Patents by Inventor Akira Hirano

Akira Hirano 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).

  • Patent number: 8822976
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting element is formed by laminating at least an n-type cladding layer configured of an n-type AlGaN semiconductor layer, an active layer including an AlGaN semiconductor layer having band gap energy of 3.4 eV or larger, and a p-type cladding layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer. A p-type contact layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer that absorbs ultraviolet light emitted from the active layer is formed on the p-type cladding layer. The p-type contact layer has an opening portion penetrating through to a surface of the p-type cladding layer. A p-electrode metal layer that makes Ohmic contact or non-rectifying contact with the p-type contact layer is formed on the p-type contact layer so as not to completely block the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Soko Kagaku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Inazu, Cyril Pernot, Akira Hirano
  • Publication number: 20140158983
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting element is provided with: an underlying structure portion including a sapphire (0001) substrate and an AlN layer formed on the substrate; and a light-emitting element structure portion including an n-type cladding layer of an n-type AlGaN based semiconductor layer, an active layer having an AlGaN based semiconductor layer, and a p-type cladding layer of a p-type AlGaN based semiconductor layer, formed on the underlying structure portion. The (0001) surface of the substrate is inclined at an off angle which is equal to or greater than 0.6° and is equal to or smaller than 3.0°, and an AlN molar fraction of the n-type cladding layer is equal to or higher than 50%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: SOKO KAGAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cyril Pernot, Akira Hirano
  • Publication number: 20140156276
    Abstract: A dialogue system which correctly identifies an utterance directed to a dialogue system by using various pieces of information including information other than a voice recognition result without requiring a special signal is provided. A dialogue system includes an utterance detection/voice recognition unit that detects an utterance and recognizes a voice and an utterance feature extraction unit that extracts features of an utterance. The utterance feature extraction unit determines whether or not a target utterance is directed to the dialogue system based on features including a length of the target utterance, time relation between the target utterance and a previous utterance, and a system state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio NAKANO, Kauznori KOMATANI, Akira HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20140108894
    Abstract: A transmission system comprising: an error correction encoding agent which converts an input data sequence into a coded data sequence constituted of an error correction code and coded data; a data distribution agent which divides encoded data sequence from the error correction encoding agent, in a predetermined processing unit and combines the divided data sequences with a plurality of transmission routes; a data combining agent which combines signal sequences from the respective transmission routes and decodes encoded data sequence; an error correction decoding agent which applies error correction to and decodes encoded data sequence from the data combining agent and outputs the input data sequence; and an agent for configuration in which a redundancy in the error correction encoding agent and a degree of splitting of encoded data sequence in the data distribution agent are set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Hirano, Mitsunori Fukutoku, Yoshiaki Kisaka, Yoshiaki Sone, Akihiro Kadohata, Takafumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140021442
    Abstract: An active layer including an AlGaN semiconductor layer having a band gap energy of 3.4 eV or higher and a p-type cladding layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer and located above the active layer are formed in a first region on the n-type cladding layer, the first region being in a plane parallel to a surface of the n-cladding layer configured of an n-type AlGaN semiconductor layer. An n-electrode metal layer making Ohmic contact with the n-type cladding layer is formed on an adjacent region to the first region in a second region which is a region other than the first region on the n-type cladding layer. A first reflective metal layer reflecting ultraviolet light emitted from the active layer is formed on a surface of the n-type cladding layer in the second region other than the adjacent region. The n-electrode metal layer is arranged between the first region and a region in which the first reflective metal layer contacts the surface of the n-type cladding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: SOKO KAGAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Inazu, Cyril Pernot, Akira Hirano
  • Patent number: 8609310
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor has at least an electroconductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer formed on or above the electroconductive substrate, wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor is a cured membrane of a composition containing at least one compound (a) having in a single molecule thereof a charge transporting skeleton and a chain polymerizable functional group, and at least one thermopolymerizable or photopolymerizable silicone polymeric radical polymerization initiator (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takimoto, Akira Hirano, Takatsugu Doi, Wataru Yamada, Katsumi Nukada
  • Publication number: 20130331474
    Abstract: Provided is a resin composition for light scattering layer for use in forming a light scattering layer of an organic EL device, including: a binder composition including at least one type of resin (A); and light scattering particles (B). In a resin composition for light scattering layer of the invention, the light scattering particles (B) have an average particle diameter of 200 nm to 500 nm in the resin composition and have a content of 20 vol % or less of particles with a particle diameter of 600 nm or more with respect to a total amount of the light scattering particles (B); and a refractive index difference between the binder composition and the light scattering particles (B) is 0.1 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Kana Kida, Tohru Iwata, Jiro Chisaka, Akira Hirano, Keiichi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20130328013
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting element is formed by laminating at least an n-type cladding layer configured of an n-type AlGaN semiconductor layer, an active layer including an AlGaN semiconductor layer having band gap energy of 3.4 eV or larger, and a p-type cladding layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer. A p-type contact layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer that absorbs ultraviolet light emitted from the active layer is formed on the p-type cladding layer. The p-type contact layer has an opening portion penetrating through to a surface of the p-type cladding layer. A p-electrode metal layer that makes Ohmic contact or non-rectifying contact with the p-type contact layer is formed on the p-type contact layer so as not to completely block the opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: SOKO KAGAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Inazu, Cyril Pernot, Akira Hirano
  • Publication number: 20130216226
    Abstract: A frequency assignment method for selecting a frequency width used on a route connecting between a start point and an end point when the start point and the end point of an optical signal are supplied in a photonic network including an optical node that includes an optical switch for switching the optical signal without electrically terminating the optical signal is disclosed. The frequency assignment method includes steps of: obtaining a correlation amount of use state of wavelength or frequency between adjacent links by referring to a route calculation result; determining a fixed frequency width or variable frequency width to be set for a communication route based on the correlation amount; and assigning the fixed frequency width or the variable frequency width on the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Hirano, Yoshiaki Sone, Akihiro Kadohata, Takafumi Tanaka, Shinji Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20130195460
    Abstract: A wavelength path reallocation method in a path reallocation apparatus for reallocating a wavelength path set in a communication network, including: a wavelength path designing step in which a wavelength path designing unit designs a reallocation destination wavelength path by performing calculation such that the number of use frequency regions in the communication network becomes smaller than a corresponding value before reallocation; and a wavelength path setting step in which a wavelength path setting unit changes a reallocation target wavelength path to the reallocation destination wavelength path by using free wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Kadohata, Akira Hirano, Yoshiaki Sone, Yukio Tsukishima, Takafumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8462617
    Abstract: When a failure occurs on a path set between two packet communication devices, a protection path is set and the communication is recovered without having the effect of the path failure on devices other than the two packet communication devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Tsukishima, Naohide Nagatsu, Atsushi Watanabe, Akira Hirano
  • Publication number: 20120322998
    Abstract: A gallium phthalocyanine crystal has a peak of spectral absorption spectrum within a wavelength range of from about 760 nm to about 773 nm or within a wavelength range of from about 790 nm to about 809 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya HONGO, Tetsuo Ohta, Akira Hirano
  • Patent number: 8309286
    Abstract: The invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor having at least a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer formed on the conductive substrate wherein the outermost surface layer of the photoreceptor is composed of a cured material containing at least one compound represented by the formula (I) and a surfactant that contains, in the molecule thereof, at least one structure selected from (A) a structure that is obtained by polymerizing an acrylic monomer having a fluorine atom, (B) a structure having a carbon-carbon double bond and a fluorine atom, (C) an alkyleneoxide structure, and (D) a structure having a carbon-carbon triple bond and a hydroxy group. In formula (I), Q is an organic group having a valency of n and having hole transportability, R is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, L is a divalent organic group, n is 1 or more, and j is 0 or 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Yamada, Katsumi Nukada, Takatsugu Doi, Akira Hirano, Hitoshi Takimoto
  • Publication number: 20120258286
    Abstract: A surface of a sapphire (0001) substrate is processed to form recesses and protrusions so that protrusion tops are flat and a given plane-view pattern is provided. An initial-stage AlN layer is grown on the surface of the sapphire (0001) substrate having recesses and protrusions by performing a C+ orientation control so that a C+ oriented AlN layer is grown on flat surfaces of the protrusion tops, excluding edges, in such a thickness that the recesses are not completely filled and the openings of the recesses are not closed. An AlxGayN(0001) layer (1?x>0, x+y=1) is epitaxially grown on the initial-stage AlN layer by a lateral overgrowth method. The recesses are covered with the AlxGayN(0001) layer laterally overgrown from above the protrusion tops. Thus, an template for epitaxial growth having a fine and flat surface and a reduced threading dislocation density is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Soko Kagaku Co., Ltd.,
    Inventors: Hiroshi Amano, Satoshi Kamiyama, Myunghee Kim, Cyril Pernot, Akira Hirano
  • Patent number: 8283096
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising: a conductive substrate; a photosensitive layer formed on the conductive substrate; and an outermost surface layer that is a layer made of a cured material of a composition including at least one compound represented by the following formula (I) and at least one compound having charge transportability and an azo group: wherein in formula (I), F represents an n-valent organic group having a hole transporting property, R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, L represents a divalent organic group, n represents an integer of 1 or more, and j represents 0 or 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Yamada, Katsumi Nukada, Masahiro Iwasaki, Akira Hirano, Takatsugu Doi
  • Patent number: 8273511
    Abstract: The invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor having comprising at least an electrically conductive substrate and a photo-sensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, the outermost layer is being a cured film of comprising a composition containing at least one compound (a) having a triphenylamine structure and four or more methacryloyl groups in one and the same molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Nukada, Wataru Yamada, Takatsugu Doi, Hitoshi Takimoto, Akira Hirano
  • Publication number: 20120224851
    Abstract: A bandwidth variable communication method is provided that enables effective use of frequency bandwidths in which the bit rate is constant in every optical path. The bandwidth variable communication method includes, when a network management apparatus sets or changes an optical path that passes through plural communication apparatuses, measuring or obtaining an optical signal quality deterioration amount in a route of the optical path; selecting a modulation format in which a spectrum bandwidth is the narrowest from among modulation formats by which transmission is available on conditions of the optical signal quality deterioration amount and a desired bit rate B (bit/s); and exchanging control information between the network management apparatus and a control unit of each communication apparatus on the optical path route. A bandwidth variable communication apparatus receives the control information, and changes a passband based on the received control information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidehiko Takara, Masahiko Jinno, Atsushi Watanabe, Kozicki Bartlomiej, Yoshiaki Sone, Akira Hirano, Takafumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8005374
    Abstract: An optical transmission system is provided in which the optimum operating point of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, matched to the optical frequency of the light source on the transmitting side, can be set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Kazushige Yonenaga, Mikio Yoneyama, Masahito Tomizawa, Akira Hirano, Shoichiro Kuwahara, Tomoyoshi Kataoka, Akihide Sano, Gentaro Funatsu
  • Publication number: 20110076605
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer formed thereon, the photosensitive layer including a sub-layer that constitutes an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer, the sub-layer including an organic solvent having a boiling point of from about 65° C. to about 250° C. in an amount of from about 5,000 ppm to about 50,000 ppm, and the sub-layer including a polymer of a charge transporting material having a polymerizable group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takatsugu DOI, Wataru YAMADA, Akira HIRANO, Katsumi NUKADA
  • Publication number: 20100248101
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising: a conductive substrate; a photosensitive layer formed on the conductive substrate; and an outermost surface layer that is a layer made of a cured material of a composition including at least one compound represented by the following formula (I) and at least one compound having charge transportability and an azo group: wherein in formula (I), F represents an n-valent organic group having a hole transporting property, R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, L represents a divalent organic group, n represents an integer of 1 or more, and j represents 0 or 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru YAMADA, Katsumi NUKADA, Masahiro IWASAKI, Akira HIRANO, Takatsugu DOI