Patents Examined by Brian Butcher
  • Patent number: 8300503
    Abstract: In a thermally assisted magnetic recording head having a light source and a waveguide to lead a laser beam radiated from the light source to a front end of the magnetic head, while blocking an adverse effect of heat generated in the light source and securing a good floating characteristic, the light source and the magnetic head are optically coupled with high efficiency and the magnetic head itself is reduced in size. This invention provides a reflection mirror that is formed of a part or whole of one inclined end surface of the semiconductor laser mounted on the first submount. Near one end surface of the slider is provided the optical waveguide that pierces through the slider in a direction of the thickness thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Arai, Naoki Matsushima, Irizo Naniwa, Junichiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8295145
    Abstract: An optical pickup device divides signal light so as to detect the divided signal light. For example, a photodetector can include a region “A” and another region “B.” Among diffracted light diffracted from a track on an optical disc, only zeroth-order diffraction light enters region “A”, whereas the zeroth-order diffraction light, + first-order diffraction light, and ? first-order diffraction light enter region “B”. A focusing error signal from the photodetector is produced based upon a signal detected by the photodetector, whereas a tracking error signal is produced based upon signals detected from the regions “A” and “B.” A stable focusing error signal and a stable tracking error signal can be detected with respect to a dual layer optical disc, or a multi layer optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Media Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8289298
    Abstract: A light sensing circuit, a method of driving the same, and a touch panel including the light sensing circuit, the light sensing circuit including a photodiode generating current according to the brightness of light incident from the outside; a driving transistor having a first electrode to which a first power voltage is applied, a second electrode, and a gate electrode electrically connected to a cathode of the photodiode; a first reset transistor having a first electrode to which an initialization voltage is applied, a second electrode connected to the gate electrode of the driving transistor, and a gate electrode to which a previous scan signal is applied; and a shielding capacitor disposed between the gate electrode of the driving transistor and the cathode of the photodiode. Accordingly, the brightness of light incident on the photodiode can be accurately determined by initializing the cathode of the photodiode by using a constant voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Deok-Young Choi, Yong-Sung Park, Do-Youb Kim, Soon-Sung Ahn, In-Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 8279725
    Abstract: A control device includes n optical pickups, n being an integer greater than one; a dividing unit configured to divide one block into n pieces of data, the one block being a predetermined amount of data; and a control unit configured to control the n optical pickups to record the n pieces of data obtained by the dividing unit on a predetermined recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Norio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8274869
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting a blank area of a power calibration area. The method includes the steps of: selecting a recording test area in the power calibration area; writing the recording test area with multiple stages of normal power and detecting power; forming multiple normal blocks and detecting blocks, wherein each of the detecting blocks includes one unit of unrecorded block and one unit of recorded block; and reading information from the unrecorded blocks of the detecting blocks and thus determining whether the unrecorded blocks of the detecting blocks are blank or not. Once all the unrecorded blocks of the detecting blocks are determined to be blank, it represents that the selected recording test area is totally blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yao Wen Liu, Chung Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 8274872
    Abstract: A system is described comprising an optical record carrier and an apparatus for recording the optical record carrier. The apparatus comprises a facility (20) for generating a visually detectable pattern at a physical location on the record carrier (40), and a facility (20) for storing pattern information. The pattern information comprises at least first information indicative for the physical location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventors: Mathias Martinus Maria Timmermans, Markus Wilhelmus Maria Coopmans, Maarten Kuijper
  • Patent number: 8270270
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for on-line calibrating output power of an optical pick-up. A power adjusting circuit of the optical pick-up has an optical power regulator and an optical power detector. The on-line output power calibrating method includes the steps of: performing a recording pre-process; providing a focus offset value and/or a tilt offset value to the optical pick-up; providing a setting value, corresponding to power under test, to the optical power regulator; detecting laser power emitted from the optical pick-up using the optical power detector; comparing the laser power with the power under test to adjust the setting value of the optical power regulator corresponding to the power under test; and performing an optimum power calibration if the laser power emitted from the optical pick-up conforms to the power under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yao Wen Liu, Chung Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 8269748
    Abstract: A display is provided. The display includes at least one display cell having a display circuit; at least one light receiving cell including a light receiving element; a light emitting section operative to radiate light to the side of a display surface; and at least one transparent plate disposed on the front side in the display relative to a region in which the light emitting section is disposed and regions in which the display cell and the light receiving cell are formed, wherein an antireflection layer is formed on a most face-side surface of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Takama, Kenta Seki
  • Patent number: 8270271
    Abstract: An optical recording medium has a multi-layer structure recording layer structure recording layer portion including plural recording layers provided with tracks for guiding a recording light and being adapted to record data, where recording condition information and recording layer identification information for the recording layers are recorded on the tracks as information signals. Test writing is conducted on a recording layer that is subject to recording to derive a suitable recording condition based on recording condition information that is recorded on the recording layer, and direct recording is conducted according to a direct recording condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ippei Ogawa, Takuo Ohishi, Takanobu Matsuba
  • Patent number: 8269749
    Abstract: At a first time, a first image sensor and a second image sensor capture a first image and a second image including images of an object respectively. At a second time, the first image sensor and the second image sensor capture a third image and a fourth image including images of the object respectively. A coordinate calculation device calculates a first coordinate of the object at the first time according to the first image and the second image, and a second coordinate of the object at the second time according to the third image and the fourth image. A coordinate correction device calculates a displacement between the first time and the second time according to the first coordinate and the second coordinate, and corrects an output coordinate of the object at the second time according to the displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsin Lin, Ren-Hau Gu, Tzung-Min Su, Cho-Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 8264921
    Abstract: A technique for investigating differences of composition and structural state of a recording layer of an optical disc along with other defects, such as scratches, contamination, warp and distortion, prior to video recording and for setting up appropriate recording conditions in compliance with this result to thereby perform recording is disclosed. In an optical disc recording device capable of recording information on an optical disc, a region to be investigated is defined based on the video recording reservation contents. Then, investigate and evaluate the disc state which can affect the recording quality in a target disc region to be recorded. Next, based on investigation/evaluation results, perform recording setup, recording speed setup, servo control setup and recording position setup to thereby perform the recording. By appropriately modifying the recording setup on a case-by-case basis, it is possible to achieve high-quality recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.
    Inventor: Akio Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8264475
    Abstract: An electronic device with infrared touch input function is provided. The electronic device includes a display unit defining an signal display area; an infrared input device including a circuit board having two pairs of oppositely disposed sides defining an open area corresponding in size and shape to the signal display area, at least one light emitting device positioned on the circuit board, configured for emitting infrared light; at least one light detecting device positioned on the circuit board, configured for detecting infrared light emitted; a micro-processing unit configured for controlling the at least one light emitting device to emit infrared light, detecting infrared light paths obstructed via the light detecting devices, sending information of the obstructed infrared light paths to a central processing unit(CPU); and the CPU configured for performing functions according to the information of the obstructed infrared light paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Zhao, Zu-Pei He, Ruey-Shyang You, Hua-Dong Cheng, Han-Che Wang, Kuan-Hong Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8264479
    Abstract: A display control device for a flat panel display is provided and includes a display controller and a timing controller. The display controller is provided for receiving an input signal and generating a display signal and a plurality of timing signals corresponding to the display signal. The timing controller includes a timing control unit and a data processing unit. The timing control unit is coupled to the display controller for providing a plurality of control signals required for the flat panel display. The data processing unit is incorporated into the display controller in a first integrated circuit chip for receiving the display signal and generating a plurality of output signals in synchronization with the timing signals. The output signals are output to the flat panel display through a predetermined interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventor: Te-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8254225
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of writing data to a disc (OD). The method comprised: a) performing a plurality of writing actions in which a plurality of data portions are written to the disc, b) performing a plurality of verification actions in which written data portions are at least partly verified and at least part of the data portions are replaced if needed. The method further comprises a2) performing a decision action for each writing action in which a decision whether or not to perform the verification action for a specific written data portion is taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventors: Marc Angeline Jozef Cas, Johannes Franciscus Petrus Claas, Stefan Geusens
  • Patent number: 8254221
    Abstract: A circuit for generating a tracking error signal is provided. The circuit includes a digitizing circuit, a short signal removing circuit and phase comparator. The digitizing circuit receives first and second pick-up signals outputted from a pick-up head, and respectively compares the first and the second pick-up signals with a reference signal to obtain a first digital signal and a second digital signal. The short signal removing circuit is used for removing pulses in the first and the second digital signals, wherein the pulse width of the removed pulses are shorter than a preset time, and the first and second digital without the removed pulses are respectively served as a first determining signal and a second determining signal. The phase comparator receives the first determining signal and the second determining signal for outputting the tracking error signal according to a phase difference between the first and the second determining signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ching-Wen Ma, Yung-Chi Yang
  • Patent number: 8248343
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a method for driving pixels thereof are provided. The present invention uses a fixed voltage generated by a charge-sharing unit to perform charge-sharing with a second sub-pixel in a pixel, so as to make that the brightness of a second bright region corresponding to the second sub-pixel is darker than the brightness of a first bright region corresponding to a first sub-pixel in the pixel. Accordingly, the present invention can achieve the purpose of gray-levels space stacking without adding additional data lines and thus improving the color washout phenomenon of the LCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Huang, Pei-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 8243045
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a touch-sensitive LED display device with a number of shared circuits having measurement circuitry electrically coupled to display circuitry. A processor receives signals from the measurement circuitry and may compare the signals to determine a location of the touch on the touch screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventors: William Henry Mangione-Smith, Andrew Wolfe, Thomas Martin Conte
  • Patent number: 8238217
    Abstract: The present techniques provide methods and systems for enhancing a data signal in reading optical discs, such as holographic data discs. The techniques involve adjusting the position of a detector, or multi-pixel detector, such that the reflection corresponding to a micro-hologram or micro-reflector is enhanced. For example, the detector position may be adjusted to a position where the surface reflection and the micro-hologram reflection constructively interfere, resulting in an amplified micro-hologram reflection signal. Other parameters such as disc reflectivity and detector pinhole size may be adjusted to increase signal enhancement. Furthermore, the detector position may be adjusted to a position where the phases of the surface reflection and the micro-hologram reflection result in a weaker cross term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Anderson Fergus Ross, Xiaolei Shi
  • Patent number: 8223599
    Abstract: Provided is a recording/reproduction apparatus capable of securing a backup area for management information on a recording medium without affecting the capacity of a user data area. Before a hard disk drive or a disc medium (recording medium) is finalized, metadata is recorded in a metadata area and when the hard disk drive or the disc medium are finalized, a user data area portion corresponding to the volume of metadata required for the finalizing is set as a metadata mirror area and then the metadata recorded in the metadata area is copied to the metadata mirror area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinobu Watanabe, Tsutomu Usui, Hiroyuki Marumori, Toshihiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8217900
    Abstract: The invention is a light operated peripheral standalone input device to be used in and out of sunlight where input is made by a light beam to the peripheral or other input device where the light beam is pointed at a position from distances near and to over a mile away and the function of that position is input. The invention allows for keyboard input and directional control and cursor positioning to dedicated board level microprocessor driven control systems, personal computers, wheelchair operation, control panels for operating equipment and for those who cannot use their arms and hands for normal computer input like partial quadriplegics or other disabled persons, and persons that need a non-contact input device that is operated from a distance in hazardous areas or underwater with a light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: James Harrison Bowen