Patents by Inventor Hideki Hirakawa
Hideki Hirakawa 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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Publication number: 20090160473Abstract: An electrical test contactor comprises a contactor main body including a plate-shaped attachment portion extending in the up-down direction, a plate-shaped arm portion extending from the lower end portion of the attachment portion at least to one side in the right-left direction, and a plate-shaped pedestal portion projecting downward from the tip end portion of the arm portion, a contact portion projecting downward from the lower end of the pedestal portion and having the lower end of the contact portion acting as a probe tip, and a resistor having a higher resistance value than the contactor main body and the contact portion and arranged at the contactor main body so as to heighten the resistance value of the contactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2008Publication date: June 25, 2009Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Nihon MicronicsInventors: Yoshiyuki FUKAMI, Kazuya Numajiri, Osamu Arai, Hideki Hirakawa
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Patent number: 7523539Abstract: In a probe manufacturing method, after a metal material for a probe is deposited on a base table, the probe can be detached from the base table relatively easily without damaging the probe. A recess corresponding to a flat surface shape of a probe is formed by a resist mask on a sacrificial layer on a base table, and a probe is formed by depositing a probe material in the recess. Thereafter, the resist mask is removed, and further the sacrificial layer is removed by an etching process with a part of the sacrificial layer remaining. For the purpose of forming an opening for control of the remaining part of the sacrificial layer in the etching process in the probe so as to let the opening pass through the probe in its plate thickness direction, a hole-forming portion for the opening is formed in the resist mask. Etching of the sacrificial layer in the etching process is promoted from an edge of the opening formed in the probe by this hole-forming portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nihon MicronicsInventors: Takayuki Hayashizaki, Hideki Hirakawa, Akira Soma, Shinji Kuniyoshi
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Publication number: 20090058441Abstract: A probe for electrical test comprises a plate-shaped main portion having a base end to be attached to a support board and a tip end opposite the base end, and a probe tip portion arranged at the tip end of the main portion and having a probe tip to contact an electrode of a device under test, the main portion being made of a tenacity material. The main portion includes a conductive material extending from the base end to the tip end and at least part of which is buried within the tenacity material, and the tenacity material has higher resiliency than that of the conductive material while the conductive material has higher conductivity than that of the tenacity material. As a result, disorder of a signal provided via the probe is decreased without losing elastic deformation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2005Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Hideki Hirakawa, Akira Soma, Takayuki Hayashizaki, Shinji Kuniyoshi, Masahisa Tazawa
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Publication number: 20090051382Abstract: A probe includes an arm region extending in the back and forth direction, and a tip region extending downward from the front end portion of the arm region. The tip region has a pedestal portion integrally continuous to a lower edge portion at the front end side of the arm region and having an underside inclined to an imaginary axis extending in the vertical direction; and a contact portion projected from the underside of the pedestal portion and having a tip orthogonal to an imaginary axis. Thus, the position of the tip can be accurately determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2005Publication date: February 26, 2009Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Shinji Kuniyoshi, Hideki Hirakawa, Akira Soma, Takayuki Hayashizaki
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Publication number: 20090009197Abstract: A probe for electrical test comprises an arm region extending in a first direction, and a tip region leading to one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction of the arm region, and has a plate form making a direction interesting the first and second directions a thickness direction. The tip region includes a pedestal portion leading to the arm region and a contact portion leading to the pedestal portion, and the contact portion includes a base portion forming a part of the pedestal portion and a projecting portion leading to the base portion and projecting from the pedestal portion in the second direction. By this, damage to the contact portion is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2007Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Hideki HIRAKAWA, Akira SOUMA, Yoshikazu URUSHIYAMA
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Publication number: 20080210663Abstract: The present invention provides a probe manufacturing method in which, after a metal material for a probe is deposited on a base table, the probe can be detached from the base table relatively easily. A sacrificial layer is formed on a base table. The sacrificial layer is partially removed so as to form a recess in the sacrificial layer. A mask that exposes an area formed in a desired probe flat surface shape containing the recess is formed on the sacrificial layer. A probe material exhibiting different etching resistance characteristics from those of the sacrificial layer is deposited in the area exposed from the mask. By the deposition of the material, a coupling portion corresponding to the recess and a probe that is integral with the coupling portion are formed. After the mask is removed, the sacrificial layer is removed with use of etchant. Thereafter, the probe held on the base table at the coupling portion is detached from the base table together with the coupling portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: September 4, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Takayuki HAYASHIZAKI, Hideki HIRAKAWA, Akira SOMA, Kazuhito HAMADA
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Publication number: 20080191727Abstract: The present invention provides a probe in which electrical short-circuit between the probes adjacent to each other is reliably prevented and that is manufactured relatively easily. The present invention provides a probe comprising a probe main body made of a plate-shaped member having an attachment region having an attachment end portion and extending in a direction distanced from the attachment end portion, an arm region continuing into the attachment region and extending in a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the attachment region, and a probe tip region intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the arm region, extending from the arm region to the opposite side of a side where the attachment end portion of the attachment region is located, seen from the arm portion, and having a probe tip at its extending end portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2008Publication date: August 14, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Yuko YAMADA, Hideki HIRAKAWA, Masahisa TAZAWA, Takayuki HAYASHIZAKI
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Publication number: 20080184559Abstract: A probe formed on a base table is detached from the base table without giving damage on the probe. The present invention provides a probe manufacturing method comprising the steps of forming on a sacrificial layer on a base table a recess exposing the sacrificial layer with a resist, depositing a probe material in the recess to form a probe and then removing the resist, leaving part of the sacrificial layer and removing the rest by an etching process, and detaching from the base table the probe held on the base table by the remaining part of the sacrificial layer. In the recess of the resist are formed a main body part corresponding to a flat surface shape of the probe and an auxiliary part continuing into the main body part. The probe is formed by deposition of the material at the main body part, and a holding portion is formed by deposition of the material at the auxiliary part.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2008Publication date: August 7, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Akira SOMA, Takayuki HAYASHIZAKI, Yosuke YOSHIZAWA, Hideki HIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20080186038Abstract: A probe tip section of an electrical test probe has a laminated structure consisting of a first deposition portion and a second deposition portion covering the first deposition portion, and by the laminated structure, a maximum cross-sectional area portion at which the cross-sectional area of the probe tip section is increased to a base portion is provided between a tip end of the probe tip section and the base portion in the probe tip section. At the maximum cross-sectional area portion, a dimension in the X direction as seen on a flat surface perpendicular to a protruding direction of the probe tip section is increased in a one-dimensional way, and in addition, a dimension in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction is increased from the tip end toward the base portion, as a result of which the cross-sectional area of the probe tip section can be increased in a two-dimensional way.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2008Publication date: August 7, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Hideki HIRAKAWA, Yuko YAMADA, Yosuke YOSHIZAWA, Takayuki HAYASHIZAKI, Akira SOMA, Shinji KUNIYOSHI
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Publication number: 20080143368Abstract: The present invention provides a probe manufacturing method in which, after a metal material for a probe is deposited on a base table, the probe can be detached from the base table relatively easily without giving damage on the probe. A recess corresponding to a flat surface shape of a probe is formed by a resist mask on a sacrificial layer on a base table. By depositing a probe material in the recess, a probe made of the probe material is formed over the base table via the sacrificial layer. Thereafter, the resist mask is removed, and further the sacrificial layer is removed by an etching process with a part of the sacrificial layer remaining. For the purpose of forming an opening for control of the remaining part of the sacrificial layer in the etching process in the probe so as to let the opening pass through the probe in its plate thickness direction, a hole-forming portion for the opening is formed in the resist mask.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Takayuki HAYASHIZAKI, Hideki HIRAKAWA, Akira SOMA, Shinji KUNIYOSHI
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Publication number: 20080074128Abstract: An electrical test probe comprises a probe tip portion and a probe main body portion having a pedestal portion on which the probe tip portion is formed to be protruded. The probe main body portion is made of a conductive material that is greater in toughness than the probe tip portion, and the probe tip portion is made of a conductive material that is higher in hardness than the material of the probe main body portion. On the pedestal portion is provided a probe tip reinforcement portion that contacts at least one side surface of the probe tip portion, extends toward a tip of the probe tip portion, and permits the tip of the probe tip portion to be protruded from its extending end in the extending direction. Also, the probe tip portion may be in a multi-layer structure having a first metal material layer that is higher in hardness than the tough metal material forming the probe main body portion and a second metal material layer that is greater in toughness than the first metal material layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Hideki HIRAKAWA, Akira SOMA, Takayuki HAYASHIZAKI, Shinji KUNIYOSHI
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Patent number: 7343495Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises an encryption section encrypting contents information and also a license condition referred to to limit use of the contents information and a decoding key for decoding the encrypted contents information to generate license information, and a recording section recording the encrypted contents information and the generated license information on a recording medium. An information reproducing apparatus comprises a decoder unit decoding the license information recorded on the recording medium using a second decoding key for decoding the license information and deciding on the basis of the license condition contained in the decoded license information whether the contents information can be used. If it is decided that the contents information can be used, the encrypted contents information recorded on the recording medium is decoded using the first decoding key contained in the decoded license information.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2002Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Toru Kambayashi, Koichiro Akiyama, Shuichi Tsujimoto, Kazuo Sumita, Hideki Hirakawa, Toshihiro Sugaya
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Publication number: 20070210813Abstract: A probe for electrical test comprises a probe body having a base end attached to a support base plate through a solder and a front end continuous with said base end and a surface layer showing a conductivity higher than that of the probe body and a solder wettability higher than that of the probe body and extending on the surface of the probe body from the base end to the front end. In the vicinity of the base end of the surface layer, a shield region having a smaller solder wettability than that of the surface layer is formed across the surface layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2007Publication date: September 13, 2007Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Hideki Hirakawa, Akira Souma, Takayuki Hayashizaki, Shinji Kuniyoshi
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Patent number: 7209942Abstract: By moving image analysis, acoustic/speech analysis, or text analysis for multimedia information in a database, feature data representing the type of information is acquired, and the feature data is stored into the database added to the multimedia information. A search engine extracts partial images of user's interest from the multimedia information on the basis of the feature data and a user profile data. A link section associates the representative images (still images) of the partial images with multimedia images and displays the list of representative images and feature data. Thus, only a portion of the user's concern is extracted from an enormous amount of multimedia information, and individual information is selectively provided in units of users.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1999Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Osamu Hori, Miwako Doi, Kazuo Sumita, Hideki Hirakawa
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Publication number: 20070073540Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus includes a generation unit configured to receive a speech utterance and to generate at least one recognition candidate associating to the speech utterance and a likelihood of the recognition candidate; a storing unit configured to store at least the one recognition candidate and the likelihood; a selecting unit configured to select one of at least the one recognition candidate as a recognition result of a first speech utterance based on the likelihood; an utterance relation determining unit configured to determine, when a first speech utterance and a second speech utterance are sequentially input, at least whether the second speech utterance which is input after the input of the first speech utterance is a speech re-utterance of a whole of the first speech utterance or a speech re-utterance of a part of the first speech utterance; a whole correcting unit configured to correct the recognition candidate of the whole of the first speech utterance based on the second speech utterancType: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2006Publication date: March 29, 2007Inventors: Hideki Hirakawa, Tetsuro Chino
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Publication number: 20070018633Abstract: A probe comprises a body member having a front end area and supported on a support member in a cantilever state, and a tip member combined with the front end area of the body member. The tip member includes a base portion with at least a part of the tip member embedded in the front end area; a contact portion to be pressed against a device under test and projecting from the base portion in a second direction; and a reference portion formed at a position spaced apart from the contact portion in a first direction and projecting from the base portion in the second direction intersecting the first direction, and is made of a harder material than the body member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2006Publication date: January 25, 2007Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICSInventors: Hideki Hirakawa, Akira Souma, Takayuki Hayashizaki, Shinji Kuniyoshi
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Patent number: 7065708Abstract: A computerized document processing apparatus for creating an abstract includes document storage for storing a computerized document, keyword storage for storing keywords, an abstract creation section for creating an abstract by extracting at least a character string containing a keyword stored in the keyword storage section from the computerized document stored in the document storage section, a document modification section for modifying the computerized document to link the keyword in the computerized document with the same keyword in the abstract, and a display section for displaying the abstract and the modified document that is linked with the abstract. The modified document is displayed when the linked keyword in the abstract is selected.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2004Date of Patent: June 20, 2006Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Kenji Ono, Hideki Hirakawa, Kazuo Sumita
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Publication number: 20050216453Abstract: A user interface enables the user to select a classification scheme from a group of classification schemes indicated by classification scheme information. The classification scheme information is stored in a classification-scheme storage unit as results of classification performed on data of arbitrary databases. The user interface also enables the user to select, from the group of databases, a database to which the selected classification scheme is applied. A classification module classifies the data of the selected database based on the selected classification scheme.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2005Publication date: September 29, 2005Inventors: Koichi Sasaki, Yoshifumi Takayama, Hideki Hirakawa
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Publication number: 20040162842Abstract: There is provided a computerized document processing system which allows processing in creating an abstract to be distributed and an original document to be readily modified to relate the abstract with the original document. The computerized document processing system comprises a keyword holding section for holding keywords, document storage means for holding a computerized document transferred via a network, abstract creating means for creating an abstract by extracting at least a character string containing a keyword held in the keyword holding section from the computerized document held in the document storage means, document modifying means for modifying the computerized document such that it can be represented while relating with the abstract created by the document modifying means, and modified document storage means for storing the computerized document modified by the document modifying means.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Kenji Ono, Hideki Hirakawa, Kazuo Sumita
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Publication number: 20040158853Abstract: An audiovisual apparatus for presenting televisual programs includes a reception section for receiving an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) in which televisual programs to be provided are classified into categories according to tastes of users to allow selection of the televisual program in accordance with the categories together with contents information of a televisual program or independently of the contents information, a generation section for generating a program selection window for selecting a desired program in accordance with the categories on the basis of the EPG received by the reception section, and a selection section for selecting a televisual program to be reproduced or recorded from the program selection window.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2004Publication date: August 12, 2004Inventors: Miwako Doi, Osamu Hori, Kazuo Sumita, Hideki Hirakawa