Patents by Inventor Kenji Okamoto

Kenji Okamoto 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: 7973894
    Abstract: A transmissive liquid crystal display including a pair of substrates, a common electrode on one of the substrates, a pixel electrode on the other substrate, a liquid crystal sealed between the substrates, a polymer obtained by polymerizing a polymeric component mixed in the liquid crystal, and a pixel region having areas whose electro-optical characteristics are different from each other because of a difference between cell thicknesses. A distance between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, with respect to a direction of the cell thickness, is different in the areas of different cell thicknesses. Also, a liquid crystal display including a pair of substrates provided opposite to each other; a liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates; and an alignment film including a polymeric component and a polymerization initiator in a density that varies in each of a plurality of areas in the pixel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Ueda, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Hidefumi Yoshida, Yoshio Koike, Kenji Okamoto, Yuichi Inoue, Seiji Tanuma
  • Patent number: 7965363
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a common electrode on a first substrate, a pixel electrode on a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates. The device also include first and second alignment control structures formed, respectively, on the first and second substrates, for regulating azimuths of orientations of the liquid crystal when a voltage is applied thereto. The first and second alignment control structures each include a first line portion (extending in a first direction) and a second line portion (extending in a second direction, which is different from the first direction). The pixel electrode includes an edge extending in a direction different from both the first and second directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7947982
    Abstract: A thin film transistor matrix device including an insulating substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) on the insulating substrate, and a plurality of picture element electrodes (connected to the TFTs) on the insulating substrate in a matrix to define an image display region. A first conductor is on the insulating substrate. A first insulating film is on the first conductor, a second conductor is on the first insulating film, and a second insulating film is over the first insulating film and the second conductor. A first contact hole is formed in the first and second insulating films, a second contact hole is formed in the second insulating film, and a conducting connection is formed between the first and second contact holes. The first and second conductors are connected to the conducting connection via the first and second contact holes, respectively, which are both outside the image display region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidaki Takizawa, Shougo Hayashi, Takeshi Kinjo, Makoto Tachibanaki, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7947983
    Abstract: A thin film transistor matrix device including an insulating substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) on the insulating substrate, and a plurality of picture element electrodes on the insulating substrate in a matrix to define an image display region. A first conducting film is on the insulating substrate. A first insulating film is on the first conducting film. A second conducting film is on the first insulating film, and a second insulating film is over the first insulating film and the second conducting film. A first conducting connection is formed, outside the image display region, to pass through the first and second insulating films, and to electrically connect the first conducting film to a third conducting film. A second conducting connection is formed, outside the image display region, to pass through the second insulating film and to electrically connect the second conducting film to the third conducting film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidaki Takizawa, Shougo Hayashi, Takeshi Kinjo, Makoto Tachibanaki, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7935389
    Abstract: A printer is provided which sprays ink from nozzles to print recording paper P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Takahashi, Kenji Okamoto, Soichi Kuwahara, Yuji Yakura, Shinichi Horii, Yoshiaki Haba, Hiromitsu Takeda
  • Publication number: 20110063554
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates in a spaced relationship with one another. A pair of alignment films are provided, one alignment film being formed on each substrate such that the alignment films face one another. A liquid crystal layer, including plural liquid crystals, is inserted between the pair of alignment films, wherein the alignment films impart a given pre-tilt angle to the liquid crystals. The alignment films are composed of a material containing at least two types of polymers having a prescribed initial alignment and different alignment variation rates in response to ultraviolet ray irradiation. The pre-tilt angle being adjusted, without rubbing the alignment films, through ultraviolet exposure of the alignment films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takashi Sasabayashi, Yohei Nakanishi, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7908146
    Abstract: A digital television received is provided. The receiver includes an information storage to store menu screen identification information about a menu screen displayed on a display section, the menu screen including an item corresponding to the command information, the identification information associated with the command information corresponding to the item displayed on the menu screen; a judgment section to determine whether or not the obtained command information falls in the command information stored in the command information storage associated with the menu screen identification information; a control section to perform control based on the command information when the judgment section judges that the obtained command information falls in the command information stored in the command information storage associated with the menu screen identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayumi Kaneko, Naoki Yamamoto, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7899182
    Abstract: Disclosed is a digital broadcast reception apparatus which performs a scramble judgment by obtaining a judgment PID corresponding to PCR_PID and a judgment packet corresponding to the judgment PID and judging whether the judgment packet is obtained within a first time, subsequently by a value of tsc bit, subsequently by detecting a PES packet where payload starts and judging whether it is detected within a second time, subsequently by detecting packet_start_code_prefix and judging based on the detected value, and subsequently by a value of PES_scrambling_control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110033091
    Abstract: Individual authentication method and apparatus therefor, wherein at least one information out of an eyeground blood vessel image information obtained by an optical means, eyeground blood flow distribution image information obtained by using a laser, and information relating to the change over time thereof is compared and collated with personal information registered in advance, and at least the one information out of the eyeground blood vessel image information, the eyeground blood flow distribution image information, and the information relating to the change over time thereof within a measurement field of view obtained in a direction of a line of sight fixed by a fixation target registered in advance is compared and collated with the personal information registered in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Hitoshi Fujii, Kenji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110026783
    Abstract: In a personal authentication method using the subcutaneous bloodstream measurement where an expanded laser beam is irradiated onto a finger pad, light reflected from a subcutaneous blood vessel layer is imaged on an image sensor as a laser speckle using an optical system, a quantity that represents the rate of change with respect to time of the amount of light received for each pixel of the laser speckle is calculated, the values are used as a two-dimensional map to obtain a map showing the bloodstream of the finger pad, and the bloodstream map is comparison-checked against pre-registered data of individuals, the laser speckle is imaged on the image sensor using a region separate from a region irradiated by the laser beam as an observation region of the image sensor. A device for use in the method is also provided. Relating to a method and device for authentication using, e.g., a finger print pattern on the basis of the laser speckle, an improved technique capable of extracting, e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Kyushu Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Hitoshi Fujii, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7871452
    Abstract: Disclosed is a particulate filter, which is adapted to be disposed in an exhaust passage of an engine to trap particulate matter contained in exhaust gas discharged from the engine. The particulate filter comprises a filter body having a porous partition wall which defines a plurality of exhaust gas channels allowing the exhaust gas to pass therethrough, and a catalyst layer formed on a surface of the porous partition wall. The catalyst layer includes a Zr-based composite oxide which contains zirconium (Zr), and a rare-earth metal except cerium, wherein a content ratio of an oxide of the non-cerium rare-earth metal to a total amount of ZrO2 and the oxide of the non-cerium rare-earth metal in the Zr-based composite oxide is set in the range of greater than 33 mol % to less than 40 mol %. The particulate filter of the present invention can achieve a higher PM burning rate to burn PM within a shorter period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamada, Kenji Suzuki, Koichiro Harada, Kenji Okamoto, Akihide Takami, Susumu Mineoi, Hirosuke Sumida
  • Publication number: 20110004749
    Abstract: A method for launching a selected application in a computer system that is either in a sleep state or a power-off state, the computer system includes an operating system (OS) installed therein to execute applications in a normal mode of the OS. The method includes, while the computer system is in one of the sleep state and the power-off state, receiving a command to launch the selected application in the computer system, loading the OS in a sandbox mode preconfigured for the selected application, and the OS in the sandbox mode launching the selected application to run in the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Bennetts, Nozomu Yasui, Lee W. Atkinson, Kenji Okamoto, Shibata Masakazu, Josephine Tang, Chrismal R. Panditharathne
  • Patent number: 7859624
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates in a spaced relationship with one another. A pair of alignment films are provided, one alignment film being formed on each substrate such that the alignment films face one another. A liquid crystal layer; including plural liquid crystals, is inserted between the pair of alignment films, wherein the alignment films impart a given pre-tilt angle to the liquid crystals. The alignment films are composed of a material containing at least two types of polymers having a prescribed initial alignment and different alignment variation rates in response to ultraviolet ray irradiation. The pre-tilt angle being adjusted, without rubbing the alignment films, through ultraviolet exposure of the alignment films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takashi Sasabayashi, Yohei Nakanishi, Kenji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20100311140
    Abstract: The object is to develop a bacterium capable of fermenting glucose, mannose and xylose simultaneously, which can ferment a saccharified solution of a cellulose-type or lignocellulose-type biomass resource to produce ethanol, and to construct an energy-saving high-efficiency bioethanol conversion process. Thus, disclosed is Zymomonas mobilis bacterium which is prepared by integrating a gene encoding a phosphomannose isomerase derived from Escharichia coli into a levansucrase gene located on the chromosome by the double cross-over by means of a homologous recombsination method, and then introducing recombinant DNA prepared by binding a DNA fragment containing genes encoding a xylose isomerase, a xylulokinase, a transaldolase and a transketolase, respectively, all derived from Escherichia coli to a vector. Also disclosed is a method for producing ethanol by continuously fermenting a saccharified solution of a cellulose-type biomass resource in a system on which the Zymomonas mobilis bacterium is immobilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY COPORATION TOTTORI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hideshi Yanase, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7821603
    Abstract: A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels, which further includes a first substrate and a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate include alignment control structures which extend linearly, and when viewed in a direction vertical to the first substrate, in a pixel, the alignment control structure of the first substrate and the alignment control structures of the second substrate are arranged alternately. The alignment control structure of the first substrate includes first and second linear portions, and distances between the first and second linear portions and an adjacent alignment control structure of the second substrate are different from each other. Additionally, each of the first and second linear portions and the alignment control structures of the second substrate are arranged in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20100214202
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a thin film transistor matrix device which includes forming a transparent insulating substrate, arranging a plurality of thin film transistors on the substrate in a matrix, arranging a plurality of picture element electrodes on the substrate in a matrix and connecting the picture element electrodes to sources of the thin film transistors. The method also includes forming a plurality of bus lines for commonly connecting gates or drains of the thin film transistors, forming a plurality of bus line terminals on the ends of the bus lines, respectively, with each bus line terminal being provided for each bus line, and forming one connection line on the substrate in a region outer of plurality of the bus line terminals and commonly connecting the plurality of bus lines. The method further includes the step of electrically disconnecting the bus lines from the connection line by laser melting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidaki Takizawa, Shougo Hayashi, Takeshi Kinjo, Makoto Tachibanaki, Kenji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20100194674
    Abstract: The liquid crystal display device (1) of the present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel (3) and a backlight (2). In the backlight (2), a plurality of plasma tubes (22) are employed as light sources. The backlight (2) includes: a substrate (21) and; an array structure (23) in which the plurality of plasma tubes (22) are provided, in an array, on the substrate (21). A surface of the array structure (23) opposite to a surface facing the substrate (21) serves as a light emitting section (29) that irradiates the liquid crystal display panel (3). Since the backlight includes plasma tubes serving as the light sources, it is possible to achieve a thinner liquid crystal display device that carries out a high-definition image display in spite of its thin thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Yusuke Nishihara, Masumi Kubo, Tokio Taguchi, Kenji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7760305
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device that includes a plurality of pixels, a first substrate and a second substrate, as well as a liquid crystal layer provided between the first and second substrates. A first alignment structure and a second alignment structure are formed on the first substrate, and a third alignment structure and a fourth alignment structure are formed on the second substrate, for controlling an alignment of the liquid crystal. At least one auxiliary alignment structure is also formed on the first substrate for controlling an alignment of liquid crystals. The first and second alignment structures extend linearly in different directions from each other in a pixel, and the third and fourth alignment structures extend parallel to the first and second alignment structures, respectively. Also, the auxiliary alignment structure extends substantially along an edge of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20100117087
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a thin film transistor matrix device which includes forming a transparent insulating substrate, arranging a plurality of thin film transistors on the substrate in a matrix, arranging a plurality of picture element electrodes on the substrate in a matrix and connecting the picture element electrodes to sources of the thin film transistors. The method also includes forming a plurality of bus lines for commonly connecting gates or drains of the thin film transistors, forming a plurality of bus line terminals on the ends of the bus lines, respectively, with each bus line terminal being provided for each bus line, and forming one connection line on the substrate in a region outer of plurality of the bus line terminals and commonly connecting the plurality of bus lines. The method further includes the step of electrically disconnecting the bus lines from the connection line by laser melting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidaki Takizawa, Shougo Hayashi, Takeshi Kinjo, Makoto Tachibanaki, Kenji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20100090689
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus includes a position detection target member, a magnet that moves in accordance with movement of the position detection target member, and a plurality of magnetic detectors provided on a surface opposite a movement plane of the magnet. A flat yoke is provided on the reverse face of the magnet. The magnetic polarity of a peripheral side part of the magnet is opposite to the magnetic polarity of a center part thereof. The peripheral side part is formed at a regional range that can be defined on the basis of a predetermined distance(s) measured from a side edge of the yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicants: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru FURUKI, Satoru SUNADA, Hiroyuki NAKAYAMA, Kenji OKAMOTO