Patents Represented by Attorney Panasonic Patent Center
  • Patent number: 8350945
    Abstract: A camera body (3) includes a display unit (20) and a body microcomputer (10). The display unit (20) is able to display a zoom display bar (105) that expresses the focal length of the optical system (L). The body microcomputer (10) controls the display unit (20) so that the direction in which a zoom ring (64) moves when the user operates the zoom ring (64) substantially coincides with a change direction in which the zoom display bar (105) shown on the display unit (20) changes according to the operation of the zoom ring (64).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 8345150
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit operable to capture a subject image via an optical system and generate image data, a regulating unit operable to regulate an exposure amount for the imaging unit; a shake detector operable to detect a shake of the imaging apparatus; an operation unit capable of being in a first operating state and a second operating state; and a controller operable to control the recording unit to record the image data generated by the imaging unit in the recording medium, when the operation unit is in the first operating state. The controller determines whether or not the operation unit is in the second operating state before the first operating state, and regulates an exposure time of the regulating unit based on the determination result and the shake of the imaging apparatus detected by the shake detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Toshihito Egami, Eiji Anno
  • Patent number: 8342759
    Abstract: A barrier unit is provided that suppresses reflection of light at end faces of blades when the blades are in an open state and that prevents the blades from riding on top of each other. The barrier unit includes a base; and a pair of blades mounted on the base, the pair of blades being configured to be positioned in an open state and a closed state and to contact each other at predetermined end faces of the blades in the closed state. An inclined portion is provided at a central portion in a longitudinal direction, of each predetermined end face of the blades, the inclined portion defining a plane inclined with respect to an optical axis of a lens. A parallel portion is provided on both sides of the inclined portion of each predetermined end face of the blades, the parallel portion defining a plane parallel to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 8339448
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit operable to capture a subject to generate image data, an extracting unit operable to extract feature quantity information indicative of a feature of the subject from the image data generated by the imaging unit, a storing unit operable to store the feature quantity information extracted by the extracting unit as a registration candidate, a determining unit operable to determine whether a subject indicated by the feature quantity information extracted by the extracting unit is a same face indicated by the feature quantity information stored in the storing unit as the registration candidate, and a display unit operable to display a screen for prompting a user to perform an operation concerning registration in accordance with number of times the determining unit determines that the subject indicated by the feature quantity information extracted by the extracting unit is the same subject indicated by the feature quantity information stored in the storing unit as the r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Mukai, Akio Nishiyama, Jun Watanabe, Yasutoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8340507
    Abstract: On a BD-ROM, an AVClip and a plurality of playback section information (PlayItems) are recorded. The AVClip includes a video stream multiplexed with a plurality of elementary streams. The playback section information Playable_PID_entries showing the playback start point and the playback end point in the video stream correlated with the filtering specification of each elementary stream. The filtering specification specifies whether each of the plurality of elementary streams are able to be played back or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Okada, Wataru Ikeda, Yasushi Uesaka, Masayuki Kozuka
  • Patent number: 8337028
    Abstract: A light guide sheet is adapted to be used with a light emitter. The light guide sheet includes a light-transmissive base, a light inlet section having bonded to a lower surface of the base, and an illumination section for diffusing the light entering into the base. The light inlet section has an upper surface and an edge surface connected to the upper surface. The upper surface of the light inlet section is bonded to the lower surface of the base. Light emitted from the light emitter enters into the edge surface the light inlet section. The light inlet section causes the entering light to enter into the base. The light inlet section has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the base. The light guide sheet provides a movable contact assembly capable of reliably illumination inexpensively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Yousuke Chikahisa
  • Patent number: 8339503
    Abstract: The lens barrel is a lens barrel for forming an optical image of a subject on an imaging element, comprising a first lens unit, a second lens unit, a focus lens unit, a zoom mechanism, and a focus actuator. The focus lens unit is movably supported by the second lens unit in the optical axis direction. The operating force inputted to the zoom control is mechanically transmitted to at least one of the first lens unit and the second lens unit. The focus actuator is fixed to the second lens unit and electrically drives the focus lens unit relative to the second lens unit in the optical axis direction. The second lens unit or the focus lens unit is disposed nearest to the image plane in the optical system including the first lens element, the second lens element, and the focus lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Norikazu Katsuyama, Yosuke Yamane
  • Patent number: 8337101
    Abstract: An imaging device to which a support can be attached includes a support attachment unit and a support body unit. The support attachment unit includes a first threaded hole configured to be attached to the support, and an exposure face formed around the entrance of the first threaded hole. The support body unit includes a housing having an opening configured to expose the exposure face and an outer surface formed around the opening, and movably supports the support attachment unit. The support attachment unit is disposed at a first position when the support is not attached, and is disposed at a second position when the support is attached. The exposure face is disposed more to the inside of the housing than the outer surface when the support attachment unit is disposed at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Mizutani, Makoto Iyoda, Hisanori Sasaki, Ryuichi Nagaoka, Yasuhiro Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8334923
    Abstract: A digital camera has an optical system, an image capturing unit, an aperture adjuster, a focal point adjuster, and a body microcomputer. The aperture adjuster has an aperture included in the optical system and is capable of adjusting the state of the aperture. The focal point adjuster has a focus lens included in the optical system and is capable adjusting the focal state of the optical system by using the focus lens by contrast detection method. The body microcomputer controls the operation of the aperture adjuster so that the aperture value of the optical system will be at or below a set aperture value before the focal state is adjusted by the focal point adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 8330824
    Abstract: A camera is provided with which a small size can be achieved while ensuring good image blur correction performance. The camera (1) has an optical system (O), a housing (2), a second drive unit (12) serving as part of an image blur corrector, an imaging element (17), a first angular velocity sensor (4), an acceleration sensor (7), a sensor drive unit (240), and a drive controller (22). The first angular velocity sensor (4) is configured to acquire the rotational angle of the housing (2). The acceleration sensor (7) is configured to acquire the amount of displacement of the housing (2). A correction computer (21) calculates the amount of drive of a correcting lens (9) from the displacement amount acquired by the acceleration sensor (7), and calculates the amount of drive of the correcting lens (9) from the rotational angle acquired by the first angular velocity sensor (4) using the position of the acceleration sensor (7) as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Kenichi Hayashi, Hironori Honsho, Masanobu Tanaka, Kazuo Sibukawa
  • Patent number: 8328521
    Abstract: A ceiling fan comprising a disc-like stator provided with a fixed shaft at the center, an annular rotor disposed in proximity to the periphery of the stator, a supporting frame fixed to the rotor and rotatably supported by the fixed shaft; a fan blade fixed to the supporting frame; and a retaining member having one end fixed to the supporting frame together with the fan blade and the other end coupled to the fan blade, wherein the fan blade comprises a root portion fixed to the supporting frame, a blade portion coupled with the retaining member, and an offset portion formed by bending between the root portion and the blade portion, thereby preventing the fan blade from being damaged easily even when it is impressed with a load and ensuring the safety even if the fan blade is broken since the blade portion is held coupled to the rotor side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeo Itou, Kiminobu Yamamoto, Tetsuji Kawazu
  • Patent number: 8331769
    Abstract: Recorded on the recording medium (BD-ROM) is an AV stream that is obtained by multiplexing a video stream and one or more audio streams. MOVIE objects are scenarios showing playback procedures of video data described using playback device-oriented commands. In addition to the MOVIE objects, enhanced-mode scenarios (Java and WebPage objects) are also recorded on the recording medium. These enhanced-mode scenarios, each of which is described in the Java language or a markup language, show control procedures with respect to playback devices. The Java and WebPage objects are capable of taking over register setting values set by MOVIE objects, and extracting parts of video data played by MOVIE objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Okada, Masayuki Kozuka, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Yasushi Uesaka, Wataru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8330188
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 20 formed on a semiconductor chip substrate 30 has a plurality of circuit blocks made up of circuits each containing at least a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor 36, the circuit blocks being covered on top with a protective film 41 to protect the circuits. A plurality of bumps 23a, 23b, 23c are formed, at least via the protective film 41, only on circuit blocks whose current-carrying ability and threshold voltage do not satisfy predetermined values and which are in need of performance enhancement. The bumps 23a, 23b, 23c impose stresses on the MOS transistors 36, increasing the mobility of the MOS transistors 36 and thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yoshida, Kimihito Kuwabara, Takuma Motofuji, Toshiyuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8330255
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer 10 has a plurality of semiconductor chip areas 10a and a scribe area 10b, each of the semiconductor chip areas 10a having semiconductor elements and electrode pads (electrode portions) 16a electrically connected to the respective semiconductor elements, the scribe area 10b having monitor elements and electrode pads (electrode portions) 16b electrically connected to the monitor elements, wherein projecting electrodes 18 are selectively formed only on the respective electrode pads 16a in the semiconductor chip areas 10a by electroless plating. Thus, for example, the electrode pads 16b are covered with an insulating film 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Miki
  • Patent number: 8322214
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a time determining part and an output circuit. The time determining part determines time point information, and adds the time point information to the output supplied from a part subjected to failure diagnosis and related to generation of a failure detection signal, and to the output related to generation of a sense signal. The output circuit outputs the sense signal with the time point information added by the time determining part after the failure detection signal correlated with the sense signal by the time point information is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Uemura
  • Patent number: 8326116
    Abstract: Video streams and an entry map are recorded on a BD-ROM in association with each other. The video stream constituting a slide show includes a plurality of IDR pictures. The entry map (EP_map) associated with the IDR pictures indicates an entry time (PTS_EP_start) of each IDR picture included in the video stream in association with an entry point (SPN_EP_start). Application_type indicates that entry information of each of pieces of picture data constituting the video stream exists in the EP_map and each piece of picture data is to be decoded independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Ikeda, Tomoyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8319430
    Abstract: A plasma display panel includes a front plate, a rear plate facing the front plate, and a phosphor layer formed on the rear plate. The phosphor layer includes a green phosphor layer containing Zn2SiO4:Mn and (Y1-X, GdX)3Al5O12:Ce, where 0?X?1. In Zn2SiO4:Mn, the amount of Mn is no less than 8 at. % to no more than 10 at. % relative to the total amount of Zn and Mn, and the total amount of Zn and Mn is no less than 197 at. % to no more than 202 at. % relative to the amount of Si. The amount of (Y1-X, GdX)3Al5O12:Ce is no less than 20 wt. % to no more than 50 wt. % relative to the total amount of Zn2SiO4:Mn and (Y1-X, GdX)3Al5O12:Ce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Nagasaki, Kazuhiko Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8320739
    Abstract: A recording and playback apparatus includes a recording unit configured to download a content stored in a server and to record the content in a recording medium, an instruction receiver configured to receive a stop instruction for stopping download of the content done by the recording unit, and a controller configured to control the recording unit. The controller controls the recording unit so as to stop the download of the content when the instruction receiver receives the stop instruction for stopping download of the content, and to restart the download of the content when a predetermined time elapses in which the recording unit is in a stop state of the download.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Takao, Seigo Takayama
  • Patent number: 8318392
    Abstract: An alignment method is disclosed, in which a distance between a substrate and a photomask is set at a predetermined exposure gap. The photomask is rectangular, and includes a first side, and a second side opposite to the first side. A distance between a midpoint of the first side and the substrate is matched with the exposure gap. The photomask is rotated about, as an axis, a line that connects the midpoint of the first side and a midpoint of the second side to each other, whereby distances between both ends of the first side and the substrate are individually matched with the exposure gap. The photomask is rotated about the first side taken as an axis, whereby a distance between the midpoint of the second side and the substrate is matched with the exposure gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Hamada, Tomohiro Murakoso
  • Patent number: D672090
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Ino, Francesco Zurlo