Patents Represented by Attorney Ronald P. Rader, Fishman & Grauer PLLC Kananen
  • Patent number: 6157726
    Abstract: A circuit connected between an audio signal receiver and an audio output unit can prevent an audio pop from being emitted by a speaker associated with the audio output unit. The circuit interrupts the output of the signal receiver when the DC voltage level of the system suddenly changes, e.g. when a different audio signal is selected or when the receiver is powered on or off. The output of the receiver is shunted through a resistor to ground until a blocking capacitor between the receiver and audio output unit can charge to the new DC voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Carroll, Steven M. Corso, David E. Zeidler
  • Patent number: 6100630
    Abstract: A color cathode-ray tube which increases the degree of freedom in designing its main electron lens, decreases the electron beam spot diameter, and achieves high resolution, in which the between the focusing electrode (15) applied with the focusing voltage (Vf) and the anode electrode (17) applied with the anode voltage (Va), there is provided an intermediate electrode (16) applied with the potential Vm which is higher than the focusing voltage (Vf) and lower than the anode voltage (Va), and the focusing electrode (15). These voltages are set by a dividing resistor (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Amano, Koji Ichida, Naruhiko Endo, Yoichi Ohshige, Masahiko Mizuki
  • Patent number: 6097462
    Abstract: A defect compensation method for a liquid crystal display apparatus, where a laser beam is irradiated on an alignment film for aligning an orientation of liquid crystal molecules while monitoring the light transmission rate before the arrangement of polarizing plates until a target light transmittance is reached. As a result, the (molecular orientation) function of the alignment film is lowered to prevent the defective pixel from standing out. The method includes measuring the transmittance of the defective pixel, irradiating with a laser beam, measuring the transmittance of the defective pixel again, calculating an optimum irradiation condition based on the results of the after-irradiation measurement and repeating the irradiation and measurement of transmittance until the desired transmittance is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ho Keng Koe
  • Patent number: 6072455
    Abstract: A driving method for a liquid crystal device includes the steps of providing a first substrate with a unidirectionally aligned data electrode group and a second substrate with a select-electrode group aligned perpendicularly to the data electrode; applying a select pulse to the select electrodes; and providing a pause corresponding to at least one line before a data-pulse sequence is applied to the data-electrode group. The select pulse can be synchronized with the data-pulse sequence by shifting them a half line relative to each other so that the select pulse and the data pulse have opposite polarity in relation to each other. Alternatively, the select pulse is applied while the data pulse sequence is applied to the data electrode group. In the latter case, the time and/or voltage is determined so as to offset the effects of the reversed electric field generated during switching of the liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Eriko Matsui, Nobue Kataoka, Akio Yasuda
  • Patent number: 6066229
    Abstract: A method of recycling a disk recording medium includes the steps of retaining the disk recording medium in a liquid medium, the disk recording medium having a layered structure including a substrate, a dye layer, a reflective film, and a protective layer; radiating ultrasonic waves onto the disk recording medium such that the substrate and the reflective film are separated from each other; and bringing a solution into contact with the substrate separated from the reflective film such that the dye layer is separated from the substrate in order to recover the substrate, the solution dissolving the dye layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Komine, Hidemi Tomita, Mari Ichimura
  • Patent number: 6057794
    Abstract: A sigma-delta modulation circuit having the function of adjusting an amplitude by a small sized, simplified structure, wherein a parameter stored in a ROM controls an amplitude of a conversion signal in response to an amplitude parameter set by an amplitude control signal, a subtractor outputs the subtraction result of an input signal and the conversion signal, a cumulation circuit generates a cumulation signal, and a binary comparator compares the cumulation signal with a predetermined reference value and generates an output signal of the sigma-delta modulation circuit in accordance with the comparison result. The signal is output to a delay circuit which generates a delay signal by giving a delay time of, for example, one sampling period. The result is input to the ROM. Accordingly, the amplitude of the output signal can be controlled by setting an amplitude parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hideharu Takamuki
  • Patent number: 6049075
    Abstract: A method for detecting the point of origin of a position sensor such as an optical linear scale by first displacing an object member whose position is to be determined until it butts against a mechanical stopper, then determining the position of the object member at the mechanical stopper and using that position as a reference position for the point of origin, and thereafter detecting the position of the object member by means of the position sensor, thereby detecting the position of the object member relative to the point of origin. In another embodiment, a first point of origin signal is obtained from an optical linear scale used as a position sensor and stored in response to latching signal generated at an end point of travel of the object member. Subsequently, when a second point of origin signal from the optical linear scale is compared with the first point of origin signal, any deviation from the first point of origin signal may be corrected based on the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Akihito Nakayama
  • Patent number: 6043145
    Abstract: In a method for making a multilayer wiring structure, a second insulating film having an etching rate slower than a first insulating film is provided on the first insulating film covering a wiring pattern; an opening is formed in the second insulating film in a portion corresponding to a connecting hole to be formed afterwards; a third insulating film having an etching rate faster than the second insulating film is provided on the opening and the second insulating film; a groove is formed, so as to expose the opening, in the third insulating film in a portion where an upper-layer wiring pattern is formed, and the connecting hole reaching the wiring pattern is formed; and a connecting plug is formed by packing a conductive material in the connecting hole, and the upper-layer wiring pattern is formed by packing a conductive material in the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Suzuki, Keiichi Maeda, Kazuhide Koyama, Tatsuji Oda
  • Patent number: 6011273
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thin-film semiconductor device suitable for an areal-pressure-distribution detector and the like. The thin-film semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises an insulating substrate 1, and element regions R being integrated and arranged on the substrate in the form of a matrix and each including a set of mutually connected electrode 2 and thin-film transistor 3. Each electrode 2 senses a signal voltage applied from above the element region R. Meanwhile, the thin-film transistor 3 are on/off-controlled in order and detect the signal voltage applied to the corresponding electrodes 2. In each element region, the surface level H1 of the sensitive region SR where the major part of the electrode 2 is formed is higher by .DELTA.H than the surface level H2 of the non-sensitive region NSR where the corresponding thin-film transistor 3 and a wiring pattern 9 are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ichikawa, Hisashi Kadota
  • Patent number: 5982429
    Abstract: A video camera is provided with both a liquid crystal display as well as a smaller conventional eyepiece type viewfinder. Switching means responsive to an opening movement of the liquid crystal display from a closed position are used to automatically and smoothly switch off the viewfinder, switch on the liquid crystal display and to enable a speaker. The liquid crystal display is also used as a cover for relatively infrequently used setting switches and controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Kamamoto, Masahiro Sunayama, Masayasu Kaneko, Tsutomu Mikami, Shoichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 5969564
    Abstract: An insulated-gate field effect transistor comprising a channel forming region, source/drain regions, a gate region, a bias supplying means, and a capacitive element, wherein a potential for controlling a gate threshold voltage of the insulated-gate field effect transistor in an off-state thereof is applied to the channel forming region through the bias supplying means, and a signal having approximately the same phase as a phase of a signal supplied to the gate region is supplied to the channel forming region through the capacitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutoshi Komatsu, Yutaka Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5903529
    Abstract: A small size, high performance optical pickup device using a light reception/emission element (laser coupler) and more particularly, an optical pickup device which is capable of excellent recording and reproduction for a magnetic optical recording medium. A prism disposed over optical detectors is made of double refractive crystal material. An optical detector for receiving extraordinary ray is formed at a position laterally deviated corresponding to so-called walk-off of the extraordinary ray. Tracking error signal is detected depending on a distribution of intensities of spots formed by reflective beams on respective optical detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Nishi, Kimihiro Saito, Kazuyoshi Horie, Yasuo Sasaki, Kenji Araki, Kazuhiko Okamatsu
  • Patent number: 5900765
    Abstract: A transistor-bias voltage stabilizing circuit comprises a current saturating resistor connected in series to the output of an FET, the gate bias voltage of which is to be stabilized and a capacitor connected in parallel to the current saturating resistor. The transistor-bias voltage stabilizing circuit may comprise a voltage detecting circuit and a negative-feedback circuit connected between the input and output of an FET, the gate bias voltage of which is to be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kawasaki, Takahiro Ohgihara
  • Patent number: 5892322
    Abstract: An electron gun without deviation of diameter between grids, having a good object point diameter shape, and having a high cut-off voltage, which is cheap and has high performance, and a cathode ray tube provided with the same. The electron gun is provided with a spacer of a columnar shape which has surfaces facing each other on its two end surfaces, a beam aperture penetrating the spacer between the end surfaces, and conductive films provided on the two end surfaces, in which at least the circumferential wall of the beam aperture is constituted by a high resistance conductive material, the conductive films being used to constitute the grids and the beam aperture being constituted as an aperture for an electron beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Muchi, Kenichi Ozawa, Shigenori Tagami
  • Patent number: D427992
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takahashi, Gen Fujiki
  • Patent number: D428611
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takahashi, Gen Fujiki
  • Patent number: D428872
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigemitsu Kizawa
  • Patent number: D430862
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Honjo
  • Patent number: D431033
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takahashi, Gen Fujiki