Patents Represented by Attorney David G. Conlin
  • Patent number: 6835918
    Abstract: An upper heat roller with an external heat source and a lower heat roller with an internal heat source are arranged with a paper transport path therebetween, in such a manner as to be pressed against each other. The lower heat roller is heated sufficiently, thereby supplying a paper sheet with sufficient heat when the paper sheet is transported through a contact region between the upper and lower heat rollers to be heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Shogo Yokota
  • Patent number: 6836269
    Abstract: A precharge control circuit constituted by (1) a latch circuit mounted in a precharge circuit and (2) a level shifter circuit of a current drive type controlled through an output of the latch circuit is included. The precharge control circuit changes the latch circuit to an active state to cause the level shifter circuit of a current drive type to operate only during a precharge period and also during immediately preceding and succeeding periods, and outside these periods, changes the latch circuit in a non-active state and the level shifter circuit of a current drive type in an operating state to save power consumption in the level shifter circuit. This enables a low-power-consuming precharge circuit, as well as a low-power-consuming image display device with a high quality display capability, to be offered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Maeda, Hajime Washio, Yasushi Kubota, Yasuyoshi Kaise, Michael James Brownlow, Graham Andrew Cairns
  • Patent number: 6836568
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which allows a user to execute image processing, such as extraction and elimination of a portion common to a plurality of images therefrom, with a simple operation. An image of a document is read by a scanner, and when the document is a first one, the image of the document is stored from input means into storing means. When an image of a second document is read, comparing means compares the read image with the image stored in the storing means to judge whether or not a difference in pixel values between the first document image and the second document image is smaller than a threshold value set through setting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadao Morishita
  • Patent number: 6831725
    Abstract: A display element comprising a pair of substrates; a display layer provided between the substrates for performing a display operation; and a looped seal member provided between the substrates for enclosing the display layer between the substrates; the substrates having different linear expansion coefficients; the looped seal member comprising a plurality of resin layers stacked from an inner side to an outer side, at least one of the resin layers being composed of a thermosetting resin, the rest of the resin layers being composed of a UV curable resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotaka Niiya
  • Patent number: 6829446
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a development section which has a blade for applying electrons generated in its photoelectric surface due to a photoelectric effect to a toner so as to charge the toner; an ultraviolet irradiator for irradiating the photoelectric surface with light; a development roller for holding the toner thus charged, and performing carriage of the toner to a photoconductive drum having an electrostatic latent image on a surface; wherein the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum is developed by the charged toner. The development section further includes a control section for performing control of application of a voltage to the ultraviolet irradiator, application of a voltage to the photoelectric surface, application of a voltage to the development roller, and beginning of the carriage of the toner by the development roller, at predetermined timings, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Toizumi, Taisuke Kamimura, Toshimitsu Gotoh
  • Patent number: 6826769
    Abstract: A recording and reproducing device of the present invention is provided to achieve the object of realizing stable and desirable recording and reproducing of information by suppressing fluttering of an optical disk by way of suppressing pressure fluctuation which is caused, for example, when an objective lens or an optical pickup with the objective lens is moved. The object is attained by a transparent stabilizer, provided between a disk and an optical pickup, which is moved with the optical pickup, and a slider which is provided to face the transparent stabilizer with the disk in between. The slider is supported to oscillate, and the surface of the slider facing the disk is flat. During rotation of the disk, the slider moves to balance the air pressure between the transparent stabilizer and the disk with that between the slider and the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji Hirokane, Noboru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6825165
    Abstract: The betacellulin mutein or its salt of the present invention is useful for better therapeutic drug for diabetes. Since they have intact BTC activity and reduced EGF activity, and no antigenicity-related problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ito, Mitsuyo Kondo, Yoko Tanaka, Masayuki Kobayashi, Koichi Igarashi, Reiko Sasada, Osamu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6824861
    Abstract: A composite-based rim and methods for manufacturing such a rim are provided. The rim includes multiple fiber-based, co-mingled layers, wherein the strength and/or stiffness of the layers increases from the innermost layer of the rim to the outermost layer of the rim, but where the radial stress and strain generated in the rim decreases from the innermost layer to the outermost layer. Incorporation of this rim into a high stress and strain usage environment, such as a flywheel system, allows the rim to be spun at high speeds in order to generate high levels of kinetic energy while beneficially managing the amount of strain and radial stresses generated within the rim, and, in turn, minimizing or at least controlling the formation and propagation of cracks within the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Beacon Power Corporation
    Inventor: Ward R. Spears
  • Patent number: 6825849
    Abstract: In an information presentation apparatus, a documents parser reads out and analyzes desired document data from a documents storage unit to obtain attributes data of the document data, which is stored in a document attributes storage uni. A displaying attributes setting unit uses the document attribute information, or attributes data, stored in the document attributes storage unit to retrieve data from tables of document attributes and displaying attributes, and, based on the retrieval result, sets a displaying attribute for the relevant document data. A displaying data generator determines a displaying manner of the document data according to the displaying attribute thus set, and the document data is displayed on a displaying unit in the determined manner. Accordingly, a user can quickly estimate a document attribute suggested by the content of the document data, not by reading the document data, but only at a glance of the manner in which the document data is being displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Minakuchi, Azusa Umemoto
  • Patent number: 6825954
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an information communication apparatus that allows communication management information to be readily printed out at desired time while also achieving reductions in standby power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6826693
    Abstract: When an information access request is made from a terminal for personal use via a computer network, a terminal information receiving section of an information transmission apparatus extracts terminal information contained in the request. A personal information collating section extracts personal information relevant to that person from personal information accumulated in a database. The information relevant to that person is collected from the database of an information server section and the like. The collected information is edited in an information editing section into contents suited to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiko Yoshida, Toshimi Kiyohara
  • Patent number: 6822209
    Abstract: The focal point detection method detects focal point dislocation of a coupling objective lens in accordance with a light beam passing a 60% to 80% region of a light beam effective diameter, which is centered with respect to an optical axis OZ of a light beam passing through the coupling objective lens, and which is regulated by a numerical aperture of the coupling objective lens. In this manner, focal point dislocation of a converging optical system can be performed without an offset, thereby accurately forming a focal point of the converging optical system on an information recording layer of an optical recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tadano, Ikuo Nakano
  • Patent number: 6822799
    Abstract: An exposing apparatus for a microlens array allows for easy alignment and attains high accuracy. An exposing method for a microlens array attains high accuracy and high light efficiency. The exposing apparatus for a microlens array includes a micro fly-eye lens for converting a light beam from a light source into a secondary point light source, a transmittance distribution mask for adjusting the luminance of the light of the secondary point light source, and a collimator lens for converting the light of adjusted luminance into a parallel light beam and for guiding the parallel light beam, via a first microlens array which is formed in advance, to a photosensitive resin layer to be a second microlens array. The light emitted from the light source is transmitted through the micro fly-eye lens, the transmittance distribution mask, and the collimator lens. The light is then adjusted to a desired luminance to expose the photosensitive resin of a microlens substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Kitamura, Kuniaki Okada, Yoshihiro Sekimoto, Yukio Kurata, Hiroshi Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 6822630
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is arranged so that an effective value of an OFF voltage and an effective value of an ON voltage applied to a liquid crystal layer at a whole screen display time and at a partial screen display time substantially coincide with each other. More specifically, a bias ratio (a′) at a partial screen display time is set not higher than an optimal bias value, and a maximum amplitude value of an applied voltage waveform (driving voltage) at the partial screen display time (driving voltage=a′V0′) is smaller than that at the whole screen display time (driving voltage=aV0). By so doing, a pulse-like voltage load applied to liquid crystal molecules during ON time is reduced, and a display defect level during ON time can be improved to a level equal to or above that at the whole screen display level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 6822752
    Abstract: In a copier, a specific pattern being hardly recognizable by human eyes but recognizable by a recognizing means is added onto a color image to be printed on a recording medium in order to clearly indicate that the printed image is a copy image. RGB-color image data is converted by a post processing portion of an image processing unit into YMCK color image data. An additional color forming unit calculates color data YaMaCaKa of a specific pattern received from a specific pattern generating unit based on the RGB-color image data. A combining unit generates output Y′M′C′K′-color image data including the specific pattern color image data by combining YMCK color data with the specific pattern data of YaMaCaKa. An image output unit adds the specific pattern on the color image according to the Y′M′C′K′ color image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makio Gotoh, Kazuyuki Hamada
  • Patent number: 6818408
    Abstract: A novel monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3) but does not cross-react with structurally similar phospholipid antigens is advantageous for PIP3-specific immunoassay. The gene in the variable regions of the monoclonal antibody has been identified, which enables producing recombinant antibodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignees: Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Fukui, Satoshi Nagata, Ryuichi Shirai
  • Patent number: 6817266
    Abstract: Several embodiments of a stiff, metallic hub for an energy storage devices are disclosed in the present invention. The stiff hub produces a critical velocity that is significantly greater than the design operating speed of the flywheel assembly so that resonant frequency is never reached during normal operation of the energy storage device's flywheel assembly. The stiff hub comprises a central core section that maintains a tight interference fit with the rotating shaft; an outer rim section that maintains a tight interference with the high-strength, low-density composite fiber rim, in which energy primarily is stored; and a web section that is situated therebetween, extending radially from the rotary shaft. At high operating speeds, the outer rim of the hub expands radially commensurate with expansion of the composite fiber rim so that enough of the outer rim remains in tight interference fit with the composite fiber rim to substantially minimize vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Beacon Power Corporation
    Inventor: Norman C. Brackett
  • Patent number: 6818681
    Abstract: There is provided an ultraviolet curing resin composition for an optical disk such as to improve the light resistance of reflective thin films made of silver or silver alloy and protect them against corroding and perform a high adhesive strength, in the optical disks. The composition comprises (1) a (meth)acrylate compound having a number average molecular weight of 700 to 3000 derived from epoxy resin, (2) a (meth)acrylate monomer having one or more of unsaturated ethylene groups, and (3) a polymerization initiator, such as 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, benzoylethyl ether and benzoylisobutyl ether, represented in the following general formula (I). Also, a tetrazole derivative may be additionally mixed into the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Nagase Chemtex Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Obori
  • Patent number: 6819394
    Abstract: A time-varying image editing device is provided on a recording medium (101) and used for editing time-varying image data reproduced from a time-varying image file containing time-varying image data body (111) the items of which are arranged together with time management information in temporal order and outputted. The device includes a file-to-be-reproduced extracting section (12) for extracting a desired reproduction part of a time-varying image file. The desired part contains a predetermined reproduction time. The device further includes a file creating section (17) for storing edit information (112) for managing the extracted reproduction part and the reproduction time in an area other than the one where the time-varying image data body is stored on the recording medium (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Nomura, Keiichi Hibi, Masahiro Shioi, Shuichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6816334
    Abstract: An information recording and reproducing device includes a magnetic information detecting section for magnetically detecting magnetic information recorded at a given position on a recording medium, an optical information detecting section for optically detecting optical information recorded at a given position on each track of the recording medium, and a positional control section for controlling a position on the track using the detected magnetic information and optical information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kosuke Watanabe, Kunio Kojima, Hiroyuki Katayama