Patents Assigned to Sharp
  • Patent number: 8975618
    Abstract: A resonant tunneling device includes a first semiconductor material with an energy difference between valence and conduction bands of Eg1, and a second semiconductor material with an energy difference between valence and conduction bands of Eg2, wherein Eg1 and Eg2 are different from one another. The device further includes an energy selectively transmissive interface connecting the first and second semiconductor materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: James Andrew Robert Dimmock, Stephen Day, Matthias Kauer, Jonathan Heffernan
  • Patent number: 8976204
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device (1) provided with a backlight part (3) that has a light-emitting diode (light source), and a liquid crystal panel (display part) (2) that includes a plurality of pixels (P) and displays information using illumination light from the backlight part (3). A video generating device (control part) (9) decides, in a frame in which a gray-scale transition occurs, at least a length of either an OFF period of the light-emitting diode in a first half of the frame or an ON period of the light-emitting diode in a latter half of the frame, based on the time information from the time information generating part (26), and outputs an instruction signal to a light source driving part (14) in accordance with the decided OFF or ON period for driving the light-emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirofumi Murakami, Kohji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8976946
    Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a communication portion for communicating with an external device, a transmitter information acquiring portion for acquiring predetermined transmitter information for identifying the transmitter at a time of an incoming call of communication, a storage portion for storing a registered name in association with the transmitter information in advance, a registered name retrieval portion for, retrieving the registered name stored in the storage portion so as to be associated with the acquired transmitter information, a common part extraction portion for, in a case where a plurality of registered names are retrieved with respect to the acquired transmitter information when the registered name is retrieved by the registered name retrieval portion, extracting a common part among the plurality of registered names, and an output portion for outputting the common part of the registered names which is extracted by the common part extraction portion, in a predetermined system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sho Kobayashi, Hirotoshi Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8975786
    Abstract: When portable electronic equipment drops, CPU stops power supply to a prescribed unit. A prescribed unit is a unit that is not necessary for the continuous operation of the portable electronic equipment. When the portable electronic equipment collides with the floor or the ground, the battery terminal may be momentarily detached from the connector. In this case, instantaneous voltage drop or momentary power failure may occur. Power supply to a prescribed unit is stopped while power supply to CPU and RAM is continued. Therefore, power supply to CPU and RAM can be continued with electric charge stored in a capacitor inside the portable electronic equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8976401
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with an image output portion, paper supply portions, a display image generating portion, a display panel, and an operation unit including an operation unit side control portion having a preview display function, a specified display image generating function and a paper display image generating function are included as the display image generating portion and a specified paper supply portion displaying function and an output state displaying function are included as the operation unit side control portion, for displaying a preview of a situation of a paper supply portion and sheets of paper on the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Kawahara
  • Patent number: 8976414
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a line noise detection section for detecting line noise pixels included in input image data; a segmentation process section for determining a pixel in a text region; and a line noise removal process section for (i) determining a replacement-target line noise pixel by excepting, from the line noise pixels, the pixel in the text region and a pixel within a first distance from the pixel in the text region and (ii) replacing the replacement-target line noise pixel with another pixel other than the line noise pixels, which another pixel is included in the input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masakazu Ohira
  • Patent number: 8976372
    Abstract: On a touch-panel display of an image forming apparatus, pieces of information are displayed divided into five areas, that is, a system area , a function selecting area, a preview area, an action panel area and a task trigger area, of which arrangement is kept unchanged even when operational modes are switched. With such an arrangement, the same or similar pieces of information are displayed on an area arranged at the same position even in different operational modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Takaya Nakatani
  • Patent number: 8976107
    Abstract: A display element (10) includes an upper substrate (first substrate) (2), a lower substrate (second substrate) (3), and a conductive liquid (16) that is sealed in a display space (S) formed between the upper substrate (2) and the lower substrate (3) so as to be moved toward an effective display region (P1) or a non-effective display region (P2). The conductive liquid (16) is colored black. The non-effective display (P2) is defined by a black matrix (light-shielding layer) (11s) provided on the upper substrate (2), and the effective display region (P1) is defined by a color filter (aperture) (11r) formed in the black matrix (11s). The size of the black matrix (11s) is determined based on the size of each of ribs (14a, 14b) and a gap size (H) between the upper substrate (2) and the lower substrate (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuma Tomotoshi, Kohzoh Nakamura, Shun Ueki, Toshiki Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8975296
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing cathespin K inhibitors. Also disclosed are processes for making said pharmaceutical compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Haihong Fan, Majid Mahjour, Justin Moser, Bhagwant Rege
  • Patent number: 8976099
    Abstract: A charge storage circuit for a pixel comprises a charge storage node. First and second series-connected transistors (8,10) are provided for selectively isolating the charge storage node from a first voltage input (9,SL) for supplying a data voltage. The circuit is provided with a voltage follower circuit for replicating a voltage at the charge storage node (12) at another node in the circuit thereby to reduce the drain-source voltage across the second transistor (10). The first transistor forms part of the voltage follower circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sunay Shah, Patrick Zebedee, Benjamin James Hadwen, Michael James Brownlow
  • Patent number: 8976109
    Abstract: Based on captured images obtained when an image capture device takes images in an image capture range, a change in the moving speed of one passerby or each of a plurality of passerby contained in the captured images is calculated. When there is a passerby whose moving speed is decreased in the image capture range, the passerby is paying attention to the content, and therefore content to be outputted by a content output device is switched from ordinary content to specific content. On the other hand, when only passerby who are moving at constant speed are present in the image capture range, the passerby are not paying attention to the content, and hence the content output device continues to output the ordinary content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotaka Kubota
  • Patent number: 8976209
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal panel including a scan signal line (16x), a data signal line (15x), and a transistor (12a) that is connected to the scan signal line (16x) and the data signal line (15x). A pixel (101) is provided with pixel electrodes (17a and 17b). The pixel electrode (17a) is connected to the data signal line (15x) through the transistor (12a). The liquid crystal panel further includes capacitance electrodes (37a and 38a) that are formed in the same layer as the scan signal line (16x). The capacitance electrodes (37a and 38a) are electrically connected to the pixel electrode (17a), and form a capacitance with the pixel electrode (17b). Consequently, the yield of a capacitance coupling type pixel division system active matrix substrate can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihide Tsubata
  • Patent number: 8976736
    Abstract: A mobile station apparatus (1) determines an uplink carrier component to which a physical downlink control channel instructing to start random access procedure corresponds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Suzuki, Yasuyuki Kato, Shohei Yamada
  • Patent number: 8976319
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that includes: a display panel (7) that has a display surface that displays an image; a fan (500); an ion-generating device (520) that can generate ions; and a guiding mechanism (620) that can selectively guiding air from the fan (500) to the display surface and to the rear side of the display surface. The air that is guided to the display surface is guided together with ions that are generated by the ion-generating device (520).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihide Kohtoku
  • Patent number: 8975536
    Abstract: Provided is a wiring structure that can prevent circuit elements from breaking due to static electricity. The disclosed wiring structure includes: a transparent substrate 11; wiring lines 14 that are formed on the transparent substrate 11; and dummy wiring lines 17 that are formed on the transparent substrate 11 and to which a static electricity absorbers 18 are connected. Prescribed sections of the dummy wiring lines 17 are provided closer to an outer edge 11a of the transparent substrate 11 than the wiring lines 14, and the prescribed sections of the dummy wiring lines 17 are shaped so as to extend towards the outer edge 11a side of the transparent substrate 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8976154
    Abstract: A touch panel system (71a) includes a capacitance value distribution detection circuit (72). The capacitance value distribution detection circuit (72) switches a connection state between a first connection state and a second connection state, which first connection state makes first signal lines (HL1 to HLM) serve as drive lines (DL1 to DLM) and second signal lines (VL1 to VLM) serve as sense lines (SL1 to SLM), and which second connection state makes the second signal lines (VL1 to VLM) serve as the drive lines (DL1 to DLM) and the first signal lines (HL1 to HLM) serve as the sense lines (SL1 to SLM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Miyamoto, Kunihiko Iizuka, Manabu Yumoto, Shinichi Yoshida, Kengo Takahama
  • Patent number: 8976881
    Abstract: A data signal component output from a reference signal demultiplexer and channel state information obtained by using DM-RS output from a channel estimating unit are input into a modulo estimating unit. In a channel compensator, a first provisional decision value sequence is calculated on the basis of the channel state information. The first provisional decision value sequence is input into a modulo calculator, and modulo calculations are performed on the first provisional decision value sequence to obtain a second provisional decision value sequence. A decision-feedback channel estimating section finds a first channel estimation value based on the first provisional decision value sequence and a second channel estimation value based on the second provisional decision value sequence. A modulo decision section decides whether or not a perturbation term has been added to a code, and uses a decision result for the selection of a demodulation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Tomeba, Takashi Onodera, Hiroshi Nakano, Alvaro Ruiz Delgado
  • Patent number: 8976637
    Abstract: In an optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus reproducing an optical information storage medium including a plurality of information recording layers each including a recording mark having a length shorter than an optical system resolution limit, reproduction laser power reading an information recording layer closest to a reproduction-laser-incident surface of the optical information storage medium is set to be lower than reproduction laser power reading an information recording layer farthest from the reproduction-laser-incident surface but not lower than minimum reproduction laser power that satisfies a reproduction signal characteristic that the optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus requires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Yamamoto, Hirohisa Yamada, Yasuhiro Harada, Go Mori, Hideharu Tajima, Shigemi Maeda, Yoshiteru Murakami
  • Patent number: 8977870
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: a DC-DC converter for supplying power to an external device connected via a USB 3.0 host connector; and a device determination section for determining, via one terminal of the USB 3.0 host connector, the external device connected to the USB 3.0 host connector. Upon determination by the device determination section that a USB compatible device is connected, the DC-DC converter supplies power to the USB compatible device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuaki Amemura
  • Patent number: 8975637
    Abstract: A thin film diode (100A) includes a semiconductor layer (130) having first, second, and third semiconductor regions, a first insulating layer (122) formed on the semiconductor layer (130), and a second insulating layer (123) formed on the first insulating layer (122). The first semiconductor region (134A) contains an impurity of a first-conductivity type at a first concentration; the second semiconductor region (135A) contains an impurity of a second-conductivity type different from the first conductivity type at a second concentration; and the third semiconductor region (133A) contains the first-conductivity type impurity at a third concentration lower than the first concentration, or contains the second-conductivity type impurity at a third concentration lower than the second concentration. The first semiconductor region (134A) conforms to an aperture pattern in the second insulating layer (123), or the second semiconductor region (135A) conforms to an aperture pattern in the second insulating layer (123).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsukizono, Tomohiro Kimura, Hiroyuki Ogawa