Patents Assigned to Sharp
  • Patent number: 8732376
    Abstract: The timing controller determines the number of data lanes (11, 12, 13), which are used to transfer data, based on information in relation to an amount of data to be transferred during a predetermined time period. Out of the plurality of data lanes (11, 12, 13), the determined number of data lane(s) (11, 12, 13) are used to transfer data. Further, a data lane(s) (11, 12, 13) which is not used in the data transfer is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohji Saitoh, Masaki Uehata, Asahi Yamato
  • Patent number: 8729788
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element for emitting primary light, and a wavelength conversion unit for absorbing part of the primary light and emitting secondary light having a wavelength longer than that of the primary light, wherein the wavelength conversion unit includes plural kinds of phosphors having light absorption characteristics different from each other, and then at least one kind of phosphor among the plural kinds of phosphors has an absorption characteristic that can absorb the secondary light emitted from at least another kind of phosphor among the plural kinds of phosphors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatsugu Masuda, Masaaki Katoh, Tsukasa Inoguchi
  • Patent number: 8731321
    Abstract: An image processing device (10) includes: a line segment extracting section (14) for generating a line segment image obtained by extracting contour line segments contained in a contour of a subject in a captured image; a candidate quadrilateral calculating section (15) for (i) putting at least one virtual line segment in the line segment image (ii) selecting four line segments from a set containing the at least one virtual line segment and the contour line segments, and (iii) identifying a quadrilateral defined by four straight lines containing respective selected four line segments; and an image correcting section (17) for correcting a distortion in perspective transformation of the captured image based on the quadrilateral identified by the candidate quadrilateral calculating section (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Fujiwara, Kazuyuki Nako
  • Patent number: 8730423
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a plurality of source lines (2) to which a signal voltage according to a source signal is applied; a first wire (3a) and a second wire (3b) for fixing a wire breakage that are configured so that they can be connected to opposite ends of at least one of the plurality of source lines (2); and a buffer section (4) provided between the first wire (3a) and the second wire (3b) for impedance conversion along the first wire (3a) and the second wire (3b), wherein the liquid crystal display device includes spare capacitors (10a) and (10b) for adjusting a signal waveform according to the source signal applied to the source lines (2a) and (2b) with the first wire (3a) and the second wire (3b) being connected to the source lines (2a) and (2b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hirao
  • Patent number: 8731441
    Abstract: A charging roller has a conductive shaft, a charge emission member provided to the shaft, and a gap securing member provided to the shaft. The gap securing member (i) protrudes toward the photoreceptor drum so as to be closer to the photoreceptor drum than the charge emission member is to the photoreceptor drum and (ii) is in contact with the photoreceptor drum so as to secure a gap between the charge emission member and the photoreceptor drum. A conductive part of the gap securing member and the shaft are bonded to each other by electrically releasing adhesive, so that the gap securing member is provided to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Hitoshi Nagahama
  • Patent number: 8730896
    Abstract: In the system of a variable transmission bandwidth, transmit power control for minimizing an impact on a circuit is performed. There is provided a transmit power control method that is applied to a transmission apparatus that transmits data through the use of a different transmission format at each transmission opportunity, in which transmit power is controlled depending on the transmission format before digital/analogue conversion is performed on transmission data, and, based on the transmit power control, the transmit power is controlled on the transmission data that has been subjected for the digital/analogue conversion. In addition, the transmission format specifies a frequency bandwidth used for transmission of the transmission data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hamaguchi, Kazunari Yokomakura, Osamu Nakamura, Jungo Goto, Hiroki Takahashi, Daiichiro Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8730219
    Abstract: A display device (liquid crystal display device 100) includes a display panel (10) (liquid crystal panel 10), light receiving sensors (first light receiving sensors 122), and an image changing section (250). A display region (10a) of the liquid crystal panel (10) has a plurality of pixels (30) located therein. The first light receiving sensors (122) receive external light directed to the liquid crystal panel (10), at a plurality of positions in the display region (10a). In the image changing section (250), a reference value is predefined for light receiving information (a1 through d1) obtained by the first light receiving sensors (122). When light receiving information (a1 through d1) exceeding the reference value is obtained by the first light receiving sensors (122), the image changing section (250) changes an image to be displayed on the display region (10a), based on the light receiving information (a1 through d1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihide Kohtoku
  • Patent number: 8729104
    Abstract: The instant invention provides compounds of formula I which are 5-lipoxygenase activating protein inhibitors. Compounds of formula I are useful as anti-atherosclerotic, anti-asthmatic, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Lin Chu, Ihor E. Kopka, Bing Li, Anthony K. Ogawa, Feroze Ujjainwalla
  • Patent number: 8731443
    Abstract: A developing device has a first and a second developer conveyance path configured to convey and circulate the two-component developer; a first and a second conveyance member each having a helical blade for conveying the developer in one direction; a first communicating path for guiding the developer in the first developer conveyance path to the second developer conveyance path; a second communicating path. The second developer conveyance path includes a second upstream side end section having a bottom in a conical shape having an inner diameter conically increasing. The helical blade of the second conveyance member has a second conical helix portion having an outer diameter conically increasing along an inner wall surface of the bottom of the second upstream side end section. The bottom of the second upstream side end section is at a level lower than a bottom of the first developer conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Mihara, Takafumi Nagai
  • Patent number: 8730446
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel (1) includes a TFT substrate (10), a CF substrate (20) facing the TFT substrate (10), a liquid crystal layer (25) provided between the TFT substrate (10) and the CF substrate (20), an alignment film configured to control alignment of the liquid crystal layer (25), and a sealing member (26) sandwiched between the TFT substrate (10) and the CF substrate (20) and formed in the shape of a frame surrounding the liquid crystal layer (25). In a region (35) where the sealing member (26) is to be provided, a metal pattern (2) is provided which is configured to reflect infrared light emitted from a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer toward the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer in order to determine the presence or absence of the alignment film in the region (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takafumi Hayama
  • Patent number: 8729045
    Abstract: The invention provides short interfering nucleic acids, either single-stranded or double-stranded, that cause RNAi-induced degradation of mRNA from the Nav1.8 sodium channel gene; to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such short interfering nucleic acids; recombinant vectors comprising such short interfering nucleic acids; a method for inhibiting translation of an mRNA; a method for inhibiting expression of a polypeptide; a method for blocking the membrane potential in a cell; a method for blocking the sodium current in a cell; and a method for inhibiting chronic pain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. and Canji, Inc.
    Inventors: Sameer Goregaoker, John C. Hunter, Tony Priestley
  • Patent number: 8729612
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of scanning lines (11a) extending parallel to each other; a plurality of signal lines (16a) extending parallel to each other in a direction crossing the scanning lines (11a); a plurality of TFTs (5) each provided at each of intersections of the scanning lines (11a) and the signal lines (16a), and each including a semiconductor layer (4a); and a coating type insulating layer formed between each of the scanning lines (11a) and each of the signal lines (16a). A plurality of openings (15a) are formed in the insulating layer such that each of the semiconductor layers (4a) is exposed, and at least part of a peripheral end of the opening (15a) of the insulating layer is positioned on an inner side relative to each of peripheral ends of the semiconductor layers (4a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Katsui, Wataru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8730888
    Abstract: Transmitter(s) (34), radio base station nodes (38) comprising transmitter(s), and methods of operating transmitter(s)/radio base station(s) involve handling discontinuous transmission indication bits, particularly when transmitting using a 16 QAM signal point constellation having an I-branch and a Q-branch (for a quadruple of bits comprising two I-branch bits, i1 and i2, and two Q-branch bits q1 and q2). The transmitter(s) (34) and the radio base station nodes (28) comprised thereof are operated to perform a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service over Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) transmission wherein the MBSFN transmission comprises mapping data to a Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (SCCPCH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Dirk Gerstenberger, Lars Lindbom
  • Patent number: 8732038
    Abstract: According to a service management method to supply products-in-circulation to service receivers, a service management system is built that enables the service provider to manage whether the service receivers are using those products-in-circulation delivered from the service provider in an authorized manner. This provides a reasonable service whereby the service receiver is charged only for those products-in-circulation the service receiver has actually used. To this end, the service management device in accordance with the present invention includes: a memory section for registering data of products-in-circulation to be delivered to the service receivers; an input section for entering current status of the products-in-circulation; and an arithmetic processing section for calculating charges on the basis of the number of products-in-circulation that are regarded as having been actually used, not the total number of the delivered product-in-circulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaya Nagata
  • Patent number: 8728791
    Abstract: The present invention provides a microorganism which possesses the formate dehydrogenase gene and hydrogenase gene and contains an exogenous transcription activator gene for formate hydrogen lyase system, characterized in that said microorganism shows the transcription activator for formate hydrogen lyase system highly expressed therein and shows an improved function to generate hydrogen from formic acid, and a process for producing hydrogen using the microorganism. Utilization of the microorganism of the present invention enables the hydrogen production from an organic substrate to be accomplished on a practical, commercial scale. The hydrogen to be produced by the present invention, which is free of carbon monoxide being causative to poisoning of the electrode catalyst for fuel cells, is useful as a fuel for fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, Sharp Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Yukawa, Masayuki Inui, Akihito Yoshida, Naoto Torata
  • Patent number: 8727592
    Abstract: A light source module of the present invention is configured such that there is a through hole (23) in one longitudinal end portion of a light guide (21) that constitutes a light guide plate, into which through hole (23) a positioning pin (24) for positioning an LED light source (12) and the light guide (21) fits. Further, a guide (9) is provided to the other end portion of the light guide (21), which guide (9) restrains the light guide (21) in a direction of a short side but does not restrain the light guide (21) in a direction of a long side. This makes it possible to provide a light source module that can reduce warping and cracking caused by expansion of a light guide, and an electronic apparatus including the light source module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Ishizaka, Kazuya Ikuta, Eiji Kurimoto, Sumito Nishioka, Keiji Sakai, Hirotsugu Matoba, Takeshi Takayama
  • Patent number: 8729596
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent element comprising: an anode (3); a cathode (4); and an organic layer (5), sandwiched between the anode (3) and the cathode (4), which contains a positive and negative charge transporting material, the organic layer (5) including an acceptor region (6) doped with an acceptor, a donor region (8) doped with a donor, and a light-emitting region (7) doped with an organic light-emitting material, the acceptor region (6) being located on the anode (3), the donor region (8) being located on the cathode (4), the light-emitting region (7) being located between the acceptor region (6) and the donor region (8), the acceptor having such a concentration gradient in the acceptor region (6) as to become lower in concentration from the anode (3) toward the light-emitting region (7), the donor having such a concentration gradient in the donor region (8) as to become lower in concentration from the cathode (4) toward the light-emitting region (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Fujita
  • Patent number: 8731606
    Abstract: A priority storing unit (b117) stores, for each of frequency bands predetermined, a priority for accessing a base station device using associated one of the frequency bands. A service type determining unit (b114) chooses, based on identification information received from the at least one first base station device, which of the first and second services to receive from each of the at least one first base station device. A priority determining unit (b116) determines, based on a type of a connection service chosen by the service type determining unit (b114), a priority for each of the frequency bands which is used by the at least one first base station device, and to update the priority stored by the priority storing unit (b117) based on the priority determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Yoshihara, Hirokazu Kobayashi, Shinichi Sawada, Shigeto Suzuki, Kohki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8728941
    Abstract: Disclosed is a thin-film transistor (10) manufacturing method that includes a process for forming a nitrate film (12x) that includes residual nickel (22) on a surface thereof, by bringing a nitric acid solution into contact with a polysilicon layer (11x); and a process for removing the nitrate film (12x) that includes residual nickel (22) from the polysilicon layer (11x) surface. With this surface treatment process, a polysilicon layer (11) with reduced concentration of a surface residual nickel (22) is provided, and a thin-film transistor (10) having excellent surface smoothness is attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Imai, Takafumi Shimatani, Hikaru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8730197
    Abstract: A touch panel controller (1), which can accurately detect changes in capacitance values of respective first and second electrostatic capacitors which are touched, includes: a driving section (4) for driving drive lines (DL1 through DL4) on the basis of a code sequence so as to drive (i) electrostatic capacitors (C31 through C34) provided between the respective drive lines (DL1 through DL4) and a sense line (SL3) and (ii) electrostatic capacitors (C41 through C44) provided between the respective drive lines (DL1 through DL4) and a sense line (SL4) so that (i) a first linear sum of first capacitance values of the respective electrostatic capacitors (C31 through C34) is outputted from the sense line (SL3) and (ii) a second linear sum of second capacitance values of the respective electrostatic capacitors (C41 through C44) is outputted from the sense line (SL4); a differential amplifier (5) for amplifying a difference between the first linear sum and the second linear sum; and a saturation prevention control sect
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mutsumi Hamaguchi, Masayuki Miyamoto, Kunihiko Iizuka