Patents by Inventor Akihiro Watanabe

Akihiro Watanabe 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).

  • STIR-TRANSPORT MEMBER, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE PROVIDED THEREWITH, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20120201573
    Abstract: A stir-transport member is formed on a circumferential surface of a rotation shaft with a first spiral blade, and a second spiral blade formed to overlap the region of the first spiral blade and is opposite the first spiral blade in phase and having a smaller radial-direction height than the first spiral blade. Sections of the spiral blades along the cross longitudinal direction thereof have trapezoidal shapes. The first spiral blade have a plurality of first swell portions, a part of each corresponding to a bottom of the trapezoidal shape and is more swollen than the other portions. The second spiral blade have a plurality of second swell portions, a part of each corresponding to the bottom of the trapezoidal shape and is more swollen than the other portions. The first spiral blade cross the second spiral blade at least at one of the first swell portions per turn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro WATANABE, Norio KUBO, Yukihiro MORI
  • Encoder that optically detects positional information of a movable body by changing a path length through periodic oscillation of an optical element
    Patent number: 8222594
    Abstract: A reflection mirror that causes an illumination light to be incident on a movable scale is oscillated in an X-axis direction based on a modulation signal. Accordingly, the optical path of the illumination light, of the illumination light and another illumination light generated at an index scale, periodically changes, and as a consequence, the illumination light is periodically modulated. Accordingly, an extra scanner that scans the illumination light or another illumination light with respect to the movable scale does not have to be arranged, which allows an apparatus to be reduced in size and cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Makinouchi, Toru Imai, Akihiro Watanabe
  • Developing Apparatus and Image Forming Apparatus Including the Same
    Publication number: 20120177412
    Abstract: A developing apparatus according to the present disclosure is partitioned into a plurality of convey chambers which include a first convey chamber and a second convey chamber which are disposed substantially in parallel with each other, the second convey chamber has a U shape in section, a sensor disposition portion, where a toner concentration sensor is disposed on a bottom surface, is formed in an upstream with respect to a restriction portion in a developer convey direction, across a predetermined width in the developer convey direction including a detection surface of the toner concentration sensor, a distance between curved surface portions on both sides of a U-shaped inner wall surface and the second stir member is wider than another portion of the second stir chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Akihiro WATANABE, Norio Kubo, Yukihiro Mori
  • Object detection system with improved object detection accuracy
    Patent number: 8199971
    Abstract: In a system for detecting a target object, a similarity determining unit sets a block in a picked-up image, and compares a part of the picked-up image contained in the block with a pattern image data while changes a location of the block in the picked-up image to determine a similarity of each part of the picked-up image contained in a corresponding one of the different-located blocks with respect to the pattern image data. A specifying unit extracts some different-located blocks from all of the different-located blocks. The determined similarity of the part of the picked-up image contained in each of some different-located blocks is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold similarity. The specifying unit specifies, in the picked-up image, a target area based on a frequency distribution of some different-located blocks therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Watanabe, Noriaki Shirai, Satoshi Osanai
  • Method for producing an L-amino acid or a nucleic acid
    Patent number: 8178322
    Abstract: A method is described for producing an L-amino acid or a nucleic acid by culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce the L-amino acid or nucleic acid in a liquid medium in a fermentation tank containing a stirring impeller, and optionally adding seed crystals to the medium as required to produce and accumulate crystals of the L-amino acid or nucleic acid in the medium, and collecting crystals of the L-amino acid or nucleic acid from the culture. The power density of the stirring impeller is controlled to be 2.4 kW/m3 or lower after either precipitation of the crystals or addition of the seed crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Masayuki Araki, Yusuke Takahashi, Akihiro Watanabe, Fumito Ohnishi, Takahiro Asano, Kazuya Kondo, Wataru Hibino, Shintaro Iwatani, Satoshi Okutani
  • Process for production of hollow-fiber membrane bundles
    Patent number: 8133344
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a hollow fiber membrane bundle having an end fixed with a casting material wherein the ends of hollow fiber membranes are fixed with the casting material in a condition that an insert is placed inside a hollow fiber membrane bundle at a position inner than a region where a fixing portion is formed, and then the insert is removed from the inside of the hollow fiber membrane bundle; and relates to a method of producing a hollow fiber membrane filter element through this method. The hollow fiber membrane bundle produced by the method of the present invention can be used in various types of filtration treatment such as external pressure filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzuru Ishibashi, Akihiro Watanabe
  • PIGMENT ORIENTATION ESTIMATING METHOD
    Publication number: 20120035899
    Abstract: The orientation of pigments (11) when a paint (12) is applied is set, and the orientation of the pigments (11) at time (t) at which a predetermined period of time has elapsed from when the paint is applied is calculated on the basis of a shrinkage rate gradient of the paint (12) in a thickness direction of a coating in the process of drying the paint. Thus, by assuming the state where the pigments (11) are dispersed in the paint (12) as the state where spheroids are present in viscous fluid, and applying the motion model in which the spheroids present in the fluid rotate by a difference in velocity of flow of the fluid, the orientation of the pigments (11) depending on the characteristic of a paint and a painting condition is estimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Nishimura, Akihiro Watanabe, Takashi Kasai
  • Developing device and image-forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8112020
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a developing device for use in an image-forming apparatus including a developing roller having a conductive base surface which may be covered with a resin layer containing an ion conductive material and a silicone-modified urethane resin having an ether structure. The resin layer may be a product of a crosslinking reaction of the silicone-modified urethane resin and the ion conductive material in the presence of a crosslinking agent and a crosslinking catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: KYOCERA MITA Corporation
    Inventors: Sayo Mabuchi, Hiroyuki Hamakawa, Akihiro Watanabe, Masashi Fujishima, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Asami Kotera
  • INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20120023447
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a selection of displayed content from a user. An obtaining unit is configured to obtain data corresponding to the selection. The data includes text data. An identification unit is configured to identify a keyword within the text data, and a control unit configured to generate a signal to highlight the keyword within the displayed content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Masaaki HOSHINO, Kenichiro Kobayashi, Shouichi Doi, Akihiro Watanabe
  • IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20120023398
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a selection of displayed content from a user. An obtaining unit is configured to obtain data corresponding to the selection. The data includes text data. An identification unit is configured to identify a keyword within the text data, and a storage unit is configured to store the keyword in a keyword database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Masaaki HOSHINO, Kenichiro Kobayashi, Shouichi Doi, Akihiro Watanabe
  • INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20120023399
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a selection unit selecting at least a part of a text included in contents, an acquisition unit acquiring a processing result of natural language processing for the part of the text selected by the selection unit, a specifying unit specifying a predetermined part of the text based on the processing result acquired by the acquisition unit, a detection unit detecting a keyword from the predetermined part of the text based on the processing result acquired by the acquisition unit, a tag generation unit automatically generating a tag in accordance with the keyword detected by the detection unit, and an association unit associating the tag generated by the tag generation unit with the predetermined part of the text.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Masaaki HOSHINO, Kenichiro KOBAYASHI, Shouichi DOI, Akihiro WATANABE
  • INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20120022854
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a selection of displayed content from a user. An obtaining unit is configured to obtain data corresponding to the selection. The data includes text data. An identification unit is configured to identify a keyword within the text data, and a storage unit is configured to generate a command to transmit the keyword to a device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Masaaki HOSHINO, Kenichiro KOBAYASHI, Shouichi DOI, Akihiro WATANABE
  • ENCODER
    Publication number: 20110272565
    Abstract: An encoder includes: a light modulation section which modulates at least a portion of light that is emitted from a light source; a moving member which has an incidence plane, on which a plurality of light beams of the light incident, and is relatively movable in at least one direction; and at least two light receiving sections which respectively receive interference fringes that are generated in at least two regions on the moving member, wherein the light enters into the moving member such that at least two interference fringes move in opposite directions on the moving member in accordance with a modulation by the light modulation section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu MAKINOUCHI, Akihiro WATANABE, Toru IMAI
  • DEVELOPING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20110268479
    Abstract: A developing unit includes a developing roller which rotates about a rotational axis to supply toner to a photoreceptor, and a magnetic roller which forms a magnetic brush with a two-component developing agent having carrier and the toner and thereby forms a toner layer on the developing roller, the developing roller including: a cylindrical core portion which includes an electric conductor; a first resistive layer which covers a cylindrical surface of the core portion; a second resistive layer which covers the first resistive layer, and has electric-resistivity lower than that of the first resistive layer; and a current leakage control member which prevents leakage of electric current from the core portion toward the second resistive layer through an end of the developing roller along a direction of the rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki HAMAKAWA, Akihiro WATANABE, Masashi FUJISHIMA, Hiroshi YAMAZAKI, Asami KOTERA, Sayo UEMURA
  • Processing apparatus and associated methodology for keyword extraction and matching
    Patent number: 8041718
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit acquiring keywords extracted from text data representing a first content to be a base of a search and scores of the respective keywords, and keywords extracted from text data representing a second content for calculating a degree of matching with the first content, and scores of the respective keywords, a matching-degree calculation unit calculating the degree of matching between the first content and the second content based on scores of keywords commonly included in the acquired keywords relating to the first content and the acquired keywords relating to the second content, and an output unit outputting, as a search result, information on a predetermined number of the second content which has a high degree of matching with the first content based on a result of calculation performed by the matching-degree calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takagi, Motoki Tsunokawa, Akihiro Watanabe, Toshiharu Yabe
  • Developing unit and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8014690
    Abstract: A developing unit has a voltage-applicator (80) to apply a developing bias voltage to a developing roller (72). The voltage-applicator (80) applies the developing bias voltage for a first duration to apply an AC voltage having a rectangular waveform, and a second duration to stop applying the AC voltage. The AC voltage has a duty ratio of 50% or more in a direction for causing toner to develop an electrostatic latent image. The number of cycles of the AC voltage in the first duration is two or more, and the AC voltage has a voltage in a direction for pulling the toner back to the developing roller, just before transition to the second duration. The developing unit suppresses occurrence of image unevenness due to a fluctuation in developing gap. Thus, an image forming apparatus equipped with the developing unit forms a high-quality image while suppressing image unevenness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Shoichi Sakata, Takahisa Nakaue, Toyotsune Inoue, Akihiro Watanabe, Masashi Fujishima, Yukihiro Mori
  • Storage box for electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 8006800
    Abstract: A box-shaped enclosure of a storage box includes a deadening wall or walls defining a storage space between first and second planes. The storage space is open at the first and second planes. A deadening wall member extends along the first plane. An auxiliary box-shaped enclosure is connected to the box-shaped enclosure so as to close the first plane of the box-shaped enclosure. The auxiliary box-shaped enclosure defines an auxiliary space isolated from the storage space with a deadening wall member. The storage space is connected to the fresh air through the ventilation opening and the auxiliary space. The deadening wall or walls of the box-shaped enclosure and the deadening wall member serve to prevent the leakage of the operating sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Junichi Ishimine, Masahiro Suzuki, Tadashi Katsui, Shin-ichirou Kouno, Akira Takahashi, Akihiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Okazaki
  • Developing unit and image forming device
    Patent number: 8010025
    Abstract: A developing unit includes a developing roller which rotates about a rotational axis to supply toner to a photoreceptor, the developing roller including: a cylindrical core portion which includes an electric conductor; a first resistive layer which covers a cylindrical surface of the core portion; a second resistive layer which covers the first resistive layer, and has electric-resistivity lower than that of the first resistive layer; and a current leakage control member which prevents leakage of electric current from the core portion toward the second resistive layer through an end of the developing roller along a direction of the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hamakawa, Akihiro Watanabe, Masashi Fujishima, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Asami Kotera, Sayo Uemura
  • ENCODER
    Publication number: 20110192964
    Abstract: An encoder emits modulated light from a light source section and lets a first light and a second light separated from the modulated light interfere with each other in a moving grating. In the encoder, the light emitted from the light source section is electrically modulated, and the first light and the second light have different light path lengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu MAKINOUCHI, Akihiro WATANABE
  • Liquid crystal display
    Patent number: 7978162
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device which inputs analogue video signals after phase development, the deterioration of display quality due to the irregularities of circuit can be reduced. To correct the irregularities due to a plurality of analogue circuits, the liquid crystal display device includes look up tables for a plurality of analogue circuits in the inside of a digital signal processing circuit. The liquid crystal display device performs the correction of irregularities of the analogue circuits based on data set in the look up tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Maruoka, Toshiki Misonou, Toshio Maeda, Akihiro Watanabe, Hideki Nakagawa