Patents Assigned to Sharp
  • Patent number: 7406019
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser apparatus is provided which comprises a semiconductor laser device for emitting laser light and a base having a major surface and a circumferential side surface. The circumferential side surface has an upper surface and a lower surface. The semiconductor laser device is mounted on the major surface of the base. At least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the circumferential side surface is tilted from a direction perpendicular to the major surface so that a height in a vertical direction of the semiconductor laser apparatus is reduced or minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Chida
  • Patent number: 7405781
    Abstract: A substrate for use in a liquid crystal display, including an insulating substrate cooperating with an oppositely arranged opposite substrate to hold a liquid crystal. A plurality of pixel regions are arranged on the insulating substrate in a matrix form, in each of which a switching element is formed. At least one resin color filter layer is formed on the pixel regions to cover the switching element. Additionally, at least one layer of the resin color filter layers of the plural colors has a cruciform-shaped pattern protruding to cover the switching elements of neighboring pixels when viewed in a direction of a normal of a substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atuyuki Hoshino, Shiro Hirota, Naoto Kondo, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Masahiro Kihara, Katsunori Misaki, Seiji Doi, Tomoshige Oda, Akira Komorita, Akihiro Matsui, Manabu Sawasaki, Masahiro Ikeda, Takashi Takagi, Tomonori Tanose, Takuya Saguchi, Hidetoshi Sukenori, Hiroyasu Inoue
  • Patent number: 7405846
    Abstract: In the transfer and entry of one-touch dial data or speed dial data from a facsimile apparatus 1 to a facsimile apparatus 10, the respective sizes of one-touch dial memory and speed dial memory in the facsimile apparatus 10 are detected. The one-touch dial data are transferred and entered in the facsimile apparatus 10 (P1). The speed dial data are transferred and entered in the facsimile apparatus 10 (P2). Any remaining speed dial data are entered in the one-touch memory (P3). This reduces or eliminates overflow of the one-touch dial data or speed dial data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamamoto, Hiroaki Nakamura, Hirotoshi Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 7405547
    Abstract: A stabilized DC power supply circuit of the present invention includes an output current limiting circuit for limiting an output current of an output transistor, and a correction circuit for correcting variation of restriction in the output current caused by variation in a current amplification factor of the output transistor. The correction circuit includes a correcting transistor that is manufactured in the same manufacturing process as the output transistor and formed so as to have the same tendency of manufacturing process variation in current amplification factor etc. as that of the output transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takao Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 7405098
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) germanium (Ge)-on-insulator (GOI) thin-film with a smooth surface. The method provides a silicon (Si) wafer, forms a silicon nitride insulator layer overlying the Si wafer, and selectively etches the silicon nitride insulator layer, forming a Si seed access region. Then, the method conformally deposits Ge overlying the silicon nitride insulator layer and Si seed access region, forming a Ge layer with a first surface roughness, and smoothes the Ge layer using a chemical-mechanical polish (CMP) process. Typically, the method encapsulates the Ge layer and anneals the Ge layer to form a LPE Ge layer. A Ge layer is formed with a second surface roughness, less than the first surface roughness. In some aspects, the method forms an active device in the LPE Ge layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Jer-Shen Maa, Douglas J. Tweet, David R. Evans, Allen Burmaster
  • Patent number: 7405864
    Abstract: A dimming device is provided by using a material which is capable of transitioning between a metallic reflection state and a transmitting state. The dimming device has a layered structure including a first layer and a second layer, such that the light reflectance of the first layer changes in response to an external stimulation. The first layer contains a first material whose optical characteristics change in accordance with a concentration of a specific element. The second layer contains a second material capable of containing the specific element, the second material releasing or absorbing the specific element in accordance with the external stimulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Uchida
  • Patent number: 7404644
    Abstract: A time-sequential colour projector comprises a pixellated light valve (2), such as a liquid crystal device, and a plurality of light sources (30, 31, 32). The light sources (30, 31, 32) direct light on different sets of pixels of the light valve (2) via an optical system (1), such as a lens array, which focuses the light on pixels of the light valve (2). At least two of the light sources (30, 31, 32) are multiple colour light sources and the multiple colour light sources emit different colour components during each set of frames making up a complete image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Allan Evans, Grant Bourhill, Marina V. Khazova
  • Publication number: 20080174725
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display has spacers for maintaining a liquid crystal layer and a cell gap between a substrate and an opposite substrate and also has regions either within a single pixel or over two or more pixels. The spacers are of columnar shape elongated from the substrate to the opposite substrate or the other way round, and the columnar spacers are provided in regions in which the liquid crystal layer is thinnest among those regions in which the liquid crystal layer varies in thickness. The structure makes the liquid crystal display having two or more different cell gaps to stably maintain those cell gaps and produces good quality displays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Fujimori, Yozo Narutaki, Tokihiko Shinomiya
  • Publication number: 20080175119
    Abstract: The front monitor apparatus which monitors a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser element provided in the optical pickup apparatus includes first and second photodiodes each having different light receiving sensitivity, for receiving the laser beam and outputting a current corresponding to a light receiving intensity, and a current-voltage conversion circuit for differentiating voltage conversion levels for converting a current to a voltage, in association with the respective light receiving elements so that a voltage to be converted when a predetermined current is supplied from a second photodiode having low light receiving sensitivity exceeds a voltage to be converted when the predetermined current is supplied from a first photodiode having high light receiving sensitivity, and outputting a voltage which is obtained by conversion of a current from the respective light receiving elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mototsugu FUKUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20080174814
    Abstract: When execution of a job is stopped by an error or the like, and when an uncompleted job is generated, the stagnation of the job is eliminated by enabling a user different from a requesting user of the job to cope with the uncompleted job. The user different from the requesting user inputs identification information through a user information input section 8. When recognizing the identification information, a permitting section 24 permits the recognized user to perform an operation to cope with the uncompleted job. When the user selects the uncompleted job and performs an operation to notify the uncompleted job, the notifying section 21 creates a message to notify that there is an uncompleted job, and transmits the message to a terminal apparatus 2 of the requesting user. A treatment section 22 deletes the uncompleted job or puts the uncompleted job on standby according to a response from the requesting user, so as to eliminate the stagnation of the job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Nagata
  • Publication number: 20080174833
    Abstract: The present invention allows a specific image to be easily changed when using a counter in the case of adding a specific image. A specific image adding section 12 for adding the specific image to inputted image data includes a first counter 15 for deciding positions of a main scanning direction and a vertical scanning direction and a second counter 16 for specifying a form of the specific image. The second counter 16 counts up addresses of pixels counterclockwise with a starting point at one corner on a matrix made up of the main scanning direction and vertical scanning direction. If the first counter 15 counts a predetermined count value, the second counter 16 starts. When a maximum value of the count value of the second counter 16 is equal to or less than a count set value, an image is formed on each of the pixels. The pixel on which the image is formed is changed and the form of the specific image is also changed by changing the count set value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 7403666
    Abstract: A filtering apparatus calculates a median of image data that includes nine pixel values arranged in a window of 3*3. First, an input circuit receives as an input the image data, divides the data into groups each having three pixels, and outputs. The pixel values of each group are sorted in accordance with magnitude order, by a plurality of sorters. After sorting, the maximum values among the pixel values of the groups are determined by a plurality of shifters and a plurality of maximum value determiners, and the determined pixel values are removed from the corresponding groups. As a result, four largest pixel values are removed from the three groups. A last sorter extracts and outputs the maximum pixel value (median) from the remaining five pixel values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsumi Arata
  • Patent number: 7403228
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state camera device which can improve both the shading caused by the eclipse of the incident light and the shading cased by the rim darkening. The present solid-state camera device comprises a plurality of light-receiving parts 1 arranged at a constant interval on a substrate, and a plurality of light-focusing parts 2 disposed corresponding to each of the light-receiving parts on the substrate surface so that the incident light is focused on the light-receiving parts. Further, the position of each of the light-focusing parts is shifted gradually larger toward the center of the camera region O based on the corresponding light-receiving parts and the size along the substrate surface of each of the light-focusing parts 2, W1?, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Kamimura, Masashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 7403248
    Abstract: The liquid crystal display device of the invention includes: a liquid crystal layer taking on a roughly vertically aligned state in the black display state: first and second polarizing plates placed to face each other so that the transmission axes are orthogonal to each other; at least one first phase plate placed between the liquid crystal layer and the first polarizing plate and/or the second polarizing plate; at least one second phase plate placed between the first phase plate and the first or second polarizing plate whichever is farther from the first phase plate; and an illuminator for illuminating the liquid crystal layer with light via the first or second polarizing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihisa Uchida, Koichi Miyachi, Masumi Kubo, Nobuhiko Nakai, Hidehiko Ohkura
  • Patent number: 7403738
    Abstract: A developer collecting apparatus for collecting waste developer which is generated by cleaning residual developer remained on a photoreceptor and an intermediate transfer body, includes: a waste developer container for accommodating the waste developer; a stirring member rotatably provided in the waste developer container, for stirring the waste developer; and a driving section for giving a rotary driving force to the stirring member. The driving section of the stirring member has: a driving source; a first driving force transmitting path and a second driving force transmitting path which are coupled on the driving source, for transmitting the rotary driving force to the stirring member, and when a rotational load on the first driving force transmitting path reaches a predetermined level or more, a switch-over of transmitting path can be performed from the first driving force transmitting path to the second driving force transmitting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Murakami, Hideaki Kadowaki, Yasuhiro Takai
  • Patent number: 7402209
    Abstract: A coating liquid to be used for coating has a loss tangent tan ? of from 1 to 10 at a frequency of 6.28 radians/sec. A coating liquid supplying roll has a fine concave portion in at least a part of the circumferential length thereof, and in the vicinities of the both circumferential ends of the fine concave portion, the fine concave portion 8 has concave depth decreasing portions formed in such a manner that the depth of a fine concave decreases. The fine concave portion is constructed in such a manner that the sum L (=L1+L2) of a circumferential length L1 of a portion in which the fine concaves are formed in substantially the same depth and a circumferential length L2 of one concave depth decreasing portion becomes an integral multiple (1 or more) of a circumference Lc of the cylindrical substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Ishida, Takatsugu Obata, Junichi Washo
  • Patent number: 7402513
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for forming an interlayer insulation film suppressing the occurrence of voids in the interlayer insulation film. A method for forming an interlayer insulation film of the present invention, comprising the steps of: (1) forming an etching stopper film of a silicon nitride film on an entire surface including a step part on a semiconductor substrate having the step part with an aspect ratio of ?3; (2) forming an interlayer insulation film of an impurity-doped silicate film on the silicon nitride film; and (3) performing reflow of the interlayer insulation film by a heat treatment, wherein the formation of the silicon nitride film is controlled such that the N—H bond density of the silicon nitride film is 1.0×1022 pieces/cm3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Sonoda, Kazumasa Mitsumune, Kenichiroh Abe, Yushi Inoue, Tsukasa Doi
  • Patent number: 7403201
    Abstract: A transmitting-side device (1) generates an image data by performing an image analysis toward the actually photographed two-dimensional image (100) and also generates depth information useful for converting the two-dimensional image into a stereoscopic vision-use image. Furthermore, the transmitting-side device generates additional subordinate information such as scale information, function specifying information, table specifying information, and the like, and transmits such the information to a receiving-side device (2). The receiving-side device (2) receives the image data, the depth information, and the additional subordinate information, generates a parallax image on the basis of such the information, and allows an observer to perform stereoscopic vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Takemoto, Goro Hamagishi, Toshio Nomura
  • Patent number: 7404158
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit inspection method of inspecting a semiconductor integrated circuit including plural transistors according to which a test pattern generated for the semiconductor integrated circuit is input to an input terminal of the semiconductor integrated circuit, the time during which a voltage applied upon each of the transistors remains equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage is measured in response to inputting of the test pattern at the input terminal, and the ratio of thus measured time to the inspection time for the semiconductor integrated circuit is calculated. In certain example embodiments of this invention, this is advantageous in that it may be possible to verify whether a generated test pattern is preferable by grasping a state of voltage applied upon each transistor during a reliability test, so as to help maintain accuracy of reliability testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukinori Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7404208
    Abstract: In the context of an electronic appliance such as an image processing apparatus incorporating a restricted scanner function in addition to standard copier and printer functions, when releasing the restriction on the restricted scanner function, a function restriction release program capable of releasing the restriction on the restricted scanner function might be made to run on a host PC, the restriction on the restricted scanner function at the electronic appliance being automatically released at a time when this host PC is connected to the electronic appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihiro Ueno