Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Ronald P. Kananen
  • Patent number: 6741625
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor laser including a plurality of light emission portions provided on the same substrate, each of which is adapted to emit laser beams with a multi-mode. A part of the plurality of light emission portions constitute a main light emission group, and the rest of the plurality of light emission portions constitute a sub-light emission group. A main electrode for supplying a current to the main light emission group and a sub-electrode for supplying a current to the sub-light emission group are separately provided. With this configuration, it is possible to keep the entire quality of laser beams of the semiconductor laser constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shoji Hirata
  • Patent number: 6741537
    Abstract: A disk cartridge device includes first and second disk cartridges of different sizes for housing therein disks of different disk diameters and a cassette compartment onto which the first and second disk cartridges are selectively loaded, the cassette compartment including a pair of positioning pins having height-deciding bases for properly placing the first disk cartridge and a pair of positioning pins having height-deciding bases for, properly placing the second disk cartridge, wherein the first disk cartridge has stepped escape holes formed on its lower surface to enable itself to escape from the positioning pins by which the second disk cartridge is properly positioned in the loading state when positioning holes of the first disk cartridge are properly fitted into positioning pins and the height is properly decided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yotaro Sanada, Yoshio Kusui, Naohiro Netsu
  • Patent number: 6740459
    Abstract: A method of designing a chemical amplification type photosensitive composition containing an acid generating agent, wherein the average distance between exposure particles in an exposure area of the photosensitive composition upon pattern exposure of the photosensitive composition or the average distance between the acids generated by the pattern exposure is calculated based on the sensitivity required of the photosensitive composition, and the composition of the photosensitive composition is set so that the diffusion length of the acid generated from the acid generating agent by the pattern exposure is greater than the calculated average distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 6741021
    Abstract: An electron gun includes a grid electrode having a thin plate portion in which an electron beam aperture is formed, wherein the thin plate portion is formed by using a die and punch die to bulge a portion of a metal plate in the plate thickness direction to such an extent as to correspond to the desired dimension of the thin plate portion to form a bulged portion and cutting the bulged portion. With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate a problem of the related art thin plate portion of a grid electrode for an electron gun formed by coining work, which is a rib is formed around the thin plate portion, to make the gap between the thin plate portion and a cathode narrower, since the diameter of the thin plate portion can be enlarged, and to provide beam apertures at arbitrary positions of the thin plate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Amano, Masahiko Mizuki, Koichi Tahara, Noritaka Hamaya, Masamichi Senami
  • Patent number: 6738170
    Abstract: An optical member 7 is bonded, at its rear side 7b, to a holographic stereogram 6. The front side 7a of the optical member 7 consists of parallel triangular prisms. Illumination light 9 is applied to the front surface 7a of the optical member 7 at a predetermined angle of, for example, 60°. The optical member 7 is made of, for example, optical glass or transparent plastic. Each triangular prism has an incidence surface 8, to which the illumination light is applied at right angles. The illumination light is applied to the interface 22 between the optical member 7 and the holographic stereogram 6, at an incidence angle &thgr; of, for example, 60°, thereby to suppress surface reflection of the illumination light 9 at the interface 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kihara, Akira Shirakura
  • Patent number: 6737792
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to efficiently concentrate an electric field and to improve electron emission efficiency in a field emission cathode constituting a flat display device. A field emission cathode constituting a flat display device is constituted to have an electron emission section arranged to face an electron applied surface. At least the electron emission section is formed out of conductive, thin plate-like fine particles. A substance having a work function of 2 to 3 eV is bonded on the surfaces of the thin plate-like fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Saito, Kouji Inoue, Shinichi Tachizono, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 6738283
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a smaller number of elements. A method for reading stored data within the semiconductor memory device suppresses the reduction in the static noise margin accompanying a voltage drop of a power supply voltage, and improves the degree of integration of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Kasai, Koji Furumi
  • Patent number: 6737805
    Abstract: A plasma display device comprises a first panel provided with discharge sustaining electrodes and a dielectric layer on the inside thereof, and a second panel laminated on the first panel so as to form discharge spaces on the inside, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a silicon oxide layer having a density of not less than 6.1×1022 atoms/cm3. Preferably, the density of the silicon oxide layer is not less than 6.4×1022 atoms/cm3. Where a sputtering method is used as a method of forming the silicon oxide layer, the concentration of oxygen gas in an atmosphere gas introduced into the sputtering apparatus is controlled to be 5 to 30 vol % during film formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakada, Kazuyuki Ejima, Hiroshi Mori
  • Patent number: 6735028
    Abstract: The capacity and realized data rate of a data storage medium is increased by storing multiple bits per symbol using digital modulation techniques. Both phase and amplitude modulation techniques can be applied so that each symbol includes two or more bits that are represented by in-phase and quadrature phase portions of the signal corresponding to the data on the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: General Instrument Corp.
    Inventors: Keith Alan Rothschild, John J. Ernandez, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6734635
    Abstract: A process of crystallizing a semiconductor thin film previously formed on a substrate by irradiating the semiconductor thin film with a laser beam, includes: a preparation step of dividing the surface of the substrate into a plurality of division regions, and shaping a laser beam to adjust an irradiation region of the laser beam such that one of the division regions is collectively irradiated with one shot of the laser beam; a crystallization step of irradiating one of the division regions with the laser beam while optically modulating the intensity of the laser beam such that a cyclic light-and-dark pattern is projected on the irradiation region, and irradiating the same division region by at least one time after shifting the pattern such that the light and dark portions of the pattern after shifting are not overlapped to those of the pattern before shifting; and a scanning step of shifting the irradiation region of the laser beam to the next division region, and repeating the crystallization step for the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kunii, Makoto Takatoku, Michio Mano
  • Patent number: 6730946
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device capable of reducing its size, increasing density, preventing a deterioration in circuit characteristics. And increasing flexibility in wiring design. The semiconductor device comprises a chip core region and an IO region on a semiconductor substrate. In the chip core region, a large number of circuits are arranged. In the IO region, a ring wiring of a laminated structure with a top layer corresponding to a first potential, and a bottom layer corresponding to a second potential is provided. The top layer of the ring wiring and the circuits are connected via first connecting lines, and the bottom layer and the circuits are connected via second connecting lines, so electric power is supplied to the circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Saito
  • Patent number: 6730611
    Abstract: A process of growing a nitride semiconductor on a crystalline nitride semiconductor substrate is disclosed, which is carried out by heating the substrate and initiating supply of source gases onto a surface of the substrate before the substrate temperature exceeds 1200° C., to initiate growth of the nitride semiconductor on the substrate. The nitride semiconductor growth is initiated after the substrate temperature has reached 300° C., and also after supply of a nitrogen source gas has been initiated and before the substrate temperature exceeds 1200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunori Yanashima, Hiroshi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6722554
    Abstract: Soldering apparatus designed to apply soldering, by means of jetting out streams of molten solder, which is gathered in a solder bath, to a piece to be soldered carried in a predetermined direction. While jetting out molten solder from the solder bath, a drive means in the apparatus supplies drive for setting the relative position between the end of the jet-stream nozzle and the piece and a control means also available outputs control signals matching a predetermined condition to the drive means to carry out micro-adjustment of the jet-stream nozzle in short time with high accuracy. At the same time, remote operation can also be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 6725355
    Abstract: A microprocessor having an internal memory for storing data to be process, a data pointer register for storing an address on the internal memory, a decoder 36 for decoding an instruction, a general-purpose register module 11 including data registers r0 and r1 for storing data read from an address on the internal memory stored in the data pointer register in accordance with a request to read data stored in the internal memory, and an ALU 13 for performing processing using data stored in the general-purpose register module 11 based on the result of decoding by the decoder 36 and writing the result of processing in the general-purpose register module 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Imamura
  • Patent number: 6725129
    Abstract: A positioning device and method can position a subject of positioning at a higher speed than conventional ones. A positioning device and method for moving a subject of positioning to a desired position, moves the subject of positioning at a desired speed and acceleration, and adjusts the acceleration/deceleration duration of the subject of positioning and the timing of starting the deceleration so as to cancel the residual vibration, in accordance with the vibration period of the residual vibration that occurs immediately after positioning the subject of positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kito
  • Patent number: 6724544
    Abstract: An optical lens whose focal length is different on first and second planes perpendicular to each other is provided. The optical lens is configured such that a convex element, which is formed integrally with a substrate having a flat face, has a convex curved face that functions as an optical lens and is shaped such that the curvature on a first cross section and the curvature on a second cross section perpendicular to and intersecting with the first cross section are different from each other, whereby the focal lengths on the first and second cross sections are different from each other. A groove of a substantially elliptical shape or a substantially rectangular shape is formed along the boundary between the substrate and the convex element. The optical lens is used to produce a focus error signal or is incorporated into an optical pickup apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Kishima, Akira Kouchiyama
  • Patent number: 6725434
    Abstract: Disclosed is a designed-circuit-verifying method for verifying an LSI or a wiring-substrate circuit with ease at the design stage of the circuit. An analysis based on simulation of a circuit allows electrical characteristics of a designed circuit to be detected at a design stage and compared with reference data. In accordance with a result of the comparison, an item to be corrected, the location of the item and other information on the item can be identified. In addition, since details of the correction can be displayed at an identified position on the designed circuit, the design of the circuit can be corrected. Thus, the design efficiency of the circuit can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Murayama
  • Patent number: 6724573
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tape cassette including a cassette shell in which two tape reels are rotatably contained; a front lid, turnably supported by the cassette shell, for opening/closing the front side of a tape-like recording medium crossing a front portion of a mouth portion provided in a front portion of the cassette shell in such a manner as to be opened forwardly, upwardly, and downwardly; and a lid lock member for locking the front lid in the closed state to the cassette shell, wherein the locking of the front lid by the lid lock member is released when the tape cassette is mounted in a tape drive apparatus; the lid lock member is biased in the locking direction by biasing means; and the lid lock member is engaged with and held by a tape cassette side member in the unlocking state. With this configuration, the mounting state of the tape cassette in a tape drive apparatus can be stabilized and also the size and weight of the tape drive apparatus can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Ota
  • Patent number: 6723652
    Abstract: A dry etching method and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus are disclosed with which satisfactory shape controllability can be obtained and a gate electrode formed by laminating tungsten can be formed without any breakage of a gate insulating film. A polysilicon film, a reaction barrier film made of tungsten nitride, a tungsten film and an offset film made of silicon nitride are sequentially formed on a gate insulating film. Then, a photoresist is used as a mask to etch the tungsten film. The etching process is performed by mixed gas of fluorine gas, chlorine, oxygen and nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Seiichi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6722598
    Abstract: A tape cassette including a cartridge and one tape reel provided in the cartridge, with a recording medium in the form of a tape being wound upon the tape reel. In the tape cassette, a leader tape that is more rigid than the recording medium in the form of a tape is connected to an unwinding end of the recording medium in the form of a tape; a toothed portion (a protrusion) is formed on at least a portion of both side edges of the leader tape; the tape reel has a flange on a top portion and on a bottom portion of a hub, and feed teeth (engaging portions) that engage the protrusions of the leader tape are formed on outer peripheral edges of the flanges. Rotation of the tape reel in one direction causes the engaging portions to feed the protrusions, whereby the leader tape is sent out from the cartridge. The tape cartridge of the invention can be reliably mounted to a recording/reproducing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Takao Hiramoto, Yoshihisa Takayama