Patents by Inventor Kenichi Seino
Kenichi Seino 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: 9783139Abstract: A switch monitoring circuit has an external input terminal connected to a switch, a voltage applying unit that applies a driving voltage to the external input terminal, a voltage detecting unit that detects a change in the voltage at the external input terminal, a control unit connected to the voltage applying unit and voltage detecting unit, and a charge storage unit connected to the external input terminal and voltage applying unit. The charge storage unit has a voltage applying terminal to which the driving voltage is applied, a first resistive element, one of the terminals of which is connected to the external input terminal and the other of the terminals of which is connected to the voltage applying terminal, and a capacitive element, one of the terminals of which is connected to the voltage applying terminal and the other of the terminals of which is grounded. The capacitive element performs charging from the voltage applying terminal and discharging to the voltage applying terminal.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Kenichi Seino
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Publication number: 20160349328Abstract: A switch monitoring circuit has an external input terminal connected to a switch, a voltage applying unit that applies a driving voltage to the external input terminal, a voltage detecting unit that detects a change in the voltage at the external input terminal, a control unit connected to the voltage applying unit and voltage detecting unit, and a charge storage unit connected to the external input terminal and voltage applying unit. The charge storage unit has a voltage applying terminal to which the driving voltage is applied, a first resistive element, one of the terminals of which is connected to the external input terminal and the other of the terminals of which is connected to the voltage applying terminal, and a capacitive element, one of the terminals of which is connected to the voltage applying terminal and the other of the terminals of which is grounded. The capacitive element performs charging from the voltage applying terminal and discharging to the voltage applying terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventor: Kenichi Seino
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Patent number: 7113211Abstract: A video signal processing circuit, which performs contour adjustment by means of digital signal processing, is applicable to a viewfinder apparatus for a television camera and an image monitor apparatus, which can be operated both in an NTSC/PAL system and an HDTV system.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2000Date of Patent: September 26, 2006Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Sony CorporationInventors: Kenichi Seino, Mitsuo Kamiko, Tomoyasu Katsuyama, Yoshihiro Date, Naoki Hagiwara
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Patent number: 7095200Abstract: An MCU determines whether a backlash over a predetermined value exists in a driving system including a motor and a window driving mechanism. Then, when it is determined that the backlash over the predetermined value exists in the driving system, the MCU sets the time passed from the detection of the peak of the number of rotations of the motor to a predetermined additional time as a termination time of a start cancellation period. When it is determined that the backlash over the predetermined value does not exist in the driving system, the MCU sets, as the termination time of the start cancellation period, the time when the rate of change of the number of revolutions of the motor reaches a predetermined value or the time when the rate of change of a motor input ratio reaches a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2005Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihiko Shinohara, Hiroya Nomura, Kazuhito Matsubara, Kenichi Seino, Akira Sasaki
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Publication number: 20060061314Abstract: An MCU determines whether a backlash over a predetermined value exists in a driving system including a motor and a window driving mechanism. Then, when it is determined that the backlash over the predetermined value exists in the driving system, the MCU sets the time passed from the detection of the peak of the number of rotations of the motor to a predetermined additional time as a termination time of a start cancellation period. When it is determined that the backlash over the predetermined value does not exist in the driving system, the MCU sets, as the termination time of the start cancellation period, the time when the rate of change of the number of revolutions of the motor reaches a predetermined value or the time when the rate of change of a motor input ratio reaches a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2005Publication date: March 23, 2006Inventors: Akihiko Shinohara, Hiroya Nomura, Kazuhito Matsubara, Kenichi Seino, Akira Sasaki
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Patent number: 6987508Abstract: A changeable operation feeling (tactile sensation) is provided for a user manipulating the knob of manual input device. The manual input device includes a feeling providing device which has plural discs fixed to a control shaft, bearing feeling patterns on their circumferential surfaces and a ball holder which works in conjunction with the discs to provide an operation feeling to the knob. An actuator is driven to move up or down the ball holder to select the feeling pattern to be elastically forced to contact the ball to change an operation feeling as the user rotates the knob. A car-mounted apparatus controller incorporates this type of manual input device for functional control of car-mounted electric apparatuses.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidetaka Numata, Mikio Onodera, Kenichi Seino
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Patent number: 6859198Abstract: A manual in put device is provided with a spherical bearing, a joystick type knob held swingably on the spherical bearing, a rotary knob disposed coaxially with the joystick type knob, a first actuator for loading an external force on the joystick type knob, a second actuator for loading an external force on the rotary knob, a control unit for controlling these first and second actuators, a guide member for defining an operation direction of the joystick type knob, first detection means for detecting an operation state of the joystick type knob, and second detection means for detecting an operation state of the rotary knob. In an onboard instrument control device, the built-in manual input device is contained in a box and the joystick type knob and the rotary knob and push button switches used for instrument selection are disposed on an upper surface of the box.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mikio Onodera, Hidetaka Numata, Kenichi Seino
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Patent number: 6756967Abstract: A manual input device has a configuration consisting of a case, a joystick type knob and a rotary knob concentrically arranged over the top face of the case, one force feedback actuator for loading these knobs with external forces, a control unit for controlling the force feedback actuator, first and second power transmission mechanisms for individually transmitting the drive power of the force feedback actuator to the knobs, first and second detecting devices for individually detecting manipulated states of the knobs, and a push-button switch for finalizing signals set in the joystick type knob. A vehicle-mounted device control unit has a configuration consisting of the manual input device built into a case, on the top face of which are arranged the joystick type knob and the rotary knob provided for the manual input device, a clutch change-over switch, and push-button switches for selection of appliances.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: June 29, 2004Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mikio Onodera, Hidetaka Numata, Kenichi Seino
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Patent number: 6618032Abstract: A display apparatus comprises driving a circuit having: a field discriminating circuit; a copy/thinning discriminating circuit; a pulse generating circuit for generating copy clock pulse signals in a horizontal period in addition to original clock pulse signals in an operation to display an enlarged picture; a gate-clock generating circuit for generating gate-clock signals obtained as a result of superposing all of the original clock pulse signals on some of the copy clock pulse signals the number of which is equal to a difference obtained as a result of subtraction of a vertical-pixel count of a video signal from a vertical-pixel count of a display unit; and a gate driver for generating a plurality of gate driving signals at a high level for pulses of the gate clock signals with timings different from each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1999Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kenichi Seino
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Manual input device with force feedback function and vehicle-mounted equipment controller using same
Patent number: 6591175Abstract: A manual input device and a vehicle-mounted equipment controller are provided. The manual input device includes: a knob secured to an operation shaft and sensing portion for detecting the operation state of the operation shaft; an actuator to apply force to the knob; a power transmission portion for transmitting power between the operation shaft and a drive shaft of the actuator; and an input/output portion to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from an external device. The device further includes a control portion for generating a control signal for the actuator in accordance with an external signal outputted from an external sensing portion, or in accordance with control information generated in accordance with, at least, the external signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidetaka Numata, Mikio Onodera, Kenichi Seino -
Manual input device with force feedback function and vehicle-mounted equipment controller using same
Publication number: 20020128753Abstract: A manual input device and a vehicle-mounted equipment controller are provided. The manual input device includes: a knob secured to an operation shaft and sensing portion for detecting the operation state of the operation shaft; an actuator to apply force to the knob; a power transmission portion for transmitting power between the operation shaft and a drive shaft of the actuator; and an input/output portion to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from an external device. The device further includes a control portion for generating a control signal for the actuator in accordance with an external signal outputted from an external sensing portion, or in accordance with control information generated in accordance with, at least, the external signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Inventors: Hidetaka Numata, Mikio Onodera, Kenichi Seino -
Publication number: 20020080115Abstract: The invention provides a small-sized and low-cost manual input device excellent in operability and multifunctionality, and provides an onboard instrument control device having the abovementioned manual input device. A manual input device is provided with a spherical bearing, a joystick type knob held swingably on the spherical bearing, a rotary knob disposed coaxially with the joystick type knob, a first actuator for loading an external force on the joystick type knob, a second actuator for loading an external force on the rotary knob, a control unit for controlling these first and second actuators, a guide member for defining an operation direction of the joystick type knob, first detection means for detecting an operation state of the joystick type knob, and second detection means for detecting an operation state of the rotary knob.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2001Publication date: June 27, 2002Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mikio Onodera, Hidetaka Numata, Kenichi Seino
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Publication number: 20020080116Abstract: A compact and low-cost manual input device improved in operatability and multifunctionality and a compact and low-cost vehicle-mounted device control unit provided with a manual input device of this kind is to be provided. A manual input device has a configuration consisting of a case, a joystick type knob and a rotary knob concentrically arranged over the top face of the case, one force feedback actuator for loading these knobs with external forces, a control unit for controlling the force feedback actuator, first and second power transmission mechanisms for individually transmitting the drive power of the force feedback actuator to the knobs, first and second detecting devices for individually detecting manipulated states of the knobs, and a push-button switch for finalizing signals set in the joystick type knob.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2001Publication date: June 27, 2002Inventors: Mikio Onodera, Hidetaka Numata, Kenichi Seino
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Publication number: 20020080114Abstract: This invention provides a manual input device by which the operation feeling (tactile sensation) provided to the user manipulating its knob can be changed as appropriate, and also a car-mounted apparatus controller which uses this type of manual input device. A manual input device comprises: a housing; a control shaft which is rotatably supported by the housing; a knob fixed to one end of the control shaft; and feeling providing means, actuator and first and second position sensors which are all housed in the housing. The feeling providing means comprises: plural discs fixed to the control shaft, bearing first to third feeling patterns on their circumferential surfaces; and a ball holder which works in conjunction with the discs to provide an operation feeling to the knob. The actuator is driven to move up or down the ball holder to select the feeling pattern to be elastically forced to contact the ball to change an operation feeling as the user rotates the knob.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2001Publication date: June 27, 2002Applicant: Alps Electric Co., LtdInventors: Hidetaka Numata, Mikio Onodera, Kenichi Seino
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Patent number: 6384867Abstract: A video display apparatus comprises a video-signal processing circuit for processing an input video signal, a PLL circuit for generating a clock signal, a discrimination circuit for identifying the format of the input video signal and a specification circuit for specifying the format of video information to be displayed. In addition, the video display apparatus also includes a diver-control-signal generation circuit, a driver-control-signal switching circuit and a PLL-signal control circuit. The diver-control-signal generation circuit is used for generating control signals for controlling a gate driver and a source driver which are used for driving a display panel in accordance with the identified format of video information to be displayed.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2000Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Seino, Mitsuo Kamiko, Tomoyasu Katsuyama, Yoshihiro Date, Naoki Hagiwara
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Patent number: 6281869Abstract: The display device has a driving circuit provided with a pulse generator for generating a copying clock pulse signal within one horizontal period in addition to an original clock pulse signal upon an enlargement display, a gate clock generator for generating a gate clock signal obtained by superimposing the total original clock pulse signal and the copying clock pulse signal corresponding to a number obtained by subtracting the number of vertical pixels of a video signal from the number of vertical pixels of a display unit, and a gate driver for generating a plurality of gate driving signals brought to high levels with different timings in association with respective pulses in the gate clock signal and having high level periods equal in length to one another.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kenichi Seino
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Patent number: 6216906Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a cap in use for liquid reserving cartridge and a liquid reserving cartridge having the same which can proceed stably to weld the cap onto the liquid cartridge, reduce an unsealing force without a welding strength and improve a handling easiness during unsealing, wherein: the cap 1 in use for liquid cartridge, which is provided with a liquid reserving portion 11 and a feeding portion 13 for feeding the liquid externally, comprises a facing 2 for covering the feeding port 13, welding portions to be welded with the liquid reserving cartridge 11 and a handling portion for unsealing the welded portions by means of rotating the cap 1, during that the welding portions opposing to each other with respect to a fulcrum of the rotating operation and being located on a center line which runs through both the rotating center and a substantial center line of the handling lever.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1999Date of Patent: April 17, 2001Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Koshikawa, Masanori Takenouchi, Osamu Morita, Kenji Kitabatake, Kenichi Seino