Patents by Inventor Shigetaka Kudo

Shigetaka Kudo 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: 7941235
    Abstract: In a playback apparatus, when a transmission finished notification for kth decompressed digital data is received via a communication portion, a control portion detects a silence start position in the kth decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, transfers a section of the kth decompressed digital data that is before the silence start position to the second buffer, temporarily stores (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is received via the communication portion in the first buffer following the transfer of the section of the kth decompressed digital data, detects a silence end position in the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, and transfers a section of the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is after the silence end position to the second buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Yoneda, Shigetaka Kudo, Takashi Koya, Taketeru Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20110062310
    Abstract: It is possible to achieve compatibility between suppressing dark current caused by a leak phenomenon and ensuring element reliability in a CMOS solid-state imaging device. When a pixel using electrons as signal charge is driven, the negative voltage level of each of control signals adapted to pulse-drive transistors in the pixel is adjusted so that the longer the charge accumulation time, the higher the voltage level. Preferably, the negative voltage level is grounded (GND) when no signal charge is accumulated. The negative voltage level is increased only when the charge accumulation time is long, which is the case where dark current caused by a leak phenomenon becomes a problem. Therefore, it is possible to suppress stress on the pixels and the gate oxide film of their drive circuits and degradation of the transistor characteristics even if dark current is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Patent number: 7908258
    Abstract: A search keyword input device includes multiple keyword type selection keys for showing multiple keyword types for the purpose of distinguishing and narrowing down multiple search keywords so as to be selectable, and used for selection of the multiple keyword types, a display unit which corresponds to the multiple keyword type selection keys, and which displays multiple selecting notification display elements for the purpose of notifying that the multiple keyword types are selected, and a control unit for controlling the selecting notification display elements corresponding to the keyword type selection keys to be displayed on the display unit as instructed when the keyword type selection key for selection of the keyword type is instructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kudo, Takashi Koya, Ryu Okuda
  • Publication number: 20100253560
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: an AD conversion section that has a comparing section, which receives a reference signal whose level changes gradually from a reference signal generating section that generates the reference signal and which compares the reference signal with an analog signal to be processed, and a counter section, which receives a count clock for AD conversion and performs a count operation on the basis of a comparison result of the comparing section, and that acquires digital data of the signal to be processed on the basis of output data of the counter section; a count operation period control section that controls an operation period of the counter section in each processing period on the basis of the comparison result of the comparing section; and a driving control section that controls the reference signal generating section and the AD conversion section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Publication number: 20100165814
    Abstract: The present invention is a dubbing device for dubbing data from a portable first recording medium such as a CD-DA (compact disc digital audio) to a second recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), in which dubbing to the second recording medium with a large capacity is automatically carried out when reproducing data from the first recording medium. When data is reproduced from the first recording medium, database means is searched on the basis of identification information for the first recording medium and execution control of dubbing is performed in accordance with the result of search for recording history information. For example, whether or not data to be reproduced from the first recording medium has been already recorded on the second recording medium is discriminated, and dubbing is carried out if the data to be reproduced data has not been recorded on the second recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Shigetaka KUDO
  • Patent number: 7747656
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a data management apparatus, in which data recorded by dubbing from a CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) to a hard disc drive (HDD) (31) as a second recording medium are supervised by a hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit (3), which hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit (3) supervises the identification information of the CD-DA to enable the supplementary information to be obtained via communication means from a network server, and in which the so produced supplementary information is automatically registered in the hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit (3) to permit the supplementary information, such as the name of music airs, to be produced even in the absence of a user's input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kudo, Natsumi Saito
  • Patent number: 7672203
    Abstract: The present invention is a dubbing device for dubbing data from a portable first recording medium such as a CD-DA (compact disc digital audio) to a second recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), in which dubbing to the second recording medium with a large capacity is automatically carried out when reproducing data from the first recording medium. When data is reproduced from the first recording medium, database means is searched on the basis of identification information for the first recording medium and execution control of dubbing is performed in accordance with the result of search for recording history information. For example, whether or not data to be reproduced from the first recording medium has been already recorded on the second recording medium is discriminated, and dubbing is carried out if the data to be reproduced data has not been recorded on the second recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Publication number: 20100036841
    Abstract: When an album search is started, message “For Album ?” which prompts the user to select album search is displayed. When the user has selected the album search, message “By Title ?” which prompts the user to select album title name search is displayed. When the user has selected the title name search, message “Keyword IN” which prompts the user to input a key word is displayed. When the user has input key word “P” for the search, the HD recording and reproducing device 300 references the album/track name database file and searches the database file for an album title name containing the input key word. The search result is displayed. In addition, highlight portions of tracks of an album corresponding to the search result are successively reproduced from track 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Publication number: 20090059024
    Abstract: An image pickup circuit includes a plurality of circuit blocks. Each of the plurality of circuit blocks includes a plurality of comparing elements, a single counter, and a plurality of storage units. Each of the comparing elements compares a pixel signal supplied through a vertical signal line connected to vertically aligned pixels in a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and a slope signal whose voltage is changed from an initial voltage at a constant slope. The counter counts an elapsed time since a voltage of the slope signal starts to change from the initial voltage. Each of the storage units stores a count value obtained by the counter in accordance with a comparison result of the comparator, the count value corresponding to an elapsed time until the voltage of the slope signal is changed from the initial voltage to a voltage coinciding with the pixel signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Publication number: 20080133715
    Abstract: There is provided a content playback system in which a first playback device and a second playback device that can receive and play back content from a server device are connected through a network. When the first playback device, while receiving and playing back the content from the server device, receives a switching command for causing the content that is currently being played back to be played back on the second playback device, the first playback device transmits through the network to the second playback device playback information that includes attribute information and an elapsed playback time for the content that is currently being played back. When the second playback device receives the playback information from the first playback device, the second playback device, based on the playback information, receives from the server device and plays back data that starts from the elapsed playback time for the content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Yoneda, Shigetaka Kudo, Takashi Koya, Taketeru Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080049947
    Abstract: In a playback apparatus, when a transmission finished notification for kth decompressed digital data is received via a communication portion, a control portion detects a silence start position in the kth decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, transfers a section of the kth decompressed digital data that is before the silence start position to the second buffer, temporarily stores (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is received via the communication portion in the first buffer following the transfer of the section of the kth decompressed digital data, detects a silence end position in the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, and transfers a section of the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is after the silence end position to the second buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Yoneda, Shigetaka Kudo, Takashi Koya, Taketeru Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080043585
    Abstract: The present invention is a dubbing device for dubbing data from a portable first recording medium such as a CD-DA (compact disc digital audio) to a second recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), in which dubbing to the second recording medium with a large capacity is automatically carried out when reproducing data from the first recording medium. When data is reproduced from the first recording medium, database means is searched on the basis of identification information for the first recording medium and execution control of dubbing is performed in accordance with the result of search for recording history information. For example, whether or not data to be reproduced from the first recording medium has been already recorded on the second recording medium is discriminated, and dubbing is carried out if the data to be reproduced data has not been recorded on the second recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Patent number: 7327645
    Abstract: The present invention is a dubbing device for dubbing data from a portable first recording medium such as a CD-DA (compact disc digital audio) to a second recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), in which dubbing to the second recording medium with a large capacity is automatically carried out when reproducing data from the first recording medium. When data is reproduced from the first recording medium, database means is searched on the basis of identification information for the first recording medium and execution control of dubbing is performed in accordance with the result of search for recording history information. For example, whether or not data to be reproduced from the first recording medium has been already recorded on the second recording medium is discriminated, and dubbing is carried out if the data to be reproduced data has not been recorded on the second recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigetaka Kudo
  • Publication number: 20080015718
    Abstract: A playback apparatus can communicate with a second server, which temporarily stores in a first buffer compressed digital data that is received from a first server, and when the first buffer has stored a first data volume of the compressed digital data, which is a volume that is sufficient for a decoding of the compressed digital data, reads the compressed digital data out of the first buffer and decodes it into decompressed digital data. The playback apparatus includes a second buffer, which temporarily stores the decompressed digital data that is received from the second server; a D/A conversion portion (340), which converts into analog data the decompressed digital data that is temporarily stored in the second buffer; and a notification information generation portion (370), which generates notification information that conveys storage statuses of the first buffer and the second buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Yoneda, Shigetaka Kudo, Takashi Koya, Taketeru Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20070237036
    Abstract: A playing state presentation system has a contents server for supplying consecutive contents data, and a contents playing device for obtaining and playing the contents data. The contents playing device includes: a reception unit for receiving the contents data from the contents server by wireless communication; a supplying unit for supplying the contents data to a playing unit which successively plays the contents data received by the reception unit, with the contents data being supplied at a supply speed unique to the contents data; a playing state prediction unit for predicting whether or not the contents data can be continuously played at the playing unit, as a playing state; and a presentation unit for presenting the predicted playing state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventors: Takashi Koya, Taketeru Fujimoto, Shigetaka Kudo, Michiaki Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20070220052
    Abstract: A search keyword input device includes multiple keyword type selection keys for showing multiple keyword types for the purpose of distinguishing and narrowing down multiple search keywords so as to be selectable, and used for selection of the multiple keyword types, a display unit which corresponds to the multiple keyword type selection keys, and which displays multiple selecting notification display elements for the purpose of notifying that the multiple keyword types are selected, and a control unit for controlling the selecting notification display elements corresponding to the keyword type selection keys to be displayed on the display unit as instructed when the keyword type selection key for selection of the keyword type is instructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kudo, Takashi Koya, Ryu Okuda
  • Patent number: 7206792
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a data management apparatus, in which data recorded by dubbing from a CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) to a hard disc drive (HDD) (31) as a second recording medium are supervised by a hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit (3), which hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit (3) supervises the identification information of the CD-DA to enable the supplementary information to be obtained via communication means from a network server, and in which the so produced supplementary information is automatically registered in the hard disc recording and/or reproducing unit (3) to permit the supplementary information, such as the name of music airs, to be produced even in the absence of a user's input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kudo, Natsumi Saito
  • Patent number: 7167425
    Abstract: A dubbing apparatus to dub data managed per program like audio data such as a piece of music is provided. In the dubbing apparatus, for passing output data read from a CD through a CD drive for compression of the data and transferring the compressed data for recording to an HD drive, an HD TOC being breakpoint information is generated based on specified information indicative of a track break of output data read from the HD drive. The HD drive generates a FAT based on the HD TOC. In the HD drive, the dubbed data can be managed per track accurately and properly without having to monitor any information indicative of each track break such as sub Q data synchronously with a stream of dubbing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kudo, Yuji Saito
  • Publication number: 20070008834
    Abstract: Disclosed is a content reproducing device and a content reproducing method capable of eliminating confusions in reproduction manipulations. The present invention provides a content reproducing device that requests desired content data from a server storing content data and reproduces a content thereof while receiving the content data requested, which includes a communication section that requests desired content data from the server and receives the content data, a receive buffer that buffers the content data received by the communication section, a reproduction section that reads the content data buffered in the receive buffer and reproduces a content thereof, and a control section that controls reproduction of the content, wherein when the desired content data is requested from the server, the control section requests content data of a specified range, and limits a reproduction function for the content, based on a response from the server to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Michiaki Yoneda, Shigetaka Kudo
  • Patent number: 7031238
    Abstract: A dubbing apparatus to dub data managed per program like audio data such as a piece of music is provided. In the dubbing apparatus, for passing output data read from a CD through a CD drive for compression of the data and transferring the compressed data for recording to an HD drive, an HD TOC being breakpoint information is generated based on specified information indicative of a track break of output data read from the HD drive. The HD drive generates a FAT based on the HD TOC. In the HD drive, the dubbed data can be managed per track accurately and properly without having to monitor any information indicative of each track break such as sub Q data synchronously with a stream of dubbing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kudo, Yuji Saito