Patents by Inventor Harunobu Yoshida

Harunobu Yoshida 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: 9651608
    Abstract: A diagnostic circuit for inspecting a light-emitting device having light-emitting elements. The diagnostic circuit includes a power source module, a buffer module, and an abnormality detection module. The buffer module includes a plurality of buffers. Each buffer has a buffer input terminal and a buffer output terminal. The buffer input terminal receives a first power source signal from the power source module, and the buffer output terminal outputs a second power source signal to one of the light-emitting elements. The abnormality detection module includes a plurality of comparators. Each comparator has a pair of detection input terminals and a detection output terminal. The detection input terminals is configured to receive the first and second power source signals. The detection output terminal outputs a comparison signal to generate a diagnostic result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: NISHO IMAGE TECH, INC.
    Inventor: Harunobu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20150108988
    Abstract: A diagnostic circuit for inspecting a light-emitting device having light-emitting elements. The diagnostic circuit includes a power source module, a buffer module, and an abnormality detection module. The buffer module includes a plurality of buffers. Each buffer has a buffer input terminal and a buffer output terminal. The buffer input terminal receives a first power source signal from the power source module, and the buffer output terminal outputs a second power source signal to one of the light-emitting elements. The abnormality detection module includes a plurality of comparators. Each comparator has a pair of detection input terminals and a detection output terminal. The detection input terminals is configured to receive the first and second power source signals. The detection output terminal outputs a comparison signal to generate a diagnostic result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Harunobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9000341
    Abstract: A method for detecting light amount uniformity is applicable to a light-emitting device including a plurality of light-emitting elements. First, the light-emitting device is placed in a sensed region of a photo-sensing apparatus. Then, the following steps are executed N times: during the nth execution, turning on the (n+i×N)th light-emitting element, where i is 0 or a positive integer, n is less than or equal to N, and n and N are positive integers; detecting light emission of the light-emitting element with the photo-sensing apparatus to produce a scanned image; and finally, comparing whether the bright spots corresponding to the light-emitting elements in the scanned images produced through the N steps are consistent, and outputting an output signal indicating whether the light-emitting device is normal or abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nisho Image Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Harunobu Yoshida, Tz-Liang Chang, Po-Hsiung Peng
  • Publication number: 20150069931
    Abstract: A scanning light-emitting device with increased light intensity includes a light-emitting circuit and a shift circuit including a plurality of shift thyristors, a plurality of diodes and a plurality of shift signal lines. The plurality of shift thyristors is divided into a plurality of groups at intervals. Each of the shift signal lines is electrically connected to the shift thyristors belonging to one of the groups. The light-emitting circuit includes a plurality of light-emitting thyristors and a plurality of light-emitting control lines. Each of the light-emitting thyristors is correspondingly electrically connected to one of the shift thyristors. Each of the light-emitting control lines is electrically connected to the light-emitting thyristors electrically connected to the shift thyristors belonging to one of the groups. The total light-emitting intensity can be increased through partial overlap during light-emitting of the light-emitting thyristors in adjacent groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Harunobu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140285118
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus capable of suppressing noise includes: a plurality of light emitting chips and a drive circuit. Each light emitting chip includes a plurality of light emitting units and a scanning circuit. The scanning circuit is electrically connected to the light emitting units, so as to receive a frequency signal combination, and sequentially scans the light emitting units so as to selectively enable the scanned light emitting units to emit light. The drive circuit is electrically connected to the light emitting chips, to provide a frequency signal combination for each light emitting chip. The frequency signal combinations are grouped into a plurality of groups. At least two of the groups have a delay therebetween, so that the light emitting units corresponding to a same serial number emit light successively according to the delay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Nisho Image Tech Inc.
    Inventor: Harunobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8786199
    Abstract: A method for compensating and checking a light amount is applicable to a light-emitting device including a plurality of light-emitting elements, and the following steps are successively executed on the light-emitting elements: measuring an original light amount output by a light-emitting element within a reference time interval; generating a calibration value corresponding to the light-emitting element according to the measured original light amount and a reference light amount; and adjusting light output of the light-emitting element according to the calibration value, so that the original light amount reaches a target light amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nisho Image Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Harunobu Yoshida, Tz-Liang Chang, Po-Hsiung Peng
  • Publication number: 20130327920
    Abstract: A method for detecting light amount uniformity is applicable to a light-emitting device including a plurality of light-emitting elements. First, the light-emitting device is placed in a sensed region of a photo-sensing apparatus. Then, the following steps are executed N times: during the nth execution, turning on the (n+i×N)th light-emitting element, where i is 0 or a positive integer, n is less than or equal to N, and n and N are positive integers; detecting light emission of the light-emitting element with the photo-sensing apparatus to produce a scanned image; and finally, comparing whether the bright spots corresponding to the light-emitting elements in the scanned images produced through the N steps are consistent, and outputting an output signal indicating whether the light-emitting device is normal or abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Nisho Image Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Harunobu YOSHIDA, Tz-Liang CHANG, Po-Hsiung PENG
  • Publication number: 20130328487
    Abstract: A method for compensating and checking a light amount is applicable to a light-emitting device including a plurality of light-emitting elements, and the following steps are successively executed on the light-emitting elements: measuring an original light amount output by a light-emitting element within a reference time interval; generating a calibration value corresponding to the light-emitting element according to the measured original light amount and a reference light amount; and adjusting light output of the light-emitting element according to the calibration value, so that the original light amount reaches a target light amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Nisho Image Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Harunobu YOSHIDA, Tz-Liang Chang, Po-Hsiung Peng
  • Patent number: 8199377
    Abstract: There is provided an image sensor in which an enlargement of a substrate width is not caused even in a case that a rod-shaped light source is provided on both sides of a resin lens plate, respectively, and in which a positional accuracy of component is superior. The image sensor comprises a rod-shaped light source for irradiating light to an original placed on an original glass plate, an imaging optics for focusing light reflected on the original, and a light-receiving element for receiving light passing through the imaging optics, the light-receiving element being positioned at a predetermined location on a substrate which is provided with through holes for terminals of lead frames of the rod-shaped light source. The terminals of lead frames of the rod-shaped light source are bent toward the center of the substrate to be connected with the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masahide Wakisaka, Harunobu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090135453
    Abstract: There is provided an image sensor in which an enlargement of a substrate width is not caused even in a case that a rod-shaped light source is provided on both sides of a resin lens plate, respectively, and in which a positional accuracy of component is superior. The image sensor comprises a rod-shaped light source for irradiating light to an original placed on an original glass plate, an imaging optics for focusing light reflected on the original, and a light-receiving element for receiving light passing through the imaging optics, the light-receiving element being positioned at a predetermined location on a substrate which is provided with through holes for terminals of lead frames of the rod-shaped light source. The terminals of lead frames of the rod-shaped light source are bent toward the center of the substrate to be connected with the through holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masahide Wakisaka, Harunobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7385169
    Abstract: A contact image sensor is provided including a housing, a slit plate a lens, one or two light sources and a light-receiving element array mounted on a light-receiving element array substrate. The housing contains the slit plate, the lens, the one or two light sources and the light-receiving element array substrate. The optical system of the contact image sensor is aligned and one or more depressions are formed on an end of the substrate for the alignment. Power to the one or two light sources is applied through one or more leads. Each of the one or more depressions is large enough so that each of the leads can be passed through the respective depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomihisa Saitou, Harunobu Yoshida, Masahide Wakisaka, Masaki Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20070057151
    Abstract: A contact image sensor is provided including a housing, a slit plate a lens, one or two light sources and a light-receiving element array mounted on a light-receiving element array substrate. The housing contains the slit plate, the lens, the one or two light sources and the light-receiving element array substrate. The optical system of the contact image sensor is aligned and one or more depressions are formed on an end of the substrate for the alignment. Power to the one or two light sources is applied through one or more leads. Each of the one or more depressions is large enough so that each of the leads can be passed through the respective depressions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Tomihisa Saito, Harunobu Yoshida, Masahide Wakisaka, Masaki Kitaoka
  • Patent number: 7177082
    Abstract: A lens array 4 is formed as an erect 1:1 imaging lens by superimposing two lens plates 40 and 40 together. Each lens plate 40 consists of a number of micro lenses 41 which are regularly provided at a predetermined pitch and in a two-dimensional manner. This lens plate 40 is for example made by press molding the ultraviolet curing resin in a soft condition using a transparent mold and by irradiating the ultraviolet light on the ultraviolet curing resin from outside for hardening. Since the lens array 4 is provided with micro lenses 41 in rows in a sub-scanning direction, deterioration of an amount of light level resulting from the displacement between a light axis of the lens and an image sensor 6 is not generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Wakisaka, Hiroyuki Nemoto, Takashi Kishimoto, Harunobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7034932
    Abstract: The present invention provides an object-sensing device capable of estimating the presence of an object attached on a sensing surface, the kind of the object and the state of the object. An image is formed by a lens with light via the sensing surface, and the light is received by a light-receiving element portion in which a plurality of micro-light-receiving elements are arranged. In the object detection mode, totally reflected light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. The components are arranged at an angle that allows total reflection when there is no object, and does not allow the total reflection condition to be satisfied when there is an object. In the light scattering object detection mode, scattered light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. A signal pattern is obtained by joining detection signal levels of the micro-light-receiving elements in accordance with the arrangement of the micro-light-receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Niles Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Kobayashi, Keiji Tsunetomo, Hideki Imanishi, Harunobu Yoshida, Masahide Wakisaka, Tatsumi Tokuda
  • Patent number: 7002480
    Abstract: A deposit detector in which deposit on a detection surface has a surface shape effect, and generation of a flashing phenomenon caused by irregular reflection of the light incident on the deposit from the outside is estimated. In a deposit detection mode, light emitted from a light source (10) for total reflection and total-reflected from the detection surface is received by a light-receiving element unit (50). Each element is disposed at such an angle that the light undergoes total reflection when no deposit is present or the condition of total reflection is not satisfied when deposit is present. Further, in a light-scattering deposit detection mode, light emitted from a scattering light source (20) and scattered by the detection surface is received by the light-receiving element unit (50). In an extraneous light quantity increase detection mode, extraneous light is received by the light-receiving element unit (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Niles Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Kobayashi, Keiji Tsunetomo, Harunobu Yoshida, Tatsumi Tokuda
  • Patent number: 6919961
    Abstract: An object sensor is provided, which has a high object detection rate with respect to an object such as a raindrop adhering to a detection surface, and which is capable of detecting the presence/absence of an object with a high sensitivity. A light source 10, a detection surface 110, a focusing lens 40, and a plurality of photodetecting elements of a photodetecting unit 50 form a focusing system of equal magnification that is capable of catching an image in a size smaller than an object to be detected. Light emitted from the light source 10 is incident on the detection surface 110 via a prism 20 at a predetermined incident angle. Without a raindrop 120, the total internal reflection condition is satisfied as shown by a path 140 of a beam, so that the beam is subjected to the total internal reflection. Then, the beam passes through a prism 30, and is focused on a photodetecting surface of the photodetecting unit 50 by the focusing lens 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Niles Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Tsunetomo, Fumitoshi Kobayashi, Hideki Imanishi, Harunobu Yoshida, Masahide Wakisaka, Tatsumi Tokuda
  • Publication number: 20050040321
    Abstract: A lens array 4 is formed as an erect 1:1 imaging lens by superimposing two lens plates 40 and 40 together. Each lens plate 40 consists of a number of micro lenses 41 which are regularly provided at a predetermined pitch and in a two-dimensional manner. This lens plate 40 is for example made by press molding the ultraviolet curing resin in a soft condition using a transparent mold and by irradiating the ultraviolet light on the ultraviolet curing resin from outside for hardening. Since the lens array 4 is provided with micro lenses 41 in rows in a sub-scanning direction, deterioration of an amount of light level resulting from the displacement between a light axis of the lens and an image sensor 6 is not generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Wakisaka, Hiroyuki Nemoto, Takashi Kishimoto, Harunobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6831673
    Abstract: In an optical write head, a rod lens array, a substrate support member for supporting a substrate, and a driver circuit board are fixedly held by a support member. The support member and the substrate support member are formed from metallic material, and a frame of the rod lens array is formed from a glass plate. Further, distance between a light-emitting section of a light-emitting device array and a light-incident end face of the rod lens array is adjusted, by means of rotating eccentric pins. Further, light-emitting device array chips are die-bonded on the substrate bonded at predetermined positions on the substrate support member while the position of the substrate support member is taken as a reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Wakisaka, Takahisa Arima, Harunobu Yoshida, Yukihisa Kusuda, Seiji Oono, Yasunao Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20040178760
    Abstract: A deposit detector in which deposit on a detection surface has a surface shape effect, and generation of a flashing phenomenon caused by irregular reflection of the light incident on the deposit from the outside is estimated. In a deposit detection mode, light emitted from a light source (10) for total reflection and total-reflected from the detection surface is received by a light-receiving element unit (50). Each element is disposed at such an angle that the light undergoes total reflection when no deposit is present or the condition of total reflection is not satisfied when deposit is present. Further, in a light-scattering deposit detection mode, light emitted from a scattering light source (20) and scattered by the detection surface is received by the light-receiving element unit (50). In an extraneous light quantity increase detection mode, extraneous light is received by the light-receiving element unit (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Kobayashi, Keiji Tsunetomo, Harunobu Yoshida, Tatsumi Tokuda
  • Publication number: 20030183752
    Abstract: The present invention provides an object-sensing device capable of estimating the presence of an object attached on a sensing surface, the kind of the object and the state of the object. An image is formed by a lens with light via the sensing surface, and the light is received by a light-receiving element portion in which a plurality of micro-light-receiving elements are arranged. In the object detection mode, totally reflected light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. The components are arranged at an angle that allows total reflection when there is no object, and does not allow the total reflection condition to be satisfied when there is an object. In the light scattering object detection mode, scattered light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. A signal pattern is obtained by joining detection signal levels of the micro-light-receiving elements in accordance with the arrangement of the micro-light-receiving elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Kobayashi, Keiji Tsunetomo, Hideki Imanishi, Harunobu Yoshida, Masahide Wakisaka, Tatsumi Tokuda