Patents by Inventor Eiji Umetsu
Eiji Umetsu 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: 9063599Abstract: There is provided an input device including: means for performing zero point correction on the sensor outputs of the load sensors when an absolute value of an amount of output change of each load sensor is not more than a predetermined threshold a during a certain period of measurement time; means for calculating position data and calculating a total load Z of the load sensors by using the sensor outputs; means for determining that the calculation data pieces are normal when the absolute value |dZ/dt| of the amount of change in the total load Z is not more than the threshold ?; means for determining that an input is present in the calculation data pieces when the absolute value |Z| of the total load is not less than the threshold ?; and means for removing a predetermined number of first and last data pieces in the calculation data pieces.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Shuji Yanagi, Eiji Umetsu, Masahiko Ishizone
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Publication number: 20150160783Abstract: An input device includes a position detection sensor capable of detecting an input operation position of an operation body on an operation surface, a load detection sensor capable of detecting a load in the input operation position, and a control unit capable of executing offset calibration to correct an offset of an output of the load detection sensor based on input operation information resulting from an output of the position detection sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Masafumi KANEKO, Masahiko ISHIZONE, Takashi SATO, Eiji UMETSU
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Publication number: 20150160751Abstract: An input device includes a capacitive touch panel sensor capable of detecting a pressing position on an operation surface, a plurality of load sensors configured to output a sensor output depending on a load, and a control unit configured to calculate respective loads at a plurality of pressing points simultaneously pressed on the operation surface. In particular, it is possible to obtain the load of each pressing point even when the number of a plurality of simultaneously pressed pressing points is equal to the number of load sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Masahiko ISHIZONE, Eiji UMETSU, Takashi SATO, Hiroyuki MORIOKA, Yukimitsu YAMADA
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Patent number: 8947381Abstract: A display device according to an embodiment includes a touch panel, a plurality of detecting units, a blocking unit, and a calculating unit. The display device is incorporated in a vehicle, and the touch panel receives a pressing operation. The plurality of detecting units detect a pressure value on the touch panel.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Motoya Jiyama, Naoki Sugamoto, Nobuyuki Batou, Kiyoshi Hamatani, Kohji Miyazato, Hiroyuki Yanai, Sadaharu Yamamoto, Eiji Umetsu, Shuji Yanagi, Masahiko Ishizone
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Patent number: 8820179Abstract: An operation body is oscillatably supported by a fulcrum member. One side of the operation body is in contact with a projection of an actuator of a pressing force sensor, and a preload is applied to another side of the operation body by a compression coil spring as a preloading elastic member. By the preload, a detection output of the pressing force sensor is set at a neutral point. An operating force by which the one side of the operation body is pressed and an operating force by which the other side of the operation body is pressed can be distinctly detected with the single pressing force sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2012Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eiji Umetsu, Masahiko Ishizone, Yukihiro Gorai, Motoki Hirayama, Hideki Gochou
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Publication number: 20140062956Abstract: An input device includes a capacitance type touch panel sensor configured to detect positional coordinates of multiple pressing points that are simultaneously pressed on an operation face, load detection sensors configured to detect barycentric coordinates of and a barycentric load on the pressing points, and a controller configured to calculate loads on the pressing points on the basis of the positional coordinates of, the barycentric coordinates of, and the barycentric load on the pressing points.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko ISHIZONE, Masafumi KANEKO, Yukihiro GORAI, Takashi SATO, Eiji UMETSU
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Publication number: 20130234968Abstract: There is provided an input device including: means for performing zero point correction on the sensor outputs of the load sensors when an absolute value of an amount of output change of each load sensor is not more than a predetermined threshold a during a certain period of measurement time; means for calculating position data and calculating a total load Z of the load sensors by using the sensor outputs; means for determining that the calculation data pieces are normal when the absolute value |dZ/dt| of the amount of change in the total load Z is not more than the threshold ?; means for determining that an input is present in the calculation data pieces when the absolute value |Z| of the total load is not less than the threshold ?; and means for removing a predetermined number of first and last data pieces in the calculation data pieces.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Shuji YANAGI, Eiji UMETSU, Masahiko ISHIZONE
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Patent number: 8516906Abstract: A sensor substrate includes a plurality of piezoresistance elements. The electrical resistance of each piezoresistance element changes in accordance with an amount of displacement of a displacement portion displaced by an external load applied through a pressure receiving unit. A base substrate supports the sensor substrate. The sensor substrate and the base substrate each include a support supporting the displacement portion such that the displacement portion can be displaced and a plurality of electrically connecting portions electrically connected to the plurality of piezoresistance elements. The supports of the sensor and base substrates are joined to each other and the plurality of electrically connecting portions of the sensor and base substrates are joined to each other. Furthermore, in each of the sensor and base substrates, either the support or the plurality of electrically connecting portions or both extend to the periphery of the sensor substrate or the base substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2012Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eiji Umetsu, Masahiko Ishizone, Motoki Hirayama, Hideki Gochou
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Publication number: 20120234112Abstract: A sensor substrate includes a plurality of piezoresistance elements. The electrical resistance of each piezoresistance element changes in accordance with an amount of displacement of a displacement portion displaced by an external load applied through a pressure receiving unit. A base substrate supports the sensor substrate. The sensor substrate and the base substrate each include a support supporting the displacement portion such that the displacement portion can be displaced and a plurality of electrically connecting portions electrically connected to the plurality of piezoresistance elements. The supports of the sensor and base substrates are joined to each other and the plurality of electrically connecting portions of the sensor and base substrates are joined to each other. Furthermore, in each of the sensor and base substrates, either the support or the plurality of electrically connecting portions or both extend to the periphery of the sensor substrate or the base substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Eiji UMETSU, Masahiko ISHIZONE, Motoki HIRAYAMA, Hideki GOCHOU
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Publication number: 20120223900Abstract: A display device according to an embodiment includes a touch panel, a plurality of detecting units, a blocking unit, and a calculating unit. The display device is incorporated in a vehicle, and the touch panel receives a pressing operation. The plurality of detecting units detect a pressure value on the touch panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2012Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicants: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FUJITSU TEN LIMITEDInventors: Motoya JIYAMA, Naoki SUGAMOTO, Nobuyuki BATOU, Kiyoshi HAMATANI, Kohji MIYAZATO, Hiroyuki YANAI, Sadaharu YAMAMOTO, Eiji UMETSU, Shuji YANAGI, Masahiko ISHIZONE
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Patent number: 8009391Abstract: An underlying layer is composed of Co—Fe—B that is an amorphous magnetic material. Thus, the upper surface of the underlying layer can be taken as a lower shield layer-side reference position for obtaining a gap length (GL) between upper and lower shields, resulting in a narrower gap than before. In addition, since the underlying layer has an amorphous structure, the underlying layer does not adversely affect the crystalline orientation of individual layers to be formed thereon, and the surface of the underlying layer has good planarizability. Accordingly, PW50 (half-amplitude pulse width) and SN ratio can be improved more than before without causing a decrease in rate of change in resistance (? R/R) or the like, thereby achieving a structure suitable for increasing recording density.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: TDK CorporationInventors: Kenichi Tanaka, Eiji Umetsu, Kazuaki Ikarashi, Kota Asatsuma, Norimasa Okanishi, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Masamichi Saito, Yosuke Ide, Kazumasa Nishimura, Ryo Nakabayashi, Hidekazu Kobayashi, Akio Hanada, Naoya Hasegawa
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Patent number: 7969693Abstract: A tunnel magnetoresistive sensor includes a pinned magnetic layer, an insulating barrier layer formed of Mg—O, and a free magnetic layer. A barrier-layer-side magnetic sublayer constituting at least part of the pinned magnetic layer and being in contact with the insulating barrier layer includes a first magnetic region formed of CoFeB or FeB and a second magnetic region formed of CoFe or Fe. The second magnetic region is disposed between the first magnetic region and the insulating barrier layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2007Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuaki Ikarashi, Eiji Umetsu, Kenichi Tanaka, Kazumasa Nishimura, Masamichi Saito, Yosuke Ide, Ryo Nakabayashi, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Hidekazu Kobayashi, Naoya Hasegawa
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Patent number: 7839608Abstract: A tunnel-type magnetic detecting device is provided. The tunnel-type magnetic detecting device is capable of stably reducing the surface roughness of an insulating barrier layer, and capable of properly improving an MR effect typified by a resistance changing rate. A seed layer is formed in a laminated structure of an NiFeCr layer and an Al layer. This makes it possible to stably reduce the surface roughness of the insulating barrier layer as compared with a related art in which a seed layer is formed in a single-layer structure of an NiFeCr layer. Accordingly, according to the tunnel-type magnetic detecting device of the invention, the MR property typified by an excellent resistance changing rate (?R/R) can be obtained stably.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: TDK CorporationInventors: Kazumi Kamai, Naoya Hasegawa, Eiji Umetsu, Kazuaki Ikarashi
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Patent number: 7800867Abstract: A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes lower and upper shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2009Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: TDK CorporationInventors: Masamichi Saito, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yosuke Ide, Eiji Umetsu, Naoya Hasegawa, Yasuo Hayakawa
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Publication number: 20090316308Abstract: A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes lower and upper shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Inventors: Masamichi Saito, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yosuke Ide, Eiji Umetsu, Naoya Hasegawa, Yasuo Hayakawa
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Patent number: 7599155Abstract: A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes lower and upper shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2004Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: TDK CorporationInventors: Masamichi Saito, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yosuke Ide, Eiji Umetsu, Naoya Hasegawa, Yasuo Hayakawa
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Patent number: 7567412Abstract: A magnetic sensing element includes a free magnetic layer having a three-layer structure including a first enhancement layer in contact with a nonmagnetic material layer, a second enhancement layer, and a low-coercivity layer. The second enhancement layer has a lower magnetostriction coefficient ? than the first enhancement layer. If such an enhancement layer having a bilayer structure is used, rather than a known monolayer structure, and the second enhancement layer has a lower magnetostriction coefficient ? than the first enhancement layer, the rate of change in magnetoresistance of the magnetic sensing element can be increased with no increase in the magnetostriction coefficient ? of the free magnetic layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2005Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ryo Nakabayashi, Eiji Umetsu, Kazuaki Ikarashi, Fumihito Koike, Naoya Hasegawa
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Publication number: 20090040661Abstract: An insulating barrier layer including a lower insulating layer composed of Al—O and an upper insulating layer composed of CoFe—O and disposed on the lower insulating layer is formed on a second pinned magnetic layer. A free magnetic layer is formed on the insulating barrier layer. According to this structure, a high rate of change in resistance (?R/R) and a low RA (element resistance R×element area A) can be achieved.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Tanaka, Eiji Umetsu, Kazuaki Ikarashi
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Patent number: 7463026Abstract: A magnetic sensor uses a magnetoresistance element which can be driven in a stable manner with a dipole irrespective of a polarity of an external magnetic field. A resistance value R of first magnetoresistance elements varies, and a resistance value of second magnetoresistance elements does not vary with a variation in magnetic field magnitude of the external magnetic field H1 in the positive direction. A resistance value R of second magnetoresistance elements varies and a resistance value of first magnetoresistance elements does not vary with a variation in magnetic field magnitude of the external magnetic field H2 in the negative direction. Accordingly, the magnetic sensor can be driven in a stable manner with a dipole irrespective of the polarity of the external magnetic field.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2007Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Sasaki, Kiyoshi Sato, Naoya Hasegawa, Yoshito Sasaki, Eiji Umetsu
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Publication number: 20080285180Abstract: An underlying layer is composed of Co—Fe—B that is an amorphous magnetic material. Thus, the upper surface of the underlying layer can be taken as a lower shield layer-side reference position for obtaining a gap length (GL) between upper and lower shields, resulting in a narrower gap than before. In addition, since the underlying layer has an amorphous structure, the underlying layer does not adversely affect the crystalline orientation of individual layers to be formed thereon, and the surface of the underlying layer has good planarizability. Accordingly, PW50 (half-amplitude pulse width) and SN ratio can be improved more than before without causing a decrease in rate of change in resistance (? R/R) or the like, thereby achieving a structure suitable for increasing recording density.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Kenichi Tanaka, Eiji Umetsu, Kazuaki Ikarashi, Kota Asatsuma, Norimasa Okanishi, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Masamichi Saito, Yosuke Ide, Kazumasa Nishimura, Ryo Nakabayashi, Hidekazu Kobayashi, Akio Hanada, Naoya Hasegawa