Patents by Inventor Akihiko Namba

Akihiko Namba has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200084072
    Abstract: The encoding method includes an encoding process of encoding a bit sequence to be transmitted, into a symbol sequence. The symbol sequence includes a plurality of symbols each having a signal level to which any one of 2n different values is allocated. n is an integer equal to or larger than 1. The encoding process includes encoding the bit sequence to be transmitted into the symbol sequence so that the symbol sequence does not include one or more prohibited patterns. The one or more prohibited patterns include one or more specific patterns which are one or more of patterns representing transition of signal levels of three or more consecutive symbols. The one or more specific patterns include one or more patterns in which signal levels of any two adjacent symbols of the three or more consecutive symbols are different values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei MASUDA, Akihiko NAMBA
  • Publication number: 20170349057
    Abstract: A communication terminal includes a communication unit and a controller. The communication unit is provided in a supply apparatus that supplies electric power from a power source to an electric device through a feeding line, and is configured to communicate with a destination terminal provided in the electric device. The controller is configured to control a switch to switch turning on and off of the switch electrically connected to the feeding line. The feeding line includes a first line that electrically connects between the power source and the switch, and a second line that electrically connects between the switch and the electric device. At least one of the communication unit and the destination terminal is located away via a space from a conductive member included in the feeding line as to be electrically connected to an electrode coupled via electric field to the conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: AKIHIKO NAMBA, HIROKAZU KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170297446
    Abstract: A communication unit of a communication terminal is provided in a first device and communicates with a destination terminal provided in a second device that exchanges a resource with the first device through a supply line. The communication unit includes a connection terminal electrically connected to an electrode. The electrode is disposed with a space from a conductive member including at least one of a first conductor included in the supply line and a second conductor electrically connected to the first conductor, thereby being coupled via electric field to the conductive member. The communication unit is configured to communicate with the destination terminal by using a signal transmitted via the conductive member as a medium. This communication terminal performs one-to-one communication even when plural devices that can be communication destinations exist near one device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: AKIHIKO NAMBA, HIROKAZU KITAMURA
  • Patent number: 9735710
    Abstract: A power generator including: a vibration system configured to be attached to a vibrating member; and a power generating element attached to the vibration system. The vibration system is a multiple-degree-of-freedom vibration system that includes a first vibration system having a first mass member elastically supported by a first spring member, and a second vibration system having a second mass member elastically connected to the first mass member by a second spring member. The power generating element is arranged between the first and second mass members, and vibration applied from the vibrating member causes relative displacement of the first and second mass members so that vibration energy of the vibrating member is input to the power generating element. A natural frequency of the first vibration system is different from that of the second vibration system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: SUMITOMO RIKO COMPANY LIMITED, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Hasegawa, Hajime Kurikuma, Atsushi Muramatsu, Hidenori Katsumura, Akihiko Namba, Hiroshi Kagata
  • Publication number: 20150295520
    Abstract: A power generator including: a vibration system configured to be attached to a vibrating member; and a power generating element attached to the vibration system. The vibration system is a multiple-degree-of-freedom vibration system that includes a first vibration system having a first mass member elastically supported by a first spring member, and a second vibration system having a second mass member elastically connected to the first mass member by a second spring member. The power generating element is arranged between the first and second mass members, and vibration applied from the vibrating member causes relative displacement of the first and second mass members so that vibration energy of the vibrating member is input to the power generating element. A natural frequency of the first vibration system is different from that of the second vibration system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Koichi HASEGAWA, Hajime KURIKUMA, Atsushi MURAMATSU, Hidenori KATSUMURA, Akihiko NAMBA, Hiroshi KAGATA
  • Patent number: 8594608
    Abstract: A synthesizer includes a synthesizer unit for generating a local oscillation signal based on a reference oscillation signal output from a reference oscillation unit including a MEMS resonator, a frequency fluctuation detector for detecting a frequency fluctuation of the MEMS resonator, and a frequency adjuster for adjusting a frequency of the local oscillation signal based on the frequency fluctuation detected by the frequency fluctuation detector. This synthesizer can output a signal with a stable frequency, even when an MEMS resonator demonstrating a large fluctuation in an oscillation frequency to temperatures is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Yasunobu Tsukio
  • Patent number: 8466716
    Abstract: A synthesizer including an oscillator for outputting an oscillation signal based on an output signal from a comparator, a frequency divider for dividing a frequency of an output signal from the oscillator based on control from a controller, and a temperature sensor for detecting an error between a preset frequency and a frequency based on a reference oscillation signal. The comparator compares an output signal from the frequency divider with an output signal from a MEMS oscillator and outputs a signal indicating the comparison result to the oscillator. The controller changes the frequency division ratio of the frequency divider based on an output signal from the temperature sensor and changes the frequency division ratio in a state in which the frequency division ratio is kept at the past value. Thus, phase noise deterioration in the synthesizer can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Takeshi Fujii, Yasunobu Tsukio
  • Patent number: 8390334
    Abstract: A synthesizer includes: a synthesizer unit that outputs an oscillation signal based on a reference oscillation signal; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature; a time variation detecting unit that detects a time variation in frequency of the reference oscillation signal based on a result of temperature detection by the temperature detecting unit; and a control unit that adjusts a frequency of the oscillation signal outputted from the synthesizer unit based on a result of detection by the time variation detecting unit. With such a configuration, frequency compensation control is performed on a transducer having a large temperature coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba
  • Patent number: 8384449
    Abstract: A synthesizer of the present invention includes a synthesizer section that generates an oscillation signal based on a reference oscillation signal output from a MEMS resonator and inputs the oscillation signal to a frequency converter; and a control section that adjusts a frequency of the oscillation signal output from the synthesizer section. In frequency adjustment by the control section, when a frequency adjustment unit of the synthesizer section is defined as predetermined value F in which quality of an output signal from the frequency converter is a quality limit threshold value, frequency adjustment unit ?fcont of the synthesizer section is within predetermined value F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Yasunobu Tsukio, Susumu Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20120175641
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a diamond n-type semiconductor in which the amount of change in carrier concentration is fully reduced in a wide temperature range. The diamond n-type semiconductor comprises a diamond substrate, and a diamond semiconductor formed on a main surface thereof and turned out to be n-type. The diamond semiconductor exhibits a carrier concentration (electron concentration) negatively correlated with temperature in a part of a temperature region in which it is turned out to be n-type, and a Hall coefficient positively correlated with temperature. The diamond n-type semiconductor having such a characteristic is obtained, for example, by forming a diamond semiconductor doped with a large amount of a donor element while introducing an impurity other than the donor element onto the diamond substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko NAMBA, Yoshiki NISHIBAYASHI, Takahiro IMAI
  • Patent number: 8183915
    Abstract: An oscillator unit is configured such that a frequency adjustment unit of a synthesizer used by a controller is smaller than a frequency variation tracking capability of a demodulator connected to an output side of a frequency converter. This structure successfully combines the temperature compensation control of an oscillator unit and the receiving process of a high-frequency receiving device. Accordingly, an oscillator unit with large temperature coefficient is applicable to high-frequency receiving devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba, Hiroaki Ozeki
  • Publication number: 20110260787
    Abstract: An oscillator unit is configured such that a frequency adjustment unit of a synthesizer used by a controller is smaller than a frequency variation tracking capability of a demodulator connected to an output side of a frequency converter. This structure successfully combines the temperature compensation control of an oscillator unit and the receiving process of a high-frequency receiving device. Accordingly, an oscillator unit with large temperature coefficient is applicable to high-frequency receiving devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba, Hiroaki Ozeki
  • Patent number: 8040178
    Abstract: An oscillator unit is configured such that a frequency adjustment unit of a synthesizer used by a controller is smaller than a frequency variation tracking capability of a demodulator connected to an output side of a frequency converter. This structure successfully combines the temperature compensation control of an oscillator unit and the receiving process of a high-frequency receiving device. Accordingly, an oscillator unit with large temperature coefficient is applicable to high-frequency receiving devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba, Hiroaki Ozeki
  • Publication number: 20110133798
    Abstract: A synthesizer includes: a synthesizer unit that outputs an oscillation signal based on a reference oscillation signal; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature; a time variation detecting unit that detects a time variation in frequency of the reference oscillation signal based on a result of temperature detection by the temperature detecting unit; and a control unit that adjusts a frequency of the oscillation signal outputted from the synthesizer unit based on a result of detection by the time variation detecting unit. With such a configuration, frequency compensation control is performed on a transducer having a large temperature coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba
  • Publication number: 20110122973
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer receives a frequency compensation signal and a reference oscillation signal from an outside, and outputs first and second signals to an outside. The reference oscillation signal has a varying frequency. The frequency synthesizer includes an oscillator for generating the first signal based on the reference oscillation signal, and a frequency divider/multiplier for outputting the second signal by frequency-dividing or frequency-multiplying the first signal. The varying frequency of the first signal is compensated by the frequency compensation signal. This frequency synthesizer suppresses frequency variations of the first and second signals even if the reference oscillation signal has a large frequency variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba, Takeshi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20110009083
    Abstract: A synthesizer includes a synthesizer unit for generating a local oscillation signal based on a reference oscillation signal output from a reference oscillation unit including a MEMS resonator, a frequency fluctuation detector for detecting a frequency fluctuation of the MEMS resonator, and a frequency adjuster for adjusting a frequency of the local oscillation signal based on the frequency fluctuation detected by the frequency fluctuation detector. This synthesizer can output a signal with a stable frequency, even when an MEMS resonator demonstrating a large fluctuation in an oscillation frequency to temperatures is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Yasunobu Tsukio
  • Publication number: 20100315138
    Abstract: A synthesizer of the present invention includes a synthesizer section that generates an oscillation signal based on a reference oscillation signal output from a MEMS resonator and inputs the oscillation signal to a frequency converter; and a control section that adjusts a frequency of the oscillation signal output from the synthesizer section. In frequency adjustment by the control section, when a frequency adjustment unit of the synthesizer section is defined as predetermined value F in which quality of an output signal from the frequency converter is a quality limit threshold value, frequency adjustment unit ?fcont of the synthesizer section is within predetermined value F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Yasunobu Tsukio, Susumu Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20100271088
    Abstract: A synthesizer including an oscillator for outputting an oscillation signal based on an output signal from a comparator, a frequency divider for dividing a frequency of an output signal from the oscillator based on control from a controller, and a temperature sensor for detecting an error between a preset frequency and a frequency based on a reference oscillation signal. The comparator compares an output signal from the frequency divider with an output signal from a MEMS oscillator and outputs a signal indicating the comparison result to the oscillator. The controller changes the frequency division ratio of the frequency divider based on an output signal from the temperature sensor and changes the frequency division ratio in a state in which the frequency division ratio is kept at the past value. Thus, phase noise deterioration in the synthesizer can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Takeshi Fujii, Yasunobu Tsukio
  • Patent number: 7805265
    Abstract: A method for measuring electric circuit parameters of a 2-terminal circuit having first and second terminals, includes steps of: terminating one of the first and second terminals with a terminal impedance Z1, to measure reflection characteristics ?1 for the other terminal; terminating one of the first and second terminals with a terminal impedance Z2 different from the terminal impedance Z1, to measure reflection characteristics ?2 for the other terminal; terminating one of the first and second terminals with a terminal impedance Z3 different from the terminal impedances Z1 and Z2, to measure reflection characteristics ?3 for the other terminal; and calculating electric circuit parameters of the 2-terminal circuit based on the resultant reflection characteristics ?1, ?2 and ?3, whereby measuring electric circuit parameters, such as S-parameters, Z-parameters or the like, even of a DUT having a weak ground, in a simple way with high accuracy and low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Namba, Tetsuyoshi Ogura, Toru Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100201412
    Abstract: An oscillator unit is configured such that a frequency adjustment unit of a synthesizer used by a controller is smaller than a frequency variation tracking capability of a demodulator connected to an output side of a frequency converter. This structure successfully combines the temperature compensation control of an oscillator unit and the receiving process of a high-frequency receiving device. Accordingly, an oscillator unit with large temperature coefficient is applicable to high-frequency receiving devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Tsukio, Akihiko Namba, Hiroaki Ozeki