Patents by Inventor Akira Katsuyama
Akira Katsuyama 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: 20070159528Abstract: A remote control transmitter apparatus includes a ROM configured to store a plurality of sets of control data for remotely controlling a plurality of types of electronic equipment, a nonvolatile memory having first and second storage areas, a set key configured to place the remote control transmitter apparatus into either a preset mode or a learning mode from a normal mode, a plurality of selection keys configured to select a specific type of electronic equipment to be remotely controlled, a learning key, a plurality of operation keys, a transmitter, and a receiver configured to receive control data from another remote control transmitter apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2006Publication date: July 12, 2007Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Kazunori Kikuchi, Akira Katsuyama
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Publication number: 20060290559Abstract: A remote controller includes: a plurality of function keys provided for each of a plurality of target devices as one type of key out of a plurality of keys provided in the controller, and adapted to select the target device to be remotely controlled; a key illuminating section adapted to individually illuminate the plurality of function keys; and a controller adapted to cause, if a certain function key out of the plurality of function keys is pressed, the key illuminating section to illuminate the pressed function key for a predetermined length of time, and output a remote control signal for the target device corresponding to the pressed function key by operating the operation key during the illumination, the controller further adapted to output a remote control signal for a preliminarily registered target device if the operation key is operated while none of the function keys are illuminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2006Publication date: December 28, 2006Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Tetsuya Nakamura, Akira Katsuyama
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Publication number: 20060267726Abstract: A remote controller having a plurality of keys arranged thereon, sending a remote control signal allocated to each of the keys upon being operated to thereby remotely control control-target equipment. The remote controller can send a remote control signal corresponded to each of the control-target equipment by mode switching and allows a remote control of selection in which specific equipment out of the control-target equipment can select a signal from the other control-target equipment. The remote controller includes an input selection key for directing the selection on the one specific equipment; a receiver receiving a connected equipment signal; a controller generating and sending a remote control signal corresponding to an operation of the key, and effecting the mode switching based on the connected equipment signal, thereby selecting control-target equipment; a transmitter sending the remote control signal; and a display displaying information of the selected control-target equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2006Publication date: November 30, 2006Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Morito Arai, Akira Katsuyama
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Patent number: 6313812Abstract: When input equipment is instructed by a remote control unit on the basis of a display of a monitor, a data signal is transmitted from a microcomputer of an AV amplifier to a microcomputer of a CD changer. When the signal is received by a microcomputer of the CD changer, display data is formed in the microcomputer of the CD changer on the basis of data in a memory and is outputted. In the AV amplifier, a switch is switched to the CD changer side. A cursor is formed by the microcomputer of the AV amplifer, the cursor and display data from the CD changer are synthesized by an image synthesizing circuit and displayed on the monitor. When an instruction is generated by the remote control unit on the basis of the display on the monitor, position coordinates of the cursor on the picture plane are generated from the microcomputer of the A/V amplifier to the microcomputer of the CD changer. On the basis of the display data and the position coordinates, the CD changer is controlled by its microcomputer.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1997Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shuichi Nagano, Akira Katsuyama, Hiroshi Koyama, Takashi Ishizuka, Keiichi Asakura, Takahiro Hirai, Masami Ishikawa, Hiroshi Masuda, Takashi Koya
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Patent number: 6208800Abstract: The invention relates to a video tape recorder (VTR). According to the invention, in a VTR in which the recording of a predetermined program is reserved by setting a recording start time and a recording end time and setting an audio mode of a signal of a program whose recording is reserved, there is provided a VTR which can certainly record a whole program whose recording is reserved even in the case where a broadcasting time of the recording reservation program is deviated back because of an extension of a previous program or the like.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1998Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akira Katsuyama, Yoshiaki Takenaka
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Patent number: 5978324Abstract: A multiple disc changer apparatus has an elastic support mechanism for supporting the recording/reproducing unit on a main body of the apparatus and includes a locking mechanism for controlling the elastic support of the elastic support mechanism when a disc is loaded on the recording/reproducing unit by a chucking mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akihisa Inatani, Shuichi Nagano, Kanji Mita, Shuji Minami, Haruyuki Tamura, Tsutomu Watanabe, Akira Katsuyama, Masami Ishikawa, Taiji Noshitani
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Patent number: 5859821Abstract: According to the present invention, since a management region for managing record positions of impressive or feature portions (as digests) of programs recorded on a record medium is provided, an outline of the programs on the record medium can be obtained. In addition, since the priority of programs designated as digests is also managed with the management region, a portion representative of a program representative of an album can be reproduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1996Date of Patent: January 12, 1999Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takashi Koya, Akira Katsuyama
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Patent number: 5828633Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for discs includes a housing unit housing a large number of discs, a recording and/or reproducing unit on which one of the discs held within a large number of disc holders provided in the housing unit is selectively loaded, and a transporting mechanism for transporting the disc held within a selected one of the holders of the housing unit to the recording and/or reproducing unit. The disc transporting mechanism detects whether or not the disc is held in the holder. A detection switch is activated when no disc is present in the holder. The housing unit includes a plurality of the holders positioned radially such that the disc surfaces are held upright. The selected disc held in the holder of the disc transporting mechanism is transported by the transporting mechanism in the upright position to the disc reproducing unit and loaded therein.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1995Date of Patent: October 27, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akihisa Inatani, Shuichi Nagano, Kanji Mita, Shuji Minami, Haruyuki Tamura, Tsutomu Watanabe, Akira Katsuyama, Masami Ishikawa, Taiji Noshitani
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Patent number: 5802300Abstract: An AV system requiring the setting of only the apparatus that acts as the AV center of the system when the system configuration is to be modified. The apparatus desired to be used as the new AV center issues a command to the existing AV center telling it to become a sub AV center.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1996Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeo Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Noriko Kotabe, Kouichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato, Akira Katsuyama, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya
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Patent number: 5796352Abstract: An audio video (AV) equipment system with a bus line including read-only-memory (ROM) that stores a plurality of predetermined system configurations of AV component devices. The system includes a bus line, a main controller an auxiliary controller, a memory, a display, a selector, and a clock. A SIP (system information pointer) memory temporarily stores a SIP which indicates any of the system configurations stored in the ROM. The SIP is finally stored in a non-volatile memory that retains data after removal of electric power.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 1995Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeo Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Koichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato, Noriko Kotabe, Akira Katsuyama, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya
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Patent number: 5768224Abstract: In order to reduce the storage capacity required for storing system configuratuion information in an AV system composed of a plurality of AV component devices, a ROM 5A stores a plurality of predetermined systems configurations of the AV component devices. An SIP (system information pointer) memory 6 temporarily stores an SIP which indicates any of the system configurations stored in the ROM 5A. The SIP is finally stored in a nonvolatile memory which retains stored data after removal of electric power.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 1995Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeo Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Noriko Kotabe, Kouichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato, Akira Katsuyama, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya
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Patent number: 5740304Abstract: An apparatus for replaying a disc-shaped recording medium such as a video CD on which first video data into which all of audio data or video information for one frame is compressed as well as second video data into which video information for frames located before and after the frame in question is recorded together with address data, and discrimination data for discriminating between menu data and recorded data is also recorded. The replay apparatus includes a replay section, an input section, a memory and a controller. The replay section loads the disc-shaped recording medium therein and replays the loaded disc-shaped recording medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 1997Date of Patent: April 14, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akira Katsuyama, Shuichi Nagano, Takashi Koya
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Patent number: 5732059Abstract: A synchronous dubbing system for dubbing data between any one of a plurality of record units and any one of a plurality of playback units, wherein a command for causing all playback units connected from a record unit through a bus line to be released from a playback pause state is sent when the record pause state of the record unit is released in the record pause state of the record unit and in the playback pause state of the playback unit, a category code and a status of each of the playback units being sent through the bus line corresponding to the command.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1997Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akira Katsuyama, Yasushi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 5712738Abstract: A method of controlling signal lines among a number of audio/video units in a system where a central unit including a selector and the other audio/video units are mutually connected via a single control bus and also via audio/video signal cables includes the steps of enabling the central unit to manage identification numbers of the audio/video units on the control bus and also connection data among the audio/video units, classifying the audio/video units in accordance with the respective categories, connecting the signal line between one of the audio/video units and another one of the units, enabling one audio/video unit to designate by category the other audio/video unit to be connected and, after such designation, enabling the central unit to select the specific audio/video unit that satisfies the requirement, out of all of the audio/video units of the designated category, and then switching the selector of the central unit thereby connecting the desired signal line between the relevant audio/video units.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 1995Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Noriko Kotabe, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya, Shigeo Tanaka, Akira Katsuyama, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Kouichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato
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Patent number: 5701385Abstract: An apparatus for replaying a disc-shaped recording medium on which first video data where audio data or all of video information for one frame through MPEG has been compressed, and second video data where video information before and after the frame in question has been compressed have been recorded together with discrimination data indicating the kind of the recording medium, includes a receiver, a replay unit and a display data producing unit. The receiver receives a plurality of disc-shaped recording media. The replay unit is selectively equipped with the disc-shaped recording media which have been received in the receiver, with the relative movement with respect to the receiver. The replay unit includes a head for reading data recorded on the loaded disc-shaped recording medium. The replay unit conducts the replay processing of the data read out from the head.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1995Date of Patent: December 23, 1997Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akira Katsuyama, Kenji Tomizawa, Shuichi Nagano, Takashi Koya
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Patent number: 5644558Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for discs including a housing unit housing a large number of discs, a recording and/or reproducing unit on which one of the discs held within a large number of disc holders provided in the housing unit is selectively loaded and a transporting mechanism for transporting the disc held within a pre-set one of the holders of the housing unit to the recording and/or reproducing unit. In the course of transporting the disc, the disc transporting mechanism detects whether or not the disc is held in the holder. The housing unit include a plurality of the holders for radially holding the discs with the disc surfaces being erected upright. The disc held in the holder is transported by the transporting mechanism in the upstanding position as far as the disc reproducing unit and there loaded.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1996Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akihisa Inatani, Shuichi Nagano, Kanji Mita, Shuji Minami, Haruyuki Tamura, Tsutomu Watanabe, Akira Katsuyama, Masami Ishikawa, Taiji Noshitani
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Patent number: 5608730Abstract: There is disclosed a communication system using a bi-directional bus, which includes a plurality of devices (e.g., TV image receiver or video tape recorder, etc.) connected to each other. Each device includes a transmit signal formation unit having a frame structure including an address field for specifying addresses of devices between which communication is carried out, a control field for specifying whether communication is carried out in the state where device on the receiving side is locked or in the state where that device is unlocked, and a data field for specifying data to be transmitted. For transmitting data having a data quantity greater than data capacity of the data field, the data is divided into a plurality of frames, an indication to lock device on the receiving side is given to control field of a frame transmitted first, and an indication to unlock that device is given to control field of a frame transmitted last.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1993Date of Patent: March 4, 1997Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshio Osakabe, Shigeo Tanaka, Akira Katsuyama, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Yasuo Kusagaya, Noriko Kotabe, Kouichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato
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Patent number: 5598278Abstract: Connection patterns as many as possible can be managed by less standard patterns. Connected states of a VTR (30), a VTR (40), a VTR (50), a VTR (60), an MDP (70), a tuner (80) and an AV center (100) composing a standard pattern are memorized in advance. A flag (N) representing the non-use is set to an AV equipment (e.g., VTR (60)) that is not used in actual practice of the AV equipments constructing the standard pattern. Therefore, a system in which a part of the AV equipments constructing the standard pattern is omitted can be managed similarly to the system of the standard pattern.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1994Date of Patent: January 28, 1997Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeo Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Noriko Kotabe, Kouichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato, Akira Katsuyama, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya
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Patent number: 5550979Abstract: An AV system requiring the setting of only the apparatus that acts as the AV center of the system when the system configuration is to be modified. The apparatus desired to be used as the new AV center issues a command to the existing AV center instructing it to become a sub AV center.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1993Date of Patent: August 27, 1996Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeo Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Noriko Kotabe, Kouichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato, Akira Katsuyama, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya
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Patent number: 5548725Abstract: An audio visual control apparatus for communication between a master device and a slave device comprises a master AV center, at least one slave device, a digital control bus line and a transmitter. The master AV center has at least a display device and a communication processor. A minimum of one slave device is provided, having a communication processor connected to the master AV center via the digital control bus line between the two communication processors. The transmitter transmits one command and/or data in a single packet from the master AV center to the slave device and vice versa through the digital control bus line.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1993Date of Patent: August 20, 1996Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeo Tanaka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Noriko Kotabe, Koichi Sugiyama, Makoto Sato, Akira Katsuyama, Yoshio Osakabe, Yasuo Kusagaya