Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Hiratsuka
Kazuhiko Hiratsuka 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: 10635193Abstract: In an operation device, when an operation body is pressed, a tilt of the operation body is detected from detection outputs of proximity sensors, and a pressed position of the operation body is detected by a touch sensor. A controller varies a threshold value according to the tilt of the operation body and the pressed position, and recognizes the pressing operation when a pressing distance of the operation body detected by the proximity sensors exceeds the threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2018Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Wakuda, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka
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Patent number: 10191563Abstract: A manipulation input device has a first detector and a second detector, disposed at different positions on a manipulative member, that detect the displacement of the manipulative member, the displacement being caused when the manipulative member receives a manipulation force, and also has a processor that performs processing to identify a position at which the manipulative member has received the manipulation force according to detection results obtained from the first detector and second detector and to the positions of the first detector and second detector on the manipulative member.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Wakuda, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Hiroyuki Bannai, Taichi Miyabayashi, James Ogrady
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Patent number: 10095364Abstract: An in-vehicle input device includes a touch panel including a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a spacer, and is capable of detecting a capacitance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. The device has an operation surface located above the upper electrode. The operation surface includes a plurality of operation areas. The spacer has a plurality of openings that coincide with the operation areas in plan view. The device further includes a suppression layer that is disposed between the operation surface and the upper electrode or disposed on an upper surface of the operation surface. The suppression layer eliminates or reduces formation of a capacitance between the upper electrode and an operator. The device detects an input operation based on a change in distance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode in response to pressing any of the operation areas by the operator.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Bannai, I Ka, Atsushi Masuda, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Marcello Milli
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Publication number: 20180239443Abstract: In an operation device, when an operation body is pressed, a tilt of the operation body is detected from detection outputs of proximity sensors, and a pressed position of the operation body is detected by a touch sensor. A controller varies a threshold value according to the tilt of the operation body and the pressed position, and recognizes the pressing operation when a pressing distance of the operation body detected by the proximity sensors exceeds the threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Inventors: Hiroshi WAKUDA, Kazuhiko HIRATSUKA
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Publication number: 20170336880Abstract: A manipulation input device has a first detector and a second detector, disposed at different positions on a manipulative member, that detect the displacement of the manipulative member, the displacement being caused when the manipulative member receives a manipulation force, and also has a processor that performs processing to identify a position at which the manipulative member has received the manipulation force according to detection results obtained from the first detector and second detector and to the positions of the first detector and second detector on the manipulative member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Hiroshi Wakuda, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Hiroyuki Bannai, Taichi Miyabayashi, James Ogrady
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Publication number: 20160357287Abstract: An in-vehicle input device includes a touch panel including a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a spacer, and is capable of detecting a capacitance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. The device has an operation surface located above the upper electrode. The operation surface includes a plurality of operation areas. The spacer has a plurality of openings that coincide with the operation areas in plan view. The device further includes a suppression layer that is disposed between the operation surface and the upper electrode or disposed on an upper surface of the operation surface. The suppression layer eliminates or reduces formation of a capacitance between the upper electrode and an operator. The device detects an input operation based on a change in distance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode in response to pressing any of the operation areas by the operator.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Inventors: Hiroyuki BANNAI, I KA, Atsushi MASUDA, Kazuhiko HIRATSUKA, Marcello MILLI
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Patent number: 9417698Abstract: An input device includes: an operation portion allowing an input operation by an operating body contacting with or coming close to an upper surface thereof; an input detection portion detecting an input operation with respect to the operation portion; a driving member provided below the operation portion and driving the operation portion in an up-down direction; an elastic member provided below the operation portion; a case member holding the driving member; an interlocking member provided below the operation portion, connected to the operation portion, and driven with the operation portion; a restricting member provided between the operation portion and the interlocking member and restricting upward movement of the interlocking member; and an elastic first damper member provided below the interlocking member and contactable with the interlocking member. The elastic member elastically urges the interlocking member such that the interlocking member is brought into press contact with the first damper member.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinji Ishikawa, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Atsushi Masuda, Shinji Fujimura
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Publication number: 20150084898Abstract: An input device includes: an operation portion allowing an input operation by an operating body contacting with or coming close to an upper surface thereof; an input detection portion detecting an input operation with respect to the operation portion; a driving member provided below the operation portion and driving the operation portion in an up-down direction; an elastic member provided below the operation portion; a case member holding the driving member; an interlocking member provided below the operation portion, connected to the operation portion, and driven with the operation portion; a restricting member provided between the operation portion and the interlocking member and restricting upward movement of the interlocking member; and an elastic first damper member provided below the interlocking member and contactable with the interlocking member. The elastic member elastically urges the interlocking member such that the interlocking member is brought into press contact with the first damper member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Shinji Ishikawa, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Atsushi Masuda, Shinji Fujimura
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Patent number: 7405649Abstract: A communication control apparatus of the present invention controls communication among a plurality of electronic devices mounted on a vehicle and mainly includes a control unit that is configured of a micro computer or the like and that periodically outputs clock pulses, a trouble detecting unit to detect a trouble in the control unit, and a communication control unit to interrupt communication upon detection of a trouble, that is, to control communication by disconnecting an electronic device. The trouble detecting unit includes an analog amount converting unit to convert clock pulses from the control unit to an analog amount and an analog amount comparing unit to compare the analog amount generated in the analog amount converting unit with a predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2005Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: Alps Electric Co., LtdInventors: Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Masaaki Tanaka
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Publication number: 20060082450Abstract: A communication control apparatus of the present invention controls communication among a plurality of electronic devices mounted on a vehicle and mainly includes a control unit that is configured of a micro computer or the like and that periodically outputs clock pulses, a trouble detecting unit to detect a trouble in the control unit, and a communication control unit to interrupt communication upon detection of a trouble, that is, to control communication by disconnecting an electronic device. The trouble detecting unit includes an analog amount converting unit to convert clock pulses from the control unit to an analog amount and an analog amount comparing unit to compare the analog amount generated in the analog amount converting unit with a predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2005Publication date: April 20, 2006Inventors: Kazuhiko Hiratsuka, Masaaki Tanaka
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Patent number: 6364443Abstract: The invention provides a thermal printer and a recording method of the thermal printer that are capable of reducing the recorded density non-uniformity (jitter) and obtaining a good quality recorded image. The period of the pulse signal generated by an encoder is measured, at least one of the applied voltage and the current flow time of the head pulse is operated based on the difference between the measured value and the theoretical value measured by the encoder, and the head pulse is controlled based on the arithmetic value. Otherwise, the duty ratio of the output time to the non-output time of the pulse signal generated by the encoder is measured, the output correction time of the OFF head pulse is operated based on the duty ratio, and the OFF head pulse is supplied to the heater elements at the time point that delayed by the output correction time from the output ending time of the pulse signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2000Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keiji Katano, Kazuhiko Hiratsuka