Patents Assigned to Sharp
  • Patent number: 7584954
    Abstract: A sheet feeder device includes a sheet accommodating section for accommodating a stack of sheets. There is a sheet pick-up section which can operate to feed each of the sheets toward a sheet feed path when abutting against the stack. A sheet separating section is also provided and it has a feed roller and a reverse roller which are located downstream of the sheet pick-up section and abut against each other. The reverse roller is supported on a rotation support shaft in a manner to allow the reverse roller to be fitted around and removed from the rotation support. The rotation support has opposite ends supported by a device body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nagao
  • Patent number: 7587527
    Abstract: An apparatus to output a large variety of input data in a desired form is provided. A file of data to be output is specified from among data accumulated in a hard disk device in a data processing apparatus and an output condition is specified. It is determined whether the data can be output under the specified output condition. If the data can be output, it is output under the output condition. For example, the data is printed as an image. The data is sent to a foreign apparatus directly or sent by attaching it to an e-mail. The data is sent to a foreign storage device. If the data cannot be output, link information to access the data is sent by an e-mail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fusayuki Fujita, Yoshiharu Kurozasa
  • Patent number: 7586864
    Abstract: In a wireless communication system, a terminal is identified by a base station in accordance with beacon signals transmitted periodically from the base station, and to the identified terminal, the presence or absence of data to be transmitted and a period until a transmission of a next beacon signal are notified. A terminal-side wireless communication section in the terminal transmits, to the base station, a request for setting of a period between transmissions of beacon signals. A communication control section in the base station sets the period between transmissions of beacon signals in accordance with the request having been received from the terminal. With this arrangement, the terminal can optimize its period between receptions of beacon signals, thereby keeping OFF power supply to a communication circuit from a power source section until the timing for receiving a beacon signal. This allows the terminal to reduce its power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuguhiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 7587249
    Abstract: An electric appliance 1 has a code correspondence data table that accommodates the correspondence among the control signals of the remote control units belonging to recording medium drive apparatuses 2-1 to 2-m and signal reception apparatuses 3-1 to 3-n and a code correspondence data table that accommodates the correspondence between those control signals and the various operations performed by the electric appliance 1 to select contents. With reference to these code correspondence data tables, contents are selected and reproduced according to control signals transmitted from any remote control unit 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Maehara, Toru Ueda, Kazuya Oyama
  • Patent number: 7586559
    Abstract: The display device according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal layer 12 having a first principal face and a second principal face opposing each other; a plurality of electrodes 14a and 14b; a fluorophore layer provided on the first principal face side of the liquid crystal layer; and an illuminator for emitting light for exciting the fluorophore layer toward the second principal face of the liquid crystal layer. When a predetermined voltage is applied, the liquid crystal layer forms an intermediate layer containing liquid crystal molecules which are oriented in a different direction from that of liquid crystal molecules in an anchoring layer near the second principal face, and causes linearly-polarized light which has been transmitted through the anchoring layer near the second principal face to be refracted toward the second principal face in or near the intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Masahiro Shimizu, Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7585059
    Abstract: An ink jet head is provided which includes: a piezoelectric board having a plurality of elongated channels arranged parallel to each other and isolated from each other by channel walls; and a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle holes provided in association with the respective channels, and bonded onto the piezoelectric board with the nozzle holes located at generally longitudinally middle positions of the respective channels; wherein the nozzle plate has trench-like recesses each having a predetermined width and a predetermined depth and extending perpendicularly to the channels as being spaced equidistantly from the nozzle holes longitudinally of the channels; gaps for communication between adjacent channels are defined by the recesses between a surface of the nozzle plate and upper face portions of the channel walls located equidistantly from the nozzle holes; and active areas contributable to ink ejection are defined in each of the channels on opposite sides of the corresponding nozzle hole along th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7586629
    Abstract: The present printing system comprises a host computer (1)that orders scanners (2), digital cameras (3) and printers (4) to execute image processing, the host computer (1) setting up items of image processing to be performed by the printer (4) depending on the model of scanner (2) or digital camera (3) being used. The host computer (1) can set up the most suitable image processing items according to what kind of scanner (2) or digital camera (3) is used. Of the scanner (2), digital camera (3) and printer (4), the device having better processing ability can be assigned to more processes so that the time required for printing is shortened efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Ohyama, Katsumi Amakawa, Takahiro Daido, Yohsuke Konishi, Hitoshi Hirohata, Hiroshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7587147
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating roller having a heating unit and a press roller that is in contact with the heating roller. The fixing apparatus fixes an image of developer onto a sheet holding the image by heating and supporting the sheet. The fixing apparatus comprises a first sensor for detecting radiant heat from the heating roller, a second sensor for detecting the ambient temperature of the first sensor, a determination unit for determining whether the temperature of the heating roller is abnormal or not based on an output value of the first sensor and an output value of the second sensor, and a control unit for controlling an operating state of the heating unit based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tamaki Mashiba
  • Patent number: 7586432
    Abstract: An A/D converter compares one or more analog voltages to be converted with a reference voltage given by a voltage change value of ramp voltage whose voltage value changes monotonically for a certain period or a voltage proportional to the voltage change value, converts each analog voltage to a digital value corresponding to the reference voltage, and outputs it, the A/D converter comprising an arithmetic unit for comparison between the analog voltage and reference voltage with respect to each analog voltage, the arithmetic unit having a first power supply line for receiving a power supply voltage, wherein the first power supply line is provided as another power supply line not affected by voltage fluctuation of a second power supply line for supplying a system power supply voltage by providing a MOS transistor whose gate terminal is connected to a stabilized voltage source between the first and second power supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiko Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7586531
    Abstract: An amplification type solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel section 10 and a control unit 15. The control unit 15 iterates first control and second control a plurality of times during a charge storage operation of storing signal charge into a photodiode 1, the first control being to control a gate voltage of a transfer transistor 2 to a first gate voltage which prevents the signal charge from being transferred from the photodiode 1 to the detection part FD and the second control being to control the gate voltage of the transfer transistor 2 to a second gate voltage which makes the signal charge less movable to the charge detection part FD than the first gate voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7586574
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device which are used as, for example, a display unit of an electronic apparatus, and an object of the present invention is therefore to provide a substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device capable of providing high transmittance, high luminance, and good display characteristics as well as a high production yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7587154
    Abstract: A developing unit for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of a latent image bearing member rotating in one direction with a developer by mixing electrostatically chargeable toner and magnetic carrier, includes: a developing roller; a carrier collecting roller; a cooling portion including a forced draft duct for airflow from a fan and disposed on the bottom side of the developing vessel; a suctioning portion including a suctioning duct for airflow from suctioning ports disposed on the lower side of the carrier collecting roller, disposed under the forced draft duct; a filter for removing the scattering toner from air including the scattering toner suctioned from the suctioning ports; and, an exhaust portion including an airflow exhaust duct for discharging the air passed through the filter and the forced draft duct to an exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Sakai, Shuichi Akedo, Shigeki Hayashi, Teruyoshi Sudoh
  • Patent number: 7585788
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a rare earth element-doped silicon oxide (SiO2) precursor with nanocrystalline (nc) Si particles. In one aspect the method comprises: mixing Si particles into a first organic solvent, forming a first solution with a first boiling point; filtering the first solution to remove large Si particles; mixing a second organic solvent having a second boiling point, higher than the first boiling point, to the filtered first solution; and, fractionally distilling, forming a second solution of nc Si particles. The Si particles are formed by immersing a Si wafer into a third solution including hydrofluoric (HF) acid and alcohol, applying an electric bias, and forming a porous Si layer overlying the Si wafer. Then, the Si particles are mixed into the organic solvent by depositing the Si wafer into the first organic solvent, and ultrasonically removing the porous Si layer from the Si wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Wei Zhuang, Yoshi Ono, Sheng Teng Hsu, Tingkai Li
  • Patent number: 7586573
    Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate for a liquid crystal display used in a display section of an information apparatus and a liquid crystal display having the same and provides a substrate for a liquid crystal display and a liquid crystal display having the same that provide good display characteristics without any increase in manufacturing steps. A configuration is employed which includes a plurality of gate bus lines formed on a substrate substantially in parallel with each other, a plurality of drain bus lines formed on the substrate such that they intersect the gate bus lines with an insulation film interposed therebetween, pixel regions provided on the substrate in the form of a matrix, pixel electrodes having a plurality of electrode units formed in the pixel regions, slits formed between the electrode units, and connection electrodes for connecting the plurality of electrode units with each other and a thin film transistor formed at each pixel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takashi Sasabayashi
  • Patent number: 7586581
    Abstract: A developing device according to the present invention comprises a turntable, a motor for rotating the turntable and a spraying nozzle for spraying mixture of developer and nitrogen gas onto the turntable in mist form. The turntable is rotated at a rotational speed of 200 rpm by driving the motor, the developer for developing the photoresist that has been formed on the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer fixed to the turntable is mixed with nitrogen gas, and the developer in mist form is sprayed from the spraying nozzle toward the turntable. The photoresist is surely removed due to the chemical reaction with the developer and the pressure of the spray of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Hoshika
  • Patent number: 7586131
    Abstract: A transistor array includes conductor lines, function lines, and transistors. Each of the conductor lines includes a core and a conductor layer that covers the core. Each of the function lines includes a core, at least the surface of which is electrically conductive, an insulating layer that covers the core, and a semiconductor layer that covers the insulating layer. Each of the function lines contacts with, and crosses, the conductor lines. Each of the transistors includes a first ohmic contact region, which is defined by a region where one of the conductor lines crosses one of the function lines and which makes an ohmic contact with the semiconductor layer, a second ohmic contact region, which also makes an ohmic contact with the semiconductor layer, and a channel region, which is defined in the semiconductor layer between the first and second ohmic contact regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohiko Nishiki, Kazuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7586579
    Abstract: On a TFT substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, picture element electrodes, and the like are formed, and further a first alignment film is formed of polyimide or the like. On an opposing substrate, black matrices, common electrodes, and the like formed; and further column-like spacers are formed at positions facing regions where the gate bus lines and the data bus lines cross. A second alignment film covering the surfaces of the common electrode and the spacers is formed. However, the first and second alignment films are maintained semi-setting. Thereafter, the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate are overlapped, and heated at high temperature under pressure; and the second alignment film on the apexes of the spacers and the first alignment film on the TFT substrate side are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Takagi, Manabu Sawasaki, Tetsuya Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 7586561
    Abstract: The invention has an object to provide a liquid crystal display in which a wide angle of view is obtained and a response time at a halftone can be shortened by regulating an alignment orientation of a liquid crystal by the use of a polymer fixation system in which a liquid crystal layer containing a polymerizable component is sealed between substrates, and the polymerizable component is polymerized while a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer to fix a liquid crystal alignment. A liquid crystal layer containing a polymer for regulating a pretilt angle of a liquid crystal molecule and a tilt direction at a time of driving is sealed between two substrates arranged opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 7586563
    Abstract: The present invention is a color filter substrate comprising: a non-laminated part in which a colored layer and/or a transparent layer are arranged in a plane; and a laminated part in which parts of the colored layer and/or the transparent layer are laminated as two or more layers on a substrate, (1) a film thickness of a layer constituting the laminated part is not less than 90% and not more than 110% to a film thickness of a corresponding layer of the non-laminated part and/or (2) the colored layer and/or the transparent layer are formed using a dry film having a solid-phase resist layer having penetration amount in a penetration hardness test at 120° C. of not more than 0.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Tokuda, Toshifumi Yagi, Toshihide Tsubata, Yoshinori Kinai, Ryuji Kurihara
  • Patent number: 7585933
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a novel dendritic polymer serving as an organic semiconductor material which is isotropic and which exhibits remarkably high carrier conductivity. Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic device employing the dendritic polymer. These objects are attained by a dendritic polymer having a branching structure including repeating units each having a branch portion, each of said repeating units having a structure represented by formula (1), and containing a linear portion X formed of an optionally substituted divalent organic group and a branch portion Y formed of an optionally substituted trivalent organic group: characterized in that the linear portion X contains at least one thienylene moiety and is at least partially conjugated with the branch portion Y, and in that the polymer reversibly assumes an insulative state and a metallic state, depending on the presence of an external factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyo Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yamahara Motohiro, Satoru Obara, Kentaro Tada