Patents by Inventor Akinobu Watanabe

Akinobu Watanabe 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).

  • Publication number: 20120268167
    Abstract: A pull-up circuit prevents generation of a leak current if a difference of potentials occurs between a power source voltage of a pull-up circuit (a bus-hold circuit) and an input terminal. A control terminal is provided in the bus-hold circuit. Inputs of the input terminal and the control terminal are input to a NOR gate, and an output of the NOR gate is input to a gate terminal of a first MOSFET that controls coupling between an input terminal and the power source voltage of the bus-hold circuit. A second MOSFET (“control” MOSFET) is provided as a switch that operates by an inverted output of the control terminal. By coupling the first MOSFET and the control MOSFET in series, the coupling between the input terminal and the power source voltage is controlled with a higher precision, thereby preventing generation of a leak current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Kazuo Tanaka, Akinobu Watanabe, Shigeru Yamamoto, Yukio Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 8289823
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing method, a recording/reproducing apparatus and a recording medium. In the conventional art, there is no method of distinguishing a program recorded on an RE layer by an application on a ROM layer, from a program recorded on the RE layer by a user, on a hybrid disc. The present invention solves a problem as described above by separating a playlist for recording performed by the application on the ROM layer, from a playlist for recording performed by the user, and retaining information indicating a subject which has performed the recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akinobu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8237469
    Abstract: A pull-up circuit prevents generation of a leak current if a difference of potentials occurs between a power source voltage of a pull-up circuit (a bus-hold circuit) and an input terminal. A control terminal is provided in the bus-hold circuit. Inputs of the input terminal and the control terminal are input to a NOR gate, and an output of the NOR gate is input to a gate terminal of a first MOSFET that controls coupling between an input terminal and the power source voltage of the bus-hold circuit. A second MOSFET (“control” MOSFET) is provided as a switch that operates by an inverted output of the control terminal. By coupling the first MOSFET and the control MOSFET in series, the coupling between the input terminal and the power source voltage is controlled with a higher precision, thereby preventing generation of a leak current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Kazuo Tanaka, Akinobu Watanabe, Shigeru Yamamoto, Yukio Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 8223599
    Abstract: Provided is a recording/reproduction apparatus capable of securing a backup area for management information on a recording medium without affecting the capacity of a user data area. Before a hard disk drive or a disc medium (recording medium) is finalized, metadata is recorded in a metadata area and when the hard disk drive or the disc medium are finalized, a user data area portion corresponding to the volume of metadata required for the finalizing is set as a metadata mirror area and then the metadata recorded in the metadata area is copied to the metadata mirror area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinobu Watanabe, Tsutomu Usui, Hiroyuki Marumori, Toshihiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8224149
    Abstract: A record/reproduction apparatus capable of performing record-reproduction with high definition and standard definition appropriately records information, and includes: at least one of a display unit and an output unit to an external display device; a hard disk drive; and a disc drive corresponding to record-reproduction using a disc for record-reproduction in a high definition mode and a disc for record-reproduction in a standard definition mode. With the configuration, the record/reproduction apparatus performs a display on the display unit in the high definition mode or a display-output to the output unit in the high definition mode at activation, recognizes one of the hard disk drive and the disc drive as a record medium after the display-outputting, and sets a record mode to one of the hard disk drive and the disc drive based on a result of the recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kato, Akinobu Watanabe, Hiroyuki Marumori, Takaki Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8200069
    Abstract: A BD media with different formats such as BDMV and BDAV having been recorded. In a data indicating method of list-indicating data recorded on a recording medium, the data includes a first data group and a second data group, the first data group is recorded onto the recording medium according to a first recording format, the second data group is recorded according to a second recording format different from the first recording format, the first recording data group includes first list indication data for a first list indicating method, the second group includes second list for a second list indicating method different from the first method, the first list indication data indicates the first data group, the second list indication data indicates the second data group, and the first group and the second data group are collectively list-indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akinobu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20120126403
    Abstract: Signals outputted from an I/O buffer with a parallel drive configuration are stabilized for reliability enhancement. Each I/O cell has a complementary I/O cell that outputs one output signal as a complementary signal made up of a non-inverted signal and an inverted signal. Two I/O cells are coupled in parallel. Output portions of first inverters are coupled together through a first wiring; and output portions of second inverters are coupled together through a second wiring. The first wiring is formed on the lower side of the I/O cells so that it is astride the two I/O cells, and the second wiring is formed above the first wiring so that it is astride the two I/O cells. The wirings are laid out so that the wiring length of the first wiring and the wiring length of the second wiring are substantially equal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Mitsuya KINOSHITA, Motoo Suwa, Akinobu Watanabe, Shigezumi Matsui
  • Patent number: 8175443
    Abstract: The data recording and reproducing apparatus comprises a transcoding module and a recording and reproducing module. The transcoding module transcodes a video or audio signal based on one compression method to a signal based on another compression method, the video or audio signal being inputted through a tuner. The recording and reproducing module records, to a recording medium, the transcoded video or audio signal together with the inputted video or audio signal, the transcoded video or audio signal having been transcoded by the transcoding module. The recording and reproducing module records one of the video or audio signals, which are identical but based on different compression methods, with the other video or audio signal being written to the recording medium as a hidden file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinobu Watanabe, Hiroyasu Otsubo
  • Publication number: 20120075969
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing method, a recording/reproducing apparatus and a recording medium. In the conventional art, there is no method of distinguishing a program recorded on an RE layer by an application on a ROM layer, from a program recorded on the RE layer by a user, on a hybrid disc. The present invention solves a problem as described above by separating a playlist for recording performed by the application on the ROM layer, from a playlist for recording performed by the user, and retaining information indicating a subject which has performed the recording.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventor: Akinobu WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20120075968
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing method, a recording/reproducing apparatus and a recording medium. In the conventional art, there is no method of distinguishing a program recorded on an RE layer by an application on a ROM layer, from a program recorded on the RE layer by a user, on a hybrid disc. The present invention solves a problem as described above by separating a folder in which the application on the ROM layer performs recording, from a folder in which the user performs recording, and retaining information indicating a subject which has performed the recording.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventor: Akinobu WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20120008919
    Abstract: Multiple contents are downloaded and additionally recorded oo.nto one recording medium while maintaining play compatibility with existing players. Unused numbers other than file numbers already recorded on a recording medium are notified to a server, and after changing management information to avoid number duplication, additional contents are downloaded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Akinobu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20120002940
    Abstract: An apparatus which easily discriminates 3D (stereoscopic vision) contents from non-3D contents among recorded program contents can be provided. Further, a unit to prohibit unintentional generation of a virtual play list where 3D contents and non-3D contents are mixed can be provided. For these purposes, a 3D flag is recorded in a play list file. Further, upon virtual play list generation, the recorded 3D flag set values are obtained and it is checked whether or not 3D contents and non-3D contents are mixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventor: Akinobu WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20120002939
    Abstract: The present invention relates to recording and reproducing methods, recording and reproducing apparatuses, and a recording medium. In conventional techniques, even when recorded program contents are 3D-(stereoscopic view)-corresponding contents or non-3D-corresponding contents, there has been no means to easily distinguish the difference therebetween. Furthermore, there has been a problem that a virtual play list in which 3D contents and non-3D contents are mixed is unintentionally generated. In the present invention, the above described problems are solved by recording a 3D flag in a play list file. Furthermore, upon generation of a virtual play list, the set value of the recorded 3D flag is obtained, and whether 3D contents and non-3D contents are mixed or not is checked, thereby solving the problems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventor: Akinobu WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20120002941
    Abstract: An apparatus which easily discriminates 3D (stereoscopic vision) contents from non-3D contents among recorded program contents can be provided. Further, a unit to prohibit unintentional generation of a virtual play list where 3D contents and non-3D contents are mixed can be provided. For these purposes, a 3D flag is recorded in a play list file. Further, upon virtual play list generation, the recorded 3D flag set values are obtained and it is checked whether or not 3D contents and non-3D contents are mixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventor: Akinobu WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20110235481
    Abstract: A storage system, which includes a plurality of ODDs, is configured so as to easily retrieving a predetermined file from files stored in a plurality of optical discs. The storage system includes a storage controller connected to the plurality of ODDs and a nonvolatile memory via a storage bus. Each of the optical discs mounted in the ODDs has a file system representing the storage structure of files stored in the optical disc. The nonvolatile memory stores copies of the file systems of all the mounted optical discs. A user refers to the file system stored in the nonvolatile memory to retrieve a file. When an optical disc is ejected, the optical disc stores copies of the file systems of the other optical discs and is ejected. If the optical disc is installed into another storage system, the user can search for a file stored in the other optical discs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Takaki MATSUSHITA, Toshihiro Kato, Akinobu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110235805
    Abstract: In a storage system including a plurality of recording medium drives and encrypting and recording data with a device key, even if a recording medium drive fails and is replaced with another drive, the data stored by the failed recording medium drive can be reproduced. The plurality of recording medium drives has not only their own device keys, but also copies of the device keys of the other recording medium drives. If any one of the recording medium drives is replaced and data in a recording medium mounted in the replaced recording medium drive cannot be decrypted, the drive queries the other recording medium drives to acquire a copy of a device key of a recording medium drive used in the past and decrypts the encrypted data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Shimpei Usui, Akinobu Watanabe, Toshihiro Kato
  • Patent number: 7995903
    Abstract: A recording and reproducing module records a signal (broadcast program) based on a first compression method to a recording medium, and during a period of time during which recording is not performed, reproduces the signal based on the first compression method, which has been recorded to the recording medium. Then, a transcoding module transcodes the signal based on the first compression method to a signal based on a second compression method. The signal based on the second compression method, whose transcoding has been completed, is recorded to the recording medium; and the signal based on the first compression method is erased from the recording medium. The controller refers to recording history information and sets a schedule including a target broadcast program to be transcoded and a time zone in which the target broadcast program is transcoded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kato, Akinobu Watanabe, Hiroyasu Otsubo, Hiromi Nishiura
  • Publication number: 20110097057
    Abstract: In a data recording method, a data recording apparatus and a data recoding medium, for downloading plural numbers of contents, thereby to record them, additionally, onto a same recording medium, while maintaining the compatibility of reproduction with using an existing player, a maximum file number, which is already recoded on the recording medium, is noticed to a server, and thereby additional contents is downloaded after changing management information in such that the file numbers do not duplicate with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: Akinobu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110062990
    Abstract: A pull-up circuit prevents generation of a leak current if a difference of potentials occurs between a power source voltage of a pull-up circuit (a bus-hold circuit) and an input terminal. A control terminal is provided in the bus-hold circuit. Inputs of the input terminal and the control terminal are input to a NOR gate, and an output of the NOR gate is input to a gate terminal of a first MOSFET that controls coupling between an input terminal and the power source voltage of the bus-hold circuit. A second MOSFET (“control” MOSFET) is provided as a switch that operates by an inverted output of the control terminal. By coupling the first MOSFET and the control MOSFET in series, the coupling between the input terminal and the power source voltage is controlled with a higher precision, thereby preventing generation of a leak current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Yamada, Kazuo Tanaka, Akinobu Watanabe, Shigeru Yamamoto, Yukio Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20100118180
    Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging device that reduces its power consumption and prevents an upload failure due to power insufficiency when it uploads movie content. The imaging device includes a power supply identification section which determines whether a drive power supply is a battery or an AC power supply, and a remaining battery power value acquisition section which, when a battery is employed as the drive power supply, acquires a current remaining battery power value P and compares it against a predetermined value P0. When the current remaining battery power value P is less than the predetermined value P0, an operation for movie content transmission by a communication module section is interrupted. In addition, an interruption information storage section stores the information about an interruption point of content to be interrupted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Takaki MATSUSHITA, Akinobu Watanabe, Toshihiro Kato