Patents Assigned to Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11977706
    Abstract: A touch panel device includes a capacitance type touch panel having a plurality of electrodes arranged in directions intersecting each other, a capacitance measurement unit that measures capacitance of each electrode pair, a baseline value setting unit that sets the capacitance of each electrode pair in a state where an indicator is not in contact as a baseline value, a position detection unit that detects a contact position of the indicator by comparing the capacitance of each electrode pair measured by the capacitance measurement unit with the baseline value, and a baseline value correction unit that varies the baseline value in accordance with the variation when the capacitance of each electrode pair varies with the lapse of time. The baseline value correction unit sets the time X for varying the baseline value and/or the upper limit value Y thereof for each electrode pair according to the capacitance of each electrode pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masanori Terada
  • Patent number: 11975754
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor device for use with a steering wheel is provided. The steering wheel includes a rim and a spoke that is connected to the inner side of the rim, and the sensor device is provided on the spoke. The sensor device includes an electrode configured to be capacitively coupleable to an object to be detected, and includes a controller configured to detect a change in capacitance of the electrode, and determine whether the object is in proximity to the rim or the spoke based on the change in the capacitance of the electrode. The change in the capacitance occurs in response to the object being in proximity to the rim or the spoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Osako, Kenji Kawano
  • Patent number: 11979728
    Abstract: A vibrating unit includes a diaphragm and a bobbin, and a voice coil is secured to the bobbin. A detecting unit includes a moving magnet and a magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor is disposed in a space surrounded by the bobbin, whereas the moving magnet is secured to an outer surface of the bobbin. Therefore, even when the moving magnet and a damper member move backward significantly, the magnetic sensor is prevented from being hit by the moving magnet and the damper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD
    Inventor: Hiroki Toita
  • Patent number: 11979120
    Abstract: Amplifying circuitry configured such that when a detection circuit detects an abnormal state in which the level of signals input to a main amplifying circuit exceeds a normal range, a control circuit sets the state of integration of signals in the integration circuit to a default state. When the detection circuit detects the abnormal state and then detects that an operating state returns to a normal state in which the level of signals input to the main amplifying circuit is included in the normal range, the control circuit cancels the setting of the default state in the integration circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaharu Uekura, Masahiko Ota
  • Patent number: 11970896
    Abstract: With respect to an opening/closing control device for controlling an opening/closing operation of an opening/closing body driven by a motor, the opening/closing control device includes a current detector, a voltage detector, a processor, and a memory. The processor calculates the speed of the opening/closing body based on a change in the detected position of the opening/closing body, and decreases the pinch threshold value in a case where a state, in which the calculated speed of the opening/closing body is less than or equal to a first predetermined threshold value, and a temporal change in the calculated load is greater than or equal to a second predetermined threshold value and less than or equal to a third predetermined threshold value, continues for a certain period of time or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Masuzawa, Shinichi Endo
  • Patent number: 11972073
    Abstract: An electrostatic input apparatus is provided. A measuring unit measures capacitance at a plurality of coordinates of an electrostatic coordinate input unit. A converting unit obtains a reference value of the capacitance and converts the capacitance to difference values according to a distance between the electrostatic coordinate input unit at the coordinates and a finger. A first coordinate calculating unit calculates barycentric coordinates of a contact portion from the difference values for the plurality of coordinates. A cycle determining unit determines whether the difference values at coordinates on a circumference of a circle with a predetermined radius centered on the barycentric coordinates exhibit periodicity of two cycles in one round along the circle. An operation determining unit performs, when the cycle determining unit determines that the difference values exhibit periodicity of two cycles, a determination that an input operation using two or more fingers has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakajima, Satoshi Hayasaka, Shinichi Endo, Harry Haryadi, Minoru Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20240137698
    Abstract: A controller calculates individual parameters, including nonlinear parameters of a speaker model, based on a measured displacement of a vibration system of a speaker. A sound generator outputs an audio signal, and an output flattening filter adjusts gains of individual bands of an audio signal so that a frequency characteristic of a volume of sound output by the speaker is flattened in accordance with a speaker model obtained by linearizing calculated parameters and outputs a resultant audio signal. A nonlinear inverse filter corrects the resultant audio signal by signal processing adapted to the gains of the output flattening filter so that the nonlinear distortion of the speaker is suppressed in accordance with the speaker model including the nonlinear parameters and outputs the corrected audio signal as an output audio signal to the speaker via an amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Alps Alpine Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji SAITO
  • Publication number: 20240126408
    Abstract: An input display device includes a display configured to display an image, a capacitive touch panel configured to be attached onto the display and include at least one three-dimensional UI portion on a surface of the touch panel, and a detection unit configured to measure a capacitance of the touch panel and detect an operation on the touch panel based on the measured capacitance. The detection unit detects a rotation of the three-dimensional UI portion from a change in coordinates of a finger touching the three-dimensional UI portion, determines that a rotation detected when a finger distance decreases is valid, and determines that the rotation detected when the finger distance does not decrease is invalid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Amano
  • Publication number: 20240126393
    Abstract: A proximity detection device according to the present invention includes: a plurality of light emitting elements; a plurality of light receiving elements; a drive circuit configured to sequentially drive the plurality of light emitting elements; a measurement circuit configured to measure a light reception signal of a corresponding light receiving element when the plurality of light emitting elements are sequentially driven; and a control unit configured to i) control a drive current of a light emitting element such that a light emission amount of the light emitting element is suppressed, and ii) amplify a detection signal of a light receiving element to compensate for the suppressed light emission amount during measurement with a relatively short distance between the light emitting element and the light receiving element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teiichi Ichikawa, Shohei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11959544
    Abstract: A shift device according to one embodiment includes a case having a cylindrical portion; a shift lever configured to include a base portion provided to be rotatable inside the cylindrical portion, with which an operator performs a rotation operation; a shift position holding mechanism configured to hold the shift lever at a predetermined shift position; and an elastic member configured to protrude from one of the cylindrical portion or the base portion so as to face another of the cylindrical portion or the base portion, and contact either an outer circumferential surface of the base portion or an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion, to impose a rotational load on the shift lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 11961687
    Abstract: A push switch includes a case having a housing space with an upper opening, fixed contacts provided at a bottom of the housing space in the case, a movable contact member having a dome-shaped member, the movable contact member being disposed in the housing space, and having a central portion that is brought into contact with the fixed contacts by inverting the movable contact member in response to the movable contact member being pushed by an operator, and a pushing member is disposed above the movable contact member, and the pushing member is configured to push the movable contact portion directly or through other portions upon being pushed by the operator. The pushing member pushes a portion being situated outside of a central portion of the movable contact member directly or through other portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Kaneko, Katsutoshi Usui, Hiroshi Ohara
  • Patent number: 11959324
    Abstract: A control system includes a contact sensor configured to detect contact between an operation body and a door handle, a force sensor configured to detect a force applied by the operation body to the door handle, and a controller configured to control opening or closing of a door when the contact is detected by the contact sensor and the force is detected by the force sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takata, Takeshi Masaki, Kazuhito Oshita, Satoru Takizawa
  • Patent number: 11954312
    Abstract: An input device includes a touch panel having an operation surface and configured to receive a touch input and a hover input by an operation body; a display device configured to display a plurality of selection items; a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to highlight a selection item, a selection of the selection item being made by the hover input from the plurality of selection items, confirm the selection of the selection item by the hover input in a case where a duration during which the selection item is selected by the hover input reaches a first predetermined threshold, and confirm a selection of the selection item by the touch input in a case where the touch input is detected on the selection item before the duration reaches the first predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Hiroshi Shigetaka, Hirofumi Kuga, Masahiro Takata, Yasuji Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 11956604
    Abstract: A right seat processing unit includes, assuming that a voice of a user in a right front seat is a right front seat voice, a filter HR that converts the right front seat voice being output from a left front seat microphone disposed on a headrest of a left front seat into the right front seat voice collected by a right seat virtual microphone that is a virtual microphone located on a left side of a headrest of the right front seat, a delay unit Z-TR that delays and outputs an output from a right front seat microphone located on a right side of the headrest of the right front seat, a filter WRA that extracts the right front seat voice being output from the filter HR, a filter WRB that extracts the right front seat voice being output from the delay unit Z-TR, and a right adder that adds outputs of the filter WRA and the filter WRB and outputs an added output as a right front seat speech voice signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tachi, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11954555
    Abstract: A sensor interface circuit includes: an RF switch having a control node; a bias circuit electrically connected to the control node and applying, to the control node, a voltage at a first level or a second level corresponding to a linear region of a reflection characteristic; a first variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to a first sensor; a second variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to a second sensor; and a difference circuit electrically connected between the first variable oscillation circuit and the bias circuit, and between the second variable oscillation circuit and the bias circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: NISSHINBO MICRO DEVICES INC., TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Sato, Masayuki Sato, Noboru Ishihara, Shinji Murata
  • Patent number: 11953929
    Abstract: When an operation knob 10 formed of silicone rubber is pushed laterally, a stem 7 tilts with a contact portion (i) as a fulcrum, a push button portion 6b is pushed, and a contact point in a switch mechanism portion 6a operates to turn on a switch circuit. Even if, by a large operating force F3 being applied, the operation knob 10 is extended and the inner surface portion 15, which is a ceiling surface of an internal space 13 of the operation knob 10, rides on an upper end portion 7c, a reinforcing surface 19 provided on the inner surface portion 15 slides on the upper end portion 7c, and the operation knob 10 returns to the initial shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeto Gorai, Tetsu Numata, Akihiro Kusaka, Shunsuke Kimura, Reiji Koyama
  • Patent number: 11946294
    Abstract: A door handle including a capacitance sensor configured to detect an operation body is provided. The capacitance sensor includes a substrate formed of an insulator and having a surface, at least one first sensor electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate, a plurality of second sensor electrodes disposed on the surface of the substrate, and a controller. The number of the plurality of second sensor electrodes is greater than the number of the at least one first sensor electrode. The controller applies a voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes and detects a coordinate position of the operation body, in a case where a capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhito Oshita, Daisuke Takai
  • Patent number: 11947376
    Abstract: An input device includes an operation member vertically movably disposed on a support, urging means for urging the operation member upward, and an inclination preventive member reducing inclination of the operation member by coupling first and second ends of the operation member in a first horizontal direction and linking vertical movements of the first and second ends together. The inclination preventive member includes a main shaft extending in the first horizontal direction and rotatably and axially supported by the support, a pair of arms extending from opposite ends of the main shaft toward an identical side of a second horizontal direction crossing the first horizontal direction, and a pair of secondary shafts extending in the first horizontal direction from distal ends of the pair of arms, and rotatably and axially supported by the first and second ends. The pair of arms include short and long arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Yokoyama, Hiroki Utagawa, Kunihiro Kamei
  • Patent number: D1025015
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatada Muramoto
  • Patent number: D1025017
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatada Muramoto