Patents by Inventor Naoki Komatsu

Naoki Komatsu 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: 8232746
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device in this invention comprises a converter, an inverter, an igniter, a controller, and a pulse voltage detection circuit. The converter outputs the direct current voltage. The inverter converts the direct current voltage into the lighting voltage which is alternating current voltage, and applies the lighting voltage to the high pressure discharge lamp through an output terminal. The igniter is configured to output the pulse voltage superimposed on the lighting voltage, whereby the starting voltage is applied to the high pressure discharge lamp. The controller is configured to control the igniter to allow the igniter to superimpose the pulse voltage on the lighting voltage. The pulse voltage detection circuit detects the starting voltage to output the detection signal. The starting voltage regulation circuit regulates the starting voltage to the desired voltage value of the voltage on the basis of the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Patent number: 8228006
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device comprising an inverter, an igniter, a controller, a pulse voltage detection circuit, and the starting pulse voltage regulation circuit. The inverter applies a lighting voltage to a high pressure discharge lamp. The controller applies the starting pulse voltage generated by the igniter to the high pressure discharge lamp. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect a voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage to output a detection signal. The starting pulse voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the starting pulse voltage to a desired value of the starting pulse voltage on the basis of the detection signal. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect either one of the voltage developed in the specified circuit component of the igniter and the starting pulse voltage as the voltage indicative of the voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Komatsu, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Akira Yufuku, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Patent number: 8222830
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a direct current power supply circuit that outputs direct current power; an inverter circuit that converts the direct current power, which is outputted by the direct current power supply circuit, into alternating current power, and supplies the alternating current power to a discharge lamp; a control circuit that controls a frequency of an output of the inverter circuit (operation frequency); and a starting detection circuit that detects beginning (starting) of a discharge in the discharge lamp. The control circuit operates in a starting improvement mode, in which the operation frequency is lowered than an operation frequency in a lighting mode, during a predetermined time from when the starting of the discharge lamp is detected by the starting detection circuit 4 during a no-load mode. Thereafter, the control circuit shifts to the lighting mode in which lighting of the discharge lamp is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Nagata, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8222835
    Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for adjustable filament preheating of a discharge lamp based on output current symmetry. A power converter receives DC power and outputs AC power. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A control circuit controls the AC power output from the power converting circuit. A symmetry determining circuit determines a positive-negative symmetrical state of the AC power output to the lamp with respect to ground. After lamp startup, the control circuit enters a filament heating operation in which the output frequency of the power converting circuit is controlled to a first frequency. At one or more predetermined current detection points during the filament heating operation, the control circuit checks the symmetry state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8143796
    Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for controlled preheating of filaments in a discharge lamp. A power converter has a plurality of switching elements and converts DC power from a DC power source into AC power for the lamp. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A half-wave discharge detecting circuit detects an absolute value for each polarity peak of a lamp current, calculates an asymmetrical current value from the detected peaks with respect to a predetermined current threshold, and detects a half-wave discharge of the lamp wherein an absolute value of the asymmetrical current value is equal to or more than the current threshold for a predetermined determination time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamahara, Naoki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8115405
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device includes a DC power source circuit; a power supply circuit for converting an output from the DC power source circuit into a square wave AC output to be supplied to a high pressure discharge lamp; a starting circuit for applying a high voltage output for lamp startup to the high pressure discharge lamp; a control circuit; and a half-wave discharge detection circuit for detecting a half-wave discharge. The detection circuit detects the half-wave discharge at an initial stage of the lamp startup and the control circuit controls the magnitude of a voltage of a square wave half period of one polarity having a load voltage of a larger magnitude and that of a square wave half period of the other polarity having a load voltage of a smaller magnitude to approximate to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamahara, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Takeshi Kamoi, Satoru Nagata, Naoki Komatsu, Jun Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20110074311
    Abstract: A device includes a direct current power circuit configured to convert an alternating current voltage from an alternating current power source into a direct current voltage, an output unit configured to convert a direct current from the direct current power circuit into a square wave alternating current whose polarity is inverted at a prescribed frequency and to supply the square wave alternating current to a high-pressure discharge lamp, a controller, and an anomaly detector configured to detect an instantaneous voltage drop of the alternating current power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20110068714
    Abstract: In an event of switching a DC output voltage of a boost chopper circuit from a first DC output voltage to a second DC output voltage, a boost chopper control circuit operates a boost chopper circuit intermittently. Therefore, a stop period of the boost chopper circuit is shortened as compared with a case where the boost chopper control circuit does not operate the boost chopper circuit intermittently. As a result, it becomes possible to supply a control power also when the DC output voltage of the boost chopper circuit is switched at a starting time of a high pressure discharge lamp while avoiding size and cost increases of a power supply circuit that supplies the control power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Komatsu, Jun Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20110052915
    Abstract: [Task to be Solved] One of the principal objects of the invention is to collect minute diamond particles of D50 of 20 nm and smaller, by MICROTRAC UPA 150, in high precision and high definition. [Means for Solving the Task] The minute diamond particles of the invention are recovered by a method comprising: (1) joining or combining a hydrophilic functional group with a surface of diamond powder that comprises particles of a primary particle size of 50 nm or less, so as to impart hydrophilic nature on the surface, (2) placing the hydrophilic diamond particles to hold in suspension in water to form a slurry, (3) subjecting said slurry to a hyper-centrifugal process at a centrifugal force of 4×103 G and at the same time a centrifugal load product of 200×103 G·min.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Youichi Morita, Tatsuya Takimoto, Naoki Komatsu, Hiroshi Yamanaka, Hisao Shirasawa, Hiroshi Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20100327776
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device in this invention comprises a converter, an inverter, an igniter, a controller, and a pulse voltage detection circuit. The converter outputs the direct current voltage. The inverter converts the direct current voltage into the lighting voltage which is alternating current voltage, and applies the lighting voltage to the high pressure discharge lamp through an output terminal. The igniter is configured to output the pulse voltage superimposed on the lighting voltage, whereby the starting voltage is applied to the high pressure discharge lamp. The controller is configured to control the igniter to allow the igniter to superimpose the pulse voltage on the lighting voltage. The pulse voltage detection circuit detects the starting voltage to output the detection signal. The starting voltage regulation circuit regulates the starting voltage to the desired voltage value of the voltage on the basis of the detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Publication number: 20100327775
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device comprising an inverter, an igniter, a controller, a pulse voltage detection circuit, and the starting pulse voltage regulation circuit. The inverter applies a lighting voltage to a high pressure discharge lamp. The controller applies the starting pulse voltage generated by the igniter to the high pressure discharge lamp. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect a voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage to output a detection signal. The starting pulse voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the starting pulse voltage to a desired value of the starting pulse voltage on the basis of the detection signal. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect either one of the voltage developed in the specified circuit component of the igniter and the starting pulse voltage as the voltage indicative of the voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Naoki Komatsu, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Akira Yufuku, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Publication number: 20100261926
    Abstract: A surface-modified nanodiamond includes a base nanodiamond, and at least one polyglycerol-chain-containing group present on at least a surface portion of the base nanodiamond, in which the polyglycerol-chain-containing group is represented by following Formula (1): —X—R ??(1) wherein X represents single bond, —NH—, —O—, —COO—, —PH(?O)O—, or —S—; and R represents a polyglyceryl group. X may be single bond or —NH—. The surface-modified nanodiamond is highly soluble or dispersible satisfactorily stably in water and/or polar organic solvents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Naoki KOMATSU, Masaaki Ito
  • Patent number: 7814445
    Abstract: An interference analysis device that analyzes interference includes an input unit that inputs design data, a selection unit that selects an analysis region, a division unit that divides a wire into segments, a calculation unit that calculates a circuit matrix regarding a coupled line, and an analysis unit that obtains a degree of electromagnetic interference, wherein the calculation unit calculates a circuit matrix of the coupled line, using a parameter set obtained by adding an asymmetry parameter to RLGC parameters of a transmission line in the coupled line. Thus, a method for analyzing an interference of circuit wiring can be provided, which is capable of shortening a processing time substantially while maintaining high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Iwaki, Naoki Komatsu, Tetsuyoshi Ogura, Toru Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100244716
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp ballast is provided with adaptive power control during a filament heating period. A starting circuit is coupled along with a high pressure discharge lamp to output terminals of a DC-AC power converter and generates a high voltage for dielectric breakdown in the lamp. A control circuit controls output power from the power converter to the lamp during the filament heating period after dielectric breakdown of the lamp. The output power is controlled in accordance with a power output parameter which is further determined by the control circuit in accordance with one or more lamp parameters detected by a lamp status detection circuit. The lamp parameters may be cumulative lamp parameters or electrical characteristics associated with the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamahara, Naoki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7788076
    Abstract: An interference analysis device can be provided, which analyzes interference between wirings of a circuit board with reduced load and for a short time period. The interference analysis device according to the present invention includes: a design data input part for inputting design data of the circuit board; a noise characteristics setting part that sets data representing electrical characteristics of noise for a wiring of the circuit board; a limit value setting part that sets an allowable limit value of noise received by a wiring; a selection part that selects a wiring group to be analyzed based on the noise characteristics data and the allowable limit value; an interference analysis part that calculates, concerning the selected wiring group, an amount of interference from a wiring giving the interference to a wiring receiving the interference; and a received noise level calculation part that calculates a noise level that the wiring receiving the interference will receive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Iwaki, Tetsuyoshi Ogura, Naoki Komatsu, Takeshi Nakayama, Tomohiro Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20100194303
    Abstract: An electronic ballast for powering a discharge lamp includes an asymmetry determination circuit functional to determine whether positive and negative polarities of an AC output current to the lamp are symmetrical. An inverter having a plurality of switching elements is coupled to a DC power source and converts the DC power to the AC output current. A control circuit is functional to control the plurality of switching elements dependent upon an operating mode and an output from the asymmetry determination circuit. The control circuit controls the switching elements in a normal mode upon receiving a determination of symmetrical current from the asymmetry determination circuit, and controls the switching elements in a restart mode for a predetermined period of time upon receiving a determination of asymmetrical current from the asymmetry determination circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventor: Naoki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20100109534
    Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for controlled preheating of filaments in a discharge lamp. A power converter has a plurality of switching elements and converts DC power from a DC power source into AC power for the lamp. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A half-wave discharge detecting circuit detects an absolute value for each polarity peak of a lamp current, calculates an asymmetrical current value from the detected peaks with respect to a predetermined current threshold, and detects a half-wave discharge of the lamp wherein an absolute value of the asymmetrical current value is equal to or more than the current threshold for a predetermined determination time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamahara, Naoki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20100109542
    Abstract: An electronic ballast provides controlled preheating for a discharge lamp. A power converting circuit receives a DC power input and converts it into an AC power output. A starting circuit coupled to the power converting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A control circuit controls the power converting circuit to generate AC power output to the lamp dependent on a mode of operation. A symmetry detecting circuit determines a positive-negative symmetrical state of the output power provided to the discharge lamp with respect to ground. The control circuit has a starting mode wherein the discharge lamp is triggered to start with a high voltage generated by the starting circuit, an electrode heating mode wherein the AC power output of the power converting circuit is controlled to a first frequency for heating each lamp electrode, and a steady-state mode wherein the AC power output of the power converting circuit is controlled to a second frequency for maintaining lighting of the discharge lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Naoki Komatsu, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Publication number: 20100109533
    Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for adjustable filament preheating of a discharge lamp based on output current symmetry. A power converter receives DC power and outputs AC power. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A control circuit controls the AC power output from the power converting circuit. A symmetry determining circuit determines a positive-negative symmetrical state of the AC power output to the lamp with respect to ground. After lamp startup, the control circuit enters a filament heating operation in which the output frequency of the power converting circuit is controlled to a first frequency. At one or more predetermined current detection points during the filament heating operation, the control circuit checks the symmetry state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Naoki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20100084988
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a direct current power supply circuit that outputs direct current power; an inverter circuit that converts the direct current power, which is outputted by the direct current power supply circuit, into alternating current power, and supplies the alternating current power to a discharge lamp; a control circuit that controls a frequency of an output of the inverter circuit (operation frequency); and a starting detection circuit that detects beginning (starting) of a discharge in the discharge lamp. The control circuit operates in a starting improvement mode, in which the operation frequency is lowered than an operation frequency in a lighting mode, during a predetermined time from when the starting of the discharge lamp is detected by the starting detection circuit 4 during a no-load mode. Thereafter, the control circuit shifts to the lighting mode in which lighting of the discharge lamp is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Nagata, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu