Patents by Inventor Hiromi Katoh

Hiromi Katoh 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: 8525953
    Abstract: A plurality of first and second sensor pixel circuits each sensing light during a designated sensing period and retaining the amount of sensed light otherwise are arranged in a pixel region. A backlight is turned on once for a predetermined time in one-frame period. A sensing period when the backlight is turned on and a sensing period when the backlight is turned off are set once, respectively, in the one-frame period. The first sensor pixel circuit is reset. The second sensor pixel circuit is reset. Read from sensor pixel circuits of two types is performed in parallel in a line sequential manner during a period other than the periods and. A difference circuit provided outside of the sensor pixel circuits is used for obtaining a difference between an amount of light when the backlight is turned on and an amount of light when the backlight is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohhei Tanaka, Kaoru Yamamoto, Naru Usukura, Hiroaki Shigeta
  • Publication number: 20130218240
    Abstract: A system for influencing a state of a user includes a light source for emitting light influencing the state of the user. The system includes a light controller selectively controlling the emission of the light and an analysis engine which provides a signal to the light controller indicating a desired emission of the light. The system selectively directs blue light from the light source onto a material that retransmits it as a light different than blue light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Xiao-fan FENG, Hiromi KATOH
  • Publication number: 20130112880
    Abstract: A photosensor-equipped display device is provided having a combination of visible and non-visible light sources where a voltage drop is minimized when the non-visible light sources are turned on. The display device includes: a plurality of infrared LEDs (3b); photosensors (9) provided in a pixel region (4) for detecting reflected light originating from the infrared LEDs (3b); a sensor row driver circuit (7) configured to supply a sensor drive signal to the photosensors (9); an amplifier circuit (6) configured to amplify a signal read from the photosensors (9) in response to the sensor drive signal and output a photosensor signal; a signal processing circuit (20) configured to process the photosensor signal output from the amplifier circuit (6); and a backlight control circuit (13) configured to control on and off of the infrared LEDs (3b). The plurality of photosensors (9) are divided into a plurality of sensor groups in the pixel region (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Naru Usukura
  • Patent number: 8427463
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having an image input function capable of suppressing the degradation of image quality of a display image and a captured image caused by a parasitic capacitance is provided. The liquid crystal display device, which includes an active matrix substrate (1), a counter substrate (2), and a liquid crystal layer and performs inversion driving, includes a photodetection part provided on the matrix substrate (1) for each or at least two of the active elements, and a sensor drive part (5). The photodetection part includes a photodiode and a capacitance storing charge, and outputs a photodetective signal VSOUT whose level changes in accordance with the amount of the stored charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Kazuhiro Maeda, Christopher Brown
  • Patent number: 8427464
    Abstract: Provided is a display device including a photoreception unit on an active matrix substrate in correspondence with one or two or more pixels, and a driving unit that drives the photoreception unit. The photoreception unit includes a photodiode, a capacitor that accumulates a charge in accordance with the electrical signal from when a reset signal (RST) from the driving unit has switched from the high level to the low level to when a readout signal (RWS) at the high level from the driving unit has been applied, and a switching element that, while the readout signal (RWS) is at the high level, allows output of a photoreception signal whose output level changes in accordance with the amount of accumulated charge. In a row selection period, after writing of an image signal to pixel electrodes in the row selected in the row selection period has ended, the driving unit switches the reset signal (RST) applied to the photoreception unit in the same row from the high level to the low level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8416225
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that has a photodetection element within a pixel and can calibrate automatically a photo sensor signal during an operation of the display device. A sensor row driver (5) has a first operation mode for supplying a sensor drive signal of a first pattern to a photo sensor in a pixel region (1) and outputting a photo sensor signal corresponding to a quantity of receiving light to a signal processing circuit (8), a second operation mode for supplying a sensor drive signal of a second pattern and acquiring a first photo sensor signal level for calibration corresponding to the case where a black level is detected, and a third operation mode for supplying a sensor drive signal of a third pattern and acquiring a second photo sensor signal level for calibration corresponding to the case where a white level is detected. During the first operation mode, a third photo sensor signal level for calibration is acquired from a dummy pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Kazuhiro Maeda, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20130063407
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display device that can compensate for variations of light-detecting element while securing a wide dynamic range of light sensors. This is a display device equipped with light sensors having operation modes for one frame period, which are: a sensor driving mode for obtaining sensor signals, a first correction data acquisition mode for obtaining a first correction data, and a second correction data acquisition mode for obtaining a second correction data. This display device further includes a memory that stores light sensor signal levels obtained, under a controlled ambient environmental condition, by driving the light sensors in the above-mentioned three modes as offset elimination data. A signal-processing circuit uses the first correction data and the second correction data, and the light sensor signal level corrected with the offset elimination data to correct the light sensor signal obtained in the sensor driving mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naru Usukura, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh, Tadashi Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20130063403
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that has a photodetection element in a pixel, and has an input function that is not dependent on the light environment. The display device includes a photosensor in a pixel region. The photosensor includes a first sensor pixel circuit that outputs a sensor signal that corresponds to charge accumulated in an accumulation period when a light source for the sensor is lit, and a second sensor pixel circuit that outputs a sensor signal that corresponds to charge accumulated in an accumulation period when the light source is extinguished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Naru Usukura, Tadashi Nemoto, Hiromi Katoh
  • Publication number: 20130057518
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that has a photodetection element in a pixel and can automatically correct a photosensor signal during operation, while resolving offset error with respect to the true black level or white level. As operation modes, a sensor row driver (5) has: (a) a sensor drive mode in which a sensor drive signal of a first pattern is supplied, and a photosensor signal that corresponds to the amount of light received by the photosensor is output to a signal processing circuit (8), and (b) a correction data acquisition mode in which a sensor drive signal of a second pattern that is different from the first pattern is supplied, and a correction photosensor signal level that corresponds to the case where the photosensor detected a black level or a white level is acquired. The photosensor signal levels obtained in the two modes while the ambient environment is controlled to a predetermined condition are stored in a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Naru Usukura, Tadashi Nemoto, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8373825
    Abstract: To provide a display device having an input function that is not dependent on the light environment, multiple sensor pixel circuits that detect light in a specified detection period and hold the light amount when not in the specified detection period are disposed in a pixel region. In a frame in which input is performed using the sensor pixel circuits, a backlight is lit one time for a time in a frame period, and a first detection period and a second detection period are set one time each in the frame period. The difference between the light amount in the first detection period and the light amount in the second detection period is obtained using a difference circuit. The backlight is in an extinguished state at the beginning of the first detection period, and lighting of the backlight is started at a time during the first detection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8368676
    Abstract: A light shield (204) for blocking light traveling toward a PIN photodiode (413) from a glass substrate (314) side is formed of a conductive material, and a reference electric potential (Vr?nVoc) equal to that of a cathode of the PIN photodiode (413) is applied to the light shield (204) from a power supply circuit (266). Thus, inductive noise for a photoelectric conversion device used for an ambient light sensor is further reduced in a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Satoh, Hiromi Katoh, Benjamin James Hadwen
  • Patent number: 8350835
    Abstract: Dynamic range is widened in a display device with a photosensor that can read an image due to having a photodetection element inside a pixel thereof. A sensor driving circuit switches ON a reset signal (RST) that is supplied via reset signal bus line, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, switches ON a readout signal (RWS) that is supplied via readout signal bus line. Thus, in the photosensor, from which a photosensor signal is output in accordance with an amount of light received by the photosensor in the predetermined time, the capacitance of a capacitor provided in the photosensor is made variable from when the reset signal (RST) is supplied to the photosensor until when the predetermined time has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120313912
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal panel 20 equipped with a plurality of light sensors, a white backlight 31, and an infrared backlight 32. The infrared backlight 32 is turned ON and OFF at a prescribed timing. Some of the light sensors detect light when the infrared backlight 32 is ON, and other light sensors detect light when the infrared backlight 32 is OFF. The white backlight 31 turns OFF for light sensors conducting the light detection. Thus, the effective range of the light sensors included in the display device can be widened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuuichi Kanbayashi, Hiromi Katoh
  • Publication number: 20120287085
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided with a liquid crystal panel 20 including a plurality of optical sensors, a white backlight 31, and an infrared backlight 32. The infrared backlight 32 is turned on and off with predetermined timings. One part of the optical sensors detect light at the time of turn-on of the infrared backlight 32, and the other part of the optical sensors detect light at the time of turn-off of the infrared backlight 32. One part of the optical sensors is specified as operating optical sensors. A drive circuit of the liquid crystal panel 20 includes a black insertion unit 11, and drives the liquid crystal panel 20 so as to partially perform black display corresponding to the operating optical sensors. This widens an effective region of the optical sensor included in the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuzo Yuki, Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8309901
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device (1), (i) regions where respective detecting devices (201) are provided and (ii) regions where respective reference devices (202) are provided are separately arranged so as to be alternated along a frame. In each region, a predetermined number of PIN photodiodes (413) are connected in series and in parallel. In the whole of the first regions, (i) a series connection of n PIN photodiode(s) and (ii) a predetermined number of parallel connections are provided; in the whole of the second regions, (i) a series connection of n PIN photodiode(s) and (ii) a predetermined number of parallel connections are provided. Thus, even in a case where there is a great variation in the characteristics of photoelectric conversion device elements in a display panel which photoelectric conversion device elements configure a photoelectric conversion device, an intensity of ambient light can be detected accurately in the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Satoh, Hiromi Katoh, Benjamin James Hadwen
  • Publication number: 20120268701
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display device provided with a photosensor, which can improve sensor sensitivity without affecting display. The display device includes: a photosensor (FS) provided in a display region (1); a visible light blocking filter (18) that blocks visible light, which is disposed on an optical path of light that enters through an image display surface and that reaches the photosensor (FS); and a wavelength conversion layer (24) that is disposed between the visible light blocking filter (18) and the photosensor (FS) and that converts light in a specific wavelength range, which includes a range outside of the visible light range, into visible light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadashi Nemoto, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120261557
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that includes an optical sensor having a high sensitivity in which a potential difference of an accumulation node due to an illuminance difference on a light receiving surface after boosting is set greater than a potential difference of the same at an end of an integration period. The display device includes an optical sensor in a pixel region. The optical sensor includes a diode D1; a reset signal line RST for supplying a reset signal; a readout signal line RWS for supplying a readout signal; an accumulation node having a potential (VINT) that varies with an amount of light received by the diode D1 during a period from supply of the reset signal to supply of the readout signal; an amplifying element C1 for amplifying VINT according to the readout signal; and a sensor switching element M2 for reading out the amplified potential and outputting the same to an output line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120235967
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that can determine an event in accordance with an input operation without using a complex circuit configuration for image processing by simplifying a difference image processing. The display device is provided with a driver circuit for outputting a first control signal, which indicates a first detection period including an ON period of a light source, and a second control signal, which indicates a second detection period not including the ON period of the light source, and performing reset and read-out operations for sensor pixel circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Naru Usukura, Masahiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 8248395
    Abstract: An image display device includes an image display panel (4) with an image detection function, and includes a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix and a plurality of photosensors (17) disposed in correspondence with the pixels in a display region. The pixels each have a plurality of sub-pixels (5), and a color filter in which colors of color layers are formed in correspondence with the sub-pixels (5) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayuko Sakamoto, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120188207
    Abstract: To provide a display device having an input function that is not dependent on the light environment, multiple sensor pixel circuits that detect light in a specified detection period and hold the light amount when not in the specified detection period are disposed in a pixel region. In a frame in which input is performed using the sensor pixel circuits, a backlight is lit one time for a time in a frame period, and a first detection period and a second detection period are set one time each in the frame period. The difference between the light amount in the first detection period and the light amount in the second detection period is obtained using a difference circuit. The backlight is in an extinguished state at the beginning of the first detection period, and lighting of the backlight is started at a time during the first detection period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh