Patents Represented by Attorney Panasonic Patent Center
  • Patent number: 8121463
    Abstract: An AV Clip generated by multiplexing video and graphics streams is recorded on a BD-ROM. The graphics stream includes an interactive graphics stream. PTS(DSn[ICS]), which is a presentation time stamp of a packet containing an ICS (Interactive Composition Segment) in a n-th display set DSn, designates an end time of an active period of the ICS, and DTS(DSn+1[ICS]), which is a decoding time stamp of a packet containing an ICS in an immediately succeeding display set DSn+1, designates a start time of an active period of the ICS. PTS(DSn[ICS]) and DTS(DSn+1[ICS]) satisfy a relation PTS(DSn[ICS])?DTS(DSn+1[ICS]).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph McCrossan, Tomoyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8116613
    Abstract: On a BD-ROM, PlayList information is recorded. The PlayList information includes MainPath information and SubPath information. The MainPath information specifies one of a plurality of AVClips as a MainClip, and defines a primary playback section (PlayItem) on the MainClip. The SubPath information specifies, among the rest of the AVClips, one AVClip as a SubClip, and defines, on the SubClip, a secondary playback section (SubPlayItem) to be synchronized with the primary playback section. The SubPath information includes In_Time information and Out_Time information which indicate In_Time and Out_Time, respectively, of the SubPlayItem. In_Time and Out_Time of the SubPlayItem match In_Time and Out_Time of the PlayItem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yahata, Tomoyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8107788
    Abstract: A BD-ROM contains plurality of Titles which can be branched among and a Java application executable upon reproduction of each Title. Each Title has an AV Clip and an application management table. The application is a program described in a virtual-machine oriented programming language. The application management table correlates an application to an application run attribute in the corresponding Title. The run attribute may be a continuation attribute (Persistent) for continuing the application state in the branch origin or an AutoRun attribute for automatically running the application when the application is in a non-run state in the branch origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Ikeda, Hiroaki Iwamoto, Tomoyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8100637
    Abstract: A double inlet centrifugal fan includes an impeller and fan inlet port. The impeller has a main plate connected to the drive shaft in a fan casing, fan side plates, and a plurality of blades between the main plate and each of the fan side plates. The fan inlet port has an opening corresponding to the inner diameter of the blades. The blades on the side of the larger pressure loss in the suction air passage to the fan inlet port have a smaller inner diameter than the blades on the side of the smaller pressure loss. This equalizes the total pressure increase in the blades along the drive shaft, resulting in a compact double inlet centrifugal fan capable of supplying the required air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kouji Sinzaki
  • Patent number: 8098323
    Abstract: A camera system having a camera body and an interchangeable lens is made more convenient to use. A camera system 1 includes an interchangeable lens unit 2 and a camera body 3. A body microcomputer 10 of the camera body 3 decides whether or not the interchangeable lens unit 2 is compatible with moving picture mode on the basis of lens information about the interchangeable lens unit 2. If the interchangeable lens unit 2 is not compatible with moving picture mode, the body microcomputer 10 prevents the operation of an imaging sensor 11 from being set to moving picture mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8085338
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an optical system including a focus lens, a driver configured to drive the focus lens, a controller configured to control a supply of power to the driver, and a setting unit configured to set a power supply mode for specifying a method of supplying power to the driver. When a predetermined power supply mode is set, the controller determines according to a magnitude of a depth of field of the optical system during whether holding power for holding the state of the focus lens is supplied to the driver when the focus lens is stopped, and controls the supply of the holding power to the driver according to the result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shibuno, Takahiro Ikeda, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Takashi Abe
  • Patent number: 8085635
    Abstract: An optical disc 1 includes a defect management area (DMA). A plurality of defective area lists (TDFLs) and structure information (TDDS) are recorded in a temporary defect management area (TDMS) of the defect management area (DMA). The defective area lists (TDFLs) indicate at least one defective area which was detected during an access to the optical disc 1. The structure information (TDDS) includes a plurality of pieces of position information that indicate positions of the defective area lists (TDFLs). The plurality of pieces of position information, corresponding one-to-one to the defective area lists, are arranged in the structure information (TDDS) in an order in which the defective area lists (TDFLs) corresponding thereto are read out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kaida, Motoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8081874
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens which is mountable to a camera body and operates according to a command from the camera body includes a diaphragm operable to regulate an amount of light from a subject by changing an aperture, a drive unit operable to change the aperture of the diaphragm, and a lens controller operable to control the drive unit to change the aperture of the diaphragm according to an instruction received from the camera body. When the lens controller receives a new instruction from the camera body while changing the aperture of the diaphragm, the lens controller controls the drive unit to change the aperture of the diaphragm based on the new instruction without waiting for completion of the change of the aperture according to a previous instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Koji Shibuno, Koji Hashigami
  • Patent number: 8076017
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell stack which includes: a cell assembly formed of stacked unit cells, each composed of a membrane electrolyte assembly and separators which sandwich the membrane electrolyte assembly; a pair of collector plates A and B which sandwiches the cell assembly; a pair of end plates A and B which sandwiches the cell assembly and the collector plates; and an elastic member disposed between end plate A and collector plate A, wherein end plate A has a convexed portion and a concaved portion on a surface facing collector plate A, and the concaved portion of end plate A holds therein the elastic member, and a bottom surface of the concaved portion includes a second convexed portion and a second concaved portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Yoshiki Nagao, Hiroki Kusakabe, Norihiko Kawabata, Kenji Arai
  • Patent number: 8077403
    Abstract: A lens barrel has a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a first support frame for supporting the first lens group, a second support frame for supporting the second lens group, a first driving unit, a shutter unit, and an aperture unit. The first lens group has an overall negative refractive power, and includes a prism. The second support frame is driven along a second optical axis by the first driving unit. The shutter unit has a shutter mechanism, a shutter drive motor configured to drive the shutter mechanism, a neutral density filter, and a filter drive motor configured to drive the neutral density filter. The shutter drive motor and the filter drive motor are disposed flanking the second optical axis when viewed in a direction along the second optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Ito
  • Patent number: 8073170
    Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To easily associate the parameters representing the acoustic characteristic of a hearing aid with the audibility of the hearing aid user, shorten the time for adjusting the hearing aid, and improve the accuracy of the adjustment of the parameter. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] By applying a two-dimensional matrix for changing the acoustic parameters of the hearing aid, a person adjusting the hearing aid can easily change the acoustic parameters depending on the audibility of the hearing aid user, the accuracy of the adjustment of the acoustic parameters is improved, and the period of time for adjusting the hearing aid is shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kondo, Shigekiyo Fujii, Yoshiyuki Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 8070447
    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: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeo Itou, Kiminobu Yamamoto, Tetsuji Kawazu
  • Patent number: 8072778
    Abstract: A plasma display device capable of reducing an electromagnetic interference wave due to a driving current flowing in a plasma display panel is provided. The plasma display device includes a plasma display panel having electrodes that are parallel to each other, a driver circuit board for applying a voltage to the electrodes, a chassis conductor holding the plasma display panel and to which a ground of the driver circuit board is connected, and a first additional conductor plate provided to the chassis conductor via an insulating layer and to which grounds of at least one circuit board in circuit boards other than the driver circuit board are attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kunimoto, Hirotsugu Fusayasu, Shouichi Mimura, Kei Ichikawa, Masafumi Kumoi, Ryo Matsubara, Masato Tobinaga, Toshiyuki Nakaie
  • Patent number: 8072859
    Abstract: An optical disc 1 includes a defect management area (DMA). A plurality of defective area lists (TDFLs) and structure information (TDDS) are recorded in a temporary defect management area (TDMS) of the defect management area (DMA). The defective area lists (TDFLs) indicate at least one defective area which was detected during an access to the optical disc 1. The structure information (TDDS) includes a plurality of pieces of position information that indicate positions of the defective area lists (TDFLs). The plurality of pieces of position information, corresponding one-to-one to the defective area lists, are arranged in the structure information (TDDS) in an order in which the defective area lists (TDFLs) corresponding thereto are read out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kaida, Motoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8068723
    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: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Okada, Wataru Ikeda, Yasushi Uesaka, Masayuki Kozuka
  • Patent number: 8061985
    Abstract: A ceiling-embedded ventilation fan includes: a casing provided in a box-shape frame inserted and mounted in a ceiling and having an opening facing an indoor side in a lower face thereof, the casing having a side face formed in a scroll shape and set in a vertical direction, the casing further having a casing intake port in the lower face of the frame and a casing discharge port in a side portion of the frame; a centrifugal blower blade housed in the casing and having a blade intake port facing the casing intake port; and an electric motor which rotates the centrifugal blower blade, wherein the centrifugal blower blade is provided so that an upper side of an axial center thereof is tilted in a direction toward an upstream side of a centrifugal airflow based on a center line of the casing intake port in a direction orthogonal to the casing discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Taguchi, Takayoshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8049979
    Abstract: The lens barrel includes a first lens unit, a second lens unit, and a drive unit. The first lens unit includes a first lens element and a first lens support frame supporting the first lens element. The second lens unit includes a second lens element and a second lens support frame supporting the second lens element. The second lens unit is supported by the first lens unit to be movable in the optical axis direction of the first lens element with respect to the first lens unit. The drive unit is arranged to be used to drive the second lens unit with respect to the first lens unit, and is fixed to the first lens unit. When viewed in the optical axis direction, the drive unit is fixed to the first lens unit so that a first profile line formed by the first lens unit and the drive unit is substantially circular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Hideo Onishi, Yoshiharu Araki, Fumio Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8041063
    Abstract: A hearing aid that can reflect setting change of the hearing aid responsive to a sound environment by the user as intended, prevent the user from feeling inconvenience or displeasure caused by changing setting of the hearing aid, and enable the user to easily change the setting is provided. A hearing aid of the invention includes a microphone 101 configured to generate an input signal from an input sound, a signal processing unit 120 configured to process the input signal and generating an output signal, and a receiver 103 configured to play an output sound from the output signal. The signal processing unit 120 determines a time response of the input signal based on a contact sound generated when the hearing aid is contacted in a predetermined time period, and changes setting of the hearing aid based on the time response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Iwano, Atsunobu Murase
  • Patent number: 8032019
    Abstract: A camera body is provided, to which an interchangeable lens is mountable, the interchangeable lens including a diaphragm and capable of sending driving speed information of the diaphragm. The camera body has a receiving unit operable to receive the driving speed information of the diaphragm from the interchangeable lens, an imaging unit operable to capture a subject image formed by the interchangeable lens to generate image data, a controller operable to set an imaging condition for the imaging unit, and a sending unit operable to send a control signal for changing brightness information of the interchangeable lens to the interchangeable lens. The controller sets the imaging condition for a period from a start to an end of a driving of the diaphragm according to the received driving speed information of the diaphragm when the sending unit sends the control signal to the interchangeable lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Shibuno
  • Patent number: 8032007
    Abstract: The application manager 37 conducts “application signaling” when a first disc is replaced with a second disc. At this point, an application is continued if it is written in an application management table assigned to a Title played last on a first disc and also written in an application management table assigned to a Title to be played first on a second disc. On the other hand, an application is ended is it is written in the application management table assigned to the Title played last on the first disc but not written in the application management table assigned to the Title to be played first on the second disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Ikeda