Patents by Inventor Akihiro Asada
Akihiro Asada has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20050211487Abstract: A work vehicle includes a traveling vehicle body and a hood provided at a front portion of the vehicle body for covering an engine room. The hood includes a front face having a plurality of first air vent holes and right and left side faces each having a plurality of second air vent holes. A radiator is mounted inside the hood, ambient air being drawn in through the first and second air vent holes toward the radiator. A vent hole area ratio of each side face of the hood determined by the second air vent holes is set smaller than a vent hole area ratio of the front face of the hood determined by the first air vent holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2004Publication date: September 29, 2005Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Mitsuhiko Obe, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20050180280Abstract: A laser waveform generation function is provided in a laser driving waveform generator 2 near a laser 3. A recording clock generator 9 is included in the laser driving waveform generator 2 to generate a clock with a frequency higher than that of a synchronizing clock 202. This allows a recording laser current (waveform) to be generated without transmission of a high frequency signal from the modulator 6. Further, because the synchronizing clock 202 is stopped upon a reproduction operation including reproduction operation in an ID unit, undesired effects on a reproduction operation such as ID reproduction can be reduced. Because the response speed of the recording clock generator 9 can be changed, a high precision clock can be generated. Thus, a high-precision recording laser current (waveform) can be generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2005Publication date: August 18, 2005Applicant: Hitachi Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Hoshino, Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takehiko Sekine
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Publication number: 20050030989Abstract: An optical disk apparatus uses a laser driver which can measure the frequency of the high-frequency superimposed current of the semiconductor laser simply and accurately. The apparatus includes a semiconductor laser which emits a laser beam onto the optical disk, a laser driver which drives the semiconductor laser with a current, with the high-frequency current being superimposed thereon, and measures the frequency of the high-frequency current, and a main controller which controls the frequency of the high-frequency current produced by the laser driver by using the frequency measured by the laser driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2004Publication date: February 10, 2005Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.Inventors: Makoto Nihei, Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino
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Patent number: 6831885Abstract: According to the present invention, in an optical disk apparatus constructed to supply signals for controlling a semiconductor laser drive circuit provided to an optical pickup from a signal processing circuit through a flexible cable, the semiconductor laser drive circuit is so constructed as to generate a drive current signal for the semiconductor laser on the basis of a binary signal and a clock signal which are supplied from the signal processing circuit through the flexible cable and the signal processing circuit is so constructed as to stop supplying the block signal to the semiconductor laser drive circuit through the flexible cable during reproduction of data, and to start supplying the clock signal to the semiconductor laser drive circuit before recording of data.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2003Date of Patent: December 14, 2004Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Masaaki Kurebayashi
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Patent number: 6810050Abstract: An optical disk apparatus uses a laser driver which can measure the frequency of the high-frequency superimposed current of the semiconductor laser simply and accurately. The apparatus includes a semiconductor laser which emits a laser beam onto the optical disk, a laser driver which drives the semiconductor laser with a current, with the high-frequency current being superimposed thereon, and measures the frequency of the high-frequency current, and a main controller which controls the frequency of the high-frequency current produced by the laser driver by using the frequency measured by the laser driver.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2001Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.Inventors: Makoto Nihei, Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino
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Patent number: 6721261Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor laser, a laser driver which drives the semiconductor laser, an optical system which focuses light emitted from the semiconductor laser on an information recording medium, a photodetector which detects light reflected from the information recording medium, and outputs a reflection light signal, a modulation circuit which modulates information in accordance with a predetermined rule, and outputs a binary signal representing the modulated information, and a calculation/control circuit which controls the modulation circuit. The laser driver includes a delay circuit, and receives the binary signal, generates a recording current signal corresponding to the binary signal through the delay circuit, and transmits an output of the delay circuit to the calculation/control circuit as a monitor signal. The calculation/control circuit generates a timing signal for sampling and holding the reflection light signal based on the monitor signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino
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Patent number: 6687208Abstract: A laser drive integrated circuit and an optical disk apparatus using the laser drive integrated circuit for forming high-density marks. The optical disk apparatus includes a drive waveform information storage unit for storing at least one information of a drive waveform for driving a laser diode in response to a binary recording signal to be recorded in a recording medium, and a drive waveform decoder for decoding the drive waveform based on the information stored in the drive waveform information storage unit. A recording strategy can be changed in accordance with variations and fluctuations of recording media or characteristics of the recording media, while at the same time reducing a number of signal lines in flexible wiring and alleviating effects of signal distortion in the signal lines.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Hideo Ohnuki, Masaaki Kurebayashi, Yasuhito Tanaka, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Hidehiko Kando
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Patent number: 6674702Abstract: A laser drive circuit includes a first current supply unit which supplies a first drive current to a first laser diode based on a drive waveform signal generated by a drive waveform generating unit, a second current supply unit which supplies a second drive current to a second laser diode based on the drive waveform signal generated by the drive waveform generating unit, and a switching unit which selectively supplies the drive waveform signal generated by the drive waveform generating unit to one of the first current supply unit and the second current supply unit. The drive waveform generating unit may be part of the laser drive circuit, or may be separate from the laser drive circuit, and may include a drive waveform information storage unit which stores a recording strategy according to a type of disk.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Hideo Ohnuki, Masaaki Kurebayashi, Yasuhito Tanaka, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Hidehiko Kando
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Patent number: 6654328Abstract: A laser driver for driving a semiconductor laser for use in recording information by irradiating light on an information recording medium includes a device, including a PLL circuit, for obtaining (1) information modulated in accordance with a predetermined rule and (2) a clock signal, and outputting a recording current signal corresponding to a modulation signal representing the modulated information through the PLL circuit. The PLL circuit oscillates at a high frequency in synchronism with the clock signal. The laser driver further includes a PLL unlock detection circuit for detecting an oscillating condition of the PLL circuit, and for outputting a detection signal indicative of the oscillating condition of the PLL circuit outside the laser driver as a monitor signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino
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Patent number: 6636472Abstract: A laser drive (LD) unit 1 according to the present invention is provided with a laser drive waveform controller 6, into which information for setting the laser drive is entered from a controller 2, for generating a laser drive waveform on the basis of that information and supplying an indicated amperage; an LD current setting unit 7 for setting a laser drive current matching the indicated amperage; an LD current output unit 8 for varying the laser drive current on the basis of the laser drive waveform and supplying the current so varied to a laser diode 3; and a current setting corrector 9, into which a monitor signal obtained at the time of monitoring the laser beam emission from the laser diode 3 is monitored, for correcting the laser drive current set by the current setting unit 7 by using that monitor signal to adjust the power of the laser diode 3. The laser drive waveform controller 6, current setting unit 7, current output unit 8 and current setting corrector 9 are formed on the same substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2002Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Kurebayashi, Akihiro Asada, Toshimitsu Kaku, Hideo Oonuki, Takashi Hoshino, Hidehiko Kandou
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Publication number: 20030151995Abstract: A laser drive circuit includes a first current supply unit which supplies a first drive current to a first laser diode based on a drive waveform signal generated by a drive waveform generating unit, a second current supply unit which supplies a second drive current to a second laser diode based on the drive waveform signal generated by the drive waveform generating unit, and a switching unit which selectively supplies the drive waveform signal generated by the drive waveform generating unit to one of the first current supply unit and the second current supply unit. The drive waveform generating unit may be part of the laser drive circuit, or may be separate from the laser drive circuit, and may include a drive waveform information storage unit which stores a recording strategy according to a type of disk.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2002Publication date: August 14, 2003Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Hideo Ohnuki, Masaaki Kurebayashi, Yasuhito Tanaka, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Hidehiko Kando
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Publication number: 20030147316Abstract: According to the present invention, in an optical disk apparatus constructed to supply signals for controlling a semiconductor laser drive circuit provided to an optical pickup from a signal processing circuit through a flexible cable, the semiconductor laser drive circuit is so constructed as to generate a drive current signal for the semiconductor laser on the basis of a binary signal and a clock signal which are supplied from the signal processing circuit through the flexible cable and the signal processing circuit is so constructed as to supply the clock signal during recording of data and stop the supply of the clock signal during reproduction of data.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2003Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Masaaki Kurebayashi
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Publication number: 20030117923Abstract: An optical disk drive includes drive current generation unit for supplying a mark forming semiconductor laser drive current and a space forming semiconductor laser drive current; first high-frequency superimposition unit for superimposing a high-frequency component on the space forming semiconductor laser drive current; and high-frequency superimposition control unit for controlling the first high-frequency superimposition unit to stop the superimposition of the high-frequency component for a predetermined duration prior to a timing at which to switch from the space forming semiconductor laser drive current to the mark forming semiconductor laser drive current, eliminating positional variations on the disk of the mark leading and trailing edges due to the high frequency superimposition.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2002Publication date: June 26, 2003Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Masaaki Kurebayashi
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Patent number: 6552987Abstract: According to the present invention, in an optical disk apparatus constructed to supply signals for controlling a semiconductor laser drive circuit provided to an optical pickup from a signal processing circuit through a flexible cable, the semiconductor laser drive circuit is so constructed as to generate a drive current signal for the semiconductor laser on the basis of a binary signal and a clock signal which are supplied from the signal processing circuit through the flexible cable and the signal processing circuit is so constructed as to supply the clock signal during recording of data and stop the supply of the block signal during reproduction of data.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Masaaki Kurebayashi
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Publication number: 20020186628Abstract: A laser waveform generation function is provided in a laser driving waveform generator 2 near a laser 3. A recording clock generator 9 is included in the laser driving waveform generator 2 to generate a clock with a frequency higher than that of a synchronizing clock 202. This allows a recording laser current (waveform) to be generated without transmission of a high frequency signal from the modulator 6. Further, because the synchronizing clock 202 is stopped upon a reproduction operation including reproduction operation in an ID unit, undesired effects on a reproduction operation such as ID reproduction can be reduced. Because the response speed of the recording clock generator 9 can be changed, a high precision clock can be generated. Thus, a high-precision recording laser current (waveform) can be generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Hoshino, Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takehiko Sekine
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Publication number: 20020176461Abstract: An optical disk apparatus uses a laser driver which can measure the frequency of the high-frequency superimposed current of the semiconductor laser simply and accurately. The apparatus includes a semiconductor laser which emits a laser beam onto the optical disk, a laser driver which drives the semiconductor laser with a current, with the high-frequency current being superimposed thereon, and measures the frequency of the high-frequency current, and a main controller which controls the frequency of the high-frequency current produced by the laser driver by using the frequency measured by the laser driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2001Publication date: November 28, 2002Inventors: Makoto Nihei, Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino
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Patent number: 6487154Abstract: A laser drive (LD) unit 1 according to the present invention is provided with a laser drive waveform controller 6, into which information for setting the laser drive is entered from a controller 2, for generating a laser drive waveform on the basis of that information and supplying an indicated amperage; an LD current setting unit 7 for setting a laser drive current matching the indicated amperage; an LD current output unit 8 for varying the laser drive current on the basis of the laser drive waveform and supplying the current so varied to a laser diode 3; and a current setting corrector 9, into which a monitor signal obtained at the time of monitoring the laser beam emission from the laser diode 3 is monitored, for correcting the laser drive current set by the current setting unit 7 by using that monitor signal to adjust the power of the laser diode 3. The laser drive waveform controller 6, current setting unit 7, current output unit 8 and current setting corrector 9 are formed on the same substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2000Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Kurebayashi, Akihiro Asada, Toshimitsu Kaku, Hideo Oonuki, Takashi Hoshino, Hidehiko Kandou
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Patent number: 6483791Abstract: A laser drive integrated circuit and an optical disk apparatus using the laser drive integrated circuit for forming high-density marks. The optical disk apparatus has a drive waveform information storage unit for storing at least one information of the drive waveform for driving a laser diode in response to a binary recording signal recorded in a recording medium and a drive waveform decoder for decoding the drive waveform based on the information stored in the drive waveform information storage unit. The recording strategy can be changed in accordance with the variations and fluctuations of recording media or the characteristics of the recording media, while at the same time reducing the number of signal lines of flexible wiring and alleviating the effect of the signal distortion.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1999Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Asada, Hideo Ohnuki, Masaaki Kurebayashi, Yasuhito Tanaka, Toshimitsu Kaku, Takashi Hoshino, Hidehiko Kando
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Publication number: 20020126610Abstract: For providing an information recording/reproducing apparatus, in which information data can be recorded and reproduced into and from various kinds of recording mediums, by use of a laser driver which enables recording strategy control for each kind recording medium, wherein in a laser driver, which obtains an NRZ signal from a modulation circuit and a clock signal being synchronized therewith, so as to make a PLL circuit disposed therein to oscillate a recording frequency, thereby enabling to generate a recording current signal corresponding to the NRZ signal, there is provided an unlock detection circuit, and recording/reproducing operation is controlled by a detection signal from the unlock detection circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2002Publication date: September 12, 2002Inventors: Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino
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Publication number: 20020126609Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor laser, a laser driver which drives the semiconductor laser, an optical system which focuses light emitted from the semiconductor laser on an information recording medium, a photodetector which detects light reflected from the information recording medium, and outputs a reflection light signal, a modulation circuit which modulates information in accordance with a predetermined rule, and outputs a binary signal representing the modulated information, and a calculation/control circuit which controls the modulation circuit. The laser driver includes a delay circuit, and receives the binary signal, generates a recording current signal corresponding to the binary signal through the delay circuit, and transmits an output of the delay circuit to the calculation/control circuit as a monitor signal. The calculation/control circuit generates a timing signal for sampling and holding the reflection light signal based on the monitor signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2002Publication date: September 12, 2002Inventors: Toshimitsu Kaku, Akihiro Asada, Takashi Hoshino