Patents Represented by Attorney Kevin J. Fournier
  • Patent number: 5500787
    Abstract: An electrode wiring on a mounting substrate adapted for use in liquid crystal display apparatus, the electrode wiring including portions of Mo or Mo alloy to which bumps of an integrated circuit such as LSI is bonded with conductive paste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5495294
    Abstract: A synchronizing signal separator receives synchronizing signals from a remote source. A window generator opens a window for a period and a counter regenerates synchronizing signals detected when the window is open. Detection of an incoming synchronizing signal when the window is open causes a window counter to be stopped to reduce the window duration to approach a set minimum width. The window generator and the counter are controlled by a voltage controlled oscillator whose oscillation frequency varies according to a feedback signal derived from the sense of the phase error between an external counter of the window generator and the regeneration counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Evans, Christopher Gandy
  • Patent number: 5495413
    Abstract: A translation machine is arranged to derive two or more syntaxes from one original sentence, determine which of the syntaxes is the most approximate according to a syntax priority rule given by a user or a manufacturer and output a translated sentence based on the most approximate syntax. The translation machine includes a memory, a translating module and a main CPU as main components. The memory serves to store a partial structure of each syntax and a syntax priority rule containing a numerical value indicating a priority of the partial structure and an incidental condition of the syntax. The translating module serves to collide the syntax priority rule stored in the memory with the syntax of the original sentence and giving a proper evaluating value to the syntax of the original sentence. The main CPU serves to output the translated sentences on the syntaxes derived from the original sentence according to their larger evaluating values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Kutsumi, Yoji Fukumochi, Hitoshi Suzuki, Shuzo Kugimiya, Tokuyuki Hirai, Ichiko Sata
  • Patent number: 5491706
    Abstract: An induction voltage signal induced at a detection electrode of a detection pen is binarized by a slice voltage "e.sub.s ". The number of pulses existing in the binary signal is counted by a counting device. The resulting count value obtained by the counting device and the number of times of electrode scanning in an x-coordinate detection period or a y-coordinate detection period are compared with each other by means of a comparator. When the number of pulses is greater, an error detection alarm signal is output by an alarm device. Thus the existence of the pulses based on the error detection signal is detected in the binary signal based on the induction voltage signal from the detection electrode to output the error detection alarm signal. The above arrangement allows the coordinates at the tip end of the detection pen to be detected in a stable and correct manner even when external noise is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Tagawa, Hitoshi Nohno, Kiyohiro Nozaki, Kazunari Okamura
  • Patent number: 5490131
    Abstract: An optical disk including a transparent plastic substrate, a recording film formed on an one side surface of said substrate, a first protective film covering said recording film, and a moisture-impermeable film formed on the other side surface of said substrate via or not via an intermediate film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Ohta, Toshikazu Nagaura, Masayasu Futagawa, Shinji Yamagami, Yoshiteru Murakami, Hiroyuki Ikenaga, Michinobu Mieda, Tetsuya Inui, Akira Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5489999
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises an edge light type of a light guide plate for a backlight, having an inclined surface. A back light lamp disposed in a side of a wide edge surface of the light guide plate. A liquid crystal display panel disposed in a side of a rear surface of the light guide plate. A circuit board disposed at a recess of the inclined surface of the light guide plate. A tape carrier connecting the liquid crystal display panel and said circuit board with each other. And an integrated circuit disposed on the tape carrier for driving the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 5486859
    Abstract: There is provided a low-cost CCD solid state imaging device which can make best use of effective pixels and which can obtain images of two or more kinds of aspect ratios without using digital signal processing or any optical means. For creation of wide aspect ratio images, an image is formed by signal charges transferred by a first horizontal CCD. On the other hand, an image is formed by signal charges transferred from the first horizontal CCD to a second horizontal CCD via a coupling, whereby a narrow aspect ratio image with a horizontal dimension shorter than a wide aspect ratio image is created by utilizing any arbitrary horizontal area out of all effective pixels of a light receiving portion, depending on the area where the first horizontal CCD and the second horizontal CCD are coupled with each other by the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumiyoshi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5483255
    Abstract: A display controller for a liquid crystal panel has a display data storage device for storing data on a state of a pixel as display data for each pixel, an identity/non-identity data storage device for storing data, as identity/non-identity discerning data, on whether a difference takes place between a pixel state to be displayed and a pixel state displayed for each pixel group, and an identification data storage device for storing data, as identification data, on whether a pixel is included whose state to be displayed differs from a state displayed for each scanning electrode group. The identification data storage device includes a data selecting part for deciding which scanning electrode group should be selected in a next scan, and a data erasing part for deciding whether the identity/non-identity data on a related pixel should be erased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaji Numao
  • Patent number: 5483357
    Abstract: An image scanning device has a light source for emitting a beam, a CCD circuit board having a CCD sensor, an optical unit for guiding the emitted beam from the light source to the CCD sensor, a CCD sensor driving circuit connected with the CCD circuit board with a signal cable, a clock generating circuit for generating a clock to be transferred to the CCD sensor, a reset pulse generating circuit for generating a reset pulse for resetting an output buffer of the CCD sensor, a clamp circuit for clamping an output of the CCD sensor, and an analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog signal into a digital signal. The clock generating circuit is disposed on the CCD circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumikazu Nagano
  • Patent number: 5483508
    Abstract: An optical recording and reproducing apparatus records two rows of a plurality of pit patterns with respect to one track by modulating two light beams and by converging the modulated two light beams in parallel onto the track. The plurality of pit patterns are detected and judged by a multiple hologram on which reflected object waves of all kinds of pit patterns are recorded, thereby enabling to carry out recording of information. With the arrangement, since multiple values recording and reproducing can be carried out with respect to a magneto-optical disk, the recording capacity becomes greater than the conventional case and the reproduced signal having little crosstalk can be obtained according to the present way of reproducing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyake, Tetsuo Ueyama, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Yukio Kurata
  • Patent number: 5480130
    Abstract: A sheet finishing and stacking apparatus includes a sheet transport path which stacks sheets onto a stapler tray, the stack is finished by a stapler, and a discharge roller and a pushed out member transport the stack onto a discharge tray. The discharge tray is driven in a vertical direction as stacks of sheets are deposited thereon. While the push-out member is delivering the stack to the discharge tray, an auxiliary lower discharge plate extends along a direction of the push-out member to prevent the stack from buckling. In another embodiment, the discharge tray is temporarily lowered and then raised back to an upper limit as the push-out member delivers the stack to the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaoru Suzuki, Tadahiro Ando, Hiroshi Naka, Mitsutoshi Sawada, Tomonori Ohata, Hiroshi Miura, Masayoshi Nakabayashi, Eiiti Ando
  • Patent number: 5477235
    Abstract: A method for driving a ferroelectric liquid crystal panel in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal is disposed between a plurality of scanning and signal electrodes, and a select or a non-select voltage is applied to the scanning electrode whereas a rewriting or a holding voltage is applied to the signal electrode to change the display of each pixel, the method including: dividing all the scanning electrodes into a plurality of groups composed of a plurality of scanning electrodes; selecting a group whose display is to be changed; applying the select voltage to the scanning electrodes of the selected group at once; applying the rewriting voltage to the signal electrodes corresponding to the pixels whose displays are to be changed; applying the select voltage to each scanning electrode of the selected group successively; and applying the rewriting voltage to the signal electrodes corresponding to the pixels whose liquid crystal is to be placed in a second stable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaji Numao
  • Patent number: 5477308
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is designed to compensate for voltage to be applied to an exposure lamp and a charger in accordance with changes in the density of a toner image formed on a photoreceptor that occur from its initial state to its final state after an image forming operation. More specifically, the density of a reference toner image is measured by a toner-density sensor. The amount of change in the density is measured beginning with its initial state by a subtracter, and the amount of compensation for the voltage required for obtaining the optimum image quality is found. By using these amounts of compensation as teaching data, learning is made as to the relationship between the amount of change in the density and the amount of compensation in a neurocomputer. Upon forming an image, the neurocomputer executes operations in accordance with the contents of the learning based on an inputted amount of change in density, and finds an appropriate amount of compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Ohnishi, Yasutaka Maeda, Yoichi Shimazawa, Mihoko Okada, Yuichi Kazaki, Shin-ichirou Ohhashi, Yoshie Iwakura
  • Patent number: 5477261
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a laser optical system for optical scanning on a photosensitive drum. The laser optical system comprises a polygon mirror having mirror surfaces with an inclination of an angle .theta.. The polygon mirror is rotated with each mirror surface inclined by the angle .theta. to a line normal to the scanning plane, while the incident light beams to the polygon mirror are inclined by an angle 2.theta. to the scanning plane, so as to compensate the inclination of the mirror surfaces of the polygon mirror. In this way, the polygon mirror can be easily manufactured by plastic molding without damaging the mirror surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiko Aiba
  • Patent number: 5475658
    Abstract: A magneto-optical recording device having a light source and external magnetic field applying apparatus, which records information on a magneto-optical recording medium with a magnetic field modulation method. The device has a controller which stops the irradiation of a light beam when switching the direction of applying external magnetic field during recording. This allows an area where information is recorded with a low external magnetic field to be smaller, and thereby achieving reproduced signal of improved quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Takahashi, Yoshiteru Murakami, Kenji Ohta
  • Patent number: 5473450
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: two substrates facing each other, at least one of the substrates being transparent; electrodes disposed on inside surfaces of the respective substrates; a display medium which is provided between the two substrates and formed of polymer walls containing a polymer as their main component and liquid crystal regions containing liquid crystal as their main component; and a plurality of pixels, wherein the liquid crystal regions are partitioned by the polymer walls and are close to the substrates, portions of the liquid crystal regions close to the substrates being in parallel with the substrates, an interval a between the center of one liquid crystal region and the center of an adjacent liquid crystal region in a direction along the surface of the substrate is within a width of one pixel along the direction, and 80% or more of the intervals a satisfy the relationship: 3b/2>a>b/2, where b is an average of the intervals a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Yamada, Tomoaki Kuratate, Tokihiko Shinomiya, Toshiyuki Hirai, Kohichi Fujimori, Masahiko Kondo, Noriaki Onishi, Shuichi Kohzaki, Kenji Majima, Katunobu Awane
  • Patent number: 5471070
    Abstract: A thin-film transistor circuit for a logic gate circuit includes: an amorphous silicon layer; a driver transistor having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, the source, drain, and channel regions being formed in the amorphous silicon layer; and a load device formed in the amorphous silicon layer and made of n.sup.- amorphous silicon, the load device being connected to the driver transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shimada, Naofumi Kondo, Takehisa Sakurai, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Manabu Takahama, Mikio Katayama
  • Patent number: 5470760
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device capable of efficiently collecting incident light onto its photodetecting portions and a method for manufacturing the device are provided. A plurality of photodetecting portions and an electric charge transfer portion are formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a flattening layer which has a light transmitting property and serves to cover the plural number of photodetecting portions and the electric charge transfer portion is formed. A partition wall material layer for covering the flattening layer is formed, and a plurality of approximately rectangular regions of the partition wall material layer are removed to form a partition wall. Then a thermosoftening resin layer which has a light transmitting property and serves to cover the flattening layer and the partition wall is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Nakai
  • Patent number: 5471329
    Abstract: An active matrix type liquid crystal display panel including a first and a second insulating substrates which face each other is disclosed. The first insulating substrate includes: first bus lines formed on a face of the first insulating substrate, the face facing the second insulting substrate; second bus lines crossing the first bus lines; a short-circuit line for short-circuiting the first bus lines to the second bus lines, the short-circuit line crossing the first bus lines at end portions thereof and crossing the second bus lines at end portions thereof; and a plurality of elements for electrically connecting the short-circuit line to one of the first bus lines and the second bus lines, the elements being respectively formed at the crossings of the short-circuit line and the first bus lines and at the crossings of the short-circuit line and the second bus lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mutsumi Nakajima, Nobuyoshi Nagashima, Kyoushi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5471651
    Abstract: An audio signal has its dynamic range compressed by a system which first samples a block of the audio signal (10), typically several seconds long. The level of the signal in this block is analyzed (12, 14) and an ideal signal level is calculated for the block (16, 18, 20). A gain control signal is then derived which adjusts the gain applied to that block towards that required to give the calculated ideal signal level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen G. T. Wilson