Patents Represented by Attorney David G. Conlin
  • Patent number: 6729542
    Abstract: A digital information recording carrier has a planar recording surface having an information recording area in which cells corresponding to bits are virtually set in a matrix form, each cell being provided with an optically recognizable mark corresponding to digital information so that the digital information is recorded in the information recording area as a two-dimensional pattern. The carrier also has specific patterns each consisting of a plurality of cells which are linked together and which are given marks in a given pattern. Some of the specific patterns are placed in an inner portion apart from a perimeter of the information recording area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Iwai, Atsushi Aoki, Masahiro Esashi, Hiroaki Niwamoto, Norimasa Yamaguchi, Tsukasa Kaminokado
  • Patent number: 6730725
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polycarbonate which can be obtained by a melting method and has a viscosity-average molecular weight of 16000 to 27000, and whose loss angle &dgr; and complex viscosity &eegr;* (Pa·s) measured under the conditions of 250° C. and an angular velocity of 10 rad/s satisfy the following relation (1): 4,700≦Tan &dgr;/(&eegr;*)−0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corp.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Masuki, Hiroshi Yoshioka, Takao Tayama, Masaaki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6728179
    Abstract: In a spherical-aberration correcting mechanism which electrically drives and changes the lens group gap of two groups of lenses so as to correct spherical aberration, in order to reduce the power consumption thereof, the optical recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention is arranged so that, upon recording or reproducing a recording medium having a plurality of recording layers, supposing that the gap of the lens groups at the time of forming a converged light spot on the first recording layer is DIS(1), the applied current to the spherical-aberration correcting mechanism is i1, the gap of the lens groups at the time of forming a converged light spot on the N-th layer (the farthest layer from the surface of the recording medium) is DIS(N) and the applied current to the spherical-aberration correction mechanism is i2, |i1|=|i2| is satisfied, and the neutral point of the spherical-aberration correcting mechanism is set at a position satisfying the following expre
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Nakano, Eiji Yamada
  • Patent number: 6726491
    Abstract: A Jack connector includes: a retainer which holds a semiconductor optical device and an electrical connection terminals; wherein the electrical connection terminals each extend out of the retainer so as to be soldered onto a board; wherein the retainer has recesses provided in a vicinity of the respective terminals so as to accommodate a solder possibly creeping up along the terminals when the jack connector is soldered onto the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Nakano, Takashi Takaoka, Mitsuhisa Ikuta
  • Patent number: 6727294
    Abstract: A thermoplastic resin composition comprising: a transparent aromatic thermoplastic resin (a) and a copolyester resin (b) comprising at least two kinds of dicarboxylic acid moieties and one kind of diol moiety, 1 to 50 mol % of the dicarboxylic acid moieties being a naphthalenedicarboxylic acid moiety, the ratio of (a) to the combined amount of (a) and (b) being 55 to 99.99% by weight, and the ratio of (b) being 0.01 to 45% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kanayama, Tatsuhiko Hatakeyama, Shinya Miya, Kenichi Narita, Ken Honma
  • Patent number: 6728183
    Abstract: An optical device to control the output power of a laser on recording and reproduction without expensive high-speed circuits is provided. The optical disk device of the present invention comprises monitor portion for monitoring the power of laser light, averaged light quantity calculating portion for calculating the averaged light quantity of the power of the laser light, memory portion for memorizing the averaged light quantity, error quantity calculated portion for calculating the difference between the output signals of the averaged light quantity calculating portion and the memory portion, and laser power control portion for controlling the power of the laser light in response to the output signal from the error quantity calculating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takeuchi, Junsaku Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6728425
    Abstract: An image processing device of the present invention includes a region separating section and a filter processing section. With respect to a picture signal which is read out after resolution thereof in a sub scanning direction has been converted, the region separating section computes maximum density difference and complexity as feature parameters indicative of a characteristic of each pixel in the picture signal. Additionally, with respect to the complexity which is dependent on a size of the resolution in the sub scanning direction, the region separating section carries out a correction in accordance with the size of the resolution in the sub scanning direction, and separates the picture signal into each region by using the maximum density difference and the corrected complexity. In accordance with the size of the resolution in the sub scanning direction and each region separated by the region separating section, the filter processing section performs suitable image processing of the picture signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Tokuyama, Masatsugu Nakamura, Mihoko Tanimura, Norihide Yasuoka, Masaaki Ohtsuki, Hirohumi Sakita
  • Patent number: 6726802
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a slot plate having a slot-formed region for passing microwave from a waveguide to a microwave entrance window, and a slot plate drive unit driving the slot plate to change the position of the slot plate with respect to the microwave entrance window. The slot plate is thus moved with respect to the microwave entrance window to change at least one of the position, number and area of slot openings where the microwave is passed. The plasma processing apparatus accordingly ensures uniform plasma processing even if the process condition significantly changes when films on a large-area substrate or wafer to be processed are made of different materials or a stacked-layer film composed of layers of different materials is to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamitsu Tadera, Tatsushi Yamamoto, Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi
  • Patent number: 6724358
    Abstract: Pseudo-impulse display for reducing after-images during display of moving images in an active matrix type display apparatus. Liquid crystal capacitors are formed at intersections of signal lines and scanning lines to display images. Auxiliary capacitors are provided for keeping a potential difference across the liquid crystal capacitors during display. One of the two electrodes of the auxiliary capacitors is connected to a switching element together with a pixel electrode. After the liquid crystal capacitor and the auxiliary capacitor have been charged with a video signal on the signal lines while the switching element is selectively put into the conducting state with the scanning lines, and after a predetermined time has passed, an auxiliary capacitor driver applies a signal to the other electrode of the auxiliary capacitor, such that the display luminance due to the liquid crystal capacitor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ban, Yoshihiro Okada, Wataru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6724363
    Abstract: A shift register is provided with a shift register section composed of a plurality of stages of flip-flops that operate in synchronization with a clock signal, and level shifters for boosting a start signal lower than a driving voltage and for applying the same to both ends of the shift register section, and the shift register is capable of switching the shift direction in accordance with the switching signal. The foregoing level shifters are current-driving-type level shifters that can operate even in the case where the transistor characteristics are inferior or in the case of fast operations, and that can carry out level shifting even with a start signal having a small amplitude. Furthermore, the foregoing level shifters are provided at both ends of the shift register section, respectively, and one of the same stops operating in accordance with a switching signal, so that consumed power should decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Satoh, Yasushi Kubota, Hajime Washio, Kazuhiro Maeda, Michael James Brownlow, Graham Andrew Cairns
  • Patent number: 6724361
    Abstract: In a shift register provided with flip-flops that operate in synchronism with a clock signal, and a switching means, which is opened and closed in response to an output of the preceding stage of each of the flip-flops, is installed. The clock signal is selectively inputted by the switching means, and the selected clock signal is inverted and used as a shift register output from each of the stages. An output pulse having the same width as the pulse of the clock signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Washio, Yasushi Kubota, Kazuhiro Maeda, Yasuyoshi Kaise, Michael James Brownlow, Graham Andrew Cairns
  • Patent number: 6724359
    Abstract: An electronic device includes on a substrate: a plurality of first capacitors each including a first electrode and a second electrode opposing the first electrode via a first dielectric layer; a plurality of second capacitors each including a third electrode electrically connected to the first electrode and a fourth electrode opposing the third electrode via a second dielectric layer; a first line whose electrical connection to the first electrode and the third electrode is turned ON/OFF by a first switching element; a second line electrically connected to the second electrode at least temporarily; a third line whose electrical connection to the fourth electrode is turned ON/OFF by a second switching element; and a fourth line whose electrical connection to the fourth electrode is turned ON/OFF by a third switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiko Yamamoto, Keiichi Tanaka, Hideki Ichioka, Naoto Inoue, Koji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6720965
    Abstract: An image display device allowing viewing of zoomed images with good operability includes a divided line region extracting portion (2) for dividing a line region included in an input image in a line direction, and extracting a plurality of divided line regions; and a processing portion (4, 5) connected to the divided line region extracting portion (2) for zooming in or out, arranging and displaying the divided line regions at a predetermined zoom rate in units each formed of the extracted divided line region while keeping a sequence of arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hirosawa, Masafumi Yamanoue
  • Patent number: 6720009
    Abstract: Active enamel substances may be used for the preparation of a pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition for healing of a wound, improving healing of a wound, soft tissue regeneration or repair, or for preventing or treating infection or inflammation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Biora BioEx AB
    Inventors: Stina Gestrelius, Lars Hammarström, Petter Lyngstadaas, Christer Andersson, Ivan Slaby, Tomas Hammargren
  • Patent number: 6721237
    Abstract: A composite magnetic head device includes a recording head and a reproducing head for magnetically recording and reproducing information on and from a recording medium, and further includes heat sources for heating the recording medium when recording and reproducing. As the heat sources, diffraction grating patterns for the recording head and the reproducing head are formed independently. With this structure, when recording and reproducing information based on the thermal distribution of the recording medium heated by the heat sources, the thermal damage on the recording medium can be suppressed, and the likelihood of such problem that the recording medium is heated too much and the information recorded in the heated portion are erased can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Kojima, Masaki Hamamoto, Junichi Satoh, Hiroyuki Katayama
  • Patent number: 6720211
    Abstract: An oxide film is formed on an insulating substrate by means of a wet type film forming technique such as a sol-gel method, a chemical deposition method or a liquid phase deposition method. Next, the oxide film is patterned according to the shape of interconnections. Then, a metal film made of Ni is formed on an oxide film pattern by such a wet type film forming technique as a wet type plating method. Further, a metal film made of Au that has a low resistance is laminated on the metal film made of Ni by electroless plating, and a metal film made of Cu that has a low resistance and is low cost is laminated on the Au film by electroplating. Thus, by the above method for manufacturing electric interconnections, a large-area interconnection substrate for a display device and an image detector is able to be fabricated at low cost without using a vacuum film forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Izumi, Yoshimasa Chikama, Hisao Ochi
  • Patent number: 6718091
    Abstract: In an optical transmission and reception module, a partitioning member separating a light emitting device and a light receiving device from each other includes a partitioning plate having a concave surface, an engaging portion to which the partitioning plate is fixed, a holding portion holding the engaging portion movably, and a leaf spring for pressing the engaging portion against an optical plug. An end surface of an optical fiber is convex and projects from a front end of the optical plug. When the end surface of the optical plug is in contact with an engaging surface of the engaging portion, a gap is generated between the end surface of the optical fiber and a surface opposed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehisa Ishihara, Hajime Kashida, Kentaro Terashima
  • Patent number: 6714505
    Abstract: Side holders 52, 52 are provided at either side in the width direction interior relative to stationary holder(s). Parallel link mechanism(s) is or are provided for causing side holders 52, 52 to move in the cartridge 40 width direction. When a cartridge 40 which is one of a plurality of types of cartridge other than a cartridge or cartridges of the type or types that is or are smallest in width is inserted therein, pressure from that inserted cartridge 40 causes actuation of parallel link mechanism(s), and respective side holders 52, 52 move outward in coupled fashion to form insertion space in agreement with width direction dimension(s) of cartridge 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Yoshida, Masanobu Furukawa, Kyoji Kasuga
  • Patent number: 6714225
    Abstract: When a halftone image region that is below a predetermined density is to be reproduced, a processing unit controlling an exposure unit selects an exposure pattern that can represent a record dot diameter within a range based on a predetermined rule from exposure patterns prepared in advance. Accordingly, graininess is suppressed. When there are a plurality of exposure patterns that can be applied, the exposure pattern with the lowest number of dots present per 1 inch is employed. Accordingly, a halftone image is formed with the image reproducibility improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Mutou, Tetsuro Toyoshima, Tadashi Iwamatsu, Nobuyuki Azuma, Yoshinori Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6709837
    Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a polypeptide (I) including the following amino acid sequence (II) in a molecule thereof: TyrAlaGluHisLysSerHisArgGlyGluTyrSerValCys (II) AspSerGluSerLeuTrpValThrAspLysSerSerAlaIle spIleArgGlyHisGlnValThrValLeuGlyGluIleLys ThrGlyAsnSerProValLysGlnTyrPheTyrGluThrArg CysLysGluAlaArgProValLysAsnGlyCysArgGlyIle AspAspLysHisTrpAsnSerGlnCysLysThrSerGlnThr TyrValArgAlaLeuThrSerGluAsnAsnLysLeuValGly TrpArgTrpIleArgIleAspThrSerCysValCysAlaLeu SerArgLysIleGlyArg (2) a DNA sequence coding for the polypeptide described in (1), (3) a vector including the DNA described in (2), (4) a transformant transformed by the vector described in (3), and (5) a process for producing the polypeptide (I) which comprises cultivating the transformant described in (4) in a culture medium to produce and accumulate the polypeptide described in (1) in a culture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Takeda Chemical Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakahama, Yoshihiko Kaisho, Koji Yoshimura, Reiko Sasada