Patents by Inventor Akira Shimizu

Akira Shimizu 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: 20180370076
    Abstract: A method of separating an inorganic material, the method comprising in the following order: a contact process of contacting a processing solution with a composite material, the composite material including a first organic substance that is decomposable by the processing solution, a second organic substance that is not decomposable by the processing solution, and an inorganic material; and a separation process of separating the inorganic material from the processing solution including a decomposition product of the first organic substance and the second organic substance, the contact process and the separation process including adjusting the processing solution to have a temperature that is equal to or greater than a softening point of the second organic substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Akira SHIMIZU, Kazuhito KOBAYASHI, Kouichi AOYAGI
  • Publication number: 20180349422
    Abstract: A database includes a plurality of data blocks. Each of the plurality of data blocks includes a plurality of data pages in which a plurality of column values recorded in one or more records corresponding to the data block are stored. Each of the plurality of data pages has two or more column values in one column corresponding to the data page stored therein. A database server selects a data block from the plurality of data blocks and specifies a data page to be scanned from the selected data block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Takayuki TSUCHIDA, Michiko TANAKA, Akira SHIMIZU, Shinji FUJIWARA, Kazuhiko MOGI
  • Patent number: 10116833
    Abstract: In one example, an image processing device includes a reduction scaler unit that reduces or maintains the image data of an input image. An enlargement scaler unit enlarges or maintains the image data and outputs the image data as the image data of an output image. The reduction scaler unit converts the resolution of the input image to an intermediate resolution in accordance with first image parameters related to an image to be supplied from the enlargement scaler unit, the intermediate resolution being a resolution for performing writing on the memory unit. The enlargement scaler unit converts the intermediate resolution of a memory-held image read from the memory unit to the resolution of the output image, in accordance with second image parameters related to an image to be supplied from the reduction scaler unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20180286667
    Abstract: There is provided a selective growth method of selectively growing a thin film on an underlayer on which an insulating film and a conductive film are exposed, the method including: preparing a workpiece having the underlayer on which the insulating film and the conductive film are exposed; and selectively growing a silicon-based insulating film on the insulating film by repeating a plurality of times a first step of adsorbing an aminosilane-based gas onto the insulating film and the conductive film and a second step of supplying a reaction gas for reacting with the adsorbed aminosilane-based gas to form the silicon-based insulating film, wherein the conductive film is vaporized by reaction with the reaction gas so that the conductive film is reduced in thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroki MURAKAMI, Akira SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 10019326
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system is connectable to a host. The memory system includes a first memory, a second memory, and a controller. The first memory stores translation information associating a logical address and a physical address. The second memory stores location information associating the logical address and a location of the translation information. The controller updates the translation information and the location information. After returning from a power supply interruption, the controller starts, at different timing, recovery of first location information and recovery of second location information. The first location information is a part of the location information. The second location information is a part of the location information different from the first location information. The controller executes processing different from recovery of the location information between the recovery of the first location information and the recovery of the second location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Kitsunai, Akira Shimizu, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Patent number: 9970110
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma generation chamber in which plasma active species are generated, a process chamber configured to accommodate processing target objects stacked in a vertical direction, the plasma active species generated in the plasma generation chamber being supplied into the process chamber, a plasma source gas supply pipe disposed inside the plasma generation chamber and extending in the vertical direction, a plasma source gas being introduced from one end of the plasma source gas supply pipe and discharged through gas discharge holes formed in the plasma source gas supply pipe in the vertical direction, and a pair of plasma electrodes, arranged to face each other, configured to apply an electric field to the plasma source gas discharged into the plasma generation chamber. A size of a discharge area interposed between the pair of plasma electrodes is varied in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuhide Hasebe, Jun Ogawa, Akira Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9971793
    Abstract: A database management system receives a new data table input to a database; and executes unique constraint determination processing of determining whether each comparison-subject value as each value registered in a target column in the new data table is different from each comparison reference value as each value registered in a target column in a stored data table in the database, and stores the new data table in a second database area different from a first database area storing the stored data table in the database when a determination result obtained in the unique constraint determination processing is true.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Tsuchida, Akira Shimizu, Shinji Fujiwara, Wataru Kawai, Shinsuke Hamada, Yuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9945028
    Abstract: A method of filling a recess with a nitride film is performed by repeating a cycle. The cycle includes a film-forming raw material gas adsorption process of adsorbing a raw material gas containing an element forming the nitride film to be formed on a target substrate on which the recess is formed on its surface, and a nitriding process of nitriding the adsorbed raw material gas by nitriding species to fill the recess. At least a portion of a period for forming the nitride film is used as a bottom-up growth period, for which a polymer material adsorbable to the surface of the target substrate is supplied in a gaseous state and is adsorbed to an upper portion of the recess to inhibit adsorption of the film-forming raw material gas, and for which the nitride film is grown from a bottom portion of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Akira Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20180075080
    Abstract: A computer system according to the present invention has a plurality of processor cores that execute a plurality of threads in a parallel manner. When one of the threads updates a database (DB) region that is among a plurality of database regions associated with a database (DB), and that cannot be updated by more than one thread, the computer system selects one of one or more dedicated log buffers as a log buffer to which a log relating to the update of the database region is to be written. In contrast, when one of the threads updates a database region that is among the plurality of database regions, and that can be updated by more than one thread, the computer system selects one of one or more shared log buffers as a log buffer to which a log relating to the update of the database region is to be written. Each dedicated log buffer is a log buffer that can store one or more logs associated with only one thread and that cannot store two or more logs associate with two or more threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Tomohiro HANAI, Norifumi NISHIKAWA, Akira SHIMIZU, Kazuhiko MOGI
  • Patent number: 9911986
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for manufacturing a fuel cell separator assembly includes a joining step for bringing opposing projections of uneven portions of separators into contact with each other through use of pressing members to join the projections through use of a welding robot. In the joining step, an elastic member is interposed between the pressing members and at least one of first and second separators so that a pressing force from the pressing members is imparted to the first and second separators. In this way, the opposing projections are brought into contact with each other by elastic deformation of the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Okamoto, Akira Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20180062013
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a white polyester film for a solar cell that is excellent in transfer-mark concealment properties (properties that transferred irregularities are hard to be seen) while having high whiteness, and exhibiting good light resistance and hydrolysis resistance, a sealing sheet for a back surface of a solar cell and a solar cell module using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shotaro NISHIO, Akira SHIMIZU, Jun INAGAKI, Shinji SAWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20180046664
    Abstract: A shared resource update apparatus includes: a processor unit including at least one processor having a plurality of processor cores that respectively execute a plurality of threads; and a storage unit storing a program that executes conflict avoidance control by being executed by the processor unit. A shared resource for the plurality of threads comprises a plurality of shared resource parts which are logically or physically partitioned. Each first thread among the plurality of threads is an update thread which updates an allocated shared resource part in response to an update request. Each second thread among the plurality of threads is a reference thread which issues an update request and references a shared resource part. Conflict avoidance control includes allocation of different shared resource parts to different update threads at a ratio of 1:n or 1:1, where n is an integer equal to or larger than 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Norifumi NISHIKAWA, Tomohiro HANAI, Akira SHIMIZU, Kazuhiko MOGI
  • Publication number: 20180025486
    Abstract: Provided is a defect detection device capable of measuring the volume of surface defects. The defect detection device includes: an imaging device configured to image an image of an inspection object; a binarization processing unit configured to subject the image to first and second binarization processing by use of different first and second binarization thresholds, so as to calculate first and second sizes for an identical defect in the image; a ratio calculation unit configured to calculate a first ratio of the second size to the first size; and a depth determination unit configured to determine a depth of the defect depending on the first ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Hirohisa Shibayama, Eiji Shiotani, Satoru Sakurai, Kiyokazu Sugiyama, Akira Shimizu, Daisuke Terada, Yoshitsugu Noshi, Yoshito Utsumi
  • Patent number: 9865457
    Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a nitride film, including: repeating a cycle including an adsorption process of adsorbing a film forming precursor gas onto a substrate having a surface in which a fine recess is formed, the film forming precursor gas containing an element and chlorine constituting a nitride film to be formed; and a nitriding process of nitriding the adsorbed film forming precursor gas with nitriding active species, to form the nitride film in the fine recess. The nitriding process includes: generating NH* active species and N* active species as a nitriding active species; and controlling concentrations of the NH* active species and the N* active species to vary an area where the film forming precursor gas is adsorbed in the fine recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuhide Hasebe, Akira Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9842136
    Abstract: A database management system (DBMS) generates a query execution plan including information indicating one or more database (DB) operations necessary to execute the query. The DBMS dynamically generates a task for executing the DB operation in execution of the query. The DBMS performs a determination processing of simultaneous-task-generation number when newly creating a task. The determination processing of simultaneous-task-generation number is to calculate the number of simultaneous task generation, which is the number of tasks that can be generated simultaneously, based on the number of tasks which can be newly generated, a first memory resource amount which is the amount of memory resources necessary to be allocated per task newly generated, and a second memory resource amount which is the number of memory resources that can be newly allocated. The number of tasks generated dynamically and simultaneously is equal to or smaller than the calculated number of simultaneously generatable tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Seisuke Tokuda, Akira Shimizu, Michiko Yoshida, Nobuo Kawamura, Shinji Fujiwara, Kazuhiko Mogi, Masaru Kitsuregawa, Kazuo Goda
  • Patent number: 9842460
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine whose casing is made compact with a reduced number of components of a radiation mechanism. A slot machine comprising a casing 411 accommodating therein a security cage SK having therein a APX motherboard AM and having a shelf board R21, wherein the APX motherboard has a control unit (not-shown CPU), and a fan configured to cool the control unit; an air hole 411i is formed on a side surface of the casing 411; the shelf board R21 has a hollow portion; and the hollow portion serves as an air intake duct which, with an aide of a negative pressure generated in the security cage SK by the fan, supplies an external air from the air hole 411i to the security cage SK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Sasaki, Tatsuhiko Tanimura, Hiromichi Ikeda, Akira Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20170345644
    Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a carbon film on a workpiece, which includes: loading the workpiece into a process chamber; supplying a gas containing a boron-containing gas into the process chamber to form a seed layer composed of a boron-based thin film on a surface of the workpiece; and subsequently, supplying a hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas and a pyrolysis temperature lowering gas containing a halogen element and which lowers a pyrolysis temperature of the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas into the process chamber, heating the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas to a temperature lower than the pyrolysis temperature to pyrolyze the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas, and forming the carbon film on the workpiece by a thermal CVD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Akira SHIMIZU, Masayuki KITAMURA, Yosuke WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20170342548
    Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a carbon film on a workpiece, which includes: loading the workpiece into a process chamber, and supplying a hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas and a pyrolysis temperature drop gas for dropping a pyrolysis temperature of the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas into the process chamber, pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas by heating the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas at a temperature lower than a pyrolysis temperature of the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas, and forming the carbon film on the workpiece by a thermal CVD method. An iodine-containing gas is used as the pyrolysis temperature drop gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Akira SHIMIZU, Masayuki KITAMURA, Yosuke WATANABE, Akinobu KAKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170314123
    Abstract: A method of filling a recess with a nitride film is performed by repeating a cycle. The cycle includes a film-forming raw material gas adsorption process of adsorbing a raw material gas containing an element forming the nitride film to be formed on a target substrate on which the recess is formed on its surface, and a nitriding process of nitriding the adsorbed raw material gas by nitriding species to fill the recess. At least a portion of a period for forming the nitride film is used as a bottom-up growth period, for which a polymer material adsorbable to the surface of the target substrate is supplied in a gaseous state and is adsorbed to an upper portion of the recess to inhibit adsorption of the film-forming raw material gas, and for which the nitride film is grown from a bottom portion of the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventor: Akira SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: RE46738
    Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine having a cabinet. Between the back as a back face and the right side face of the sides of the cabinet, the gaming machine has a right end side, which is formed by cutting a plane parallel to the gravitational direction in a manner to join lines spaced at predetermined distances in the individual directions of the back and the right side face from a line of intersection, on which the back and the right side face intersect when extended. The gaming machine also has a left end side between the back and a left side face. Moreover, the right end side and the left end side are symmetric with respect to a plane dividing the cabinet equally to the right and left.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Sasaki, Akira Shimizu, Katsuhiro Kido, Kenta Kitamura, Hideaki Kishi, Hiroatsu Ike