Patents by Inventor Gen Ichimura

Gen Ichimura 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: 20140176804
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a digital signal transmission/reception unit configured to perform two-way transmission of a digital signal using multiple differential signal lanes prepared at a transmission path with an external device; a transmission path arrangement determining unit configured to determine a transmission path arrangement including the number of use lanes, a use lane number, and a transmission direction by performing communication with the external device using a two-way communication line prepared at the transmission path with the external device; and a transmission path arrangement control unit configured to control the arrangement of the digital signal transmission/reception unit based on the information of the transmission path arrangement determined at the transmission path arrangement determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuaki Toba, Gen Ichimura, Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Toshihide Hayashi, Hideyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140181336
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a first communication unit configured to perform I2C bidirectional communication with an external apparatus using two signal lines included in a transmission path as I2C communication lines, a second communication unit configured to perform bidirectional differential communication with the external apparatus using the two signal lines as high-speed data communication lines, a switching unit configured to select a first communication state in which the first communication unit is connected to the two signal lines or a second communication state in which the second communication unit is connected to the two signal lines, and a controller configured to control operation of the switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuaki Toba, Gen Ichimura, Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Hideyuki Suzuki, Toshihide Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8750536
    Abstract: Provided is an output control apparatus connected to an audio output apparatus controlling output of audio data, including: a receiving unit configured to receive encoded data obtained by encoding multi-channel audio data; a decoding unit configured to decode the encoded data; an output control unit configured to control output of a predetermined number of channels of audio data among the multi-channel audio data obtained by the decoding; a transmitting unit configured to transmit any one of audio data different from the audio data of which the output is controlled by the output control unit among the multi-channel audio data obtained by the decoding and the encoded data to an audio output apparatus connected through an integrated cable formed by integrating at least a video line, an audio line, and a control line; and a control unit configured to control the audio output apparatus through the integrated cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Toba, Gen Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20140153633
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system, a transmission device, a reception device, a communication method, a program, and a communication cable, whereby high-speed communication can be executed while maintaining compatibility. In the event that an HDMI(R) source 71 and an HDMI(R) sink 72 execute two-way IP communication using a CEC line 84 and a signal line 141, a switching control unit 121 controls a switch 133 to select a partial signal making up the differential signal from a conversion unit 131 at the time of transmitting data, and controls the switch 133 to select a partial signal making up a differential signal from a receiver 82 at the time of transmitting data, and in the case of executing two-way communication using the CEC line 84 alone, the switching control unit 121 controls the switch 133 to select the CEC signal from the HDMI(R) source 71 or receiver 82 with the switch 133. The present invention may be applied to HDMI(R), for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Akihiko Tao
  • Patent number: 8745305
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a first communication unit configured to perform I2C bidirectional communication with an external apparatus using two signal lines included in a transmission path as I2C communication lines, a second communication unit configured to perform bidirectional differential communication with the external apparatus using the two signal lines as high-speed data communication lines, a switching unit configured to select a first communication state in which the first communication unit is connected to the two signal lines or a second communication state in which the second communication unit is connected to the two signal lines, and a controller configured to control operation of the switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Toba, Gen Ichimura, Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Hideyuki Suzuki, Toshihide Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20140126587
    Abstract: A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8711908
    Abstract: A player and an AV amplifier are connected via a cable. An amplifying device amplifies an output signal supplied to an output terminal 14, and outputs the amplified output signal as a transmission signal to the cable. An amplifying device amplifies an output signal supplied to an output terminal, and outputs the amplified output signal as a transmission signal to a cable. An operation device subtracts the output signal supplied to the output terminal from the transmission signal output to the cable. An operation device subtracts the output signal supplied to the output terminal from the transmission signal output to the cable. Therefore, the transmission signal from the AV amplifier is supplied to an input terminal, and the transmission signal from the player is supplied to an input terminal. The transmission signal includes a two-way communication bit indicating whether two-way communication is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8704955
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system, a transmission device, a reception device, a communication method, a program, and a communication cable, whereby high-speed communication can be executed while maintaining compatibility. In the event that an HDMI® source 71 and an HDMI® sink 72 execute two-way IP communication using a CEC line 84 and a signal line 141, a switching control unit 121 controls a switch 133 to select a partial signal making up the differential signal from a conversion unit 131 at the time of transmitting data, and controls the switch 133 to select a partial signal making up a differential signal from a receiver 82 at the time of transmitting data, and in the case of executing two-way communication using the CEC line 84 alone, the switching control unit 121 controls the switch 133 to select the CEC signal from the HDMI® source 71 or receiver 82 with the switch 133. The present invention may be applied to HDMI®, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Akihiko Tao
  • Patent number: 8707374
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a digital signal transmission/reception unit configured to perform two-way transmission of a digital signal using multiple differential signal lanes prepared at a transmission path with an external device; a transmission path arrangement determining unit configured to determine a transmission path arrangement including the number of use lanes, a use lane number, and a transmission direction by performing communication with the external device using a two-way communication line prepared at the transmission path with the external device; and a transmission path arrangement control unit configured to control the arrangement of the digital signal transmission/reception unit based on the information of the transmission path arrangement determined at the transmission path arrangement determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Toba, Gen Ichimura, Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Toshihide Hayashi, Hideyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8639841
    Abstract: A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20130191563
    Abstract: To enable signal transmission at a high data rate while securing backward compatibility. A source device 110 and a sink device 120 are connected by an HDMI cable 200. The source device 110 is compatible with both current HDMI and new HDMI. The number of differential signal channels for transmitting digital signals such as video data is three in the current HDMI, but is six in the new HDMI, for example. In a case where the cable 200 is compatible with the new HDMI, and the sink device 120 is compatible with the new HDMI, a control unit 113 of the source device 110 controls a data transmitting unit 112 to operate in a new HDMI operating mode. In a case where the control unit 113 determines that at least the sink device 120 is compatible only with the current HDMI, or at least the cable 200 is compatible with the current HDMI, the control unit 113 controls the data transmitting unit 112 to operate in a current HDMI operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuaki Toba, Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Gen Ichimura, Toshihide Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20130064309
    Abstract: A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8364004
    Abstract: A transport signal transmitted from a television receiver apparatus 720 through a signal line 708 is subjected to a separation operation by a transport-signal processor 713 and decoded by a video-signal decoding unit 714 and an audio-signal decoding unit 715. A decoded video signal is supplied through a signal line 701 to the television receiver apparatus 720. Video processing time of the television receiver apparatus 720 is obtained by a delay-information obtaining unit 716 through a signal line 703. An audio-signal delaying unit 717 delays an audio signal decoded by the audio-signal decoding unit 715 in accordance with the video processing time obtained by the delay-information obtaining unit 716 and outputs the audio signal to a speaker 750.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8346052
    Abstract: In an HDMI-connected AV system, bidirectional data transmission between two devices is implemented at low cost. An audio amplifying device serving as an HDMI source and a display device as an HDMI sink are connected additionally using an auxiliary transmission path such as IEEE 1394, so that the data received by the display device 3 from another device is transmitted to the audio amplifying device 2 over the auxiliary transmission path. In this setup, the display device 3 generates a CTS based on a clock regenerated by ACR and on a TMDS clock received from the audio amplifying device 2 via the HDMI, and transmits the CTS over the auxiliary transmission path along with a frequency dividing ratio N. The audio amplifying device generates an audio signal clock from the CTS and N thus received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20120328120
    Abstract: A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8340138
    Abstract: A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8301007
    Abstract: A video and audio processing system includes an output apparatus that outputs video data and audio data to be synchronized and reproduced; an audio processing apparatus that receives the video data and the audio data from the output apparatus, supplies at least the video data to a downstream apparatus, and processes the audio data to generate an audio signal to be supplied to a speaker; and a video processing apparatus that receives the video data output from the audio processing apparatus and generates a video signal used for displaying video. The video processing apparatus includes video signal processing means, control means, and determining means for determining a processing time. The video and audio processing system delays the audio signal to be supplied to the speaker so as to be synchronized with the displayed video on the basis of the determination result of the processing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Ichimura
  • Patent number: 8265301
    Abstract: Audio signal processing apparatus is disclosed. The audio signal processing apparatus includes a first audio signal extracting section, a second audio signal extracting section, a sense-of-depth controlling section, a sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section, a control signal generating section, and a mixing section. The first audio signal extracting section extracts a main audio signal. The second audio signal extracting section extracts a sub audio signal. The sense-of-depth controlling section processes the extracted main audio signal to control a sense of depth. The sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section processes the extracted sub audio signal to vary a sense of sound expansion. The control signal generating section generates a first control signal with which the sense-of-depth controlling section is controlled and a second control signal with which the sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tadaaki Kimijima, Gen Ichimura, Jun Kishigami, Masayoshi Noguchi, Kazuaki Toba, Hideya Muraoka
  • Patent number: 8260445
    Abstract: A signal processing system is provided, which includes a first converter for converting first information in to second information, a superimposer for superimposing on the second information control information corresponding to any missing information lost from the first information due to its conversion by the first converter. Furthermore, the signal processing system includes a transmitter for transmitting the second information, a receiver for receiving the second information transmitted from the transmitter, and an extractor for extracting the control information from the second information. The signal processing system also includes a second converter for converting the second information in to third information based on the control information extracted by the extractor, and an output portion for outputting the third information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Ichimura
  • Patent number: 8260955
    Abstract: A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Ichimura, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima