which pixels for outputting an analog signal are arranged in a matrix, vertical output lines each of which is connected to pixels in a same column, A/D conversion units, which are individually connected to the vertical output lines, for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a constant current supply unit for supplying a constant current to the A/D conversion units. Each of the A/D conversion units includes an integration unit for integrating the constant current, a comparison unit for comparing the integrated constant current with the analog signal and outputting a comparison signal, and a digital signal storage unit for storing a digital signal corresponding to the comparison signal. The integration unit includes an input capacitor for receiving the constant current. The comparison unit is connected to the constant current supply unit via the input capacitor. | 08-01-2013 |
20130248953 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - An apparatus according to the present invention in which a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion element and a gate electrode of a transistor, and a second substrate including a peripheral circuit portion are placed upon each other. The first substrate does not include a high-melting-metal compound layer, and the second substrate includes a high-melting-metal compound layer. | 09-26-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120211643 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND IMAGING DEVICE - An imaging system includes an A/D converter including a holding unit holding a pixel signal as a voltage level, a comparator comparing the voltage level held with a reference level, a circuit capable of changing the voltage level so as to approach the reference level at first and second rates, wherein the voltage level is changed at the first rate to determine higher bits in accordance with inversion of a relationship between the reference level and the voltage level, after that, the voltage level is changed at the second rate to determine lower bits in accordance with inversion of the relationship between the reference level and the voltage level, and an adjusting unit which adjusts the voltage level during a period until the voltage level is changed at the second rate after determination of the higher bits so that the lower bits and the voltage level hold a linear relationship. | 08-23-2012 |
20120248293 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel region including photoelectric conversion units, FDs, and transfer transistors, reset transistors, amplifier transistors, and a reference voltage supply line used to supply reference voltages to the photoelectric conversion units. In the device, the pixel region and the reference voltage supply line are disposed on a first semiconductor substrate, and at least the reset transistors or the amplifier transistors are disposed on a second semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, power supply lines used to supply voltages to the reference voltage supply line are disposed on the second semiconductor substrate. The device further includes second electric connection units which electrically connect the reference voltage supply line to the power supply line. The first electric connection units are disposed in the pixel region whereas the second electric connection units are disposed outside the pixel region. | 10-04-2012 |
20120267690 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device. The device includes a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion element and a transfer gate electrode configured to transfer charge from the photoelectric conversion element, a second substrate having a peripheral circuit portion including a circuit configured to read a signal based charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, the first and second substrates being laminated. The device further includes a multilayer interconnect structure, disposed on the first substrate, including an aluminum interconnect and a multilayer interconnect structure, disposed on the second substrate, including a copper interconnect. | 10-25-2012 |
20120286138 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging device is configured such that an effective pixel and a reference pixel are connected to first and second signal lines, respectively. The solid-state imaging device includes a difference signal output unit configured to perform difference processing on a signal output from a first amplifying transistor included in the effective pixel and a signal output from a second amplifying transistor included in the reference pixel. The difference signal output unit is provided separately from the first and second amplifying transistors. | 11-15-2012 |
20120286139 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging device has a configuration for selecting from a plurality of reference pixels at least one reference pixel for outputting a reference signal. | 11-15-2012 |
20120286140 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Dark current from a transfer transistor is suppressed and power-supply voltage in a second semiconductor substrate is lowered. A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array, a plurality of common output lines receiving signals read out from a plurality of pixels, a transfer scanning unit sequentially driving the plurality of transfer transistors, a signal processing unit processing the signals output to the common signal lines, and a level shift unit making amplitude of a pulse supplied to a gate of the transfer transistor larger than amplitude of a pulse supplied to a gate of a transistor constituting the signal processing unit. The pixel array and the level shift unit are arranged on a first semiconductor substrate, whereas the plurality of common output lines and the signal processing unit are arranged on a second semiconductor substrate. | 11-15-2012 |
20130088628 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a plurality of readout circuits provided in each column of the plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, configured to read out for each column a signal of the plurality of pixels, a plurality of comparison units configured to compare a signal output from the plurality of readout circuits with a reference signal whose level changes with time, a counter configured to perform a count operation from when the level of the reference signal starts to change, first and second buffers each configured to buffer a count value of the counter, and a plurality of storing units connected to the plurality of comparison units, configured to store a count value of the counter when a magnitude relation between a signal output from the plurality of the readout circuits and the reference signal is inverted. | 04-11-2013 |
20130105663 | MEMBER FOR SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE | 05-02-2013 |
20130175652 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - In a solid-state imaging device, a photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer transistor, and at least a part of electric charge holding unit, among pixel constituent elements, are disposed on a first semiconductor substrate. An amplifying transistor, a signal processing circuit other than a reset transistor, and a plurality of common output lines, to which signals are read out from a plurality of pixels, are disposed on a second semiconductor substrate. | 07-11-2013 |
20130207825 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE - A solid-state image sensing device comprises a pixel which outputs a pixel signal, a first conversion unit which converts the pixel signal into a digital signal with a first bit length, and a second conversion unit which converts, into a digital signal with a second bit length, an analog signal obtained by subtracting, from the pixel signal, an analog signal corresponding to the digital signal with the first bit length. The second conversion unit comprises a current source, a first capacitance, and a switching unit for switching a supply destination of a current supplied from the current source to one of the first capacitance and a reference potential. The second conversion unit performs the conversion based on comparison between a reference voltage and the analog signal which is charged in the first capacitance and is obtained as a subtraction result. | 08-15-2013 |
20130242151 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising an imaging unit and a conversion unit, including a first processing unit and a second processing unit, for converting an analog signal output from the imaging unit into a digital signal, wherein the first processing unit generates a higher-order bit of a digital signal corresponding to the analog signal, and the second processing unit, to which a clock signal having a first edge and a second edge is supplied, starts charging a capacitor and ends the charging in response to an elapse of a predetermined time since the first edge of the clock signal supplied immediately after the charging has started, and then generates a lower-order bit of the digital signal. | 09-19-2013 |
20140014817 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor comprises a pixel portion formed by arraying pixels including photoelectric conversion portions in a matrix, a plurality of A/D converters which are provided in a one-to-one correspondence to pixel columns of the pixel portion, an adding unit which adds pixel signals from a plurality of pixel columns to each other, and a connecting portion capable of inputting, to an arbitrary A/D converter, a sum signal obtained by adding the pixel signals by the adding unit. | 01-16-2014 |
20140092286 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE, IMAGING SYSTEM, PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE TESTING METHOD, AND IMAGING SYSTEM MANUFACTURING METHOD - A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a plurality of blocks including a plurality of pairs, each of the pairs including a comparator provided correspondingly with a column in the pixel array and a memory provided correspondingly with the comparator, and a block information supply unit configured to supply block information which indicates a location of a block, to the plurality of memories included in the blocks. | 04-03-2014 |
20150036032 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - Column signal processing units are provided in correspondence with respective columns of a pixel array. The column signal processing unit includes a sample-and-hold unit configured to hold an analog signal output from a pixel, a buffer unit configured to buffer the signal held in the sample-and-hold unit, and an AD conversion unit. The AD conversion unit converts the signal held by the sample-and-hold unit and buffered by the buffer unit into a digital signal. | 02-05-2015 |
20150077607 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel section in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix, a column signal line configured to output a pixel signal from the pixel section, a column amplifier circuit configured to invert and amplify the pixel signal, a bypass circuit configured to bypass the column amplifier circuit, an AD converter, and a control unit configured to change an operation mode of the AD converter in accordance with the operation of the bypass circuit. | 03-19-2015 |