Patents by Inventor Kenji Ogasawara

Kenji Ogasawara 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: 20160266554
    Abstract: An electronic device includes at least an acquisition unit, an input unit, a time correction amount calculation unit, and a transmitting unit. A timepiece includes at least a receiving unit, a power storage unit, a drive unit, and a control unit. The input unit receives an input of the time displayed by the display unit of the timepiece. The time correction amount calculation unit calculates a time correction amount for correcting the time of the timepiece from a difference between the time, the input of which is received by the input unit and the current time acquired by the acquisition unit. The transmitting unit transmits the time correction amount to the timepiece by using light. The receiving unit receives the time correction amount. The power storage unit stores electricity by using power converted from the light. The drive unit drives the indicating hand. The control unit corrects the time displayed by the indicating hand, based on the time correction amount received, by the receiving unit .
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji OGASAWARA, Akira TAKAKURA, Kazumi SAKUMOTO, Tamotsu MAESAWA, Kazuhiro KOYAMA, Tomohiro IHASHI, Kosuke YAMAMOTO, Ayumi MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 9442465
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a solar power source, a voltage stabilizer circuit that generates a constant voltage by using power supplied from the solar power source, and a control circuit that clocks the time by driving a rotating body at first hand operation speed and at second hand operation speed which is faster than the first hand operation speed. The control circuit selects a voltage of the solar power source so as to drive the rotating body in a case of the first hand operation speed, and selects at least any one voltage of the constant voltage and the voltage of the solar power source so as to drive the rotating body in a case of the second hand operation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamamoto, Kenji Ogasawara, Kazuhiro Koyama, Kazumi Sakumoto, Tamotsu Maesawa, Tomohiro Ihashi, Ayumi Matsumoto, Akira Takakura
  • Publication number: 20160190863
    Abstract: There are provided an electronic device, a communication system, and a method of controlling an electronic device which are capable of reducing the number of times manipulation associated with communication using a solar cell. The electronic device includes a solar cell, a secondary battery that is charged by the solar cell, and a control circuit that switches between a charging period during which the charging of the secondary battery from the solar cell is performed and a communication period during which an optical signal is received by the solar cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji OGASAWARA, Akira TAKAKURA, Tamotsu MAESAWA, Kazuhiro KOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160139569
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a solar power source, a voltage stabilizer circuit that generates a constant voltage by using power supplied from the solar power source, and a control circuit that clocks the time by driving a rotating body at first hand operation speed and at second hand operation speed which is faster than the first hand operation speed. The control circuit selects a voltage of the solar power source so as to drive the rotating body in a case of the first hand operation speed, and selects at least any one voltage of the constant voltage and the voltage of the solar power source so as to drive the rotating body in a case of the second hand operation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Kosuke YAMAMOTO, Kenji OGASAWARA, Kazuhiro KOYAMA, Kazumi SAKUMOTO, Tamotsu MAESAWA, Tomohiro IHASHI, Ayumi MATSUMOTO, Akira TAKAKURA
  • Publication number: 20160080078
    Abstract: To perform stable communication in communication by an optical signal. An electronic device includes a display part having a light source which transmits an optical signal, a direction detection part detecting a direction of a display screen of the display part and a controller transmitting data by the optical signal from the display part to an electronic timepiece when the direction of the display screen detected by the detection part becomes a predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji OGASAWARA, Akira TAKAKURA, Kazumi SAKUMOTO, Tamotsu MAESAWA, Kazuhiro KOYAMA, Tomohiro IHASHI, Kosuke YAMAMOTO, Ayumi MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160080076
    Abstract: To receive data normally in communication by an optical signal by an electronic device which transmits data even when a transmission frequency differs. An electronic device transmits a transmission-frequency measurement signal for measuring a transmission frequency of data and transmits the data by using a light source which transmits an optical signal. An electronic timepiece specifies the transmission frequency of data based on the transmission-frequency measurement signal received by a solar battery which receives the optical signal and receiving the data by the solar battery based on the specified transmission frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Tomohiro IHASHI, Kenji OGASAWARA, Akira TAKAKURA, Kazumi SAKUMOTO, Tamotsu MAESAWA, Kazuhiro KOYAMA, Kosuke YAMAMOTO, Ayumi MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 9190941
    Abstract: A rotation detection circuit detects an induced current flowing through a drive coil of a stepping motor in a detection section divided into a plurality of sections, and detects a rotation state of the stepping motor on the basis of a pattern indicating whether or not the induced current exceeds a predetermined reference value in each of the sections. A control unit selects a drive pulse corresponding to the rotation state detected by the rotation detection unit, and supplies a drive current to a drive coil to rotatably drive the stepping motor. The rotation detection unit carries out detection by selecting a detection direction of the induced current in the sections after the first section on the basis of whether or not the induced current exceeding each of a plurality of reference values is detected plural times in the first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Saburo Manaka, Kenji Ogasawara, Kazumi Sakumoto, Keishi Honmura, Kosuke Yamamoto, Satoshi Sakai
  • Patent number: 9182746
    Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes: a rotation detection unit that detects a induced signal exceeding a predetermined reference threshold voltage which is generated by a stepping motor in a detection section divided into at least three sections, and detects a rotation state on the basis of a pattern indicating whether the induced signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage is detected in each of the sections; and a control unit that selects a main drive pulse depending on the rotation state detected by the rotation detection unit from a plurality of main drive pulses which are different from each other in energy, and drives the stepping motor. When the induced signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage is not detected in an initial section, the rotation detection unit detects the induced signal by shifting an end position of at least one section other than the initial section to a rear side by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamamoto, Saburo Manaka, Kazumi Sakumoto, Kenji Ogasawara, Keishi Honmura, Satoshi Sakai
  • Patent number: 9086685
    Abstract: A control circuit selects a drive pulse group corresponding to the detected voltage of a power cell from among plural drive pulse groups each including plural types of main drive pulses, and selects a drive pulse according to the detected condition of rotation of a stepping motor from among main drive pulses included in the selected drive pulse group or a correction drive pulse having larger energy than the main drive pulses. When the control circuit selects a main drive pulse initially by selecting the drive pulse group, the control circuit selects the main drive pulse having the largest energy in the selected drive pulse group. A drive pulse group selection circuit drives the stepping motor by the main drive pulse in the drive pulse group selected by the control circuit or the correction drive pulse via a main drive pulse output circuit and a correction drive pulse output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamamoto, Akira Takakura, Kenji Ogasawara, Saburo Manaka, Kazumi Sakumoto, Keishi Honmura
  • Patent number: 8873344
    Abstract: A power consumption control device includes a power consumption control unit that receives the output potential of a photovoltaic cell generating an electromotive force, receives the output potential of a secondary battery charged by the electromotive force of the photovoltaic cell, causes a timepiece device to transition to a power saving state where a clock operation of measuring time is stopped when the output potential difference of the secondary battery is not greater than a predetermined threshold value, and the secondary battery is in a non-charging state indicating a state where the output potential difference of the photovoltaic cell is not greater than the output potential difference of the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu, Kazumi Sakumoto, Kenji Ogasawara, Kosuke Yamamoto, Keishi Honmura, Saburo Manaka, Akira Takakura
  • Patent number: 8848226
    Abstract: The printing apparatus is provided for processing a print job received from an information terminal to accumulate the print job sent from the information terminal in an image storage portion, and includes a timer for measuring elapse of a predetermined time from reception of a print job for each user indentified according to user identification information included in the print job; and a control portion for controlling a print order, during the time measurement, so as to skip printing of a print job received from a corresponding user to print a print job not including the user identification information first, and print print jobs received from the corresponding user in a lump after the elapse of the predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Maeda, Kenji Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8810186
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes a charging detection and reverse current prevention portion and a pulse selection control portion. The charging detection and reverse current prevention portion detects a charging state of a secondary battery that is charged by an electromotive force of a solar battery, the charging state indicating whether the secondary battery is being charged. The pulse selection control portion causes a first drive pulse for driving a motor to be generated and, in a case where the charging state that is detected by the charging detection and reverse current prevention portion is different after the first drive pulse has been output from what it was before the first drive pulse was output, causes a second drive pulse for driving the motor to be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Shotaro Kamiyama, Kenji Ogasawara, Saburo Manaka, Keishi Honmura, Kazumi Sakumoto, Hiroshi Shimizu, Kosuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8721170
    Abstract: A rotation detection unit configured to detect the condition of rotation of a stepping motor on the basis of an induced signal generated in a drive coil of the stepping motor in a detection period in which the condition of rotation of the stepping motor is detected and a control unit configured to rotationally drive the stepping motor by supplying a drive signal to the drive coil of the stepping motor within the driving period in which the stepping motor is rotationally driven are provided. The driving period and part of the detection period are configured to overlap with each other in a first time interval, and the control unit stops supply of the drive signal to the drive coil of the stepping motor in the first time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Saburo Manaka, Kenji Ogasawara, Kazumi Sakumoto, Keishi Honmura, Kosuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8699304
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a primary power supply portion generating power by converting a first energy into electric energy as a second energy; a secondary power supply portion storing the electric energy obtained by the power generation; a charge detection portion detecting a state where the secondary power supply portion is not charged with the electric energy; a clocking portion clocking time and stopping display of clocked time when an operation input is detected; and a low power consumption state control portion which measures a time of a state where the operation input is detected and the charging is not performed, and stops the operation of the clocking portion when the measured time exceeds a preset time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumi Sakumoto, Keishi Honmura, Saburo Manaka, Kosuke Yamamoto, Kenji Ogasawara, Hiroshi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20140071794
    Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes: a rotation detection unit that detects a induced signal exceeding a predetermined reference threshold voltage which is generated by a stepping motor in a detection section divided into at least three sections, and detects a rotation state on the basis of a pattern indicating whether the induced signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage is detected in each of the sections; and a control unit that selects a main drive pulse depending on the rotation state detected by the rotation detection unit from a plurality of main drive pulses which are different from each other in energy, and drives the stepping motor. When the induced signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage is not detected in an initial section, the rotation detection unit detects the induced signal by shifting an end position of at least one section other than the initial section to a rear side by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Kosuke YAMAMOTO, Saburo MANAKA, Kazumi SAKUMOTO, Kenji OGASAWARA, Keishi HONMURA, Satoshi SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20140071795
    Abstract: A rotation detection circuit detects an induced current flowing through a drive coil of a stepping motor in a detection section divided into a plurality of sections, and detects a rotation state of the stepping motor on the basis of a pattern indicating whether or not the induced current exceeds a predetermined reference value in each of the sections. A control unit selects a drive pulse corresponding to the rotation state detected by the rotation detection unit, and supplies a drive current to a drive coil to rotatably drive the stepping motor. The rotation detection unit carries out detection by selecting a detection direction of the induced current in the sections after the first section on the basis of whether or not the induced current exceeding each of a plurality of reference values is detected plural times in the first section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Saburo MANAKA, Kenji OGASAWARA, Kazumi SAKUMOTO, Keishi HONMURA, Kosuke YAMAMOTO, Satoshi SAKAI
  • Patent number: 8576437
    Abstract: Disclosed is printing a character forming image in an end part of each sheet of a plurality of sheets of paper which are to be sorted by an attribute, in an order of slicing a character which expresses the attribute of each sheet, based on what number sheet of paper is each sheet among a paper group which is sorted by the same attribute, the character forming image being obtained by sequentially slicing the character in a previously determined direction at a previously determined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikita Haruyama, Kenji Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8569991
    Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detection circuit that detects an induced signal and detects whether or not the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a detection segment having a plurality of detection areas, and a control unit that determines the state of rotation of a stepping motor on the basis of a pattern indicating whether or not the induced signals exceed the reference threshold voltage and, on the basis of the result of detection, controls the driving of the stepping motor with anyone of a plurality of main drive pulses different from each other in energy or a correction drive pulse having larger energy than the main drive pulse. An ineffective area is provided between at least the two detection areas, and the control unit determines the state of rotation of the stepping motor without considering the induced signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Saburo Manaka, Akira Takakura, Kenji Ogasawara, Kazumi Sakumoto, Shotaro Kamiyama, Keishi Honmura, Kosuke Yamamoto, Hiroshi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20130107308
    Abstract: The printing apparatus is provided for processing a print job received from an information terminal to accumulate the print job sent from the information terminal in an image storage portion, and includes a timer for measuring elapse of a predetermined time from reception of a print job for each user indentified according to user identification information included in the print job; and a control portion for controlling a print order, during the time measurement, so as to skip printing of a print job received from a corresponding user to print a print job not including the user identification information first, and print print jobs received from the corresponding user in a lump after the elapse of the predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroshi MAEDA, Kenji OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 8406086
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece can reduce a burden imposed on a user who performs a manipulation for correcting the positional displacement of a pointer when a position of the pointer is displaced due to the demonstration of the pointer movement. The electronic timepiece includes: a pointer which is rotated in a first direction based on a manipulation signal corresponding to a manipulation from the outside; and a control part which performs the demonstration of the pointer movement in which the pointer is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction and the first direction, wherein the pointer is positioned at a position where a rotational angle in the first direction from a preset reference position is smaller than a rotational angle in a second direction from the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu, Tomohiro Ihashi, Kenji Ogasawara, Kazuo Kato, Kazumi Sakumoto, Akira Takakura, Eriko Noguchi, Takanori Hasegawa, Keishi Honmura, Saburo Manaka, Kosuke Yamamoto