Patents by Inventor Hisashi Watanabe

Hisashi Watanabe 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).

  • Publication number: 20210264598
    Abstract: A system including a light source that, in operation, projects dots onto a target, the dots being formed by first light; a first photodetector that, in operation, detects second light resulting from the projection of the dots onto the target; and a circuit. The circuit, in operation, determines whether the target is a living body or not based on the second light, performs a biometric authentication of the target, and authenticates an individual, in response to a determination that the target is a living body and a result of the biometric authentication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventor: HISASHI WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210247647
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a mounting substrate comprising a first pair of conductive pads and a second pair of conductive pads arranged along a first direction on the mounting substrate. The first pair of conductive pads is offset from the second pair of conductive pads in the first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction with respect to a plane parallel to the mounting substrate. A first light emitting device is coupled to the first pair of conductive pads, and configured to emit lights toward a first side within a space formed between the mounting substrate and a diffusion plate. A second light emitting device is coupled to the second pair of conductive pads, and configured to emit lights toward a second side opposite of the first side within the space formed between the substrate and the diffusion plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: TAKESHI MASUDA, HISASHI WATANABE, YOUZOU KYOUKANE, HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA
  • Patent number: 11079625
    Abstract: A reflection sheet stacked on a mounting surface of a light source substrate on which light sources are mounted includes an insulating sheet and a reflection layer. The insulating sheet is made of an insulating material. The reflection layer includes a metal thin film stacked on the insulating sheet. Holes are drilled through the reflection layer and the insulating sheet in a stacking direction in which the reflection layer is stacked on the insulating sheet so that the light sources are exposed therethrough. The reflection layer is divided into divided reflection areas by slits. The holes are formed in the divided reflection areas, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 11067739
    Abstract: Provided are an edge-lit surface light source device and a liquid crystal display device, both of which are capable of two-dimensional local dimming without image contrast being reduced due to stray light. Even when light from LEDs that should be extracted by means of a light extraction pattern provided in a first section of a light guide plate is passed through the first section without being extracted, the light repeatedly strikes on a light absorbing layer formed in a second section, whereby much of the light is absorbed in the second section. Accordingly, little light from the LEDs is extracted from a third section, from which light from LEDs should originally be extracted, with the result that image contrast can be prevented from being reduced due to stray light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Hisashi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20210169353
    Abstract: A biological information detection method including: causing a light source to emit first light in a first area; detecting a presence of a first living body in the first area based on a second light which is resulted in the emission of the first light; detecting body motion of the first living body based on the second light; determining whether or not the body motion is within a low level; notifying, in response to the determination that the body motion is within the low level, a first alert to the first living body, where the first alert includes an information to draw attention of the first living body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventor: Hisashi WATANABE
  • Patent number: 11030739
    Abstract: A human detection device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one light source that, in operation, projects, onto a target, at least one dot formed by first light, the target including a person and an object other than the person; an image capturing system including photodetector cells that detect second light from the target on which the at least one dot is projected, the image capturing system, in operation, generating and outputting an image signal denoting an image of the target on which the at least one dot is projected; and an arithmetic circuit that is connected to the image capturing system and that, in operation, generates and outputs information indicating whether the person is located at a position corresponding to each pixel included in the image denoted by the image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11016239
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light guide plates each of which includes a light exit section including a light it surface and a light entering section extending from the light exit section toward a light source row and including an extended end surface as a light entering surface. The light exit section has a thickness dimension that is smaller than that of the light entering section at an extended end thereof. The light guide plates are stacked on each other such that the light exit sections thereof overlap each other seen from a normal direction of the light exit surface. The light entering section of one light guide plate and the light entering section of another light guide plate are disposed next to each other in an arrangement direction of the light sources so as not to overlap each other seen from the normal direction of light exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane
  • Publication number: 20210141147
    Abstract: Provided are an edge-lit surface light source device and a liquid crystal display device, both of which are capable of two-dimensional local dimming without image contrast being reduced due to stray light. Even when light from LEDs that should be extracted by means of a light extraction pattern provided in a first section of a light guide plate is passed through the first section without being extracted, the light repeatedly strikes on a light absorbing layer formed in a second section, whereby much of the light is absorbed in the second section. Accordingly, little light from the LEDs is extracted from a third section, from which light from LEDs should originally be extracted, with the result that image contrast can be prevented from being reduced due to stray light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, HISASHI WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210141148
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light guide plates each of which includes a light exit section including a light exit surface and a light entering section extending from the light exit section toward a light source row and including an extended end surface as a light entering surface. The light exit section has a thickness dimension that is smaller than that of the light entering section at an extended end thereof. The light guide plates are stacked on each other such that the light exit sections thereof overlap each other seen from a normal direction of the light exit surface. The light entering section of one light guide plate and the light entering section of another light guide plate are disposed next to each other in an arrangement direction of the light sources so as not to overlap each other seen from the normal direction of light exit surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: HISASHI WATANABE, HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, YOUZOU KYOUKANE
  • Publication number: 20210132444
    Abstract: A plurality of LEDs (light sources) 16 that are arranged to form a column, each of which includes a electrode 20 for power supply, a plurality of first wires 21 that are connected to the electrode 20 in the plurality of LEDs 16, and a second wire 22 that is connected with each of the plurality of first wires 21 and is pulled out toward one end side in an array direction of the plurality of LEDs 16 are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventor: HISASHI WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210135066
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a circuit substrate that includes a wiring circuit, LEDs that are mounted on the circuit substrate and that emit primary light, a phosphor sheet that faces a light emission surface of each of the LEDs and that has a function of converting part of the primary light into secondary light in another wavelength range that differs from the wavelength range, and a selective reflection layer that is composed of dielectric multilayer film, that is disposed between the phosphor sheet and the LEDs, that covers the light emission surface of each of the LEDs, that allows the part of the primary light to be transmitted therethrough, and that reflects part of the secondary light. The selective reflection layer is disposed so as to have convex shapes projecting in a direction opposite a direction toward the circuit substrate in regions that overlap the LEDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: HISASHI WATANABE, HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, YOUZOU KYOUKANE, TAKESHI MASUDA
  • Patent number: 10976619
    Abstract: A backlight device (illumination device) is provided with LEDs (light sources) and a light-controlling sheet (light-controlling member) that is arranged at the exit side of the outgoing-light path of the LEDs. The light-controlling sheet has a light-transmitting layer that transmits light, first light-shielding sections that are arranged at the LED side of the light-transmitting layer, and a second light-shielding section that is arranged at the opposite side to the first light-shielding section side of the light-transmitting layer. The first light-shielding sections and the second light-shielding section are repeatedly arranged side-by-side in an alternating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10962828
    Abstract: [Object] To provide an illumination device that suppresses degradation of display quality by preventing damage of light source elements, a reflection sheet, and an optical sheet; and a display. [Solution] A backlight device 10 includes: an LED substrate 11; a plurality of LEDs 15 disposed adjacent to each other on the LED substrate 11; an optical member 24 disposed to face the LEDs 15; a reflection sheet 12 disposed on the LED substrate 11 and having a plurality of openings at which the LEDs 15 are disposed; and a support body 17 formed at least in a gap between the reflection sheet 12 and the LEDs 15, at at least one of the plurality of openings, the support body 17 projecting further than the LEDs 15 on a side opposite to the LED substrate 11 and supporting the optical member 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda, Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 10959628
    Abstract: A biological information detection device includes a light source, an image capturing device, and one or more arithmetic circuits. The light source projects dots formed by light onto a target including a living body. The image capturing device includes photodetector cells and generates an image signal representing an image of the target onto which the dots are projected. The one or more arithmetic circuits detect a portion corresponding to at least a part of the living body in the image by using the image signal and calculate biological information of the living body by using image signal of the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10921638
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display device that can display chromatic color(s) and pattern(s) without power consumption in the non-display state (light off state) and an electronic apparatus including the display device. The display device includes a display panel and a transflective reflector disposed on a viewing surface side of the display panel. The transflective reflector includes a reflective polarizer and a color polarizer disposed on a side closer to the viewing surface than the reflective polarizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Akira Sakai, Hiroyuki Hakoi, Masaki Tabata
  • Publication number: 20210038144
    Abstract: A skin evaluation device includes: a light source that projects a dot pattern created by first light onto a skin of at least one user; an image sensor that generates and outputs image data which indicates an image of the skin onto which the dot pattern is projected; a memory that stores reference data to evaluate a condition of the skin; and an arithmetic circuit that generates and outputs data related to the condition of the skin based on the image data and the reference data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventor: HISASHI WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210030291
    Abstract: A biological information detection apparatus includes: a light source which projects a pattern of near-infrared light onto an object including a living body; an imaging system which includes first photodetector cells detecting light in a near-infrared wavelength range and second photodetector cells detecting light in a visible wavelength range, and generates a first image signal representing a first image, which is an image taken in the near-infrared wavelength range, of the object on which the pattern is projected, and a second image signal representing a second image of the object taken in the visible wavelength range; and a calculator which calculates biological information concerning the living body using at least one selected from the group consisting of the first and second image signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventor: Hisashi WATANABE
  • Patent number: 10871607
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light sources arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and a reflector through which at least a part of light rays emitted by the light source. The reflector includes unit light source regions disposed at an interval from the light sources, a light reflecting pattern disposed in the unit light source regions and reflecting light, and a light transmitting pattern disposed in the unit light source regions and transmissive to the part of the light rays. The unit light source regions are disposed such that the unit light source regions adjacent to each other with respect to at least one of the row direction and the column direction have different distributions of at least one of the light reflecting pattern and the light transmitting pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Hisashi Watanabe, Youzou Kyoukane
  • Patent number: 10852583
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light sources, a light source substrate, and a reflection sheet. The light source substrate includes a plate-shaped base including a mounting surface on which mounting portions are formed. The light sources are mounted on the mounting portions with solders. The reflection sheet includes an insulating sheet, a reflection layer, and holes. The reflection layer includes a metal thin film stacked on the insulating sheet. The holes are drilled through the reflection layer and the insulating sheet at positions corresponding to the light sources so that the light sources are exposed through the holes. The light source substrate and the reflection sheet are bonded together with an adhesive layer. The insulating sheet is made of a material having a heat resistance higher than a melting temperature of the solders and an elastic modulus lower than that of the base of the light source substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10842393
    Abstract: A biological information detection apparatus includes: a light source which projects a pattern of near-infrared light onto an object including a living body; an imaging system which includes first photodetector cells detecting light in a near-infrared wavelength range and second photodetector cells detecting light in a visible wavelength range, and generates a first image signal representing a first image, which is an image taken in the near-infrared wavelength range, of the object on which the pattern is projected, and a second image signal representing a second image of the object taken in the visible wavelength range; and a calculator which calculates biological information concerning the living body using at least one selected from the group consisting of the first and second image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hisashi Watanabe