Patents Assigned to Sharp
  • Patent number: 8699902
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a PTC and a toner concentration sensor that are disposed adjacent to and downstream of a fourth image forming unit. The PTC and the toner concentration sensor are opposed to an intermediate transfer belt. A counter roller is opposed to the PTC across the intermediate transfer belt. The counter roller moves to, during the toner concentration detection, a position opposed to the toner concentration sensor across the intermediate transfer belt. Compared to the PTC and the toner concentration sensor each having a counter roller, less rollers may be provided, thereby reducing degradation of the intermediate transfer belt due to wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Hirai
  • Patent number: 8698976
    Abstract: In a light emitting device, a substrate on which LEDs are arranged in line is used as a light source used for the sidelight of an illuminating apparatus serving as a backlight of sidelight type. The frame of the LED includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The second and third portions are arranged on both sides of the first portion. The length of the longest part of the first portion in a first direction d1 in which the LEDs are arranged is larger than the length of the longest part of each of the second portion and the third portion. Each of the second portion and the third portion has a part having a length in the first direction d1 shorter than the length al of the longest part of the first portion in the first direction d1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Hamada
  • Patent number: 8699926
    Abstract: A developing device 2 includes a control member 116 for controlling an amount of a developer supplied to an image bearing member 3 by causing a developer captured on a surface of a developing sleeve 119 to be uniform in layer thickness. The control member 116 is arranged to face, via the developing sleeve 119, one (120b) of a plurality of magnetic poles provided inside the developing sleeve 119. Further, the control member 116 is arranged to be in parallel with a developing roller 114 in an axial direction of a magnet fixing shaft 126. The control member 116 is such a non-magnetic member that the nearest part of the non-magnetic member from the developing roller 114 has been caused to be ferromagnetic and has been magnetic-field oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 8700067
    Abstract: A mobile phone (1) of the present invention includes a mobile phone storage section (8) configured to store both of (i) data including positional information and (ii) data including no positional information, a positional information extraction section (110) for identifying the data including the positional information from among the data stored in the mobile phone storage section (8) and extracting the positional information to be used as a standard for setting a predetermined area, a mobile phone determination section (111) for setting the predetermined area on a basis of the positional information extracted by the positional information extraction section (110), and a mobile phone notification section (112) notifying the user of the mobile phone when the current position of the mobile phone enters within the predetermined area set by the mobile phone determination section (111). Hence, the user can easily register the positional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Shirakawa, Syuji Daioku, Nobuo Kusumoto, Akira Tojima, Akihiro Azuma, Kunihiro Minoshima, Takehiko Shioda, Akihiro Tozaki, Kazunori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8697694
    Abstract: The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I): and tautomers, isomers, and esters of said compounds, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, and prodrugs of said compounds, wherein each of R, R1, X, Y, Z, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R18, R19 and n is selected independently and as defined herein. Compositions comprising such compounds are also provided. The compounds of the invention are effective as inhibitors of HCV, and are useful, alone and together with other therapeutic agents, in treating or preventing diseases or disorders such as viral infections and virus-related disorders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignees: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Southern Research Institute
    Inventors: Ashok Arasappan, F. George Njoroge, Cecil D. Kwong, Subramaniam Ananthan, Frank Bennett, Jeremy Clark, Hollis S. Kezar, III, Vinay M. Girijavallabhan, Yuhua Huang, Regina Huelgas, Joseph A. Maddry, John J. Piwinski, Robert C. Reynolds, Abhijit Roychowdhury, Anita T. Fowler, Feng Geng, John A. Secrist, III, Neng-Yang Shih, Vishal Verma, Francisco Velazquez, Srikanth Venkatraman
  • Patent number: 8698986
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device capable of suppressing alignment disorder of liquid crystal and having satisfactory VR characteristics. According to the present invention, a liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal display device having a reflective region and a transmissive region. One of the pair of substrates includes a longitudinal projecting portion and a liquid-crystal-layer-thickness adjusting portion for setting a liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective region to be smaller than a liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive region. At least a part of the projecting portion is arranged without a gap along at least a part of a step portion of the liquid-crystal-layer-thickness adjusting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Ogawa, Kazuyoshi Fujioka, Tomoo Furukawa, Masaaki Saitoh
  • Patent number: 8698060
    Abstract: Disclosed is a position detection system capable of detecting the position of a line-shaped object. From among two connected lines (E1E2 and E1?E2?) created by connecting opposed intersecting points among four interesting points (E1, E2, E1?, and E2?), a position detection unit (12) treats the one connected line (E1E2) with a length closer to the overall length of a rod (ST) as the position of the rod (ST) that overlaps a coordinate map region (MA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daiji Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8697740
    Abstract: The present invention relates to polymorphic forms of a compound of formula A: This compound is useful as a glucagon receptor antagonist and serves as a pharmaceutically active ingredient for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and related conditions, such as hyperglycemia, obesity, dyslipidemia, and the metabolic syndrome. Hydrates, hemihydrates, anhydrates and similar polymorphic forms are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: John Y. L. Chung, Yanfeng Zhang, Laura Artino, Jennifer Baxter, Aaron S. Cote, Yekaterina Vaynshteyn, Donal Desmond, Jeremy Scott
  • Patent number: 8697045
    Abstract: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) conjugated via a linker to one or more polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules at a single amino acid residue of the IL-10, and a method for preparing the same, are provided. The method produces a stable mono-pegylated IL-10, which retains IL-10 activity, where pegylation is selective for the N-terminus on one subunit of IL-10 with little or no formation of monomeric IL-10. The method also provides a substantially homogenous population of mono-PEG-IL-10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
    Inventors: Seoju Lee, David C. Wylie, Susan Cannon-Carlson
  • Publication number: 20140098017
    Abstract: A retention circuit (22) corresponding to each stage of a shift register is configured such that, when SROUT(k?1) is active, an input terminal of an inverter (INV1) and an output terminal of an inverter (INV2) are electrically connected to each other and an output terminal of the inverter (INV1) and an input terminal of the inverter (INV2) are connected to each other. This makes it possible to reduce a circuit scale of a display driving circuit without causing any malfunction of the display driving circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuhichiroh Murakami, Shige Furuta, Makoto Yokoyama, Seijirou Gyouten
  • Publication number: 20140099939
    Abstract: A mobile station apparatus provided in a mobile communication system that includes a base station apparatus and the mobile station apparatus, where the mobile station apparatus is configured to perform communications with the base station apparatus by using a plurality of frequencies together and the plurality of frequencies being configured by the base station apparatus. The mobile station apparatus includes a first circuitry configured or programmed to notify the base station apparatus of a mobile station apparatus capability indicating measurement ability for first measurement or second measurement on the communication, where the first measurement using a measurement gap and the second measurement not using a measurement gap. The mobile station apparatus also includes a second circuitry configured or programmed to perform the first measurement or the second measurement, based on information for the measurement gap, reception quality of one of the frequencies and the measurement ability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunari UEMURA, Waho OH
  • Publication number: 20140100680
    Abstract: An electronic device for managing data associated with an audio communication is described. The electronic device includes a processor memory in electronic communication with the processor. Executable instructions are stored in the memory. The electronic device establishes an audio communication. The electronic device also receives data. The electronic device further determines whether the data is associated with the audio communication. The electronic device additionally performs an operation based on the data if the data is associated with the audio communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Ishii
  • Publication number: 20140097762
    Abstract: An LED drive circuit (10) for driving an LED circuit (220) includes: a constant current driver (110) including transistors (111-114) whose collector terminals are respectively connected with LED rows (221-224) connected with each other in parallel and whose emitter terminals are grounded; and an LED drive control section (120) for setting a voltage to be commonly applied on the LED rows (221-224), the setting being performed in accordance with a maximum base current out of base currents of the transistors (111-114).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Ide, Hideki Shioe
  • Publication number: 20140101681
    Abstract: An input section (15) of a mobile terminal (1) accepts an input of an evaluation of a broadcast program, while the mobile terminal (1) reproduces the broadcast program. A communicating section (13) transmits the evaluation accepted by the input section (15) to a server. The server finds an aggregate total by aggregating, for each broadcast program, evaluations transmitted from a plurality of mobile terminals (1), and transmits the aggregate total to each of the mobile terminals (1). The communicating section (13) receives the aggregate total transmitted from the server. A display section (11) notifies a user of the aggregate total received by the communicating section (13), by displaying the aggregate total on a display (12) while the broadcast program is being reproduced. This increases motivation causing the user to continue to watch and/or listen to content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Minako MASUBUCHI
  • Publication number: 20140096813
    Abstract: There are provided a photoelectric conversion element and a photoelectric conversion element module including the photoelectric conversion element, the photoelectric conversion element including a transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer arranged on the transparent substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer arranged on the transparent conductive layer, a porous insulating layer arranged in contact with the photoelectric conversion layer, a reflective layer arranged in contact with the porous insulating layer, and a catalyst layer and a counter conductive layer that are arranged on the reflective layer, in which the photoelectric conversion layer contains a porous semiconductor, a carrier-transport material, and a photosensitizer, and in which the area of the orthogonal projection of the porous insulating layer onto the transparent substrate and the area of the orthogonal projection of the reflective layer onto the transparent substrate are each larger than the area of the orthogonal projection o
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryoichi Komiya, Atsushi Fukui, Ryohsuke Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140099766
    Abstract: A resist layer (46a) including a thick film section (47a), which is relatively thick, at one side thereof, and a thin film section (47b), which is relatively thin, at the other side thereof is formed using a multiple-tone mask. A gate electrode (15a) is formed at a place where it will be provided on a semiconductor layer (12a) so as to be narrower than the resist layer (46a), by executing isotropic etching to a conductive film (44) formed in advance using the resist layer (46a) as a mask, in order to form overhang portions (48) on the resist layer (46a) at both sides of the gate electrode (15a). Then, the entire thin film section (47b) is removed, the thick film section (47a) is made thinner, and impurities are implanted into the semiconductor layer (12a) using the remaining resist layer (46a) and the gate electrode (15a) as masks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaki Saitoh
  • Publication number: 20140098016
    Abstract: A flip-flop circuit (11a) includes: an input transistor (Tr19) having a gate terminal thereof connected to an SB terminal, a source terminal thereof connected to an RB terminal, and a drain terminal thereof connected to a first CMOS circuit and a second CMOS circuit; a power supply (VSS) which is connected to the first CMOS circuit or the second CMOS circuit and, when an SB signal is turned to be active, is connected to the RB terminal; and a regulator circuit (RC). With the arrangement, a compact flip-flop and a compact shift register employing the flip-flop are provided, without causing malfunction of the flip-flop and the shift register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shige Furuta, Yuhichiroh Murakami, Makoto Yokoyama, Seijirou Gyouten
  • Publication number: 20140098335
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates disposed to be opposed to each other, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, a lower-layer electrode disposed between one of the substrates and the liquid crystal layer, an insulating film that covers the lower-layer electrode, and an upper-layer electrode disposed on the insulating film. The lower-layer electrode includes a plurality of lower-layer electrode fingers spaced a predetermined interval apart from each other. The upper-layer electrode includes a plurality of upper-layer electrode fingers spaced a predetermined interval apart. The plurality of lower-layer electrode fingers intersects the plurality of upper-layer electrode fingers at a predetermined angle greater than 0 degrees and smaller than 90 degrees if viewed from a direction normal to the one of the substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kamada, Hidefumi Yoshida, Tsuyoshi Maeda
  • Publication number: 20140098529
    Abstract: The light-emitting device includes a substrate and a plurality of light-emitting sections. A first light-emitting section is made up of LED chips and a first fluorescent-substance-containing resin layer, and a second light-emitting section is made up of LED chips and a second fluorescent-substance-containing resin layer. The first fluorescent-substance-containing resin layer and the second fluorescent-substance-containing resin layer are provided in a plurality of locations such that the fluorescent-substance-containing resin layers for the different light-emitting sections are adjacently arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Hata, Makoto Agatani, Toyonori Uemura, Shinya Ishizaki, Hitoshi Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20140098520
    Abstract: A light source device includes a circuit board having a light-emitting element mounted on a one surface; a support body positioned on the other surface side of the circuit board for supporting the circuit board; a rivet having a head portion, which is positioned on a side of the one surface of the circuit board and cannot be inserted into a first through hole provided on the circuit board and the support body, and a shaft portion having a tip side stopped and held on the support body in a penetration via the first through hole; and a reflection sheet arranged on the one surface of the circuit board for reflecting light. The light source device provides a second through hole having a diameter larger or smaller than the diameter of the head portion at the position corresponding to the head portion on the reflection sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideto TAKEUCHI, Hiroshi TAKAHASHI, Tatsuo SUGAHARA, Keita ITO, Toshiyuki FUJITA, Yuuki KAWAMURA, Kenzo TOSHIYUKI, Kenichiro ITO, Kazuki NAKAMICHI, Tomoo SASAKI, Kenta MORIBE, Mamoru YAHATA