Patents by Inventor Kenichi Kikuchi
Kenichi Kikuchi 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: 7511695Abstract: The screen is exempt from variation in brightness due to uneven temperature distribution. The color liquid crystal display unit has a color display panel of transmissive type and a backlight unit placed behind the color display panel. The backlight unit has a plurality of LEDs connected in series, the drive unit to drive the LEDs in correspondence with the LEDs, and the temperature sensor to detect the temperature of LEDs. The groups of LEDs are arranged in regions where the display unit has the same temperature. The drive unit controls current to be supplied to LEDs in response to temperature detected by the temperature sensor so that the LEDs retain the constant brightness even when the LEDs fluctuate in temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2005Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Norimasa Furukawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Ichikawa
-
Patent number: 7507943Abstract: A light source device capable of further reducing fluctuations in the intensity or the like of illumination light with a simple configuration is provided. The light source device may include a light source including a plurality of lighting sections controllable independently of one another; a drive means for driving the light source so that the lighting sections are sequentially turned on; a light-sensing device receiving light from the light source in which the lighting sections are sequentially turned on; and a control means for controlling the drive means on the basis of a light receiving signal obtained by the light-sensing device from a specific lighting section so as to control the light emission amount of each lighting section.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Ichikawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Kimio Hatajiri
-
Publication number: 20090021178Abstract: The present invention is directed to a drive apparatus for a backlight unit (20) in which plural LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements are cascade-connected every three primary colors, which comprises a signal generating unit (44) for generating a signal having an arbitrary amplitude, an adjustment unit (50) for adjusting light emission quantities of groups of LED elements (30) on the basis of the signal which has been generated by the signal generating unit (44), a voltage applying unit (41) for applying a predetermined voltage every the groups of LED elements (30), light emission quantity detecting units (33) for detecting quantities of rays of light which have been emitted from the groups of LED elements (30), calorific value detecting units (32) for detecting calorific values emitted from the groups of LED elements in accordance with the voltage which has been applied to the voltage applying unit (41), and a control unit (50) for controlling the signal generating unit (44) on the basis of light emission quaType: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2005Publication date: January 22, 2009Inventors: Norimasa Furukawa, Hiroaki Ichikawa, Kenichi Kikuchi
-
Patent number: 7456555Abstract: The present invention provides an angular velocity sensor and a method of fabrication thereof that facilitates the work of affixing a tuning-fork-type crystal element and adjusting the same, preventing waste caused by scrapping defective products and also encouraging miniaturization of components.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideryo Matsudo, Masahiro Yoshimatsu, Takahiro Inoue, Kenichi Kikuchi
-
Publication number: 20080121780Abstract: A light source device capable of further reducing fluctuations in the intensity or the like of illumination light with a simple configuration is provided. The light source device may include a light source including a plurality of lighting sections controllable independently of one another; a drive means for driving the light source so that the lighting sections are sequentially turned on; a light-sensing device receiving light from the light source in which the lighting sections are sequentially turned on; and a control means for controlling the drive means on the basis of a light receiving signal obtained by the light-sensing device from a specific lighting section so as to control the light emission amount of each lighting section.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Ichikawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Kimio Hatajiri
-
Publication number: 20080122968Abstract: An image server includes: a focus position control unit for determining a focus position based on a maximum value of focus evaluation detected by a picture signal level detection unit; and a focus lens driver for moving the focus lens in predetermined control volumes based on an instruction from the focus position control means; characterized in that, in case the exposure time is changed to a longer cycle than a predetermined cycle, the focus position control unit determines a large control volume corresponding to the change in exposure time and moves the focus lens with the control volume to detect the maximum value of focus evaluation and performs focus control.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2008Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTDInventors: Kenichi Kikuchi, Toshihiro Fujiki
-
Patent number: 7340767Abstract: An image server includes: a focus position control unit for determining a focus position based on a maximum value of focus evaluation detected by a picture signal level detection unit; and a focus lens driver for moving the focus lens in predetermined control volumes based on an instruction from the focus position control means; characterized in that, in case the exposure time is changed to a longer cycle than a predetermined cycle, the focus position control unit determines a large control volume corresponding to the change in exposure time and moves the focus lens with the control volume to detect the maximum value of focus evaluation and performs focus control.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2004Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Kikuchi, Toshihiro Fujiki
-
Patent number: 7295180Abstract: A backlight driving device for controlling driving of a backlight device for display, the backlight device generating predetermined white light by mixing light from a plurality of light emitting diodes of three or more colors, the backlight driving device including: storing device for storing an initial amount of current and a predetermined multiplication coefficient for each color; light quantity detecting device for detecting a light quantity for each color; and controlling device for adjusting an amount of current passed through the light emitting diodes of each color by feedback control on a basis of a detection output from the light quantity detecting device with an amount of current obtained by multiplying the initial amount of current by the predetermined multiplication coefficient as an initial value, whereby the predetermined white light is generated; wherein when a difference between the amount of current after the feedback control and the initial amount of current exceeds a predetermined thresholdType: GrantFiled: November 17, 2005Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Ichikawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Kimio Hatajiri
-
Patent number: 7280150Abstract: A video camera (10) includes a photographing device (16). The photographing device (16) generates an image signal corresponding to an optical image irradiated on a light-receiving surface, and a monitor (34) displays a moving image based on a generated image signal. An amount of incident light into the photographing device (16) is controlled by an aperture apparatus (14) having an aperture blade that moves to a direction perpendicular to a light axis. A moving amount of the aperture blade is restricted by a predetermined value, and this defines a minimum value of an F number. When the moving image is displayed on the monitor (34), it is prohibited to set to the minimum value of the F number.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2001Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Kikuchi, Kazuhiko Sugimoto
-
Publication number: 20070187067Abstract: A heat transfer tube is formed with a corrugated water tube to be used in a heat exchanger, and satisfying 0.04?Hc/OD, where Hc is the corrugated groove depth of the corrugated tube and OD is the corrugation outside diameter thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2006Publication date: August 16, 2007Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.Inventors: Ken Horiguchi, Kenichi Kikuchi, Ryuichi Kobayashi, Mamoru Hofuku, Kenji Kodama, Katsumi Nomura
-
Patent number: 7129624Abstract: A crystal unit comprises an AT-cut crystal blank, and an excitation electrode formed on each of opposing main surfaces of the crystal blank in an oscillation region of the crystal blank. The ratio b/a is 0.014 or less, and preferably 0.012 or less where a represents the thickness of the crystal blank in the oscillation region and b represents the thickness of the excitation electrode. The thickness a is typically 5 ?m or less.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2005Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitoshi Umeki, Kenichi Kikuchi, Keisuke Hirano
-
Publication number: 20060162449Abstract: The present invention provides an angular velocity sensor and a method of fabrication thereof that facilitates the work of affixing a tuning-fork-type crystal element and adjusting the same, preventing waste caused by scrapping defective products and also encouraging miniaturization of components.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2006Publication date: July 27, 2006Inventors: Hideryo Matsudo, Masahiro Yoshimatsu, Takahiro Inoue, Kenichi Kikuchi
-
Publication number: 20060125773Abstract: The present invention prevents extension of the time period from powering on a device to convergence of chromaticity of emitted white light on a certain chromaticity, irrespective of the temperature when the device is powered on. A color liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display unit, a backlight employing LEDs of red, green and blue as its light source, a drive unit for driving the LEDs of each color, a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the LEDs, and a chromaticity sensor for sensing the chromaticity of white light emitted from the LEDs. The drive unit supplies a current to the LEDs to drive them, and implements feedback control of the amount of current for the LEDs of each color based on a value sensed by the chromaticity sensor so that the white light has a certain chromaticity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2005Publication date: June 15, 2006Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Ichikawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Kimio Hatajiri
-
Publication number: 20060109389Abstract: A backlight driving device for controlling driving of a backlight device for display, the backlight device generating predetermined white light by mixing light from a plurality of light emitting diodes of three or more colors, the backlight driving device including: storing means for storing an initial amount of current and a predetermined multiplication coefficient for each color; light quantity detecting means for detecting a light quantity for each color; and controlling means for adjusting an amount of current passed through the light emitting diodes of each color by feedback control on a basis of a detection output from the light quantity detecting means with an amount of current obtained by multiplying the initial amount of current by the predetermined multiplication coefficient as an initial value, whereby the predetermined white light is generated; wherein when a difference between the amount of current after the feedback control and the initial amount of current exceeds a predetermined threshold valuType: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2005Publication date: May 25, 2006Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Ichikawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Kimio Hatajiri
-
Publication number: 20060022616Abstract: The screen is exempt from variation in brightness due to uneven temperature distribution. The color liquid crystal display unit has a color display panel of transmissive type and a backlight unit placed behind the color display panel. The backlight unit has a plurality of LEDs connected in series, the drive unit to drive the LEDs in correspondence with the LEDs, and the temperature sensor to detect the temperature of LEDs. The groups of LEDs are arranged in regions where the display unit has the same temperature. The drive unit controls current to be supplied to LEDs in response to temperature detected by the temperature sensor so that the LEDs retain the constant brightness even when the LEDs fluctuate in temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2005Publication date: February 2, 2006Inventors: Norimasa Furukawa, Kenichi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Ichikawa
-
Patent number: 6988112Abstract: To provide a multi-program processing system, which prioritizes reference and update of a block to be an object of rollback without waiting for the rollback being finished and can improve efficiency of processing a program when one file is simultaneously referred to and updated by a plurality of programs. Even if the block is being updated by another program, a file I/O section requests a journal for the block from the journal sharing section instead of reading the block from a data file, and transfers the contents of the block in a state before it is updated by another program to the program if the block is being rolled back.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2001Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Kenichi Kikuchi
-
Publication number: 20050151450Abstract: A crystal unit comprises an AT-cut crystal blank, and an excitation electrode formed on each of opposing main surfaces of the crystal blank in an oscillation region of the crystal blank. The ratio b/a is 0.014 or less, and preferably 0.012 or less where a represents the thickness of the crystal blank in the oscillation region and b represents the thickness of the excitation electrode. The thickness a is typically 5 ?m or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2005Publication date: July 14, 2005Inventors: Mitoshi Umeki, Kenichi Kikuchi, Keisuke Hirano
-
Patent number: 6884956Abstract: A color-based sorting apparatus comprising, a material supplying device provided so as to discharge and supply the grains stored therein, a color detecting device detecting a color of each of the grains passing through a setting region, a sorting processing section operating to change a transference path for defective grains, a control device, which determines whether each of the grains to be sorted is defective or not based on a detection signal from the color detecting device, and when it is determined that one of the grains is defective, the control device activating the sorting processing section, and a feeding roll disposed between the material supplying device and the color detecting device and rotating around an axial line thereof to cause the grains to be sorted, which are supplied from said material supplying device aligned in an axial direction, to freely fall down toward the color detecting device.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2002Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yamamoto-SeisakushoInventors: Takehiro Murata, Tsuneyoshi Goto, Mikio Tamura, Kenichi Kikuchi
-
Patent number: 6847402Abstract: A still camera utilizes a focus evaluation value based on an imaging video signal to execute an autofocus operation by a hill-climbing control method. A CPU divides a focus area into a plurality of regions to obtain a focus evaluation value from a digital integrator for each of the regions. When the autofocus operation is restarted from the state of a monitoring mode in accordance with a variation of the focus evaluation value, the CPU detects a further hill of the focus evaluation value while forcibly moving a focus lens position always toward a near side, and when a maximal value of the once detected focus evaluation value is less than a certain standard value, additionally executes the autofocus operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2001Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuhiko Sugimoto, Kenichi Kikuchi
-
Publication number: 20040263673Abstract: An image server includes: a focus position control unit for determining a focus position based on a maximum value of focus evaluation detected by a picture signal level detection unit; and a focus lens driver for moving the focus lens in predetermined control volumes based on an instruction from the focus position control means; characterized in that, in case the exposure time is changed to a longer cycle than a predetermined cycle, the focus position control unit determines a large control volume corresponding to the change in exposure time and moves the focus lens with the control volume to detect the maximum value of focus evaluation and performs focus control.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2004Publication date: December 30, 2004Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Kikuchi, Toshihiro Fujiki