Patents by Inventor Kazutaka Abe

Kazutaka Abe 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: 6546105
    Abstract: A sound image localization apparatus comprises a signal source for outputting an audio signal; a localization angle input unit for receiving an angle of a sound image to be localized; a coefficient control unit for receiving sound image localization angle information from the localization angle input unit, reading coefficients from a coefficient memory in accordance with the information, and outputting the coefficients; first, second, and third multipliers for multiplying the audio signal output from the signal source by using first, second, and third coefficients output from the coefficient control means, respectively; a first signal processing unit for receiving the output from the second multiplier, and processing it by using a filter having a predetermined first frequency response; a second signal processing unit for receiving the output from the second multiplier, and processing it by using a filter having a predetermined second frequency response; a first adder for adding the output from the first multi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Katayama, Masaharu Matsumoto, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Akihisa Kawamura, Kazutaka Abe, Kousuke Nishio
  • Publication number: 20030021428
    Abstract: A sound reproduction device of the present invention includes: a first loudspeaker; a second loudspeaker; a first loudspeaker drive section for driving the first and second loudspeakers, the first loudspeaker drive section drives the first and second loudspeakers at substantially the same phase in a first frequency band, and the first loudspeaker drive section drives the first and second loudspeakers at substantially inverse phase and substantially different amplitude levels in a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: Kazutaka Abe, Kenichi Terai
  • Publication number: 20020055796
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes a decoder for decoding a stream signal so as to generate a digital audio signal of a low frequency effect channel and digital audio signals of first through n'th (n≧2) channels; an adder section for adding the digital audio signal of the low frequency effect channel and the digital audio signal of a specified channel among the first through n'th channels, so as to generate an addition signal; an n number of D/A conversion sections for converting the digital audio signals of the first through n'th channels, excluding the digital audio signal of the specified channel, and the addition signal into n types of analog audio signals; a first signal processing section for generating a digital audio signal of the low frequency effect channel; and a second signal processing section for generating an analog audio signal of the specified channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Takashi Katayama, Masaharu Matsumoto, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kosuke Nishio, Takeshi Fujita, Akihisa Kawamura, Kazutaka Abe
  • Patent number: 6381208
    Abstract: Thickness information and refractive index information of a light transmitting layer are recorded in advance on an optical recording medium. Based on the thickness information and the refractive index information of the light transmitting layer, space between two lens units of an objective lens system is adjusted in an optical recording and reproducing apparatus, so that spherical aberration is adjusted. Accordingly, in the optical recording and reproducing apparatus using two lens units, it becomes possible to correctly record or reproduce the information to and from the optical recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Abe, Tetsuo Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20020049509
    Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes a read section for reading a first data unit from a recording medium having the first data unit recorded thereon; a communication section for receiving a second data unit in accordance with a communication condition with a server; a synthesis section for, when the communication section cannot receive the second data unit in accordance with the communication condition, outputting the first data unit as a first output data unit, and when the communication section can receive the second data unit in accordance with the communication condition, synthesizing the first data unit and the second data unit so as to generate a synthesis data unit and outputting the synthesis data unit as a second output data unit; and a reproduction section for reproducing the first output data unit and the second output data unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Masahiro Sueyoshi, Masaharu Matsumoto, Takeshi Fujita, Takashi Katayama, Kazutaka Abe, Kosuke Nishio, Akihisa Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20020049586
    Abstract: In an audio encoder, a filter bank 3 converts sample data on a time domain divided in an audio signal input section 2 to spectral data on a frequency domain. A quantization section 4 quantizes and codes the spectral data on the frequency domain, and a bitstream multiplexer 6 outputs an audio codec stream. At this point, a quantization controller 5 compares quantization information to which an offset value has been added with the one to which an offset value has not been added, and the quantization section codes quantization information having a shorter code length. An audio decoder 7 decodes the audio codec stream generated in the audio encoder 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Kousuke Nishio, Takashi Katayama, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kazutaka Abe
  • Patent number: 6377641
    Abstract: A reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes: a signal input section for receiving an input signal having an input signal type; a synchronization signal detection section for detecting a predetermined synchronization signal in the input signal and determining the input signal type in accordance with an occurrence frequency with which an interval repeatedly occurs between adjacent instances of the predetermined synchronization signal; and a signal processing section for subjecting the input signal to a signal processing which is suitable for the determined input signal type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Katayama, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kazutaka Abe, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura, Kosuke Nishio, Ryoji Suzuki, Shinji Kojima
  • Publication number: 20020041547
    Abstract: A reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes: a signal input section for receiving an input signal having an input signal type; a synchronization signal detection section for detecting a predetermined synchronization signal in the input signal and determining the input signal type in accordance with an occurrence frequency with which an interval repeatedly occurs between adjacent instances of the predetermined synchronization signal; and a signal processing section for subjecting the input signal to a signal processing which is suitable for the determined input signal type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Katayama, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kazutaka Abe, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura, Kosuke Nishio, Ryoji Suzuki, Shinji Kojima
  • Patent number: 6363407
    Abstract: A device of the present invention is an exponential calculation device for calculating x{circumflex over ( )}(a/b) (where a and b are each an integer constant) for a given input value of x. The device includes: an input control section for outputting a value of x′, wherein x′=x when x≦A (where A is a threshold value within a variable range of x) and x′=x/2{circumflex over ( )}b when x>A; a core section for outputting a value of z′=x′{circumflex over ( )}(a/b); and an output control section for outputting a value of z, wherein z=z′ when x≦A and z=z′*2{circumflex over ( )}a when x>A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Akihisa Kawamura, Masaharu Matsumoto, Takashi Katayama, Kazutaka Abe, Kosuke Nishio
  • Publication number: 20020034376
    Abstract: A coding device includes: a decoder for decoding a first stream signal in which a first video stream including a first video stream information generated by coding a first video signal and a first audio stream including a first audio stream information generated by coding a first audio signal are multiplexed; and a re-encoder for generating, based on the decoded first stream signal, a second video stream including a second video stream information having a bit rate lower than the first video stream information and a second audio stream including a second audio stream information having a bit rate lower than the first audio stream information, and multiplexing the second video stream is and the second audio stream to generate a second stream signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventors: Takashi Katayama, Kosuke Nishio, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Subyoshi, Kazutaka Abe
  • Publication number: 20020035407
    Abstract: An audio decoding apparatus is provided for receiving a bit stream on a block-by-block basis, decoding one block of the bit stream to form decoded audio data for a plurality of channels, and storing the decoded audio data for each of the plurality of channels in a memory device, thereby down-mixing the decoded audio data for each of the plurality of channels. The audio decoding apparatus includes an operation section for down-mixing the decoded audio data for each of the plurality of channels corresponding to a first block of the bit stream in the memory section while a second block of the bit stream is decoded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsukuru Ishito, Masaharu Matsumoto, Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Takashi Katayama, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kazutaka Abe, Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Eiji Otomura, Akihisa Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20020032712
    Abstract: A device of the present invention is an exponential calculation device for calculating x−(a/b) (where a and b are each an integer constant) for a given input value of x. The device includes: an input control section for outputting a value of x′, wherein x′=x when x≦A (where A is a threshold value within a variable range of x) and x′=x/2ˆ b when x>A: a core section for outputting a value of z′=x′ (a/b); and an output control section for outputting a value of z, wherein z=z′ when x≧A and z=z′*2 a when x>A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Akihisa Kawamura, Masaharu Matsumoto, Takashi Katayama, Kazutaka Abe, Kosuke Nishio
  • Patent number: 6356639
    Abstract: A sound image localization device which includes a signal source for outputting an audio signal, a signal divider for dividing the audio signal output from the signal source into two digital audio signals respectively for two channels, and a first signal processor for receiving one of the two digital signals and processing the digital signal so as to localize a virtual sound image using a filter having a first frequency characteristic. In addition, the sound image localization device includes a first D/A converter for converting the digital signal output from the first signal processor into an analog signal, a second D/A converter for receiving the other digital signal obtained from the signal divider and converting the signal into an analog signal, a first control speaker for outputting the audio signal obtained by the first D/A converter to a prescribed space area; and a second control speaker for outputting the audio signal obtained by the second D/A converter to a prescribed space area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsukuru Ishito, Masaharu Matsumoto, Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Takashi Katayama, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kazutaka Abe, Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Eiji Otomura, Akihisa Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20020026255
    Abstract: This invention relates to a signal transmission apparatus and a signal transmission method both for transmitting a plurality of pieces of encoded audio information having a plurality of sampling frequencies of F or 1/N×F, which are encoded by the same encoding method, via a digital interface to a signal reception apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventors: Masahiro Sueyoshi, Takeshi Fujita, Kazutaka Abe, Kosuke Nishio, Takashi Katayama, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20020025141
    Abstract: A distribution system includes a distribution server device, an acquisition device, and an audio reproduction device, and distributes a program for decoding encoded audio data. The distribution server device sends the program for decoding the encoded audio data. The acquisition device is connected to the distribution server device via a network, and acquires the program and stores it in a removable memory unit. The audio reproduction device decodes the encoded audio data using the program stored in the removable memory unit, and outputs sounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsumoto, Takashi Katayama, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kousuke Nishio, Kakeshi Fujita, Akihisa Kawamura, Kazutaka Abe
  • Publication number: 20020003765
    Abstract: A decoding circuit inputs a data stream D3 which has been multiplexed at different sampling frequencies, and separates it into two audio data D1 and D2 at different sampling frequencies, which it supplies to buffers. The output of the buffer is inputted to an up-sampling circuit, which, along with performing up-sampling at a frequency which corresponds to a processing unit of data of which the time delay amount is predetermined, also suppresses aliasing distortion. On the other hand, the output of the buffer is inputted to a delay buffer, which delays it by a time delay amount the same as that due to the up-sampling circuit. By doing this, the reproducing phases of the two streams of audio signals are coincided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsumoto, Takashi Katayama, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kousuke Nishio, Takeshi Fujita, Akihisa Kawamura, Kazutaka Abe
  • Publication number: 20010050959
    Abstract: An encoder comprises an input device for sampling an input signal at predetermined time intervals to obtain sampled data on a temporal axis, a conversion device for converting the sampled data on the temporal axis to spectral data on a frequency axis, a quantization device for quantizing the spectral data on the frequency axis, and an output device for outputting a resultant value of quantization as an encoded bit stream. The quantization device comprises an expected-value-of-quantization adjustment portion for determining an expected value of quantization for a specific sub-band on the frequency axis, and a quantization portion for determining a quantization coefficient for the specific sub-band, and quantizing each of a plurality of spectral data contained in the specific sub-band using the quantization coefficient for the specific sub-band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventors: Kosuke Nishio, Takashi Katayama, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kazutaka Abe
  • Publication number: 20010031007
    Abstract: According to the data amount and the nature of a video stream and an audio stream included in a program stream which is to be decoded, an audio and video processing apparatus performs processing while allocating higher priority to one or the other of the video and audio streams. Without any increase in circuit complexity or clock speed, this apparatus can reproduce streams in at least two formats, in which the ratios of the amounts of encoded signal data and of the amounts of calculation required for decoding for the video and the audio are very different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujita, Takashi Katayama, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Kousuke Nishio, Masaharu Matsumoto, Akihisa Kawamura, Kazutaka Abe, Ryoji Yamaguchi, Makoto Meiarashi, Ken Monda
  • Patent number: 6304890
    Abstract: A device of the present invention is an exponential calculation device for calculating x{circumflex over ( )}(a/b) (where a and b are each an integer constant) for a given input value of x. The device includes: an input control section for outputting a value of x′, wherein x′=x when x≦A (where A is a threshold value within a variable range of x) and x′=x/2{circumflex over ( )}b when x>A; a core section for outputting a value of z′=x′{circumflex over ( )}(a/b); and an output control section for outputting a value of z, wherein z=z′ when x≦A and z=z′*2{circumflex over ( )}a when x>A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Akihisa Kawamura, Masaharu Matsumoto, Takashi Katayama, Kazutaka Abe, Kosuke Nishio
  • Patent number: 6297754
    Abstract: A decoding device for decoding a data stream includes a decoding table including a first region and a second region; a first decoder; and a second decoder. The first region defines a relationship between first data having a predetermined number of bits and a result of decoding a portion of the first data having bits smaller than or equal to the predetermined number. The second region defines a relationship between concatenated data obtained by concatenating the first data with second data having additional bits and a result of decoding the concatenated data. The first decoder reads the first data from the data stream; decodes the portion of the first data based on the first region; determines whether the decoding of the portion of the first data is completed or not; and when the decoding of the portion of the first data is completed, outputs a result of the decoding of the portion of the first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Miyasaka, Takeshi Fujita, Masahiro Sueyoshi, Akihisa Kawamura, Masaharu Matsumoto, Takashi Katayama, Kazutaka Abe, Kousuke Nishio