Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Kondo

Hiroshi Kondo 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: 8532318
    Abstract: With the hearing aid device of the present invention, when the power is turned on, communication starts between the first and second hearing aids, and until this communication is established, it is recognized that the power has not been switched on to the second hearing aid, and the user is notified. Also, if the battery of the second hearing aid should die during use, a dead battery notification is sent to the first hearing aid, and if communication between the first and second hearing aids is blocked, the user is notified on the side of the first hearing aid that is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Isozaki, Hiroshi Kondo, Nobuaki Noguchi, Hirotaka Ochi
  • Patent number: 8526653
    Abstract: There is provided a behind-the-ear hearing aid that makes it easy for a hearing aid wearer to estimate a position of a sound source with respect to a front-back direction and that enables an increase in aesthetic property when the hearing aid is worn. A behind-the-ear hearing aid of the present invention is used while fitted to an ear of a human body, and includes at least a microphone 101 which collects ambient sound, thereby generating an input signal and signal processing unit 102 that generates an output signal from the input signal. The hearing aid also has a behind-the-ear portion 110 that can be fitted to the ear and a receiver 103 that reproduces output sound from the output signal. When the behind-the-ear portion 110 is fitted to the ear, the microphone 101 is arranged in an entrance of an ear canal that lies in the extension of an ear canal 220 and that is disposed closer to an eardrum than to a plane that is defined by a helix 901, a tragus 902, and an earlobe 903.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Iwano, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20130202123
    Abstract: A hearing aid adjustment device (1) has a comparator (22a) and a setting section (22b). The comparator (22a) compares a user evaluation given by a user (T) of a hearing aid (5) in response to sound obtained by hearing aid processing based on fitting theories and hearing level data for the user (T), with a reference evaluation that has been acquired ahead of time and corresponds to each of customers (A to C) and is given by the customers (A to C) in response to sound obtained by hearing aid processing based on fitting theories and hearing level data for the customers (A to C). The setting section (22b) sets the value of a user parameter designating hearing aid processing to be given to a user (T), to a value that is the same as the value of a reference parameter that has been acquired ahead of time and that designates hearing aid processing suited to a customer (A) who gave a reference evaluation similar to the user evaluation, out of the customers (A to C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Makoto Nishizaki, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8462957
    Abstract: A hearing aid (101) comprises a microphone (121) converting sound into an electrical signal, a processor (105) disposed inside a main body case (102), a first volume adjuster (104) having a variable resistor, and a receiver (123) converting an electrical signal into sound. The processor (105) has an amplifier (135) amplifying an electrical signal from the microphone (121), a second volume adjuster (105b) setting a degree of amplification by the amplifier (135), and a controller (130) controlling the second volume adjuster (105b) and the amplifier (135). The controller (130) detects the resistance value of the variable resistor, determines whether or not the resistance value has exceeded a specific threshold, acquires a specific value for the degree of amplification by the amplifier (135), and sets the degree of amplification by the amplifier (135) to this specific value when the controller determines that the resistance value has exceeded the specific threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigekiyo Fujii, Hiroshi Kondo, Yasushi Ueda, Yasushi Imamura, Kazutaka Maruoka
  • Publication number: 20130028452
    Abstract: This hearing aid adjustment device is connected to a hearing aid and is used to adjust the hearing aid by using reference sounds, and comprises a memory section, an output section, an input section, a controller, and a display section. The memory section stores reference sounds to which segment information has been assigned, as well as the desired volume range for the hearing aid user. The output section outputs a reference sound from the memory section to the hearing aid. The input section inputs hearing aid processed sounds with respect to reference sounds that have undergone hearing aid processing in the hearing aid. The controller calculates the volume of segment units included in a hearing aid processed sound on the basis of segment information stored in the memory section. The display section displays in segment units whether or not the volume calculated by the controller falls within the desired volume range for the hearing aid user as stored in the memory section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Makoto Nishizaki, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20120230502
    Abstract: A hearing aid fitting device has a display section and a monitoring section. The display section is able to display information for fitting a hearing aid. The monitoring section displays operating mode information, which indicates whether or not an operating mode in which hearing aid processing in the standard mode and additional hearing aid processing are executed is operating actively in the hearing aid, and hearing aid processing sound that has undergone hearing aid processing, on the display section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Makoto NISHIZAKI, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20120225771
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a catalyst-supporting carrier, including a step of supplying subcritical carbon dioxide or supercritical carbon dioxide to a dissolving tank containing a catalyst precursor generated when a catalyst is reduced to dissolve the catalyst precursor in the subcritical carbon dioxide or the supercritical carbon dioxide; a step of supplying the subcritical carbon dioxide or the supercritical carbon dioxide in which the catalyst precursor is dissolved to a supporting tank containing a carrier and reducing the catalyst precursor to cause the catalyst to be supported on the carrier; and a step of supplying the sub-critical carbon dioxide or the supercritical carbon dioxide to the supporting tank containing the carrier on which the catalyst is supported to clean the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Hideyuki Miyazawa, Hiroshi Kondo, Shogo Suzuki, Shozo Murata, Noriaki Okada, Aya Utsuki
  • Patent number: 8208040
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display control apparatus comprising a read out unit configured to read out an image from a recording medium, a classification unit configured to classify a plurality of images into a plurality of groups in accordance with attribute information of each image, a display control unit configured to control to display a representative image which represents each of the plurality of groups, a comparison unit configured to compare an image included in one of the plurality of groups classified by the classification unit with an image included in another group, and a determination unit configured to determine one of images included in the one group as a representative image of the one group based on comparison by the comparison unit, the image not overlapping a representative image of the other group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Nakase, Yousuke Takagi, Masahiko Morita, Hiroshi Kondo, Yasuyuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8187090
    Abstract: The invention provides a conjuring assisting toy which can make a viewer feel the supernatural force and interestedness which are inherent in a conjuring trick by displaying the result of a conjuring trick through simple operations, there is provided a conjuring assisting toy including a display means for displaying an image, a coordinate inputting means for designating coordinates relative to a display area of the display means, and a central control means, wherein the central control means includes a main control unit, a conjuring data storage unit, an input analyzing unit and an operation unit, an operation result storage unit, an inputted diagram storage unit, and an image data forming and outputting unit, an inputted position signal is analyzed by the input analyzing unit, the main control unit causes position information based on the inputted position signal to be stored in the inputted diagram storage unit, causes the display means to display a line image, determines specific feature information from i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd., Tenyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20120102358
    Abstract: A server having a plurality of system boards, comprising: a panic processing unit configured to stop (panic) the server; a system board information storage unit configured to store information to identify a system board having a memory used by a kernel; a system board detaching processing unit configured to detach the system board having the memory used by the kernel before server stoppage; and a reboot processing unit configured to reboot the server using system boards other than the separated system board among the plurality of system boards, after detaching the system board having the memory used by the kernel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi KONDO, Ryo TABEI, Kenji GOTSUBO
  • Publication number: 20120050838
    Abstract: An electrochromic display apparatus includes a display substrate; an opposite substrate disposed opposite the display substrate; an opposite electrode disposed on the opposite substrate; a plurality of display electrodes disposed between the display substrate and the opposite electrode, the display electrodes being electrically isolated from each other; a plurality of electrochromic layers disposed on the corresponding display electrodes; and an electrolyte disposed between the display electrodes and the opposite electrode. An electric resistance between one display electrode and another display electrode is greater than an electric resistance of the one or the other display electrode. One or more display electrodes that are disposed between the display electrode closest to the display substrate and the opposite electrode are configured to be permeable to the electrolyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Shigenobu Hirano, Tohru Yashiro, Takeshi Shibuya, Hiroshi Kondo, Yuki Nakamura, Yukiko Abe
  • Publication number: 20120025462
    Abstract: A mosaic puzzle set has a predetermined number of pieces (45) with unique, directionally visible, identifiers and different brightness characteristics, three for grey scale and five for color, comprising average brightness(es), and direction and magnitude of brightness gradients, enabling assembly to copy any user selected target picture (30) by following a dedicated table/chart (33). An internet server (1) storing piece characteristics and accessible for target picture upload and chart download by an access code in the purchased set, divides (S11) the target picture (30) into a same number of data areas (311) as pieces, analyzes their brightness characteristics and assembles the chart (33) by provisionally assigning pieces to respective target areas (311) and exchanging them for each other when sums of respective mismatch values between pieces and respective target areas are thereby reduced (S12-S14). Alternatively, pieces are divisions of an iconic source picture or only screen images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth C. KNOWLTON, Mark Setteducati, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8080683
    Abstract: An electrochromic compound represented by the following General Formula (1). A-(CX2)n—B??General Formula (1) In the formula, A is a monovalent binding group, B is a redox chromophore, X is a halogen atom, and n is an integer of 1 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shibuya, Shigenobu Hirano, Hiroshi Kondo, Yuki Nakamura, Yukiko Abe, Tohru Yashiro
  • Patent number: 8073170
    Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To easily associate the parameters representing the acoustic characteristic of a hearing aid with the audibility of the hearing aid user, shorten the time for adjusting the hearing aid, and improve the accuracy of the adjustment of the parameter. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] By applying a two-dimensional matrix for changing the acoustic parameters of the hearing aid, a person adjusting the hearing aid can easily change the acoustic parameters depending on the audibility of the hearing aid user, the accuracy of the adjustment of the acoustic parameters is improved, and the period of time for adjusting the hearing aid is shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kondo, Shigekiyo Fujii, Yoshiyuki Yoshizumi
  • Publication number: 20110261982
    Abstract: With the hearing aid device of the present invention, when the power is turned on, communication starts between the first and second hearing aids, and until this communication is established, it is recognized that the power has not been switched on to the second hearing aid, and the user is notified. Also, if the battery of the second hearing aid should die during use, a dead battery notification is sent to the first hearing aid, and if communication between the first and second hearing aids is blocked, the user is notified on the side of the first hearing aid that is operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Isozaki, Hiroshi Kondo, Nobuaki Noguchi, Hirotaka Ochi
  • Publication number: 20110249851
    Abstract: There is provided a behind-the-ear hearing aid that makes it easy for a hearing aid wearer to estimate a position of a sound source with respect to a front-back direction and that enables an increase in aesthetic property when the hearing aid is worn. A behind-the-ear hearing aid of the present invention is used while fitted to an ear of a human body, and includes at least a microphone 101 which collects ambient sound, thereby generating an input signal and signal processing unit 102 that generates an output signal from the input signal. The hearing aid also has a behind-the-ear portion 110 that can be fitted to the ear and a receiver 103 that reproduces output sound from the output signal. When the behind-the-ear portion 110 is fitted to the ear, the microphone 101 is arranged in an entrance of an ear canal that lies in the extension of an ear canal 220 and that is disposed closer to an eardrum than to a plane that is defined by a helix 901, a tragus 902, and an earlobe 903.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: KENJI IWANO, HIROSHI KONDO
  • Patent number: 8014551
    Abstract: There is provided a behind-the-ear hearing aid that makes it easy for a hearing aid wearer to estimate a position of a sound source with respect to a front-back direction and that enables an increase in aesthetic property when the hearing aid is worn. A behind-the-ear hearing aid of the present invention is used while fitted to an ear of a human body, and includes at least a microphone 101 which collects ambient sound, thereby generating an input signal and signal processing unit 102 that generates an output signal from the input signal. The hearing aid also has a behind-the-ear portion 110 that can be fitted to the ear and a receiver 103 that reproduces output sound from the output signal. When the behind-the-ear portion 110 is fitted to the ear, the microphone 101 is arranged in an entrance of an ear canal that lies in the extension of an ear canal 220 and that is disposed closer to an eardrum than to a plane that is defined by a helix 901, a tragus 902, and an earlobe 903.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Iwano, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20110187884
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus that makes it possible, when executing processing on image data groups classified according to classification information, to perform the processing on an image data item having a plurality of pieces of classification information added thereto, in a user-friendly manner adapted to a type of the processing. A system controller selects an image data group of image data items to which specific classification information is added. The controller designates processing to be executed on the image data group. When a plurality of image data groups are selected, the controller causes the processing designated by said designation unit to be executed on an image data item belonging to a plurality of selected image data groups such that the number of times of execution of the processing on the image data item is made different according to a type of the processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kondo, Yuichi Nakase, Yousuke Takagi
  • Publication number: 20110173412
    Abstract: A memory protection method includes setting a memory area in at least one address setting register; setting a trap type in a trap type setting register corresponding to the address setting register; generating a trap of the trap type set in the trap type setting register in accordance with an access request to the memory area set at the address setting register; setting a size of an inaccessible area in a memory; allocating, in accordance with a memory allocation request from an application, a memory area to the application as an accessible area and an inaccessible area having the inaccessible area size right after the accessible area; setting the inaccessible area in a first address setting register and a first trap type in a first trap type setting register; and generating a memory image of the application and closing the application when a trap of the first trap type occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryo TABEI, Hiroshi KONDO, Hiroyuki IZUI, Keizo AZUMA
  • Publication number: 20110128275
    Abstract: A field effect transistor includes a gate electrode to which a gate voltage is applied; a source electrode and a drain electrode for obtaining a current in response to the gate voltage; an active layer provided adjacent to the source electrode and the drain electrode and formed of an oxide semiconductor including magnesium and indium as major components; and a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ueda, Yukiko Abe, Hiroshi Kondo, Yuki Nakamura, Yuji Sone