Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Darren M. Simon
  • Patent number: 6421314
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a semiconductor laser drive device is provided with a high-frequency superimposing circuit to superimpose a high-frequency current on a laser diode and a superimposed frequency changing circuit to change the superimposed frequency and the amplitude of high-frequency current responsive to an operation mode of an optical disk device, wherein the respective superimposed frequency and the amplitude between at least a first output power and a second output power from the semiconductor laser are changed in response to the operation mode of the optical disk device. This not only enables the high-frequency superimposition of a plurality of frequencies and the mode optimization but also facilitates the reduction of laser noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6414913
    Abstract: This invention related to an optical disc recording apparatus, an optical disc recording method, and an optical disc, and the present invention is applied to, for example, apparatus for recording on a compact disc, compact discs, and compact disc players, and sub-data strings are recorded so that the main data strings is reproducible by an optical pickup for reproducing the main data string and the main data strings are protected from being copied illegally without any adverse effect on reproduction of the pit-and-land main data strings. The sub-data string ED is recorded by locally changing the reflectance of the reflection film in the form of irregularity such as pit or mark at the timing which does not affect the position information of the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Kobayashi, Toshihiro Fujiki
  • Patent number: 6411457
    Abstract: In a recording/reproduction apparatus, when a rotational-speed-mode setting instruction is received from an I/F unit, a CPU reads out a control procedure from a storage device, controlling other components in accordance with the procedure. As a result, a node switch driving circuit controls field windings of a pulse motor to a switching sequence, driving the pulse motor to rotation at a predetermined rotational speed. Since the control is feedback control, the pulse motor rotates at the predetermined rotational speed specified by an instruction setting a rotational-speed mode with a high degree of reliability. Data can thus be recorded into and reproduced from a magnetic disk at a variable speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keitaro Yamashita, Kanzo Okada, Shunji Okada, Masayuki Nakayama, Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6408435
    Abstract: In a system, tabulated information on broadcasting programs is supplied through a network. When a user selects information on a desired program from the tabulated information of programs, supplemental information attached to the individual program information is converted into an remote control signal to remote-control a user's receiver to receive the desired program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 6400414
    Abstract: A transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving a plurality of image data channels as an encoded data stream. The transmitting part comprises a plurality of prefilters for reducing the resolution of each image in the image data channels, a frame memory for sequentially arranging the resolution reduced images output from the prefilters into a full resolution frame, an encoder for encoding the full resolution frame into an encoded data stream, and a transmitter for transmitting the encoded data stream. The receiving part comprises a receiver for receiving the encoded data stream, a decoder for decoding the encoded data stream and sequentially separating the decoded data stream into a plurality of resolution reduced images corresponding to the number of image data channels, and a plurality of postfilters for increasing the resolution of each of the resolution reduced images into full resolution images and outputting the full resolution images as the image data channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Tsukida
  • Patent number: 6396547
    Abstract: A wipe pattern comprises a series of horizontal rows, R0-R4. As the wipe proceeds first video Y in a row is replaced by second video X. The wipe proceeds from row to row. The wipe may progress from left to right from the top row to the bottom or from right to left from the bottom row to the top. An alternative wipe pattern comprises vertical rows. In another alternative, the wipe in one row begins before the wipe of the preceding row ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Jonathan Mark Greenwood
  • Patent number: 6396954
    Abstract: Different types of data including voice data of a user, image data produced by picturing the mouth of the user, and ambient noise data are provided through an input unit 10. Those data are analyzed by preprocessors 20 to 23 respectively to determine characteristic parameters. In a classification data constructing unit 24, classification data is constructed from the characteristic parameters and transferred to a classification unit 25 for classification. Meanwhile, an integrated parameter constructing unit 26 constructs integrated parameters from the characteristic parameters provided by the preprocessors 20 to 23. An adaptivity determining unit 27 selects a table corresponding to the class determined by the classification unit 25. From the standard parameters saved in the table and the integrated parameter from the integrated parameter constructing unit 26, the voice emitted by a user is recognized. Accordingly, the accuracy of the voice recognition will be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 6389182
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: an image acquiring element for acquiring a target image; an identification information recognizing element for recognizing identification information corresponding to a specific image pattern from the target image acquired by the image acquiring element; and an activating element for activating selectively from among a plurality of previously stored processes a specific process corresponding to the identification information recognized by the identification information recognizing element so as to start execution of the specific process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Ihara, Junichi Rekimoto, Takahiko Sueyoshi, Toru Konishi
  • Patent number: 6378057
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus which allows a memory to be used as a line FIFO. A write port address modification information generating unit and a read port address modification information generating unit carry out storing, addition and comparison on a variety of values. A write address modifying circuit compares a value generated by the write port address modification information generating unit with a memory write address output by a program memory, performing addition and selection in order to supply a modified memory write address to a data memory unit. By the same token, the read port address modification information generating unit and a read address modifying circuit carry out operations similar to those performed by the write port address modification information generating unit and the write address modifying circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masuyoshi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6369831
    Abstract: An image data generating method and apparatus in which, when performing viewing point conversion processing on data of strings of parallax images each made up of plural images containing the parallax information, data of a new string of parallax images can be generated promptly. To this end, a lookup table showing the relation of correspondence between pixels of respective images making up an original string of parallax images and pixels of respective images of a new string of parallax images is prepared at the outset and stored in a lookup table memory 72. The pixel interchanging is effectuated, based on the lookup table, in order to effectuate viewing point conversion processing, to generate the data of the new string of parallax images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Baba, Akira Shirakura, Nobuhiro Kihara, Osamu Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6366631
    Abstract: A jitter measurement device for reproducing a signal from an optical disc, which has simple circuit configuration and can effectively measure the jitter component. A matrix circuit 4 supplies the RF signals to the analog/digital converting circuit 6. Second, the computer 8 computes the slice level from the digitized data of the RF signals. Computer 8 computes the time point at which the RF signals become the indicated slice level, by interpolating, based on the digital data at the sampling point in the neighborhood of the said slice level, and the sampling frequency of the analog/digital converting circuit 6. A computer 8 computes each time breadth between the time points at which the RF signals become the slice level, then computes the jitter component of the reproduced signal, based on the each time breadth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Precision Engineering Center (S) Pte. Ltd., Disk Ware Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihito Nakayama, Kenji Shintani, Shunsuke Kohama, Yukari Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 6366263
    Abstract: The size of an image displayed on a tube surface is varied while maintaining the aspect ratio thereof at a constant. First, if there is information of an arbitrary horizontal-size variable parameter and a vertical-size variable parameter because of parameters supplied previously by adjustments, the horizontal/vertical size of a raster formed at that time can be obtained, and the aspect ratio thereof can be obtained on the basis of the horizontal/vertical size of the raster. Then, during a zoom mode, the vertical-size variable parameter corresponding to the updated horizontal-size variable parameter is computed so that the detected aspect ratio becomes constant, and the raster size is changed in accordance with these values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Takasu, Toshinori Hamada, Motosuke Irie, Satoru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6360346
    Abstract: A storage unit is provided which is capable of preventing the occurrence of readout errors even if two or more errors arise within a code, and a storage unit checking method is offered which can improve the productivity. Write data produced by BCH-encoding and compacting data s1 inputted into a flash memory, capable of correcting two errors within a code in an encoder, is written in a cell array. Data read out from the cell array 3 is error-corrected and decoded in an error correction/encoder to generate output data. In the check to be made at manufacturing (or putting on the market), examination data written in advance is successively read out by one block so that the errors within each code is counted. If the number of errors assumes 1 or less, that code is subjected to error correction, whereas the block including a code whose error number is 2 or more is treated as a defective block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyauchi, Masayuki Hattori
  • Patent number: 6360058
    Abstract: A video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus records a digital video signal of baseband into multiple RAIDs distributively. If one RAID fails to read out data of a pixel, it is substituted by data “00”. The video signals from all RAIDs are formed into a serial video signal. If the data “00” is detected in the serial video signal, it is given a proper value based on the interpolation process using data of the neighboring pixels, so that a high-fidelity picture is reproduced continuously from the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Yoshimoto, Satoshi Yoneya
  • Patent number: 6356125
    Abstract: A ramp generator for use in a video mixing system to produce various transition effects between edited video frames. The ramp generator produces a ramp signal R according to the equation R=Ah+Bv+C. The ramp signal R corresponds to a video frame comprised of v video lines (where v is an integer from 0 to m), each video line having h pixels (where h is an integer from 0 to n), and where A, B, and C are coefficients. Multiple ramp signals can be combined to a ‘solid’ signal. Solid signals can be used to generate masks or wipe patterns. Each ramp be edge modulated before combining into a solid signal. A solid signal can also be solid modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Jonathan Mark Greenwood
  • Patent number: 6349349
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for storing and transmitting AV data. A receiving buffer unit for storing AV data temporarily, a transmitting buffer unit for storing temporarily the AV data to be transmitted, and a primary storage unit for storing AV data and a secondary storage units for storing AV data are connected to each other by means of a subnetwork. A server control unit for controlling the respective units is connected to the subnetwork. Since these units are connected by means of the subnetwork, any restriction is not given to spaces for installing the units. The capacities of the primary and secondary storage units and the transmitting buffer unit are selected so that they become larger in order of the secondary storage unit, the primary storage unit and the transmitting buffer unit. Thereby, the storage units and the transmitting buffer unit are controlled in a hierarchical form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fujita, Norikazu Ito, Satoshi Yoneya, Masakazu Yoshimoto, Satoshi Katsuo, Tsutomu Yamamoto, Jun Yoshikawa, Shintaro Mizutani, Satoshi Yutani, Koichi Sato, Tomohisa Shiga, Gentaro Okayasu, Yoji Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6347119
    Abstract: Synchronous information indicates a difference (&bgr;) between a PCR value E and a counter value N (=3240000), if the third PCR packet is assumed to arrive at a transmitting apparatus 201 at the time (time t1) the count value N becomes 3240000, on the basis of a difference (&agr;) between the PCR value E3 and the count value N3, both generated while as many clocks as (count value N3—reference clock value B) are being counted. Hence, the delay fluctuation generated on a network can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Youichi Matsumura, Katsumi Tahara, Hiroaki Seto, Eisaburo Itakura
  • Patent number: 6346936
    Abstract: In order to remove high-frequency components contained in video signals and high-frequency components occurring in a processing stage of the video signals, a method of filtering the video signals has a problem that it has a strong side reaction that sharpness is greatly deteriorated and it is liable to suffer an effect of dispersion of elements when the filter comprises an analog circuit, and thus the problem of the present invention to be solved is to effectively remove the high-frequency components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Murayama, Osamu Maekawa
  • Patent number: 6344940
    Abstract: The present invention provides a digital signal reproduction apparatus and a digital signal reproduction method which employs fluctuation in a sampling or quantization process, so as to eliminate lack of depth feeling in digital data, increasing the pleasantness. In a case when a switch 19 is OFF and a switching circuit 20 is set to at terminal b, a clock generator 17 generates a master clock MCK having a 1/f fluctuation according to a signal generated by a fluctuation function generating circuit 18. This master clock MCK is supplied to a D/A converter 13, an aperture circuit 14, and a low pass filter 15. The D/A converter 13 converts a digital signal into an analog signal having an amplitude A with an amplitude fluctuation &Dgr;A (A±&Dgr;A). Thus, the D/A converter 13 is capable of adding a 1/f fluctuation in the amplitude direction (power axis direction) of the analog signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Heitaro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6344880
    Abstract: An information display method comprises a first display step of displaying information icons EY for guiding respective information on a part of a display screen as the base units of an information guide; a second display step of displaying the summaries of information corresponding to the information icons EY in the forms of titles TY at display positions corresponding to the information icons EY; and a third display step of displaying the explanation of the contents of the information which corresponds to the information icons EY at positions respectively corresponding to the information icons EY and the displays of the titles TY. The respective display steps can be switched or changed by a viewer or a user, so that desired information can be more readily and understandably retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Takahashi, Yoshihito Fujiwara, Kimiyoshi Yoshida