Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Nihei

Yasuhiro Nihei 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: 20050219354
    Abstract: A pixel clock generator that generates a pixel clock to regulate a drive timing of a scanning light source includes a data generating circuit that generates phase data based on a phase data pattern to correct an uneven scanning speed and fluctuation of scanning widths, and a pixel clock generating circuit generates a pixel clock having a long cycle based on a high-frequency clock and that performs a phase shift for the pixel clock based on the high-frequency clock. The phase pattern is set-such that difference in an amount of the phase shift between the pixel clocks adjacent to each other does not exceed a basic amount of the phase shift of the pixel clock generating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Dan Ozasa
  • Publication number: 20050213623
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser modulation signal is generated for modulating a semiconductor laser. The semiconductor laser is driven based on the semiconductor laser modulation signal. An output impedance of a semiconductor laser modulation signal generating unit and an input impedance of a semiconductor laser driving unit are corrected. The semiconductor laser modulation signal is transmitted as a low amplitude differential signal, from the semiconductor laser modulation signal generating unit to the semiconductor laser driving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Dan Ozasa, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsufumi Omori
  • Patent number: 6933957
    Abstract: A pixel clock generation apparatus includes a detector detecting a time interval between two horizontal synchronization signals. A comparing part compares the time interval detected by the detector and a target value, and outputs the difference. A phase shift data generation part stores one or more lookup tables each storing a pattern of phase shift data for controlling a phase shift amount of a pixel clock, and reads and outputs the phase shift data from the lookup table based on the difference that is output from the comparing part. A high frequency clock generation part generates a high frequency clock. A pixel clock generation part generates the pixel clock whose phase is controlled in accordance with the phase shift data based on the high frequency clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Dan Ozasa
  • Patent number: 6927789
    Abstract: A pixel clock generating device includes a measurement unit that measures a scanning time required for scanning a length and outputs a measured value, a pixel clock generating unit that generates a pixel clock, and a reference clock generating unit that generates a reference clock having a frequency higher than the pixel clock. A phase of the pixel clock is controlled based on (i) the reference clock and (ii) a comparison result between the measured scanning time and a preset scanning time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Dan Ozasa, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsufumi Omori
  • Patent number: 6917639
    Abstract: A laser driver circuit includes a biasing current source, a threshold current source, and a modulation current source, wherein the threshold current source produces a threshold current in response to an input signal with an interval exceeding an interval of a modulation current such that said interval of the threshold current includes the interval of said modulation current. The laser driver circuit drives the laser diode by a sum of a continuous bias current, the threshold current and the modulation current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishida, Hidetoshi Ema, Yasuhiro Nihei, Hiroaki Kyougoku, Atsufumi Omori
  • Publication number: 20050146596
    Abstract: A pixel clock and pulse-modulation-signal generating device includes a high-frequency-clock generating unit that generates a high-frequency clock; a modulation-data generating unit that generates, based on pixel control data that specifies a pixel length and image data, phase data that indicates a transition timing of a pixel clock and modulation data that indicates a desired bit pattern that corresponds to the image data; a pixel-clock generating unit that generates a pixel clock based on the high-frequency clock, the phase data, and a horizontal synchronization signal; and a serial-modulation-signal generating unit that inputs the modulation data, and outputs a pulse modulation signal in a serial pulse string based on the high-frequency clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Dan Ozasa
  • Publication number: 20050099489
    Abstract: In a pixel clock creation method and device, a high frequency clock is created. A scanning time needed to scan a predetermined scanning length is detected in accuracy of half a period of the high frequency clock to output a detection value indicating the detected scanning time. The detection value and a predetermined target value are compared to output a comparison result. A phase data is created based on the comparison result. A pixel clock whose phase is controlled based on both the high frequency clock and the phase data is created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Dan Ozasa
  • Publication number: 20050089069
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus produces a latent image on a photosensitive body based on a signal output from a scanning light detecting part in response to detection of scanning light; a semiconductor laser modulation signal generating part includes a clock generating part and a clock modulation part; a semiconductor laser and a semiconductor laser driving part are provided for each color of yellow, magenta, cyan and black; and further, a plurality of the semiconductor lasers are provided for at least one color of yellow, magenta, cyan and black.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Dan Ozasa, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsufumi Omori
  • Publication number: 20040251973
    Abstract: An oscillation frequency control part includes a voltage-to-current converting circuit converting an input voltage to a current having a value corresponding to the input voltage, and outputting a current in proportion to the current obtained from the voltage-to-current converting circuit. An oscillating circuit part includes a ring oscillator, wherein a current in proportion to the output current of the oscillation frequency control part flows through the ring oscillator so that the oscillation frequency in the ring oscillator is controlled by the output current of the oscillation frequency control part. The voltage-to-current converting circuit has linear voltage-to-current conversion characteristics in a predetermined range of the input voltage including a ground potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsufumi Omori, Dan Ozasa
  • Publication number: 20040183891
    Abstract: A laser modulating and driving device comprises a modulation signal generating unit configured to generate a laser modulation signal consisting of a pair of small swing differential signals based on pixel data, and a driving unit configured to drive a laser according to the laser modulation signal supplied from the modulation signal generating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsufumi Omori, Dan Ozasa
  • Patent number: 6791596
    Abstract: A pixel clock pulse generating apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes high frequency clock pulse and pixel clock pulse generators. The high frequency clock pulse generator generates relatively high frequency clock pulses. The pixel clock pulse generator generates pixel clock pulses based on the phase data for instructing a transition time of pixel clock pulses and the high frequency clock pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Hidetoshi Ema, Masaaki Ishida, Akihisa Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20040160509
    Abstract: A circuit for generating a pixel clock for use in scanning a laser beam includes a high-frequency-clock generating circuit which generates a high-frequency clock having a higher frequency than the pixel clock, and a control circuit which generates the pixel clock while shifting a phase of the pixel clock by a shift step proportional to a clock cycle of the high-frequency clock in response to phase data indicative of timing and amounts of phase shifts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Dan Ozasa
  • Publication number: 20040125199
    Abstract: A pixel clock generation apparatus includes a detector detecting a time interval between two horizontal synchronization signals. A comparing part compares the time interval detected by the detector and a target value, and outputs the difference. A phase shift data generation part stores one or more lookup tables each storing a pattern of phase shift data for controlling a phase shift amount of a pixel clock, and reads and outputs the phase shift data from the lookup table based on the difference that is output from the comparing part. A high frequency clock generation part generates a high frequency clock. A pixel clock generation part generates the pixel clock whose phase is controlled in accordance with the phase shift data based on the high frequency clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Dan Ozasa
  • Patent number: 6731317
    Abstract: A clock generating part generates a high-frequency clock signal having a frequency higher than that of a pixel clock frequency; a serial modulation signal generating part generates a serial modulation signal having a serial pulse sequence based on the high-frequency clock signal, and, light emission is modulated according to the serial modulation signal, and, thus, each pixel of an image is formed according at the pixel clock frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Ema, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei
  • Publication number: 20040036762
    Abstract: A transition detection circuit detects a transition of a state of a pixel clock, and outputs a detection signal according to a timing of the detected state transition. A control signal generation circuit generates a control signal according to the detection signal and phase data indicating a transition timing of the pixel clock. A pixel clock control circuit causes the state of the pixel clock to transit according to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Masaaki Ishida
  • Publication number: 20040032482
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel clock generating device, a laser scanning device and an image forming device able to control the width of a pixel clock with high precision but a simple configuration, and to correct fluctuation of the scanning length with high precision. The number of clocks in a period of scanning a distance between two photo detectors is counted, and comparison is made between the count and an object value. Based on this comparison, a determination is made of the timing of changing the level of the pixel clock that determines the scanning length (timing of transition). Furthermore, there is provided a configuration for generating a high frequency clock. Being synchronized with the high frequency clock, the pixel clock is generated based on the timing of transition. The laser driving device drives the semiconductor laser based on the generated pixel clock and the input image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Dan Ozasa, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsufumi Omori
  • Publication number: 20030156184
    Abstract: An optical scan device having an optical deflector reflecting a light beam from a light beam source so as to deflect the light beam and having a surface to be scanned on which information is written such that the light beam deflected by the deflector scans the surface is disclosed. Optical detectors are arranged at least in two locations, a start side of writing and an end side of writing, which locations are outside an effective writing area. A measuring part measures a scan time required by the light beam deflected by the optical deflector to scan a range between the optical detectors. A correcting part corrects each dot position of image data in the effective writing area to an arbitrary position based on a variation amount of the measured scan time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Seizo Suzuki, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Magane Aoki, Yasuhiro Nihei
  • Publication number: 20030067533
    Abstract: A pixel clock generating apparatus comprises a data offset circuit and a pixel generator. The data offset circuit defines multiple data blocks, each data block consisting of a predetermined number of successive clocks, and produces phase data for each data block. The phase data represents an amount and a direction of phase shift to be carried out for a certain clock in each data block. The pixel generator receives the phase data from the data offset circuit and generates a phase-shifted pixel clock a predetermined number of times in each data block based on the phase data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Yoshinori Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20030035451
    Abstract: A laser driver circuit includes a biasing current source, a threshold current source, and a modulation current source, wherein the threshold current source produces a threshold current in response to an input signal with an interval exceeding an interval of a modulation current such that said interval of the threshold current includes the interval of said modulation current. The laser driver circuit drives the laser diode by a sum of a continuous bias current, the threshold current and the modulation current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishida, Hidetoshi Ema, Yasuhiro Nihei, Hiroaki Kyougoku, Atsfumi Omori
  • Publication number: 20030025785
    Abstract: A pixel clock pulse generating apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes high frequency clock pulse and pixel clock pulse generators. The high frequency clock pulse generator generates relatively high frequency clock pulses. The pixel clock pulse generator generates pixel clock pulses based on the phase data for instructing a transition time of pixel clock pulses and the high frequency clock pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Hidetoshi Ema, Masaaki Ishida, Akihisa Itabashi