Patents by Inventor Hiroki Kanehira
Hiroki Kanehira 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: 9354752Abstract: A sensor apparatus and an information processing apparatus having excellent operability are provided. A sensor apparatus includes a touch panel, a casing, and a pressure-sensitive sensor. The touch panel includes an input operation surface and detects a position at which an operator comes into contact with the input operation surface directly or indirectly. The casing accommodates the touch panel. The pressure-sensitive sensor includes a first electrode fixed to the touch panel, a second electrode fixed to the casing, and an elastic body arranged between the touch panel and the casing and elastically supporting the touch panel with respect to the casing. The pressure-sensitive sensor detects a pressing force input to the input operation surface, as a change of a capacitance between the first and second electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2010Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Hidetoshi Honda, Masato Ishigaki, Hiroto Kawaguchi
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Patent number: 8913031Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes: a display cover including an operation area that is pressed by an operator and a circumferential area located on the circumference of the operation area; a frame including an opening covered by the operation area and a fixing portion that fixes the circumferential area; a touch panel that is supported by the display cover to be positioned at the opening and detects a position at which the operator comes into contact with the operation area; and a pressure-sensitive sensor that is provided between the display cover and the frame, includes a first electrode and a second electrode opposed to the first electrode, and detects a pressing force with respect to the operation area based on a change of a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode that corresponds to a deflection amount of the display cover.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hidetoshi Honda, Hiroki Kanehira, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Kazutomo Miyata, Masato Ishigaki, Yutaka Wada, Hiroshi Akama
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Patent number: 8681120Abstract: An input apparatus includes an operation surface, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, and a detection unit. The operation surface is operated with an operation object. The first electrodes include first electrode units and second electrode units. The first electrode units and the second electrode units are alternately connected in a first direction parallel to the operation surface. The second electrodes include third electrode units and fourth electrode units. The third and fourth electrode units are alternately connected in a second direction parallel to the operation surface. The second direction crosses the first direction. The fourth electrode units are respectively opposed to the second electrode units. The detection unit detects, based on a change in capacitance between the second electrode units and the fourth electrode units, a position where the operation object performs one of approach and touch with respect to the operation surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2010Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Katsunori Sato, Kazutomo Miyata
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Patent number: 8436823Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a first capacitance element, a second capacitance element, a ground circuit, and a signal processing circuit. The first capacitance element has a first capacitance. The second capacitance element includes a first electrode and a second electrode that form a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance. The ground circuit includes a third electrode arranged adjacently to the first electrode, and converts the second capacitance into a third capacitance smaller than the second capacitance by connecting the third electrode to a ground potential. The signal processing circuit processes a first signal output from the first capacitance element based on a change of the first capacitance, and a second signal output from the second capacitance element based on a change of the third capacitance.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2010Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Ryota Kitamura
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Publication number: 20110175845Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes: a display cover including an operation area that is pressed by an operator and a circumferential area located on the circumference of the operation area; a frame including an opening covered by the operation area and a fixing portion that fixes the circumferential area; a touch panel that is supported by the display cover to be positioned at the opening and detects a position at which the operator comes into contact with the operation area; and a pressure-sensitive sensor that is provided between the display cover and the frame, includes a first electrode and a second electrode opposed to the first electrode, and detects a pressing force with respect to the operation area based on a change of a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode that corresponds to a deflection amount of the display cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2010Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hidetoshi Honda, Hiroki Kanehira, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Kazutomo Miyata, Masato Ishigaki, Yutaka Wada, Hiroshi Akama
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Publication number: 20110157087Abstract: A sensor apparatus and an information processing apparatus having excellent operability are provided. A sensor apparatus includes a touch panel, a casing, and a pressure-sensitive sensor. The touch panel includes an input operation surface and detects a position at which an operator comes into contact with the input operation surface directly or indirectly. The casing accommodates the touch panel. The pressure-sensitive sensor includes a first electrode fixed to the touch panel, a second electrode fixed to the casing, and an elastic body arranged between the touch panel and the casing and elastically supporting the touch panel with respect to the casing. The pressure-sensitive sensor detects a pressing force input to the input operation surface, as a change of a capacitance between the first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2010Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Hidetoshi Honda, Masato Ishigaki, Hiroto Kawaguchi
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Publication number: 20110148809Abstract: An input apparatus includes an operation surface, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, and a detection unit. The operation surface is operated with an operation object. The first electrodes include first electrode units and second electrode units. The first electrode units and the second electrode units are alternately connected in a first direction parallel to the operation surface. The second electrodes include third electrode units and fourth electrode units. The third and fourth electrode units are alternately connected in a second direction parallel to the operation surface. The second direction crosses the first direction. The fourth electrode units are respectively opposed to the second electrode units. The detection unit detects, based on a change in capacitance between the second electrode units and the fourth electrode units, a position where the operation object performs one of approach and touch with respect to the operation surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Katsunori Sato, Kazutomo Miyata
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Publication number: 20110148811Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a first capacitance element, a second capacitance element, a ground circuit, and a signal processing circuit. The first capacitance element has a first capacitance. The second capacitance element includes a first electrode and a second electrode that form a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance. The ground circuit includes a third electrode arranged adjacently to the first electrode, and converts the second capacitance into a third capacitance smaller than the second capacitance by connecting the third electrode to a ground potential. The signal processing circuit processes a first signal output from the first capacitance element based on a change of the first capacitance, and a second signal output from the second capacitance element based on a change of the third capacitance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Ryota Kitamura
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Patent number: 7160032Abstract: The electro-optical composite connector comprises an electro-optical composite plug and an electro-optical receptacle. The electro-optical composite plug or electro-optical composite receptacle converts an optical signal from an optical fiber to an electric signal and transmits to the opposing electro-optical receptacle or electro-optical composite plug through a power connecting metal or power connecting metal receiver. The opposing electro-optical composite receptacle or electro-optical composite plug converts the electric signal to the optical signal and transmits to the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Zenya Nagashima, Hiroki Kanehira, Yoshiaki Watanabe
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Patent number: 6845021Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-output DC-DC converter which supplies an input direct voltage to a series circuit consisting of a primary winding (3a) of a transformer (3) and a switching circuit (2) to obtain first and second output direct voltages from a secondary winding (3b) of the transformer (3) via first and second rectifying circuits, wherein a switching signal of the switching circuit (2) is controlled corresponding to the first output direct voltage so that the first output direct voltage is caused to be constant, and a variable reactor (10) is inserted into the second rectifying circuit. Thus, loss of power can be reduced in a simplified configuration.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2001Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Hiroshi Akama
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Publication number: 20040218873Abstract: The electro-optical composite connector comprises an electro-optical composite plug and an electro-optical receptacle. The electro-optical composite plug or electro-optical composite receptacle converts an optical signal from an optical fiber to an electric signal and transmits to the opposing electro-optical receptacle or electro-optical composite plug through a power connecting metal or power connecting metal receiver. The opposing electro-optical composite receptacle or electro-optical composite plug converts the electric signal to the optical signal and transmits to the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2004Publication date: November 4, 2004Inventors: Zenya Nagashima, Hiroki Kanehira, Yoshiaki Watanabe
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Publication number: 20030141855Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-output DC-DC converter which supplies an input direct voltage to a series circuit consisting of a primary winding (3a) of a transformer (3) and a switching circuit (2) to obtain first and second output direct voltages from a secondary winding (3b) of the transformer (3) via first and second rectifying circuits, wherein a switching signal of the switching circuit (2) is controlled corresponding to the first output direct voltage so that the first output direct voltage is caused to be constant, and a variable reactor (10) is inserted into the second rectifying circuit. Thus, loss of power can be reduced in a simplified configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2002Publication date: July 31, 2003Inventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Hiroshi Akama
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Patent number: 6236215Abstract: A cell voltage detection circuit 20 comprises a first input selecting means 22 connected to the positive and negative electrodes of each of cells connected in series to each other to acquire a voltage from either a selected positive or negative electrode of an intended cell, a second input selecting means 24 connected to the positive and negative electrodes of each of the cells to acquire a voltage from either a selected positive or negative electrode of an intended cell, a voltage detector 30 to acquire a detected cell output voltage from output voltages of the first and second input selecting means 22 and 24, respectively, and a processing means 40 for converting a detected cell output voltage of the voltage detector 30 from analog to digital for calculation to provide the voltage of each cell.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1999Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Hiroki Kanehira