Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm William S. Frommer
  • Patent number: 6797890
    Abstract: A high frequency module device of a thin type, high precision and high functions in which the size and the cost of the package may be diminished. The module device includes a base substrate (2) and a high frequency device layer (4). The base substrate (2) is formed by forming a patterned wiring layer (9) on a first major surface (5a) of a core substrate (5) molded of an organic material exhibiting thermal resistance and high frequency characteristics. The uppermost layer of the base substrate (2) is planarized to form a high frequency device layer forming surface (3). The high frequency device layer portion (4) is formed on the high frequency device layer forming surface (3) by a thin film or thick film forming technique and includes intra-layer passive elements, made up of a resistor (27) and a capacitor (26). The passive elements are supplied with power or signals from the side base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Okubora, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hirokazu Nakayama, Yoichi Oya
  • Patent number: 6799273
    Abstract: A storage unit in a first mutual identification unit stores master key data and a second storage unit in a second mutual identification unit stores identification key data. A random number generating unit generates a number that is used to select a master key and a corresponding identification key at the mutual identification units. The first mutual identification unit generates an estimate of the selected identification key using the selected master key and uses this estimate as a common key when performing mutual identification with the second mutual identification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tateo Oishi, Tomoyuki Asano, Nobuyuki Kihara, Teppei Yokota
  • Patent number: 6798448
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus can obtain a high quality still picture imaging signal in the all pixels read out mode and output it by means of an output processing means adapted to the interlaced read out mode. The imaging signal read out from a CCD image sensor 23 in the interlaced read out mode is directly supplied to a DV recording/reproducing processing section 4 by way of a camera signal processing circuit 24. The imaging signal read out from said CCD image sensor 23 in the apparatus is converted into an interlaced signal by a scan conversion section 3A, which is then supplied to the DV recording/reproducing processing section 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Chihiro Motono, Koji Okumoto, Toshitaka Yoshihiro, Masaya Nakatani, Masatoshi Sase, Hidehiko Teshirogi, Seishin Asato
  • Patent number: 6798455
    Abstract: A luminance signal is extracted from an image pickup signal photographed by a solid state image pickup device and at least a high frequency component in the extracted luminance signal is extracted by a filter. A gain of at least the high frequency component in the luminance signal extracted by a filter is varied. The luminance signal from a luminance signal extracting unit and at least the high frequency component in the luminance signal in which the gain has been varied by a gain control unit are added, thereby emphasizing an edge portion. A focusing lens is driven on the basis of the level of at least the high frequency component in the luminance signal extracted by the filter, thereby controlling an in-focus point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Miki Abe
  • Patent number: 6798326
    Abstract: An inductor element is formed by helically winding a first conductor and a second conductor by causing both conductors to hold on the condition in parallel to each other. In this case, by causing the first conductor to intersect the second conductor at a predetermined position to replace individual positions. By virtue of this arrangement, individual length of the first and second conductors substantially equal to each other, whereby forming up such an inductor element characterized by less loss of current and higher Q values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Sachio Iida
  • Patent number: 6798902
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus operates to process input signal samples representative of at least part of a colour video image to produce legal colour signal samples representative of a legal colour version of the image. The apparatus comprises an adjustment factor generator, which operates to generate a plurality of adjustment factors which when combined with the input signal samples have an effect of converting illegal colour pixels of the colour image into legal colour pixels, an adjustment factor softener, which operates to soften the adjustment factors whereby distortion in the legal colour video image produced when the adjustment factors are combined with the input signal samples is substantially reduced, and a colour legaliser coupled to the softener, which operates to combine the softened adjustment factors with the input signal samples to produce the legalised colour signal samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: James Hendrie McIntyre, Ian McLean, Clive Henry Gillard
  • Patent number: 6795060
    Abstract: An interactive-type data system comprising an integration of instinctive operability of the real objects with multiple purpose functions is disclosed. Concretely, by utilizing a transparent tile incorporating a wireless tag as a unit of interface, a plurality of tiles are disposed on a flat display surface or a tablet. The computing system reads identification data contained in each wireless tag and then activates a corresponding processing operation. For example, the computing system accesses such data resources related to tiles or activates a corresponding function or application program. Further, based on physical positional relationship between plural tiles, it is possible to integrally combine basic capability provided for by individual tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Rekimoto, Haruo Oba
  • Patent number: 6795063
    Abstract: Image data of the respective colors are converted, by look-up tables in which &ggr; correction data are stored, into gradation data that are white-balanced with intervention of the V-T characteristics of liquid crystal panels. The generated gradation data are supplied to D/A converters and the liquid crystal panels via liquid crystal driving circuits. Gamma correction data within dynamic ranges that are set for each display apparatus by measuring a luminance ratio and contrast ratios of the respective colors are written to the look-up tables in advance. As a result, all they correction data stored in the look-up tables can be used effectively. The invention is directed to such a method for generating data of look-up tables and an image display apparatus that performs gradation correction by using thus-formed look-up tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Endo, Tetsuji Kikuchi, Yoshiki Shirochi
  • Patent number: 6795124
    Abstract: When a composite synchronization signal is used as a synchronization signal provided from an external source, since the period of the composite synchronization signal is irregular, it is impossible to perform phase adjustment on the composite synchronization signal before it is input to a timing controller IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyasu Gamo, Masaaki Sato
  • Patent number: 6795097
    Abstract: According to the present invention, when displaying a jog-dial window menu on a liquid crystal display, hierarchically-structured menu items are displayed with a hierarchy icon, thereby enabling the user to easily recognize whether or not that menu item is hierarchically structured and improving the operation of menu selection. Furthermore, scroll display of a character string indicating a menu item is performed in an identification frame, thereby enabling the user to read the entire character string from beginning to end for easy recognition thereof and improving the operation of menu selection. Still further, a character string of a menu selected from among a plurality of menu items is displayed in a different color from other character strings, thereby enabling the user to easily recognize the selected menu item and improving the operation of menu selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi, Naoki Fujisawa, Keigo Ihara, Tetsuya Kohno, Tota Hasegawa, Junichiro Sakata, Tomoe Tanaka, Junji Ooi
  • Patent number: 6793353
    Abstract: As an imaging prevention method for interfering with the unauthorized imaging and recording of a visual image projected on a screen, there is employed a method for projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector means disposed at a rear side of the screen. According to the method, an amount of the infrared light is directed to be incident into an imaging apparatus attempting to record an image from the screen, increasing a pirating prevention effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Kimura, Shinya Kataoka, Norifumi Zushi, Yuko Kudo
  • Patent number: 6795499
    Abstract: An encoder to encode video streams representing a moving picture is provided whose video encoder calculates a bit storage quantity an STD video buffer should have when input of a stream ending with a first picture to the STD video buffer ends, calculates an initial bit storage quantity of a second picture of a stream concatenated to the end of the first picture and starting with the second picture, in a VBV buffer, based on the calculated bit storage quantity of the STD buffer, and encodes the stream based on the bit storage quantity. The video encoder further calculates a bit storage quantity of the STD video buffer, for decoding a picture of the stream in the STD video buffer, calculates, based on the calculated bit storage quantity, a bit storage quantity the VBV buffer should have for ending decoding of a fourth picture of a second stream concatenated to the beginning of a third picture and ending with the fourth picture, and encodes the stream based on the calculated bit storage quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoki Kato, Koji Obata, Nobuhiro Igi, Yoshikazu Takashima
  • Patent number: 6794566
    Abstract: The method serves to automatically identify in a set of data sequences at least one specific type of information contained in each data sequence of the set, wherein the type of information has an unknown presentation in the data sequences. It comprises the steps of: initially defining at least one characteristic feature of the specific type of information, and of expressing the characteristic feature(s) in terms of at least one recognition rule executable by processor means (2), applying the recognition rule(s) through the processor means to analyze the set of data sequences, determining in each data sequence a data portion thereof satisfying the recognition rule(s), and identifying the data portion as corresponding to the specific type of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony France S.A.
    Inventor: François Pachet
  • Patent number: 6795386
    Abstract: A first multiplier 251 multiplies a reproduced RF signal rf(t) by a DC component of an APC monitoring output signal m(t), which component is an output signal from an LPF 252, and then supplies a signal resulting from the multiplication to an arithmetic unit 255. A second multiplier 254 multiplies the reproduced RF signal rf(t) by a laser noise component of the APC monitoring output signal m(t), which component is an output signal from an HPF 253, and then supplies a signal resulting from the multiplication to the arithmetic unit 255. The arithmetic unit 255 subtracts the signal from the multiplier 254 from the signal from the multiplier 251 to thereby remove both an additive noise component and a modulated noise component of laser noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6795715
    Abstract: A portable telephone set includes an image pickup unit, an input terminal for inputting an image from the outside, a display unit for displaying an image, an image input switching key for performing a switching operation in which any one of an image photographed by the image pickup unit and the image input from the input terminal is displayed on the display unit and transmitted from the portable telephone set, and an output terminal for outputting the image photographed by the image pickup unit. The image pickup unit is detachably connected to a portable telephone body by a plug and a jack, whereby there is provided such a portable telephone set which is capable of photographing and transmitting an image by only the portable telephone set and easily performing photographing at a desired angle even during speech communication using the portable telephone set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimi Kubo, Kazuo Motoki
  • Patent number: 6795498
    Abstract: An image processing system comprising a decoder 10 and an encoder 30. The decoder 10 comprises a section 12 for decoding a bit stream to generate image data, generating coding parameters for each layer and generating an error flag indicating whether the coding parameters can be effectively used. The encoder 30 comprises a control section 41, an MB-parameter calculating section 36, an encoding section 38 and a variable-length encoding section 39. The section 41 determines, from the error flag, whether or not the coding parameters can be effectively used or not. The section 36 calculates coding parameters when the coding parameters generated by the section 12 are invalid. The sections 38 and 39 encodes the image data by using the coding parameters generated by the section 12 when these parameters are valid, and by using the coding parameters calculated by the section 36 when the coding parameters generated by the section 12 are invalid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoki Kato, Koji Obata, Nobuhiro Igi, Hideyuki Narita
  • Patent number: 6792476
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus, disposed between a controlling portion and hardware, for performing a process corresponding to a program that contains capsulated process portions for controlling the hardware in response to messages received from the controlling portion. The program includes a first process portion for communicating with the controlling portion; a second process portion for communicating with first and second hardware; a third process portion for communicating with the first process portion and the second process portion and executing an interfacing process corresponding to the first hardware; and a fourth process portion for communicating with the first process portion and the second process portion and executing an interfacing process corresponding to the second hardware. The first process portion outputs a message to either the third process portion or the fourth process portion corresponding to a message received from the controlling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Iwatsu
  • Patent number: 6792245
    Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus and method for reproducing information comprises an identification information provider for providing an identification information. A receiver receives broadcast information including broadcast identification information. The receiver includes a comparer for comparing the provided identification information with the broadcast identification information; and a sorter for sorting out received broadcast information in which the provided identification information matches the broadcast identification information. The sorted out information is then output from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Eiji Kawai
  • Patent number: 6791545
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying measurements of a waveform as icons on an oscilloscope. The apparatus acquires and processes a waveform thereby obtaining a number of measurements. Typically, the measurements are histograms, tracking measurements, and/or trending measurements. The oscilloscope displays both the waveform and a number of icons that respectively show the measurements. Each icon is a miniature rendering of the corresponding measurement and may be static, periodically updated, or a real-time preview of the actual measurement data which is calculated in the background by the oscilloscope processor. A user can select one of the icons to display the corresponding measurement at full size on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: LeCroy Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Thomas Miller, Anthony Cake
  • Patent number: 6792000
    Abstract: A transport stream (TS) is recorded and the recorded TS is reproduced simultaneously. An input PID parser extracts the first packet only to be recorded, the second packet to be recorded and to be used for controlling, and the third packet to be used only for controlling from among the TS packet that constitutes the TS supplied from a descrambler. The first and second packets are supplied to a receiver and supplied to a hard disk drive (HDD) for recording. The second and third packets are supplied to an MUX. On the other hand, the TS packet stored in the HDD is read out and supplied to the MUX by way of an output PID parser. The MUX multiplexes the second or third packet supplied from the input PID parser and the TS packet read out from the HDD, and supplies the multiplexed packet to a CPU that controls a descrambler or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Morinaga, Iwao Yamamoto, Hajime Inoue, Ichiro Hamada