Patents by Inventor Yoichi Imamura

Yoichi Imamura 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: 20050007318
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical apparatus that can prevent a shift in a threshold voltage of an amorphous silicon transistor while driving an organic EL device in a pixel circuit including the amorphous silicon transistor. A characteristic-adjustment circuit can be provided, which has a function of returning a shift in the threshold voltage of the amorphous silicon transistor included in the pixel circuit to the original state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kasai, Yoichi Imamura, Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20050001247
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical device that can include a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of signal lines, a plurality of pixels arranged corresponding to intersections of the scanning lines and the signal lines, and heat-release sections. The pixels can each include corresponding transistors and corresponding light-emitting elements, the light-emitting elements emit light in the direction that light is withdrawn, and the heat-release sections include heat release portions, located on the side opposite to the light-withdrawing direction of the light-emitting elements, having electrical conductivity. Accordingly, the invention can enhance the environmental resistance of an electro-optical device including light-emitting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Yoichi Imamura, Toshiyuki Kasai
  • Publication number: 20040256973
    Abstract: To provide a film forming method and a film forming system, which efficiently use materials and forming a high-quality organic thin film, and an electronic device and an electronic apparatus that are manufactured using the method and the device, an organic thin film-forming system includes a solution supplying unit, a gas supplying unit, a soft ionizing unit, and an ion separating unit, a deflecting unit, and a film-forming unit. After organic materials to be converted in film become minute liquid droplets in the soft ionizing unit and the liquid droplets are ionized or charged, the liquid droplets are vaporized and thus pseudo-molecular ions of a vapor state are created. In the ion separating unit, an organic material pseudo-molecular ion is separated from the pseudo-molecular ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20040257353
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical device having circuits for driving electro-optical elements, such as organic EL elements, and a driving device, which can employ driving elements having low driving ability, such as &agr;-TFTs. By providing a charge storage capacitor between the source electrode and the gate electrode of a driving transistor which is between power sources, the electro-optical device can allow the driving transistor to control a driving current, even when an electro-optical element is connected to the source side of the driving transistor. In addition, driving data can be stored in the charge storage capacitor by applying a predetermined voltage to the source electrode of the driving transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Imamura, Toshiyuki Kasai, Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20040175078
    Abstract: An electrical distribution board that stores terminals of a signal cable connected to a communication network and an electrical power cable connected to an electrical distribution cable, the electrical distribution board comprising: an in-building electrical distribution breaker inserted between the electrical power cable and the in-building distribution cable; a gateway that interfaces the communication network with the in-building network; and a plurality of optical repeaters, each having a bi-directional conversion function between an electrical signal and an optical signal between an electrical signal input/output terminal and an optical signal input/output terminal, and having an electrical signal input/output terminal that is connected to an electrical signal input/output terminal for in-building network connection of the gateway, wherein the optical signal input/output terminal is connected to an optical fiber cable of the in-building network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20040174647
    Abstract: An electrical distribution board that stores terminals of a signal cable connected to a communication network and an electrical power cable connected to an electrical distribution cable, the electrical distribution board comprising: an in-building electrical distribution breaker inserted between the electrical power cable and the in-building distribution cable; a gateway that interfaces the communication network with the in-building network; and a plurality of optical repeaters, each having a bi-directional conversion function between an electrical signal and an optical signal between an electrical signal input/output terminal and an optical signal input/output terminal, and having an electrical signal input/output terminal that is connected to an electrical signal input/output terminal for in-building network connection of the gateway, wherein the optical signal input/output terminal is connected to an optical fiber cable of the in-building network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20040108998
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes unit circuits (Pmn) provided with electronic devices, data lines (Ioutm) connected to the unit circuits (Pmn), first output means (D/Aa) for outputting, as a first output, a current or a voltage corresponding to an externally supplied data signal (Mdatam), second output means (D/Ab) for outputting, as a second output, a current or a voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the first output, and selection supply means (Swa, Swb) for selecting one of or both the first output from the first output means (D/Aa) and the second output from the second output means (D/Ab) and for supplying the selected output to the data line (Ioutm). With this configuration, the image reproducibility in a low-luminance/low-grayscale display area of a display apparatus using EL devices is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6746161
    Abstract: An electrical distribution board that stores terminals of a signal cable connected to a communication network and an electrical power cable connected to an electrical distribution cable, the electrical distribution board comprising: an in-building electrical distribution breaker inserted between the electrical power cable and the in-building distribution cable; a gateway that interfaces the communication network with the in-building network; and a plurality of optical repeaters, each having a bi-directional conversion function between an electrical signal and an optical signal between an electrical signal input/output terminal and an optical signal input/output terminal, and having an electrical signal input/output terminal that is connected to an electrical signal input/output terminal for in-building network connection of the gateway, wherein the optical signal input/output terminal is connected to an optical fiber cable of the in-building network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20040032637
    Abstract: In a circuit for driving driven elements such as electro-optical elements, an electro-optical device D has an element layer 1, a wire-forming layer 2, and an electronic component layer 3 in order to suppress variation in characteristics of active elements. The element layer 1 has a plurality of organic EL elements 10, each of which is arranged in a different position in a plane. The electronic component layer 3 has pixel-driving IC chips 37. The respective pixel-driving IC chips 37 include a plurality of pixel circuits 377, each of which drives each organic EL element 10 corresponding to the pixel circuit 377. The wire-forming layer 2 is positioned between the element layer 1 and the electronic component layer 3. The wire-forming layer 2 has wires for connecting the respective pixel circuits 377 included in the pixel-driving IC chips 37 with the organic EL elements 10 corresponding to the pixel circuits 377.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20030164674
    Abstract: A sealing structure having a barrier membrane, with which the overall thickness of a display device can be reduced while ensuring sufficient barrier properties against water and oxygen so as to prevent deterioration of luminous layers. The sealing structure comprises a multi-layered resin membrane 14b for sealing an electronic element section 3 disposed on a substrate 2, which is formed by alternately depositing flattening resin layers 14c and barriers layers 14d on the substrate 2. The flattening resin layers 14c are formed inside a blocking region 14a surrounding the electronic element section 3. A display device having the sealing structure, an electronic apparatus having the display device, and a fabrication method for the display device are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20030133243
    Abstract: A display device includes a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of signal lines, current-driven elements provided corresponding to portion where the scanning lines and the signal lines cross one another, and performs a display operating in response to the mount of a driving current supplied to the current-driven elements. The amount of tho driving current is defined by the value of the driving current and the length of a period in which the driving current, which is periodically repeated, is supplied to the current-driven elements. This definition of the amount of the driving current can realize accurate gray scale control in a minute current region and a reduction in power consumption of the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20030034948
    Abstract: A matrix-type display control device suited to large capacity displays while achieving low power consumption operation is achieved by improving the display data transfer method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6483497
    Abstract: A matrix display apparatus is provided for displaying an image in accordance with display data. The display matrix comprises a plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of signal electrodes arranged in a matrix. A first driving circuit applies a plurality of selection voltages to the scanning electrodes. The scanning electrodes are divided into groups of h scanning electrodes. A selection voltage is applied to each of the plurality of scanning electrodes selected from the plurality of selection voltages in accordance with the selection pattern data. The second driving circuit provides a plurality of signal voltages to the plurality of signal electrodes. The second driver circuit comprises a memory for storing the display data for at least one group of h scanning electrodes and a selecting circuit for selecting a signal voltage applied to each of the plurality of signal electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoichi Iino, Akihiko Ito, Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6466192
    Abstract: A matrix-type display control device suited to large capacity displays while achieving low power consumption operation is achieved by improving the display data transfer method. The module controller 100 of a simple matrix-type liquid crystal display comprises a low frequency oscillator 110, timing signal generator 120, standby circuit (display data refresh detection circuit) 130, high frequency oscillator 140, and a direct memory access (DMA circuit) 150. This low frequency oscillator 110 constantly generates the low frequency clock fL. Timing signal generator 120 generates the scan start signal YD required for the LCD module 200, and other signals based on the low frequency clock fL. Standby circuit 130 generates the intermittent operation start control signal {overscore (ST)} when the display data in VRAM 12 is updated as determined by monitoring the system bus 14a for communications with host MPU 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20020015565
    Abstract: An electrical distribution board that stores terminals of a signal cable connected to a communication network and an electrical power cable connected to an electrical distribution cable, the electrical distribution board comprising: an in-building electrical distribution breaker inserted between the electrical power cable and the in-building distribution cable; a gateway that interfaces the communication network with the in-building network; and a plurality of optical repeaters, each having a bi-directional conversion function between an electrical signal and an optical signal between an electrical signal input/output terminal and an optical signal input/output terminal, and having an electrical signal input/output terminal that is connected to an electrical signal input/output terminal for in-building network connection of the gateway, wherein the optical signal input/output terminal is connected to an optical fiber cable of the in-building network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20020011994
    Abstract: A matrix-type display control device suited to large capacity displays while achieving low power consumption operation is achieved by improving the display data transfer method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6232949
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a flat display device and the driving method thereof having a plurality of display picture elements which are defined by liquid crystal cell portions formed between the scanning and the signal electrodes arranged in the form of a matrix wherein at least scanning electrodes of said scanning and signal electrodes are driven from both terminals of the electrodes by individual driving circuits. A circuit is also included that creates a short circuit across the electrode thus protecting the flat display panel from degradation due to excessive current flowing across the panel before the voltage waveform is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6191768
    Abstract: A matrix-type display control device suited to large capacity displays while achieving low power consumption operation is achieved by improving the display data transfer method. The module controller 100 of a simple matrix-type liquid crystal display comprises a low frequency oscillator 110, timing signal generator 120, standby circuit (display data refresh detection circuit) 130, high frequency oscillator 140, and a direct memory access (DMA circuit) 150. This low frequency oscillator 110 constantly generates the low frequency clock fL. Timing signal generator 120 generates the scan start signal YD required for the LCD module 200, and other signals based on the low frequency clock fL. Standby circuit 130 generates the intermittent operation start control signal {overscore (STE)} when the display data in VRAM 12 is updated as determined by monitoring the system bus 14a for communications with host MPU 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6091392
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a flat display device and the driving method thereof having a plurality of display picture elements which are defined by liquid crystal cell portions formed between the scanning and the signal electrodes arranged in the form of a matrix wherein at least scanning electrodes of said scanning and signal electrodes are driven from both terminals of the electrodes by individual driving circuits. A circuit is also included that creates a short circuit across the electrode thus protecting the flat display panel from degradation due to excessive current flowing across the panel before the voltage waveform is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 6075420
    Abstract: An oscillation device includes a buffer device, a feedback device for feeding back an output of the buffer device to an input thereof and a charging device and a discharging device connected to the input of the buffer device. The charging device includes a first switching device that is turned on and off based on the output of the buffer device and a first current control device that controls the current flowing into the input of the buffer device through the first switching device. The discharging device includes a second switching device that is turned on or off based on the output of the buffer device and a second current control device that controls the current flowing out of the input of the buffer device through the second switching device. The first and second switching devices include first and second transistors and the first and second current sources that include third and fourth transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Imamura, Shigeki Aoki, Norio Koizumi