Patents Assigned to Sharp
  • Patent number: 7447365
    Abstract: A system for compressing image data being sent to an imaging device is disclosed. The system includes a computing device with executable instructions. The executable instructions are executable on the computing device and are configured to implement a method for compressing image data being sent to an imaging device. Capabilities of an imaging device are obtained. Image data is decompressed upstream from a rasterization process of the imaging device. The image data is divided into one or more regions based on image data content. A compression algorithm is selected for each region based on content of each region and on the capabilities of the imaging device. The image data is compressed per region using one or more selected compression algorithms. The compressed regions are assembled into a mixed raster format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew R. Ferlitsch
  • Patent number: 7447169
    Abstract: A TDMA radio communication system using a multiple subcarrier modulation method and comprising at least a first and a second radio station. The first radio station carries out communications by selectively modulating a subcarrier with which a desired transmission rate can be obtained in the second radio station, thereby providing a radio communication system that does not require the monitoring of each time slot by a terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Okamoto, Norihiko Morinaga, Seiichi Sanpei
  • Patent number: 7447289
    Abstract: Delay time between an input of data to a circuit block and an output of the data from the data block is measured in accordance with a timing at which the data from the circuit block is acquired by a measurement register and a timing at which the data from the circuit block is acquired by a data latch. An LSI tester sets well voltage adjustment values so that delay time of each circuit block is averaged. From voltages generated by the adjustment voltage generating circuit, a selector selects voltages that are in accordance with the well voltage adjustment values. The voltages selected are applied to a well of a CMOS transistor of each clock timing adjustment circuit. Delay time between timings of inputted clocks is thus adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Munehiro Uratani, Eiichi Takahashi, Yuji Kasai, Tetsuya Higuchi, Masahiro Murakawa
  • Patent number: 7446829
    Abstract: To compensate for uneven brightness in the longitudinal direction of fluorescent lamps of a backlight unit and achieve a display screen with an even brightness, a reflection unit of the backlight unit, the fluorescent tube surface of the fluorescent lamps or a diffusion unit is used to either reduce the reflectance, transmittance, or radiation brightness of the high-voltage side of the fluorescent lamps or increase the reflectance, transmittance, or radiation brightness of the low-voltage side thereof so as to compensate for uneven brightness of the illumination light and thereby ensure an even brightness. For example, dot pattern regions D1, D2 and D3, i.e., the regions whose density increases in stages, are imparted to the portion of a reflection layer 13 of the backlight unit with a relatively high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Inoue, Kohji Ohtsuka, Kazuya Idei, Masaki Shimizu, Takashi Yoshii
  • Patent number: 7445014
    Abstract: A dishwasher and dryer has a washing vessel (2) accommodating a basket carrying tableware, a water feed path feeding water or hot water for washing and rinsing into the washing vessel (2) through an operation of a water feed valve, a circulating path for spraying feed water in the washing vessel from a nozzle to a dish, and a control circuit (12) controlling a washing step and a rinsing step. In such a dishwasher and dryer, a hard water generating vessel (23) is arranged to carry out a washing step using hard water as feed water in a washing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuaki Sakane, Tatsumi Tomibayashi, Hiroyoshi Inoue, Kazushi Furukawa, Yasuhiro Sakoda
  • Patent number: 7446023
    Abstract: A high-density plasma hydrogenation method is provided. Generally, the method comprises: forming a silicon (Si)/oxide stack layer; plasma oxidizing the Si/oxide stack at a temperature of less than 400° C., using a high density plasma source, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source; introducing an atmosphere including H2 at a system pressure up to 500 milliTorr; hydrogenating the stack at a temperature of less than 400 degrees C., using the high density plasma source; and forming an electrode overlying the oxide. The electrode may be formed either before or after the hydrogenation. The Si/oxide stack may be formed in a number of ways. In one aspect, a Si layer is formed, and the silicon layer is plasma oxidized at a temperature of less than 400 degrees C., using an ICP source. The oxide formation, additional oxidation, and hydrogenation steps can be conducted in-situ in a common chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Pooran Chandra Joshi, Apostolos T. Voutsas, John W. Hartzell
  • Patent number: 7446567
    Abstract: Apparatus for transmitting a digital signal within, for example, an integrated circuit includes a signal transmission line with a directional coupler at one or both ends. The directional coupler blocks the direct-current component of the digital signal while transmitting the alternating-current component, including enough higher harmonics to transmit a well-defined pulse waveform. A suitable directional coupler consists of two adjacent line pairs in materials with different dielectric constants. The apparatus may also include a driver of the inverter type, a receiver of the differential amplifier type, a terminating resistor, and a power-ground transmission line pair for supplying power to the driver. An all-metallic transmission-line structure is preferably maintained from the output interconnections in the driver to the input interconnections in the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignees: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Sony Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NEC Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Renesas Technology Corp., Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanji Otsuka, Tamotsu Usami
  • Patent number: 7446014
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a NanoElectroChemical (NEC) cell. The method provides a bottom electrode with a top surface. Nanowire shells are formed. Each nanowire shell has a nanowire and a sleeve, with the nanowire connected to the bottom electrode top surface. A top electrode is formed overlying the nanowire shells. A main cavity is formed between the top electrode and bottom electrodes, partially displaced by a first plurality of nanowire shells. Electrolyte cavities are formed between the sleeves and nanowires by etching the first sacrificial layer. In one aspect, electrolyte cavities are formed between the bottom electrode top surface and a shell coating layer joining the sleeve bottom openings. Then, the main and electrolyte cavities are filled with either a liquid or gas phase electrolyte. In a different aspect, the first sacrificial layer is a solid phase electrolyte that is not etched away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Fengyan Zhang, David R. Evans, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7447458
    Abstract: An operation panel includes a panel surface, a key mounting surface, and a key. The panel surface is exposed to outside of a main apparatus. The key mounting surface is recessed by a predetermined length from the panel surface. The key is mounted on the key mounting surface to protrude beyond the key mounting surface by a length shorter than the predetermined length and configured to set the main apparatus to perform a predetermined operation based on a function previously assigned thereto when depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenzo Yoshida, Fumikazu Shimanuki, Yukio Kanaoka
  • Patent number: 7446010
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM) back-to-back Schottky diode from a silicon (Si) semiconductor. The method deposits a Si semiconductor layer between a bottom electrode and a top electrode, and forms a MSM diode having a threshold voltage, breakdown voltage, and on/off current ratio. The method is able to modify the threshold voltage, breakdown voltage, and on/off current ratio of the MSM diode in response to controlling the Si semiconductor layer thickness. Generally, both the threshold and breakdown voltage are increased in response to increasing the Si thickness. With respect to the on/off current ratio, there is an optimal thickness. The method is able to form an amorphous Si (a-Si) and polycrystalline Si (polySi) semiconductor layer using either chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or DC sputtering. The Si semiconductor can be doped with a Group V donor material, which decreases the threshold voltage and increases the breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingkai Li, Sheng Teng Hsu, David R. Evans
  • Patent number: 7445958
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of forming an insulation layer, which has an opening section in an area including an area on an electrode pad, on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the electrode pad is formed; at least forming a first barrier metal layer, which becomes a part of a leading wiring layer, in an inner peripheral surface of the opening section including the top surface of the electrode pad; at least forming a main conductor layer, which becomes a part of the leading wiring layer, in an area surrounded by the first barrier metal layer in the opening section; eliminating an upper portion of the main conductor layer at least to a position at which the first barrier metal layer is exposed, and forming a second barrier metal layer, which becomes a part of the leading wiring layer, so as to cover the whole top surface of the main conductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Suminoe, Hiroyuki Nakanishi, Toshiya Ishio, Yoshihide Iwazaki, Katsunobu Mori
  • Patent number: 7446895
    Abstract: A printer device control system and method are provided that is responsive to a document's print content. The method comprises: establishing a library of vocabulary terms; establishing a library of executable programs; accepting a document for printer processing; classifying print content in the document, by matching print content in the document to vocabulary terms in the library; mapping between the library of vocabulary terms and the library of executable programs; and, executing a program in response to the print content classification. The library of vocabulary terms may include terms such as key words, symbols, word patterns, or data patterns. The library of executable programs may include executable programs such as sending reports of the document to a recipient, blocking the document print process, logging the document print process, updating a database, archiving the document, or executing a file to initiate additional document processing, to name a few possible examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Eden, Lena Sojian
  • Patent number: 7446281
    Abstract: A fusing device (23) has heat reflectors (238) and (239) positioned in consideration of the fact that convective heat loss from respective outer surfaces of the heat reflectors (238) and (239) depends on orientation of the outer surfaces. More specifically, each of the heat reflectors (238) and (239) are positioned so as to have a convective heat transfer coefficient ? of up to 0.9. The convective heat transfer coefficient ? is given by the following expression: ?=(Su+0.77Sh+0.54Sd)/(Su+Sh+Sd), were Su is a projected area of an outer surface of each of the heat reflectors on an upper horizontal plane, Sh is a projected area of the same on a vertical plane, and Sd is a projected area of the same on a lower horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Hiroshi Kida, Takashi Yamanaka, Tetsunori Mitsuoka
  • Publication number: 20080267119
    Abstract: A method for assigning reference signal sequences for communication devices using a genetic algorithm is described. Reference signal sequences are assigned to each cell within a plurality of cells. A fitness function for each reference signal sequence is computed. The fitness function describes the effectiveness of the assignment. A first group of cells is selected to exchange their corresponding assignment information with assignment information corresponding to a second group of cells. The reference signal is assigned to a communications device within the area of one of the plurality of cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: John M. Kowalski
  • Publication number: 20080266447
    Abstract: A camera module 100 according to the present invention includes a lens unit 1 including a lens 11, and an imaging unit 2 where a solid-state imaging element is mounted on a wiring board 21, the lens unit 1 and the imaging unit 2 being engaged with each other by inserting a projection 23 into a cutout part 13, the projection 23 being provided on the imaging unit 2, and the cutout part 13 being provided on the lens unit 1. The cutout part 13 has a cross-sectional shape that is in parallel with an opening surface 13a and that becomes smaller inwardly of the lens unit 1. Thus, when detaching each unit, breaking of the projection can be prevented and each unit can be easily detached. With this arrangement it is possible to realize a camera module in which a disengagement of an optical unit and an imaging unit can be performed easily, while effectively preventing the breaking of the projection when detaching the optical unit and the imaging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Ohara, Kazuo Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20080266467
    Abstract: When an image processing apparatus outputs an image to a display apparatus, the image processing apparatus confirms display conditions on the designated display apparatus. After the confirmation, the image processing apparatus reads an image of a document according to the display conditions. The image to be outputted is a different image from an original image, i.e., the image to be outputted is restricted. The image processing apparatus transmits the restricted image to the display apparatus. The display apparatus displays the restricted image differing from the original image. By restricting the image to be displayed depending on the display apparatus, the security can be improved and leakage of confidential information can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Okamoto, Naofumi Ueda
  • Publication number: 20080267616
    Abstract: A camera module 100a includes a lens unit 1a which includes a lens 11 and a lens holder 12 holding the lens 11 therein, and an image sensing unit 2a which includes a solid-state image sensor 24 and a transparent lid section 26 which is arranged so as to face the receiving surface of the solid-state image sensor 24, provided with a space S therebetween. The lens holder 12 blocks unnecessary light to the transparent lid section 26 by engaging the lens holder 12 with a whole periphery part of the transparent lid section 26. Thus, it is possible to provide a solid-state image sensing device, which realizes adequate camera function by blocking unnecessary light to the transparent lid section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20080266499
    Abstract: In each picture element region, a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate that is closer to the liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of sub-electrodes, whereby the liquid crystal layer forms a liquid crystal domain taking a radially-inclined orientation above each sub-electrode by an inclined electric field produced around the sub-electrode. The second substrate includes a stepped portion including an upper tier located in the reflection region, a lower tier located in the transmission region and a side surface connecting the upper tier and the lower tier to each other, the side surface of the stepped portion being located in the reflection region and covered by the second electrode. The plurality of sub-electrodes are arranged in a line in a column direction D2, and picture elements that are adjacent to each other in a row direction D1 are driven with voltages of opposite polarities in each frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masumi Kubo
  • Publication number: 20080265134
    Abstract: A camera module 100a includes a lens unit 1a, which includes a lens 11 and a lens holder 12 holding the lens 11 therein, and an image sensing unit 2a, which has a solid-state image sensor 24. A position adjustment of the lens 11 is performed by moving the lens 11 independently of the lens holder 12, by use of electromagnetic force. This allows a fine adjustment of a position of the lens 11, thereby improving the alignment precision of the lens 11. Thus, a solid-state image sensing device is provided, which can make fine adjustments of focal lengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20080264843
    Abstract: The application device for liquid containing micro-nano bubbles generates micro-nano bubbles in a wide size distribution with use of a submerged pump-type micro-nano bubble generator and a spiral flow-type micro-nano bubble generator. A micro-nano bubble generating aid metering pump is controlled by a bubble level meter and a level controller, so that the supply amount of a micro-nano bubble generating aid is controlled in response to the level of bubbles from a fluid level. The supply amount of a micro-nano bubble generating aid is also controlled by a turbidimeter and a controller in response to the turbidity of the liquid in a micro-nano bubble generation tank, while the amount of air supplied to the submerged pump-type micro-nano bubble generator is controlled in response to the turbidity of the liquid. Therefore, the device can produce a large amount of various micro-nano bubbles in a wide size distribution more economically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamasaki, Kazuyuki Sakata, Kazumi Chuhjoh, Masaki Kataoka