Patents by Inventor Sadao Yamamoto

Sadao Yamamoto 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: 20240077960
    Abstract: A pen-shaped position indicator is configured to capacitively couple with a sensor surface of a position detection apparatus. The indicator includes a pen-shaped body; a coil; a driving power production circuit configured to produce a DC voltage from an induced signal in the coil by a wireless interaction with a charging device; a signal production circuit connected to the driving power production circuit and configured to generate a signal based on the DC voltage to form a capacitive relationship between the pen-shaped body and the position detection apparatus; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are configured to form first and second capacitive relationships with the sensor surface, respectively, to generate detection signals in the sensor surface from which a first detection signal and a second detection signal distinguishable from each other are extracted and used to obtain angle information of the pen-shaped position indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yasuo ODA, Sadao YAMAMOTO, Yoshihisa SUGIYAMA
  • Patent number: 11915504
    Abstract: A home user interface (UI) system for managing digital ink is provided. The home UI system includes a plurality of state sensors capable of detecting a state in a house or a change in the state, and a plurality of home-use devices that are provided in the house or that form part of the house and that each include a handwriting sensor capable of detecting handwriting made by a person. The home UI system further includes one or more notification units that are configured to notify the person of the existence of the home-use device or a detectable region of the handwriting sensor of the home-use device. The home UI system further includes a controller which, when it is determined that a notification is necessary from a detection result of one or more of the state sensors, instructs at least one of the notification units to carry out the notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobutaka Ide, Mu-Tzu Chen, Sadao Yamamoto, Philipp Daniel Schongen, Peter Bacher
  • Patent number: 11914802
    Abstract: An auxiliary device according to the present disclosure includes a ruler part, a plurality of electrodes provided at the ruler part, a receiving electrode for receiving an uplink signal transmitted from a sensor controller, and a processor that transmits a downlink signal to the sensor controller while sequentially switching the plurality of electrodes in response to reception of the uplink signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadao Yamamoto, Masayuki Miyamoto, Hideyuki Hara
  • Publication number: 20240021002
    Abstract: A home user interface (UI) system for managing digital ink is provided. The home UI system includes a plurality of state sensors capable of detecting a state in a house or a change in the state, and a plurality of home-use devices that are provided in the house or that form part of the house and that each include a handwriting sensor capable of detecting handwriting made by a person. The home UI system further includes one or more notification units that are configured to notify the person of the existence of the home-use device or a detectable region of the handwriting sensor of the home-use device. The home UI system further includes a controller which, when it is determined that a notification is necessary from a detection result of one or more of the state sensors, instructs at least one of the notification units to carry out the notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Nobutaka IDE, Mu-Tzu CHEN, Sadao YAMAMOTO, Philipp Daniel SCHONGEN, Peter BACHER
  • Patent number: 11853485
    Abstract: A pen-shaped position indicator is configured to capacitively couple with a sensor surface of a position detection apparatus. The indicator includes a pen-shaped body; a coil; a driving power production circuit configured to produce a DC voltage from an induced signal in the coil by a wireless interaction with a charging device; a signal production circuit connected to the driving power production circuit and configured to generate a signal based on the DC voltage to form a capacitive relationship between the pen-shaped body and the position detection apparatus; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are configured to form first and second capacitive relationships with the sensor surface, respectively, to generate detection signals in the sensor surface from which a first detection signal and a second detection signal distinguishable from each other are extracted and used to obtain angle information of the pen-shaped position indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Sadao Yamamoto, Yoshihisa Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20230400944
    Abstract: To prevent drawing by pen input from stopping due to a failure in receiving an uplink signal, an active pen according to the present disclosure includes a processing circuit that transmits, at a second timing decided based on a first timing of a first uplink signal received from a sensor controller, a position signal and a data signal from a pen-tip electrode and receives a second uplink signal, and a wireless communication circuit that wirelessly communicates with the sensor controller. The processing circuit determines whether the second uplink signal has been received at the second timing, and in a case of determining that the second uplink signal has not been received, the processing circuit transmits at least part of the data signal via the wireless communication circuit while transmitting the position signal from the pen-tip electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Masayuki MIYAMOTO, Haruhiko HISANO, Sadao YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230393678
    Abstract: A position indicator includes a pen-shaped body; control circuitry housed in the pen-shaped body and configured to generate position detection signals and generate additional information about the position indicator; a first receiver; a second receiver different from the first receiver; a first transmitter provided near a distal end of the pen-shaped body and configured to transmit the position detection signals to a sensor of a position detection system; and a second transmitter, which is different from the first transmitter and configured to transmit wireless signals to the position detection system. The control circuitry, in response to a control signal from the position detection system received by the first receiver or the second receiver, controls transmission of the position detection signals and transmission of the additional information via a transmitter selected from the first transmitter and the second transmitter, to the position detection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventor: Sadao YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230393675
    Abstract: An active pen that is used together with a sensor controller includes: an electrode provided at a pen tip, a memory that stores identification data, and a processor connected to the electrode and the memory. The processor returns, as a response to a first uplink signal transmitted from the sensor controller, a response signal including the identification data stored by the memory, and decides, based on whether data corresponding to the identification data is included in a second uplink signal received after the response signal is transmitted, whether the active pen is detected by the sensor controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Hideyuki HARA, Masayuki MIYAMOTO, Sadao YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230376145
    Abstract: A sensor system includes first sensor electrode groups and a first integrated circuit, and second sensor electrode groups and a second integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are controlled such that a first uplink signal, which is transmitted from the first integrated circuit via the first sensor electrode groups, and a second uplink signal, which is transmitted from the second integrated circuit via the second sensor electrode groups, are not transmitted at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Haruhiko HISANO, Sadao YAMAMOTO, Jun KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20230350507
    Abstract: An active pen is provided that transmits, through coupling capacitance, a signal to a sensor electrode connected to a sensor controller. The active pen includes a pen tip electrode provided on a leading end in a pen axis direction of the active pen; a peripheral electrode provided behind in the pen axis direction as viewed from the pen tip electrode; and a signal processor that transmits a downlink signal from the pen tip electrode and that transmits a reverse-phase signal of the downlink signal from the peripheral electrode at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Sadao YAMAMOTO, Yasuo ODA
  • Publication number: 20230325012
    Abstract: A method to be performed by a sensor controller that periodically transmits an uplink signal, and by a stylus that, upon receiving the uplink signal, determines a transmission and reception schedule for a downlink signal and the uplink signal on the basis of the reception timing of the uplink signal. The method includes executing, by the stylus, an uplink signal receiving operation for a first predetermined period of time according to the transmission and reception schedule. The method includes, responsive to the uplink signal not received through the receiving operation and expiration of the first predetermined period of time, continuing, by the stylus, the uplink signal receiving operation for a second predetermined period of time, instead of transmitting the downlink signal according to the transmission and reception schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Masayuki MIYAMOTO, Haruhiko HISANO, Sadao YAMAMOTO, Hideyuki HARA, Yoshifumi KONDA
  • Publication number: 20230326103
    Abstract: An image drawing method performed by first and second computers is provided. The image drawing method includes: transmitting, by the second computer, a streaming video that includes a pen stroke image generated by a first rendering process; generating, by the first computer, a pen stroke image by performing a second rendering process, which is shared with the first rendering process, in parallel with the first rendering process; receiving, by the first computer, the streaming video from the second computer via communication that incurs a delay; compositing, by the first computer, the pen stroke image into the streaming video; and outputting, by the first computer, the streaming video. The image drawing method enables alignment of appearances between a provisional image and the pen stroke image that appears within the streaming video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Tatsunori KATO, Yoshifumi TAKEBE, Kiyokazu SAKAI, Sadao YAMAMOTO, Naoki WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20230315240
    Abstract: A position indicator that electrostatically interacts with a sensor includes: a casing having a pen shape; a conductive core body including a pen tip that protrudes from an opening on one end in the axial direction of the casing; a conductor surrounding the core body; a signal transmitting circuit which, in operation, generates a signal that electrostatically interacts with the sensor, and supplies the generated signal to the core body; and a control circuit which, in operation, produces different electrostatic interactions with the sensor by performing a first control operation that sets the conductor in a state of being grounded while the signal is sent out from the pen tip of the core body to the sensor, and performing a second control operation that sets the conductor in a state different from the state of being grounded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11775090
    Abstract: A position indicator includes a pen-shaped body; control circuitry housed in the pen-shaped body and configured to generate position detection signals and generate additional information about the position indicator; a first receiver; a second receiver different from the first receiver; a first transmitter provided near a distal end of the pen-shaped body and configured to transmit the position detection signals to a sensor of a position detection system; and a second transmitter, which is different from the first transmitter and configured to transmit wireless signals to the position detection system. The control circuitry, in response to a control signal from the position detection system received by the first receiver or the second receiver, controls transmission of the position detection signals and transmission of the additional information via a transmitter selected from the first transmitter and the second transmitter, to the position detection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11775083
    Abstract: An active pen that is used together with a sensor controller includes: an electrode provided at a pen tip, a memory that stores identification data, and a processor connected to the electrode and the memory. The processor returns, as a response to a first uplink signal transmitted from the sensor controller, a response signal including the identification data stored by the memory, and decides, based on whether data corresponding to the identification data is included in a second uplink signal received after the response signal is transmitted, whether the active pen is detected by the sensor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hara, Masayuki Miyamoto, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11755144
    Abstract: A sensor system includes first sensor electrode groups and a first integrated circuit, and second sensor electrode groups and a second integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are controlled such that a first uplink signal, which is transmitted from the first integrated circuit via the first sensor electrode groups, and a second uplink signal, which is transmitted from the second integrated circuit via the second sensor electrode groups, are not transmitted at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Hisano, Sadao Yamamoto, Jun Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 11720189
    Abstract: An active pen is provided that transmits, through coupling capacitance, a signal to a sensor electrode connected to a sensor controller. The active pen includes a pen tip electrode provided on a leading end in a pen axis direction of the active pen; a peripheral electrode provided behind in the pen axis direction as viewed from the pen tip electrode; and a signal processor that transmits a downlink signal from the pen tip electrode and that transmits a reverse-phase signal of the downlink signal from the peripheral electrode at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadao Yamamoto, Yasuo Oda
  • Patent number: 11714500
    Abstract: A method to be performed by a sensor controller that periodically transmits an uplink signal, and by a stylus that, upon receiving the uplink signal, determines a transmission and reception schedule for a downlink signal and the uplink signal on the basis of the reception timing of the uplink signal. The method includes executing, by the stylus, an uplink signal receiving operation for a first predetermined period of time according to the transmission and reception schedule. The method includes, responsive to the uplink signal not received through the receiving operation and expiration of the first predetermined period of time, continuing, by the stylus, the uplink signal receiving operation for a second predetermined period of time, instead of transmitting the downlink signal according to the transmission and reception schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Miyamoto, Haruhiko Hisano, Sadao Yamamoto, Hideyuki Hara, Yoshifumi Konda
  • Publication number: 20230205333
    Abstract: A single position indicator that can be used with a plurality of different types of position detection systems. The position indicator includes a communication circuit which, in operation, communicates with an outer device, a configuration circuit which, in operation, performs an initial setting process based on a signal from the outer device, a signal generation circuit which, in operation, generates a stylus position signal, and a control circuit. The control circuit, in operation, controls transmission of the stylus position signal based on an initial setting of at least one switch circuit that is set by the initial setting process performed by the configuration circuit, and controls reception of a signal received from the outer device via the communication circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20230206748
    Abstract: A sensor controller includes a transmitter configured to transmit an uplink signal including a first partial signal and a second partial signal. The transmitter is configured to transmit the first partial signal by direct spreading using a first spread code and transmit the second partial signal by direct spreading using a second spread code which is different from the first spread code and which has an identical chip time length to the first spread code. An active stylus includes a receiver configured to receive an uplink signal including a first partial signal and a second partial signal. The receiver is configured to synchronize with the uplink signal by detecting the first partial signal using a first spread code and thereafter detect the second partial signal using a second spread code, which is different from the first spread code and has an identical chip time length to the first spread code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Sadao Yamamoto, Hideyuki Hara