Patents by Inventor Masakazu Wada

Masakazu Wada 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: 8350829
    Abstract: An input pen (60) of the present invention is an input pen used for performing an input to a touch-panel-integrated liquid crystal display device (100) (display device). The liquid crystal display device (100) includes a plurality of photosensitive elements (30) that senses light transmitted through a panel surface. The photosensitive elements (30) detect a position of input by sensing an image on a surface of a display panel. The input pen (60) includes a retroreflective element (61) at its tip that is to be in contact with the display panel. The retroreflective element (61) is made up of a spherical glass (62) (spherical transparent member) and an elastic reflective element (63). In this way, it is possible to provide an input pen which is to be used with a touch-panel-integrated display device and which makes it possible to perform a more accurate position detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Masakazu Wada, Kengo Takahama, Toshiaki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8259001
    Abstract: A weather radar includes an antenna unit configured to transmit a radio wave from a plurality of antenna elements, and receive a reflected wave from a weather target by carrying out beam scanning in an elevation angle direction by phase control, a drive unit configured to control an elevation angle of an aperture of the antenna unit, and a controller configured to cause the antenna unit to carry out the beam scanning in a state where the aperture is faced to a point which presents a maximum range in the observational range by the drive unit, and direct, at a time point when the weather target is detected based on a received signal of the reflected wave, the aperture toward the weather target by the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumihiko Mizutani, Masakazu Wada
  • Patent number: 8207889
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a dual polarization radar apparatus includes a received power calculation unit configured to calculate a horizontal polarization received power and a vertical polarization received power, the horizontal polarization received power indicating a power value of a horizontal polarization received signal reflected from an observation target, the vertical polarization received power indicating a power value of a vertical polarization received signal reflected from the observation target, a power ratio calculation unit configured to calculate a power ratio between the horizontal polarization received power and the vertical polarization received power, and an interference judgment unit configured to judge that an interference signal is mixed to the horizontal polarization received signal or the vertical polarization received signal when the power ratio is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ishizawa, Masakazu Wada, Fumihiko Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8188906
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a weather radar apparatus includes a transmitting/receiving unit configured to simultaneously transmit radar waves of a horizontally polarized wave and a vertically polarized wave and receive reflected waves, a signal processing unit configured to perform dual polarization observation based on a reception output from the transmitting/receiving unit and calculate a received power of each polarized wave, an observation parameter calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the received powers, a first observation parameter having a first spatial resolution, and a second observation parameter having higher correlation with a rainfall rate than that of the first observation parameter and a second spatial resolution lower than the first spatial resolution, and a rainfall rate calculation unit configured to synthetically determine the rainfall rate based on the first observation parameter and the second observation parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumihiko Mizutani, Masakazu Wada
  • Patent number: 8120718
    Abstract: A parallax barrier device includes a pair of transparent-electrode substrates each provided with a transparent electrode. A barrier light-shielding part and a light-transmitting part are formed in a gap between the pair of transparent-electrode substrates. A liquid crystal layer is formed in the barrier light-shielding part. A resin layer having the property of transmitting light is formed in the light-transmitting part. The barrier light-shielding part separates light for a first image viewed from a first direction and light for a second image viewed from a second direction different from the first direction. The light-transmitting part transmits the light for the first image and the light for the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fukushima, Tomoo Takatani, Masakazu Wada
  • Publication number: 20110304501
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a radar return signal processing apparatus includes a detector, an estimation unit and an extraction unit. The detector detects an average Doppler frequency, a spectrum width, and a received power of each of echoes, from a radar return signal obtained repeatedly at regular intervals. The estimation unit estimates an optimum mixed density function by learning modeling a shaped of the frequency spectrum by calculating repeatedly a sum of density functions of each of the echoes. The extraction unit extracts information on any one of the echoes included in the radar return signal, from a parameter of the estimated mixed density function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Hideki MARUI, Toshihisa Tanaka, Satoshi Kon, Fumihiko Mizutani, Masakazu Wada, Hiroshi Ishizawa
  • Publication number: 20110291993
    Abstract: A touch panel includes: an infrared light transmitting material through which infrared light is transmitted and which has a surface as a touch surface (20) touched by a detection subject; area sensors (3) including photo sensor elements (4) below a touch region, which is touched by the detection subject, of the infrared light transmitting material; and infrared light sources (1) provided outside the touch region, the infrared light sources (1) emitting infrared light along said surface of the infrared light transmitting material such that an entire circumference of the detection subject touching the touch surface (20) is irradiated with the infrared light, the touch panel detecting a position touched by the detection subject so that the photo sensor element (4) receives, among infrared light emitted by the infrared light sources (1) along said surface, infrared light reflected by the detection subject and transmitted through the infrared light transmitting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Hiroshi Hamada, Mikihiro Noma, Kengo Takahama, Masakazu Wada, Norikazu Hohshi
  • Publication number: 20110261300
    Abstract: An area sensor and an area-sensor-equipped display device are provided which can clearly discriminate between the presence and absence of a finger or input pen touching a panel surface. A liquid crystal display device (100) of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal panel (position detecting section) (20), provided with a plurality of light sensor elements (30) that detects the intensity of received light, which detects the position of an input through detection of an image on a panel surface (detector surface) (100a) by the light sensor elements (30); and a reflectance changing section (45), provided on that side of the liquid crystal panel (20) which faces the panel surface (100a), which effects a change in reflectance of light when pressure is applied to the panel surface (100a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Masakazu Wada, Norikazu Hohshi, Kengo Takahama, Toshiaki Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20110234453
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a weather radar apparatus includes an antenna unit, a drive unit, an adjustment unit, and a control unit. The antenna unit is configured to transmit radio waves from a plurality of antenna elements, perform beam scan in a direction of elevation angle by phase control, and receive waves reflected by a weather target. The drive unit is configured to drive an elevation angle and an azimuth angle of an aperture plane of the antenna unit. The adjustment unit is configured to adjust an observation range and an observation elevation angle by the antenna unit and the drive unit in accordance with a plurality of observation modes. The control unit is configured to set the observation mode based on a received signal of the reflected waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Fumihiko MIZUTANI, Masakazu Wada
  • Patent number: 8009080
    Abstract: A weather radar includes an antenna unit of an active phased array system in which a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit a radar pulse and receive a reflected pulse are arranged in a vertical direction, a transmission beam formation unit configured to divide an observation range in the elevation angle direction into a plurality of observation elevation angles, subdivide each observation elevation angle into a plurality of regions, assign a set of a plurality of regions not adjacent to each other to a pulse repetition interval (PRI), and form a fan-shaped transmission beam in the elevation angle direction for each of the regions in the set, and a reception beam formation unit configured to form a plurality pencil-shaped reception beams for each of the plurality of regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumihiko Mizutani, Masakazu Wada
  • Publication number: 20110157097
    Abstract: A coordinate sensor (10) includes at least two line sensors (1) that are disposed in x-axis and y-axis directions, and right-angle prisms (2) each of which changes a light path of light that has passed through an image display region of a liquid crystal panel (20). Each of the line sensors (1) is disposed outside the image display region and has a light-receiving surface (1a) parallel to an image display surface of the liquid crystal panel (20). The right angle prisms (2) cause light which travels in the x-axis and y-axis directions and which has passed through the image display region to be guided to the light-receiving surfaces (1a) of the line sensors (1). The coordinate sensor (10) receives the light which has thus passed through the image display region of the liquid crystal panel (20) so as to detect a coordinate, on the image display region, that is indicated by an object to be detected such as a finger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamada, Shinichi Miyazaki, Mikihiro Noma, Kengo Takahama, Masakazu Wada, Norikazu Hohshi, Kohichi Oda, Yukio Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20110128467
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal panel (20) including: an active matrix substrate (21); a counter substrate (22); and a liquid crystal layer (23) provided between the active matrix substrate (21) and the counter substrate (22); and a backlight (10) illuminating the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal display device (100) has an area sensor function for detecting an external input position, and further includes a reflectance changing section (50) that reduces a reflectance of light from the backlight (10) in response to application of pressure on a panel surface (100a). The reflectance changing section (50) is configured so that in a state where no pressure is applied on the panel surface (100a), an air layer (50c) is formed between two elastic films (50a and 50b) whereas in a state where pressure is applied on the panel surface (100a), the two elastic films (50a and 50b) contact each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Norikazu Hohshi, Masakazu Wada, Kengo Takahama, Toshiaki Nakagawa, Kohji Yabuta, Masayuki Hata
  • Publication number: 20110102705
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) (display device) of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel (20) including a liquid crystal layer (23) between an active matrix substrate (21) and a counter substrate (22). The liquid crystal display device (100) has an area sensor function that detects an input position of an external input by detecting an image on a surface (100a) (target surface for detection) of the liquid crystal panel (20). The liquid crystal display device (100) includes: the liquid crystal panel (20) (position detecting section) including a plurality of optical sensor elements (30) detecting an intensity of light received, the liquid crystal panel (20) detecting the input position by causing the plurality of optical sensor elements to detect the image on the surface of the liquid crystal panel; and a reflectance changing section (45) changing a reflectance of light in response to application of pressure onto the surface (100a) of the liquid crystal panel (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Norikazu Hohshi, Masakazu Wada, Kengo Takahama, Toshiaki Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20110102477
    Abstract: A backlight unit (60) is provided in such a manner that light (L3) incident from the backlight unit (60) to a liquid crystal display element (20) in a diagonal direction that causes the light to be likely to be emitted from the liquid crystal display element (20) in a normal direction thereof has lower intensity than light (L2) incident from the backlight unit (60) to the liquid crystal display element (20) in another diagonal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Tomoko Nango, Takashi Kurihara, Yasuhiro Kume, Masayuki Hata, Takaaki Okamoto, Kazuhito Matsumoto, Koji Yabuta, Hideki Fujimoto, Norikazu Hohshi, Masakazu Wada, Tomohisa Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20110102311
    Abstract: A backlight unit (60) includes: a light guiding plate (64); and a diffusing sheet (70), the backlight unit (60) causing light exiting through a light exit plane (80) thereof to backlight a liquid crystal display element (20), the light exiting through the light exit plane (80), having a half width of not more than 44°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Tomoko Nango, Takashi Kurihara, Yasuhiro Kuma, Masayuki Hata, Takaaki Okamoto, Kazuhito Matsumoto, Koji Yabuta, Hideki Fujimoto, Norikazu Hohshi, Masakazu Wada, Tomohisa Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20110063164
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a weather radar apparatus includes a transmitting/receiving unit configured to transmit a radar wave to an observation target and receive a reflected wave, a distribution unit configured to distribute a received signal of the reflected wave to a main path and at least another path, an extraction unit configured to extract, from a signal of the other path, an interference wave signal extracted from another radio station, and a removing unit configured to remove the interference wave signal extracted from a signal of the main path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Fumihiko MIZUTANI, Masakazu WADA, Hiroshi ISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20110063161
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a dual polarization radar apparatus includes a received power calculation unit configured to calculate a horizontal polarization received power and a vertical polarization received power, the horizontal polarization received power indicating a power value of a horizontal polarization received signal reflected from an observation target, the vertical polarization received power indicating a power value of a vertical polarization received signal reflected from the observation target, a power ratio calculation unit configured to calculate a power ratio between the horizontal polarization received power and the vertical polarization received power, and an interference judgment unit configured to judge that an interference signal is mixed to the horizontal polarization received signal or the vertical polarization received signal when the power ratio is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISHIZAWA, Masakazu WADA, Fumihiko MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20110050486
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a Doppler radar apparatus includes a quadrature detection unit configured to quadrature-detect a received signal of a reflected pulse from an observation target, and generate time-series data including an in-phase component and a quadrature component, an interference judgment unit configured to judge whether an interference signal is mixed into the received signal based on the time-series data, a correction unit configured to correct a vector expressed by the in-phase component and the quadrature component such that variation with respect to time of a deviation angle of the vector continues when the interference judgment unit has judged that an interference signal is mixed into the received signal, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a Doppler velocity of the observation target based on an amount of variation with respect to time of the deviation angle of corrected vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISHIZAWA, Masakazu WADA, Fumihiko MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20110018757
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a weather radar apparatus includes a transmitting/receiving unit configured to simultaneously transmit radar waves of a horizontally polarized wave and a vertically polarized wave and receive reflected waves, a signal processing unit configured to perform dual polarization observation based on a reception output from the transmitting/receiving unit and calculate a received power of each polarized wave, an observation parameter calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the received powers, a first observation parameter having a first spatial resolution, and a second observation parameter having higher correlation with a rainfall rate than that of the first observation parameter and a second spatial resolution lower than the first spatial resolution, and a rainfall rate calculation unit configured to synthetically determine the rainfall rate based on the first observation parameter and the second observation parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Fumihiko MIZUTANI, Masakazu Wada
  • Patent number: 7868952
    Abstract: A parallax barrier device includes a pair of transparent-electrode substrates each provided with a transparent electrode. A barrier light-shielding part and a light-transmitting part are formed in a gap between the pair of transparent-electrode substrates. A liquid crystal layer is formed in the barrier light-shielding part. A resin layer having the property of transmitting light is formed in the light-transmitting part. The barrier light-shielding part separates light for a first image viewed from a first direction and light for a second image viewed from a second direction different from the first direction. The light-transmitting part transmits the light for the first image and the light for the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fukushima, Tomoo Takatani, Masakazu Wada