Patents Represented by Attorney Rockey, Depke, Lyons LLC.
  • Patent number: 8350923
    Abstract: A mobile camera system is disclosed. The camera system connects plural camera apparatuses including at least first and second camera apparatuses mounted on a mobile body to one another and combines images photographed by the first and the second camera apparatuses, wherein reference data obtained by the first camera apparatus is transferred to the second camera apparatus via a camera control unit, signal processing is performed in the second camera apparatus on the basis of the reference data transferred to generate a corrected image, and an image from the first camera apparatus and the corrected image outputted from the second camera apparatus are combined to output a combined image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobutaka Nakayama, Katsumi Katoh, Kazushi Hamada
  • Patent number: 8346103
    Abstract: The present invention provides a destination dedicating apparatus including a destination information reading section and a destination information recording section. The destination information reading section is configured to read destination information from a storage area mounted on a consumable good when the consumable good is first mounted into a printing apparatus. The destination information recording section is configured to record the destination information read above into a storage area provided in the printing apparatus to thereby set the printing apparatus to a dedicated machine for the consumable good having the specific destination information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 8345881
    Abstract: The present invention aims at granting easy and prompt start of wireless communications in which security is ensured without incurring addition of hardware. If a connection button provided on a surface of a PDA 1 is operated, a connection request is broadcast from the PDA 1. If the PDA 1 and a portable phone 2 are in proximity to each other, and a reception intensity of the connection request from the PDA 1 is equal to or higher than a threshold value, a request of the PDA 1 is granted by the portable phone 2. Then, an encryption key is newly generated by the portable phone 2, and is transmitted to the PDA 1 together with a communication parameter. An encryption key and the communication parameter transmitted from the portable phone 2 are acquired. Encrypted communications using the encryption key generated by the portable phone 2 are established with the portable phones 2 based on the communication parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Rekimoto
  • Patent number: 8341307
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor storage device operable in a plurality of operation modes each having a separate maximum current consumption. The device includes: a data communication section configured to be capable of performing data communication in a plurality of communication modes; an attribute information storage section configured to store attribute information indicating the operation and communication modes; and a mode setting section configured to set the device to one of the operation modes and one of the communication modes. The data communication section transmits, to an electronic apparatus to which the device is attached, the information and receives from the apparatus a mode setting command for directing that the device be set to a combination of an operation mode and a communication mode selected from among the information. In accordance therewith, the mode setting section sets the device to the selected combination of modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8339300
    Abstract: A DA conversion device includes the following elements. A higher-bit current source cell portion includes uniformly weighted higher-bit current source cells to generate an identical constant current. A lower-bit current source cell portion includes a lower-bit current source cells that are weighted to generate 1/two-to-the-power-of-certain-numbers constant currents. A constant current source selection controller includes a lower-bit controller having a scaler that uses clocks scaled down to 1/two-to-the-power-of-certain-numbers to select the lower-bit current source cells, and a higher-bit controller having shift registers and using a signal indicating a carry bit or a borrow bit used in the lower-bit controller to sequentially activate shift outputs of the shift registers, and uses the shift outputs to select the higher-bit current source cells. Constant current outputs of the selected current source cells are added and output so that an output current corresponding to the digital input signal is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Go Asayama, Noriyuki Fukushima, Yoshikazu Nitta, Yoshinori Muramatsu, Kiyotaka Amano
  • Patent number: 8340496
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a playback apparatus and a playback method which allow setting of picture-in-picture display, a program, a program storage medium, a data structure, and a recording-medium manufacturing method. Pip_metadata states information required for the picture-in-picture display. Pip_horizotal_position indicates, on the frame of a primary video, an X coordinate at the upper left corner of a sub display screen on which a secondary video is displayed. Pip_vertical_position indicates, on the frame of the primary video, a Y coordinate at the upper left corner of the sub display screen on which the secondary video is displayed. Pip_scale states information indicating the size of the sub display screen on which the secondary video is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ayako Iwase, Motoki Kato, Shinobu Hattori
  • Patent number: 8339415
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed which can integrate a plurality of images without depending upon header information of a file. Information of one or more images is inputted as a main image or images. Incidental information relating to the inputted main image or images such as information necessary for integration of a plurality of images is encoded into a first encoded image which can be discriminated based on a visual characteristic and a second encoded image such as a barcode which can be discriminated by an image analysis. The inputted main image or images and the first and second encoded images are integrated so as to be displayed in compartmentalized respective regions of a display screen, and header information is added to the composite image to produce structured image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiko Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 8336977
    Abstract: A printer includes: an inkjet print head; an image processing part that processes image data and supplies the data to the print head; a main power supply that is connected to a commercial power source and supplies first power to the print head; a rechargeable sub-power supply that supplies second power for supporting the first power to the print head when power necessary for driving of the print head exceeds the first power during execution of printing; and a switch part that is located on a power supply line and electrically connects the sub-power supply to the power supply line when the power necessary for driving of the print head exceeds the first power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Narushima, Naohide Koumura
  • Patent number: 8334851
    Abstract: A display includes: display pixel electrodes; common electrodes; a display layer; a display control circuit; touch detection electrodes; and a touch detection circuit detecting an external proximity object based on a detection signal obtained from the touch detection electrodes with use of a common drive voltage for display applied to the common electrode as a touch sensor drive signal. The touch detection circuit includes: a first filter allowing a fundamental detection signal, contained in the detection signal and having a frequency same as a fundamental frequency of the touch sensor drive signal, to pass therethrough, a plurality of second filters separately allowing two or more harmonic detection signals, contained in the detection signal and having frequencies same as respective harmonic frequencies of the touch sensor drive signal, to pass therethrough, and a detection section performing a detection operation based on the fundamental detection signal and the harmonic detection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Harada, Kouji Noguchi, Yoshitoshi Kida, Koji Ishizaki, Takeya Takeuchi, Takayuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8334854
    Abstract: The present invention includes a display device for displaying an image and receiving light simultaneously or alternately. The display device includes: a plurality of display elements for displaying the image on a display surface of the display device by emitting light; a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light incident on the display surface formed by the display elements; a storing unit for storing, as an initial value, a difference between two amounts of light received by the light receiving elements; and a detecting unit for detecting a state of contact with or proximity to the display surface and subtracting the initial value stored by the storing unit from a difference between the two detected amounts of received light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Harada
  • Patent number: 8331103
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wiring board including: a shield layer; and n layers (n is an integer of two or more) of inductor wiring formed above the shield layer and forming an inductor; wherein of the n layers of inductor wiring, the inductor wiring closest to the shield layer has a smallest wiring area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Oka
  • Patent number: 8331415
    Abstract: A laser light source device includes a pump light source which emits transverse-multimode light; a plurality of resonator mirrors which define a resonator, at least part of the resonator mirrors outputting light to the outside, where the output light having plural wavelengths; a laser medium arranged in the resonator, the laser medium being pumped with the transverse-multimode light emitted from the pump light source; and a wavelength conversion element arranged in the resonator, the wavelength conversion element being irradiated with a transverse-multimode line beam of fundamental wave obtained by oscillation at the laser medium and outputting a line beam of converted wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Kimura, Michio Oka
  • Patent number: 8319878
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device of the type having photoelectric conversion elements formed in a matrix pattern on a semiconductor substrate, vertical transfer elements each of which reads signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in the column direction and transfers the signal charges in the vertical direction, and a horizontal transfer element which transfers in the horizontal direction the signal charges sent from each of the vertical transfer elements, the horizontal transfer element includes: a charge transfer channel; a first transfer electrode; a second transfer electrode; and an interelectrode insulating film; with the first transfer electrode and the second transfer electrode being at the same potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Terada, Keisuke Hatano
  • Patent number: 8319710
    Abstract: A pixel has an outer region extending linearly along a boundary with an adjacent pixel and an inner region extending along the inner side of the outer region. Wiring lines are arranged across the outer region and the inner region. An outer uneven zone is formed along the outer region and on a substrate due to level differences resulting from the presence of the wiring lines. Similarly, an inner uneven zone is formed along the inner region and on the substrate due to level differences resulting from the presence of the wiring lines. A pattern of a conductor film of which the wiring lines are made is formed properly such that recessed portions of the outer uneven zone are located directly behind their corresponding raised portions of the inner uneven zone, as viewed from inside the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhide Uchino, Tetsuro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8314782
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including a display section; a light radiating section; a plurality of light converging lenses; and a plurality of light receiving devices, wherein the display section includes pixel areas each used for creating a pixel section, and sensor areas each used for creating one of the light receiving devices; the light radiating section outputs light and radiates the output light to the display section from a particular-side surface of the display section; each of the light converging lenses is created in one of the sensor areas each located in the display section and converges light generated by the light radiating section on a focal point inside the display section, passing on the converged light to the other-side surface of the display section; and each of the light receiving devices is created in one of the sensor areas to serve as a device for receiving light which arrives at the other-side surface of the display section as light reflected by a subject of detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masumitsu Ino, YingBao Yang, Tsutomu Tanaka, Kazunori Yamaguchi, Masaru Higuchi
  • Patent number: 8310452
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a touch panel display apparatus including: a display panel; a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape; a movable support section for supporting the movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit the movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of the movable panel unit; an actuator configured to drive the movable panel unit to vibrate; an actuator drive control section for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control the actuator; an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by the actuator to vibrate; and a superposing section for superposing an acoustic signal on the actuator drive signal outputted by the actuator drive control section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Takenaka, Shigeaki Maruyama, Junichi Sekine
  • Patent number: 8305475
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor element outputs either n bits or in a bit number of an integral multiple of n in synchronization with an output clock. An allocating unit allocates respective bit data of pixel signals obtained by the solid-state image sensor element into at least two series of bit data alternately, in synchronization with a clock converted by a clock converting unit. A first selector selects an output from the bit data allocated by the allocating unit and the bit data not allocated by the allocating unit. A second selector selects an output from a clock with a frequency converted by the clock converting unit and a clock with a frequency not converted by the clock converting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Teruo Matsufuji, Ken Matsumoto, Akihiko Kato
  • Patent number: 8297730
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head (120) having ink discharge nozzles (203) for discharging droplets of inks, and a head controller (162) for controlling the liquid discharge head to discharge droplet from liquid discharge units onto the surface of recording paper (P), wherein the liquid discharge head includes the plural liquid discharge heads in a direction perpendicular to movement direction of recording paper where the recording paper is relatively moved with respect to the liquid discharge head. The head controller serves to allow discharge timings of droplets in movement direction of the recording paper to be different every one pixel in movement direction of the recording paper to eliminate stripes apt to take place when a portion or the entirety of image is printed by one scanning operation to obtain image having less defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Soichi Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 8284286
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensing apparatus with a wide dynamic range, and a high performance, and further, a small size, and a low cost and its driving method are provided. A timing generator, before it supplies a reset pulse (134) to a reset gate (128), has a sample hold circuit (2) held an output voltage of a buffer circuit (130). In this reset stage, in case that the amount of incident light to a photo diode (122) is large, electric charges which the photo diode (122) generated overflow from the photo diode (122) and flow into an FD part (123), and further, overflow also in the FD part (124) and flow out to an electric source Vdd. At this time, a voltage of the FD part (124) is determined by a size of a current due to electric charges which flow out to the electric source, but since a current flowing in a channel is small and the reset gate (128) operates in a sub-threshold region, a voltage of the FD part (124) becomes a value which corresponded to logarithm of a current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 8284131
    Abstract: A self-luminous display device includes: pixel circuits; and a drive signal generating circuit, wherein each of the pixel circuits includes a light-emitting diode, a drive transistor connected to a drive current path of the light-emitting diode, and a holding capacitor coupled to a control node of the drive transistor, and the drive signal generating circuit generates the drive signal containing a second level signal adapted to stop the light emission without reverse-biasing the light-emitting diode, a first level signal, lower than the second level signal, adapted to reverse-bias the light-emitting diode, and a third level signal, higher than the second level signal, adapted to enable the light-emitting diode to emit light, the drive signal generating circuit supplying the drive signal to the pixel circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masatsugu Tomida, Mitsuru Asano