Patents by Inventor Etsurou Sakamoto

Etsurou Sakamoto 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: 20030179484
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20030142434
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6490113
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6437933
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20020034032
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20010005292
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5923486
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5381358
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cyclic digital filter comprising a feedback loop including a first unit time delay circuit for delaying an input signal by a unit time; a coefficient multiplier for multiplying by a predetermined coefficient the output from the first unit time delay circuit; and an adder for adding the input signal and the result of the multiplication by the coefficient multiplier. The adder performs add and subtract operations involving the input signal and the output signal supplied via the first unit time delay circuit and via the coefficient multiplier. The cyclic digital filter also comprises a second unit time delay circuit interposingly provided between the coefficient multiplier and the adder. In operation, the coefficient of the coefficient multiplier is adjusted to maintain, in the presence of the second unit time delay circuit, the characteristics of the cyclic digital filter in effect when the second unit time delay circuit is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5287196
    Abstract: Video and information signals are recorded in slant tracks on a magnetic tape having a wrap angle of no more than about 180.degree. by timebase converting at least the video signal which then is time division multiplexed with the information signal. The time division multiplexed signals are recorded sequentially in a length of track that is less than the wrap angle to form successive tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keitaro Yamashita, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5276562
    Abstract: A compensating deemphasis circuit is connected to a preemphasis circuit in series. The deemphasis circuit has the same characteristic as a deemphasis circuit provided in a playback system. An input signal and an output signal which are connected in series are supplied to a subtracter. The subtracter extracts a distortion component. This distortion component is overlapped to an output signal of the preemphasis circuit through a weight coefficient generating device. When the signal passes through the deemphasis circuit in the record and playback system and that in the playback system, the distortion component is canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5276403
    Abstract: A nonlinear preemphasis-deemphasis system of simplified circuit configuration formed of nonlinear preemphasis and deemphasis circuits. The preemphasis circuit comprises a nonlinear signal increase circuit for increasing the amplitude of an input signal component whose frequency is higher than a predetermined frequency in accordance with the frequency of that signal component, until the signal component reaches a predetermined threshold level. The output of the signal increase circuit is added to the input signal, and the summed signal is supplied to a nonlinear signal decrease circuit having an operating characteristic inverse to that of the nonlinear signal increase circuit. Another adder adds the output of the signal decrease circuit to the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5267022
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus, typically for use as a video tape recorder/reproducer for recording and reproducing high-definition television signals, includes an encoder for converting a chrominance signal into a line sequential signal, time-compressing the line sequential signal and multiplexing the time-compressed line sequential signal with a luminance signal according to time-division multiplexing, thereby producing a time-division-multiplexed signal. A vertical emphasis circuit is connected to an input terminal of the encoder, for performing vertical nonlinear emphasis on the chrominance signal. The video signal processing apparatus also includes a vertical low-pass filter for preventing aliasing distortions from the chrominance signal due to the conversion of the chrominance signal into the line sequential signal. The vertical nonlinear emphasis is performed on the chrominance signal after the chrominance signal has been processed by the vertical low-pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Etsurou Sakamoto, Masatoshi Takashima
  • Patent number: 5200835
    Abstract: An FM demodulating apparatus suitable for use in a VTR or the like has a suppressing circuit for suppressing the upper and lower sideband components of an FM modulated video signal, an FM demodulation circuit for demodulating the output from the suppressing circuit and a recovering circuit connected to the output of the FM demodulation circuit for recovering the sideband components suppressed by the suppressing circuit, to thereby provide a favorable demodulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5119199
    Abstract: An imput for receiving FM modulated video signals is connected to a first demodulator circuit, the output of which is connected to the first input of an adder. The input is also connected to a transversal filter, the output of which feeds a Hilbert transform circuit that has its output connected to a second demodulator circuit. The output of the second demodulator is connected to a second input of the adder, the adder providing an FM demodulated video signal with reduced moire and improved signal-to-noise ratio. In a second embodiment, the Hilbert transform circuit is formed by delay circuits and a subtraction circuit connected to subtract the output of the delay circuits from the input thereto. An adder is connected to add the output of the delay circuits to the input thereto. First and second demodulation circuits receive the outputs from the subtractor and adder, respectively, and the outputs of the first and second demodulation circuits are mixed to produce the FM demodulated video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5105274
    Abstract: A first circuit includes a high pass filter for extracting a high band signal component of an incoming video signal and a limiter for amplitude-limiting an output signal of the high-pass filter. A second circuit detects correlation in the vertical direction of the video signal and a weighting circuit weights an output signal of the second circuit in response to the output signal of the high-pass filter. An adding circuits adds an output signal of the first circuit and a weighted output signal of the second circuit, and subtracting circuit subtracts an outptut signal of the adding circuit and the video signal from each other, in order to reduce the noise in the incoming video signal. In this manner, noise remaining at the edge portion of a video image signal can be removed effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsurou Sakamoto