Patents by Inventor Akihiro Funamoto
Akihiro Funamoto 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).
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Patent number: 10461637Abstract: A switching element with a small current capacity is provided to be able to be used in a DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter includes a switching circuit in which a first switching element, a second switching element, a third switching element, and a fourth switching element are connected in series, a flying capacitor that is connected between a connection portion between the first switching element and the second switching element and a connection portion between the third switching element and the fourth switching element, a reactor that is connected between a connection portion between the second switching element and the third switching element and a positive electrode of an input unit, and a control circuit that turns on/off the switching element, in which the control circuit turns on/off the switching elements so that a peak value in a reactor current becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2018Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignees: OMRON Corporation, NAGAOKA University of TechnologyInventors: Junichi Itoh, Katsutaka Tanabe, Akihiro Funamoto, Koji Ando
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Patent number: 10374548Abstract: A storage unit stores a defect correlation table indicating what influence a given type of defect will have on the inspection of the other types of defects. When an obtainment unit obtains an inspection result of inspecting for a defect, an influence determination unit refers to the defect correlation table and determines the influence of the other types of defects on the inspection result. Information pertaining to the determined influence is outputted via an output unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventors: Akihiko Sano, Kohei Tomita, Tsuyoshi Takeuchi, Takuya Nakai, Akihiro Funamoto
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Publication number: 20190149044Abstract: A switching element with a small current capacity is provided to be able to be used in a DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter includes a switching circuit in which a first switching element, a second switching element, a third switching element, and a fourth switching element are connected in series, a flying capacitor that is connected between a connection portion between the first switching element and the second switching element and a connection portion between the third switching element and the fourth switching element, a reactor that is connected between a connection portion between the second switching element and the third switching element and a positive electrode of an input unit, and a control circuit that turns on/off the switching element, in which the control circuit turns on/off the switching elements so that a peak value in a reactor current becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2018Publication date: May 16, 2019Applicants: OMRON Corporation, NAGAOKA University of TechnologyInventors: Junichi ITOH, Katsutaka TANABE, Akihiro FUNAMOTO, Koji ANDO
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Publication number: 20180233902Abstract: According to the present invention, a solar cell string has a plurality of solar cell parts connected in series. In each of the solar cell parts, a solar cell module is connected to/separated from a cable run by an optimizer. A ground fault detection device instructs the optimizer to perform switching to the connection or the separation, and, after the instruction, determines the presence/absence of a ground fault in the solar cell string.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2017Publication date: August 16, 2018Applicant: OMRON CorporationInventors: Akihiko SANO, Kosuke MORITA, Akihiro FUNAMOTO
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Publication number: 20180167029Abstract: A storage unit stores a defect correlation table indicating what influence a given type of defect will have on the inspection of the other types of defects. When an obtainment unit obtains an inspection result of inspecting for a defect, an influence determination unit refers to the defect correlation table and determines the influence of the other types of defects on the inspection result. Information pertaining to the determined influence is outputted via an output unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2017Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: OMRON CorporationInventors: Akihiko SANO, Kohei TOMITA, Tsuyoshi TAKEUCHI, Takuya NAKAI, Akihiro FUNAMOTO
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Patent number: 9425679Abstract: An inverter apparatus comprising a first switch group that is connected to a DC power source and includes a first switch and a second switch connected in series; a capacitor that has one end thereof connected to a first connection point between the first switch and the second switch; a second switch group that is connected in parallel with the capacitor and includes a third switch and a fourth switch that are connected in series; a switch control section that controls an ON/OFF state of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch to convert DC voltage from the DC power source into AC voltage and output the AC voltage from a second connection point between the third switch and the fourth switch; and a smoothing circuit that is connected to the second connection point and normalizes a pulse waveform of the AC voltage.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignees: OMRON CORPORATION, TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Masao Mabuchi, Kenji Kobayashi, Takao Mizokami, Yasuhiro Tsubota, Akihiro Funamoto, Hideaki Fujita
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Patent number: 9214894Abstract: A diagnosis device (17) for a solar power generation system, which diagnosis device (17) diagnoses a whole or a part of an output in the solar power generation system includes: a measurement data acquiring section (21) for acquiring an electric current value and a voltage value from an ammeter (12a) and a voltmeter (12b), respectively; and an diagnosing section (25) diagnoses the output on the basis of a motion of a power point indicated by the electric current value and the voltage value thus acquired.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2011Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignees: OMRON CORPORATION, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Takuya Nakai, Takanori Ishii, Akira Enami, Akihiro Funamoto, Kazuhiko Kato
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Patent number: 9035491Abstract: An output converter includes a DCDC conversion section, a secondary side voltage/current monitoring section detecting a power from the DCDC conversion section, a maximum operation point control section determining what voltage is to be set by the DCDC conversion section so that the power detected by the secondary side voltage/current monitoring section is maximum, a DCDC short-circuit switch via which a current from a module bypasses the DCDC conversion section to outside, a primary side voltage/current monitoring section measuring the current from the module, a module short-circuit switch switching between a state where a secondary side cathode and a secondary side anode are short-circuited and a state where they are not short-circuited, the maximum operation point control section causing the DCDC short-circuit switch and the module short-circuit switch to switch.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: OMRON CORPORATIONInventors: Takanori Ishii, Akira Enami, Takuya Nakai, Akihiro Funamoto
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Publication number: 20130307352Abstract: An inverter apparatus comprising a first switch group that is connected to a DC power source and includes a first switch and a second switch connected in series; a capacitor that has one end thereof connected to a first connection point between the first switch and the second switch; a second switch group that is connected in parallel with the capacitor and includes a third switch and a fourth switch that are connected in series; a switch control section that controls an ON/OFF state of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch to convert DC voltage from the DC power source into AC voltage and output the AC voltage from a second connection point between the third switch and the fourth switch; and a smoothing circuit that is connected to the second connection point and normalizes a pulse waveform of the AC voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicants: TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, OMRON CORPORATIONInventors: Masao MABUCHI, Kenji KOBAYASHI, Takao MIZOKAMI, Yasuhiro TSUBOTA, Akihiro FUNAMOTO, Hideaki FUJITA
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Patent number: 8575476Abstract: An alloy substrate formed on an alloy of Ni and Mo is formed by electroforming. The alloy substrate has graded composition in which alloy composition varies in a thickness direction thereof. A lower surface side is mainly composed of Ni, and a upper surface side is mainly composed of Mo. An upper surface of the alloy substrate is formed with a large number of minute and pyramidal unevenness having high light scattering property. A CIS light absorbing layer is formed on the upper surface of the alloy substrate, and an upper electrode is provided thereabove.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2008Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventors: Morihisa Ota, Taizo Kobayashi, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Publication number: 20120303298Abstract: A diagnosis device (17) for a solar power generation system, which diagnosis device (17) diagnoses a whole or a part of an output in the solar power generation system includes: a measurement data acquiring section (21) for acquiring an electric current value and a voltage value from an ammeter (12a) and a voltmeter (12b), respectively; and an diagnosing section (25) diagnoses the output on the basis of a motion of a power point indicated by the electric current value and the voltage value thus acquired.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2011Publication date: November 29, 2012Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, OMRON CORPORATIONInventors: Takuya Nakai, Takanori Ishii, Akira Enami, Akihiro Funamoto, Kazuhiko Kato
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Publication number: 20120242303Abstract: An output converter includes a DCDC conversion section, a secondary side voltage/current monitoring section detecting a power from the DCDC conversion section, a maximum operation point control section determining what voltage is to be set by the DCDC conversion section so that the power detected by the secondary side voltage/current monitoring section is maximum, a DCDC short-circuit switch via which a current from a module bypasses the DCDC conversion section to outside, a primary side voltage/current monitoring section measuring the current from the module, a module short-circuit switch switching between a state where a secondary side cathode and a secondary side anode are short-circuited and a state where they are not short-circuited, the maximum operation point control section causing the DCDC short-circuit switch and the module short-circuit switch to switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: OMRON CORPORATIONInventors: Takanori Ishii, Akira Enami, Takuya Nakai, Akihiro Funamoto
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Publication number: 20100269906Abstract: An alloy substrate formed on an alloy of Ni and Mo is formed by electroforming. The alloy substrate has graded composition in which alloy composition varies in a thickness direction thereof. A lower surface side is mainly composed of Ni, and a upper surface side is mainly composed of Mo. An upper surface of the alloy substrate is formed with a large number of minute and pyramidal unevenness having high light scattering property. A CIS light absorbing layer is formed on the upper surface of the alloy substrate, and an upper electrode is provided thereabove.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2008Publication date: October 28, 2010Applicant: OMRON CORPORATIONInventors: Morihisa Ota, Taizo Kobayashi, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 7471355Abstract: A liquid crystal display has a light guide plate having a light-emitting plane on its one end surface, a light source arranged on a side surface of the light guide plate, and a liquid crystal panel arranged opposite the light-emitting plane of the light guide plate. Deflection patterns are formed on a surface opposite the light-emitting plane of the light guide plate, and the deflection patterns are arranged so that two independent components on the surface opposite the light-emitting plane of the light guide plate are random. In a certain region on the surface opposite the light-emitting plane, when an average value of the number of the deflection patterns included in each region opposite each pixel of the liquid crystal panel is designated by ?n and a standard deviation is designated by on, their ratio satisfies the relationship: 0<?n/?n?0.154.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2006Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventors: Ken Watanuki, Gouo Kurata, Kenji Sakurai, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 7434976Abstract: A double-side LCD having a surface light source device including a light guide plate and a light source facing one end face of the light guide plate. A plurality of deflection patterns are formed in a surface facing a light outgoing plane of the light guide plate, the deflection pattern includes an inclined plane facing the light source side and a re-incident plane substantially perpendicular to the light outgoing plane. Light from the light source is reflected by the inclined plane and outputted from the light outgoing plane to the LCD. A tilt angle (?) of the inclined plane satisfies: 45°?[Sin?1(Sin ?/n)]/2???45°+[Sin?1(Sin ?/n)]/2, wherein ? is an angle between a direction of peak brightness of outputted light and a direction perpendicular to the light outgoing plane, n is a refractive index of the light guide plate, and ? is within 6-15°.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventors: Kenji Sakurai, Makoto Ohhira, Gouo Kurata, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 7324179Abstract: A reflector is used in a display device and is disposed parallel to a predetermined plane, and has plural unit reflecting portions each having a reflection face for reflecting incident light in a direction different from that of regular reflection light of the predetermined plane. Further, the distance between a first tangential plane abutting on a first reflection face arranged in an arbitrarily extracted first unit reflecting portion at a reference point arranged in an arbitrary position on the first reflection face, and a second tangential plane abutting on a second reflection face arranged in a second unit reflecting portion adjacent to the first unit reflecting portion in parallel with the first tangential plane is preferably half or more of a coherent length of the incident light.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2004Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Makoto Ohhira, Motohiko Matsushita, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Publication number: 20070035680Abstract: A liquid crystal display has a light guide plate having a light-emitting plane on its one end surface, a light source arranged on a side surface of the light guide plate, and a liquid crystal panel arranged opposite the light-emitting plane of the light guide plate. Deflection patterns are formed on a surface opposite the light-emitting plane of the light guide plate, and the deflection patterns are arranged so that two independent components on the surface opposite the light-emitting plane of the light guide plate are random. In a certain region on the surface opposite the light-emitting plane, when an average value of the number of the deflection patterns included in each region opposite each pixel of the liquid crystal panel is designated by ?n and a standard deviation is designated by ?n, their ratio satisfies the relationship: 0<?n/?n?0.154.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2006Publication date: February 15, 2007Applicant: OMRON CorporationInventors: Ken Watanuki, Gouo Kurata, Kenji Sakurai, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 7163332Abstract: A front light and a reflective display using the same are provided. A light guide of the front light includes a plurality of patterns on the upper surface, each of the patterns including a first surface inclining relative to the light-emitting surface toward the light-entering surface, a second surface substantially perpendicular to the light-emitting surface or inclining relative to the light-emitting surface opposite to the light-entering surface, and a third surface inclining relative to the light-emitting surface toward the light-entering surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2004Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Tetsu Shimizu, Motohiko Matsushita, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 7163330Abstract: According to a front light comprising an optical waveguide 25 and a light source 24 arranged on the side of the optical waveguide 25, the optical waveguide 25 comprises a light input surface and light emission surface 28, and a plurality of deflection patterns 26 are formed on the surface opposed to the light emission surface 28. Light from the light source 24 is input from the light input surface of the optical waveguide 25 and propagated in the optical waveguide 25. The light totally reflected by the deflection patterns 26 among the light propagated in the optical waveguide 25 is emitted from the light emission surface 28 in the direction oblique to the normal direction of the light emission surface 28. The light is emitted from the light emission surface 28 so as to be aligned in one direction regardless of its position.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2004Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Yuki Matsui, Makoto Ohhira, Motohiko Matsushita, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 7162139Abstract: In a front light equipped with a light source and a transparent plate emitting light from a light emitting surface which is situated at the reverse side against an observation side surface by conducting light from the light source, the reflection preventive patterns comprising the minute unevennesses 30 for prevention of reflection are formed on the light emitting surface. When a wavelength of visible light with the shortest wavelength among light which is emitted from the light source 24 is ?min, the refractive index of the transparent plate is n1 and the refractive index of air is n0, the period p of the minute unevennesses 30 satisfies the following equation. p<?min/(n0+n1). Thereby, it can be prevented that the diffracted light is emitted from the reflection preventive patterns (light emitting surface) of the transparent plate.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignees: Omron Corporation, Osaka UniversityInventors: Yuki Matsui, Akihiro Funamoto, Shigeru Aoyama