Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Higuchi

Hirofumi Higuchi 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).

  • Patent number: 6993969
    Abstract: An oscillation type of micro gyro sensor equipped with two vibrators is provided. The gyro sensor has a monitoring electrode, a signal processor, and a driving electrode attached to both the vibrators. The monitoring electrode monitors a vibration of only one of the two vibrators to output signal indicative of the monitored vibration. The signal processor drives the two vibrators in mutually opposite phases, by using the signal from said monitoring electrode. The driving electrode drives both the vibrators on the basis of the two driving signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20060002923
    Abstract: A recombinant antibody in which at least the constant regions in the heavy chain and the light chain have been converted into human-origin regions and which inhibits the binding of an integrin recognizing the RGD sequence to osteopontin or its fragment and inhibits the binding of an integrin recognizing the SVVYGLR sequence or a sequence corresponding thereto to osteopontin or its fragment. This antibody is useful as a remedy for autoimmune diseases and a remedy for rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, a method of treating autoimmune diseases, rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis is provided. This osteopontin antibody is useful in a diagnostic for rheumatism and a method of diagnosing rheumatism too.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicants: IMMUNO-BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES CO., LTD., FUJISAWA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Uede, Shigeyuki Kon, Nobuchika Yamamoto, Hirofumi Higuchi, Masaharu Torikai, Yoshiyuki Tokieda, Toshihiro Nakashima, Hiroaki Maeda
  • Publication number: 20060000280
    Abstract: A vibration-type angular velocity sensor realizing a suitably vibrating state of the vibrators by canceling the displacement of the vibrators caused by the gravity. The angular velocity sensor comprises base portions, vibrators coupled to the base portions, exciting means for driving and vibrating the vibrators in the x-direction, and detection means which, when an angular velocity is applied while the vibrators are being driven and vibrated, detects the angular velocity based on the vibrations of the vibrators in the y-direction at right angles with the x-direction, the angular velocity sensor further comprising position adjusting means for so adjusting the positions of the vibrators as to cancel the amount of displacement by which the vibrators are displaced by the gravity in the direction of the gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventor: Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20050199063
    Abstract: An oscillator is oscillatable in a predetermined direction. First and second driving electrodes are secured to the base and apply an electrostatic force to the oscillator to make drive oscillation of the oscillator in the predetermined direction. At the time of the drive oscillation of the oscillator, a predetermined electric charge is accumulated in the oscillator, and electric charges of opposite polarities are alternately and periodically accumulated in the first and second driving electrodes, respectively, to exert an attractive force between the oscillator and a corresponding one of the first and second driving electrodes and also to exert a repulsive force between the oscillator and the other one of the first and second driving electrodes, and vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventor: Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6864850
    Abstract: When a converter 14 is rotated via a rotation mechanism 17, the arrangement inclination angle of two primary radiators 15a and 15b can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 20 deg. with respect to an axis which is in parallel with the ground. Also the reception polarization angle due to probes of the primary radiators 15a and 15b can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 20 deg. while maintaining a preset difference in polarization angle among the satellites. Therefore, the arrangement inclination angle of the primary radiators 15a and 15b for respectively receiving signals from the two satellites, and the reception polarization angle in the primary radiators 15a and 15b can be simultaneously easily adjusted by rotating the converter 14 via the rotation mechanism 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Yagi Antenna Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Imaizumi, Koji Sakauchi, Shuji Hagiwara, Hirofumi Higuchi, Ryotaro Manabe
  • Publication number: 20040231419
    Abstract: An oscillation type of micro gyro sensor equipped with two vibrators is provided. The gyro sensor has a monitoring electrode, a signal processor, and a driving electrode attached to both the vibrators. The monitoring electrode monitors a vibration of only one of the two vibrators to output signal indicative of the monitored vibration. The signal processor drives the two vibrators in mutually opposite phases, by using the signal from said monitoring electrode. The driving electrode drives both the vibrators on the basis of the two driving signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20040187577
    Abstract: To cancel in-phase components acting on vibrators of first and second sensor units in an angular velocity sensing direction Y, a differential amplification circuit obtains a differential waveform between a first angular velocity sensing waveform J1 and a second angular velocity waveform J2. Furthermore, to reduce a residual in-phase component of the obtained differential waveform, input gain adjusting circuits adjust an input gain of the first angular velocity sensing waveform J1 and an input gain of the second angular velocity sensing waveform J2 before these waveforms J1 and J2 are entered into the differential amplification circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi Higuchi, Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 6777540
    Abstract: Novel humanized immunoglobulins and active fragments thereof which are specifically reactive to Fas ligand are provided, and a site on Fas ligand which is important to inhibit apoptosis induced by the Fas-Fas ligand interaction against Fas-expressing cells is demonstrated. The novel humanized immunoglobulins and active fragments thereof which are specifically reactive to Fas ligand are prepared from hybridomas which produce monoclonal antibodies specifically reactive to Fas ligand, via recombinant DNA techniques. The humanized immunoglobulins can inhibit the physiological reactions between Fas ligand and Fas such as apoptosis. Further, identification of the site which is on Fas ligand and responsible for apoptosis induction allows creation of recombinant proteins or peptides which are specifically reactive to the amino acids within the site so as to inhibit apoptosis, and to find new therapeutic or diagnostic agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Inventors: Ko Okumura, Motomi Nakata, Hirofumi Higuchi, Yoshitaka Ushio, Hiroaki Maeda, Yasuyuki Eda
  • Publication number: 20040135466
    Abstract: A vibrator has a frame portion having a planar frame shape, an in-frame fixed portion which is fixed to a base portion and located in the inner space surrounded by the inner periphery of the frame portion, and a driving electrode comprising a first driving electrode disposed so as to confront the outer peripheral portion of the vibrator, and a second driving electrode which is equipped to the in-frame fixed portion so as to confront the inner peripheral portion of the frame portion, and the back-side portion of the in-frame fixed portion and the inner peripheral portion of the frame portion confronting the back-side portion are designed in an unevenly-shaped portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventor: Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6718824
    Abstract: A semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor, for example, an acceleration sensor is formed on a SOI substrate having an activation layer and a supporting layer with an oxide film interposed therebetween. A structure for the sensor is formed in the activation layer. An opening is formed in the supporting layer and the oxide film to expose the structure. In this sensor, stress layer is formed in the activation layer at a side contacting the oxide film. The stress layer is removed at a region facing the opening to prevent the structure from cambering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Ito, Kazushi Asami, Tsuyoshi Fukada, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20030227694
    Abstract: In a laser diode module, a laser diode chip is disposed in a module casing. A heater heats the laser diode chip such that at least a temperature of the laser diode chip is kept constant. A temperature detector detects a temperature of the laser diode module. A temperature controller controls a calorific value of the heater in accordance with the detected temperature of the laser diode module. The temperature controller keeps the temperature of the laser diode module at a temperature higher than an operative temperature of a laser diode device incorporating the laser diode module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hosoya, Yasushi Saito, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6658937
    Abstract: An oscillatory angular rate sensor unit includes a mount base and a sensor element installed on the mount base. The sensor element includes an oscillator which produces angular velocity-caused oscillations in a first direction when the sensor element experiences angular motion during self-excited oscillation of the oscillator in a second direction opposite the first direction. A resonant frequency of the sensor unit in the first direction is set to a value less than or equal to a reciprocal of square root of two times a difference between resonant frequencies of the oscillator in the first and second directions, thereby eliminating an error output caused by undesirable acceleration acting on the sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Ao, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20030010121
    Abstract: An oscillatory angular rate sensor unit includes a mount base and a sensor element installed on the mount base. The sensor element includes an oscillator which produces angular velocity-caused oscillations in a first direction when the sensor element experiences angular motion during self-excited oscillation of the oscillator in a second direction opposite the first direction. A resonant frequency of the sensor unit in the first direction is set to a value less than or equal to a reciprocal of square root of two times a difference between resonant frequencies of the oscillator in the first and second directions, thereby eliminating an error output caused by undesirable acceleration acting on the sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Kenichi Ao, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6450033
    Abstract: A semiconductor angular velocity sensor has a frame-shaped base portion, a detection oscillator connected to the base portion through a detection beam portion, and a drive oscillator connected to the detection oscillator through a drive beam portion. Each of the beam portions has a pair of beams each generally having a U shape and connected to each other through a bridge portion. Accordingly, the beam portions can have large rotational rigidity not to prevent oscillations of the oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ito, Muneo Yorinaga, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20020097187
    Abstract: When a converter 14 is rotated via a rotation mechanism 17, the arrangement inclination angle of two primary radiators 15a and 15b can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 20 deg. with respect to an axis which is in parallel with the ground. Also the reception polarization angle due to probes of the primary radiators 15a and 15b can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 20 deg. while maintaining a preset difference in polarization angle among the satellites. Therefore, the arrangement inclination angle of the primary radiators 15a and 15b for respectively receiving signals from the two satellites, and the reception polarization angle in the primary radiators 15a and 15b can be simultaneously easily adjusted by rotating the converter 14 via the rotation mechanism 17.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: YAGI ANTENNA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Imaizumi, Koji Sakauchi, Shuji Hagiwara, Hirofumi Higuchi, Ryotaro Manabe
  • Publication number: 20020073780
    Abstract: Grooves are formed in a semiconductor substrate to provide a inner portion movable in x and y directions, drive electrodes to vibrates the inner portion in x direction, detection electrode for detecting movement in y direction which is generated when an angular velocity is applied thereto, monitor electrodes for generating monitor signals for monitoring the movement in x direction. Shield wires are provided between the drive electrodes and the detection electrodes and the monitor electrodes to suppress the capacitive coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Takashi Katsumata, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20020073779
    Abstract: A semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor, for example, an acceleration sensor is formed on a SOI substrate having an activation layer and a supporting layer with an oxide film interposed therebetween. A structure for the sensor is formed in the activation layer. An opening is formed in the supporting layer and the oxide film to expose the structure. In this sensor, stress layer is formed in the activation layer at a side contacting the oxide film. The stress layer is removed at a region facing the opening to prevent the structure from cambering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Takeshi Ito, Kazushi Asami, Tsuyoshi Fukada, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6388633
    Abstract: When a converter 14 is rotated via a rotation mechanism 17, the arrangement inclination angle of two primary radiators 15a and 16b can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 20 deg. with respect to an axis which is in parallel with the ground. Also the reception polarization angle due to probes of the primary radiators 15a and 15b can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 20 deg. while maintaining a preset difference in polarization angle among the satellites. Therefore, the arrangement inclination angle of the primary radiators 15a and 16b for respectively receiving signals from the two satellites, and the reception polarization angle in the primary radiators 15a and 15b can be simultaneously easily adjusted by rotating the converter 14 via the rotation mechanism 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Yagi Antenna Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Imaizumi, Koji Sakauchi, Shuji Hagiwara, Hirofumi Higuchi, Ryotaro Manabe
  • Patent number: 6308567
    Abstract: A compact angular velocity sensor, which can improve an S/N (signal/noise) ratio. An angular velocity sensor includes an SOI substrate, four oscillatory masses movably supported to the SOI substrate, and four detection electrodes provided outer side of the oscillatory masses for detecting displacements of the oscillatory masses. The oscillatory masses are arranged point-symmetry with respect to a predetermined point K in a flat plane parallel to the SOI substrate. Each of the four oscillatory masses adjacent each other is oscillated in reverse phase in a circumstantial direction about the predetermined point K along the flat plane. When an angular velocity &OHgr; is generated about the predetermined point K, detection weights of the oscillatory masses are displaced along a direction perpendicular to oscillation direction in the flat plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Higuchi, Nobuyuki Ohya, Tsuyoshi Fukada
  • Patent number: 6151966
    Abstract: A semiconductor accelerometer device is formed on an SOI substrate by micro-machining. A movable unit is supported at both ends, and a weight portion is movable in response to acceleration exerted in the detection direction. A movable electrode is formed in a comb shape integrally with the weight portion. A pair of fixed electrodes in a comb shape are cantilevered and interleaved with the movable electrode to face the movable electrode. A plurality of through holes is provided in the electrodes so that the electrodes have Rahmen structure which is a series of rectangular frames. This structure reduces the weight of each electrode while increasing the strength against twist force. The electrodes are less likely from breaking in response to an acceleration exerted in a direction perpendicular to the normal detection direction because of reduced weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Minekazu Sakai, Yukihiro Takeuchi, Kazuhiko Kano, Seiji Fujino, Tsuyoshi Fukada, Hiroshige Sugito, Minoru Murata, Hiroshi Muto, Hirofumi Higuchi, Kenichi Ao