Patents by Inventor Kenji Torazawa

Kenji Torazawa 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: 20060132725
    Abstract: An illuminating device (1) is formed of a light source (12) in which LED chips (11) are arranged in an array shape and lens cells (14) are arranged on a light-emission side of each of the LED chips (11), and a pair of fly's eye lenses (13) that integrates and guides to a liquid crystal panel (3) the light emitted from each of the LED chips (11) and collimated by the lens cells (14). The LED chip (11) and the lens cell (14) are formed in a square shape, and an aspect ratio thereof corresponds to that of the liquid crystal display panel (3). In addition, the lens cells (14) are arranged separately from one another in such a manner to have wall surfaces (air gaps), and the wall surfaces serve as reflective surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Fusao Terada, Kenji Torazawa, Yasuo Funazou, Yoichi Tsuchiya, Katsutoshi Hibino, Hideyuki Kanayama, Shouichi Yoshii, Yoshitaka Kurosaka
  • Patent number: 6621772
    Abstract: A magneto-optical record medium and a reproducing apparatus for the same allow data reproduction having good characteristics by a simple structure. The magneto-optical record medium includes a plurality of first grooves (3) each having sidewalls, at least one of which is wobbled in accordance with address information; an address mark (21) formed by changing a width of a land located between second grooves connected to the first grooves; and third grooves wobbled cyclically, formed in a data portion magnetically storing data and connected to the second grooves. The reproducing apparatus reproduces the data from the magneto-optical record medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Asano, Noboru Mamiya, Yoshiharu Uchihara, Satoshi Sumi, Kenji Nakao, Hiroshi Watanabe, Toshiaki Hioki, Yoshihiro Hori, Hisashi Matsuyama, Kenji Torazawa, Kenji Tanase, Sayoko Tanaka, Yoshihisa Suzuki, Shigeki Hori
  • Patent number: 6538968
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording medium and an information recording/reproducing apparatus which permit recording and/or reproducing by a laser beam of optimized power for each recording medium. The recording medium is provided with a calibration region in addition to an information recording region. The calibration region has wobbles formed such that the amplitude of the waveform of a reproduced signal therefrom can change. Prior to recording to the information recording region, a signal is recorded in the calibration region by changing the laser power, and the recorded signal is immediately reproduced. The waveform of the reproduced signal is evaluated to determine optimum laser power for recording. At the time of reproducing, a signal previously recorded in the calibration region is reproduced while changing the laser power, and laser power optimum for reproducing is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Kenji Torazawa, Satoshi Sumi, Kenji Tanase, Yoshihisa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6438097
    Abstract: Micro-pits or micro-pit strings, which are disabled precise copying by means of illegal copying described above and enable signals different from signals of a normal disc to be detected in case of failure in precise copying, are recorded in a copy protected area of an optical disc beforehand. A read unit checks the copy protected area and determines a loaded disc is legal disc or illegally copied disc. If illegal, reading is prohibitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Kajiyama, Youichi Tsuchiya, Kenji Torazawa, Kouichi Tada
  • Patent number: 6400653
    Abstract: An magneto-optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical head (36) to detect a wobble (46) and an address mark (81 to 84) in an magneto-optical disc (31) and output a wobble signal (WB1, WB2) and an address mark signal (AML, AMG), a PLL circuit (47) to generate a clock signal (CK) in response to wobble signal (WB1), an address mark synchronous signal generation circuit (46) to generate an address mark synchronous signal (AM) in response to address mark signal (AML, AMG), a synchronizing circuit (48) to synchronize clock signal (CK) with address mark synchronous signal (AM) and generate a synchronized clock signal (SCK), and a timing setting circuit (49) to generate a timing pulse signal (TG1) to control a magnetic head driving circuit (34) and a timing pulse signal (TG2) to control a laser driving circuit (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Torazawa, Kenji Asano, Satoshi Sumi, Yoshiharu Uchihara, Noboru Mamiya, Toshiaki Hioki
  • Publication number: 20020012295
    Abstract: A magneto-optical record medium and a reproducing apparatus for the same allow data reproduction having good characteristics by a simple structure. The magneto-optical record medium includes a plurality of first grooves (3) each having sidewalls, at least one of which is wobbled in accordance with address information; an address mark (21) formed by changing a width of a land located between second grooves connected to the first grooves; and third grooves wobbled cyclically, formed in a data portion magnetically storing data and connected to the second grooves. The reproducing apparatus reproduces the data from the magneto-optical record medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: KENJI ASANO, NOBORU MAMIYA, YOSHIHARU UCHIHARA, SATOSHI SUMI, KENJI NAKAO, HIROSHI WATANABE, TOSHIAKI HIOKI, YOSHIHIRO HORI, HISASHI MATSUYAMA, KENJI TORAZAWA, KENJI TANASE, SAYOKO TANAKA, YOSHIHISA SUZUKI, SHIGEKI HORI
  • Patent number: 6339571
    Abstract: A table having a plurality of recording densities and a plurality of recording/reproducing conditions corresponding to the recording densities and each necessary for recording/reproducing a signal at a corresponding recording density is recorded in a TOC region of a magneto-optical disk. A recording/reproducing apparatus finds out a recording density at which it can record/reproduce data from the table and records or reproduces a signal at the recording density. The recording/reproducing conditions include the wavelength of a semiconductor laser, whether or not to employ the optical pulse magnetic field modulation recording method, the presence/absence of an optical super resolution pickup, whether or not to employ the optical pulse reproducing method, whether or not to employ the PRML method and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Torazawa, Toshiaki Hioki
  • Patent number: 6324138
    Abstract: A meandering groove is formed in a digital disk (10) with a wobble signal that is wobbled to reproduce a clock signal. The wobble signal is read out by an optical head (26). An address detection circuit (40) detects an address signal that is multiplexed with the wobble signal. A PLL oscillation circuit (24) provides a clock signal in synchronization with the wobble signal. Data is modulated by a modulation circuit (16) according to the clock signal and a timing signal based on the address signal, and recorded on the digital disk (10). In reproduction, a RF signal in the wobble signal is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter (42). The signal is demodulated by a demodulation circuit (44) for data output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hori, Hisashi Matsuyama, Akiomi Kunisa, Nobuo Itoh, Seiichiro Takahashi, Toshiaki Hioki, Kenji Asano, Noboru Mamiya, Yoshiharu Uchihara, Kenji Nakao, Satoshi Sumi, Kenji Torazawa
  • Publication number: 20010033532
    Abstract: A magneto-optical record medium and a reproducing apparatus for the same allow data reproduction having good characteristics by a simple structure. The magneto-optical record medium includes a plurality of first grooves (3) each having sidewalls, at least one of which is wobbled in accordance with address information; an address mark (21) formed by changing a width of a land located between second grooves connected to the first grooves; and third grooves wobbled cyclically, formed in a data portion magnetically storing data and connected to the second grooves. The reproducing apparatus reproduces the data from the magneto-optical record medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Kenji Asano, Noboru Mamiya, Yoshiharu Uchihara, Satoshi Sumi, Kenji Nakao, Hiroshi Watanabe, Toshiaki Hioki, Yoshihiro Hori, Hisashi Matsuyama, kenji Torazawa, Kenji Tanase, Sayoko Tanaka, Yoshihisa Suzuki, Shigeki Hori
  • Patent number: 6262967
    Abstract: An illegal disc copying protection system which includes an optical disc with recorded information as a series of pits aligned to a track direction from the optical disc, a recording system which records information as a series of pits aligned to the track direction from the optical disc, and a reading system which reads information being recorded as a series of pits aligned to the track direction from the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Kajiyama, Youichi Tsuchiya, Kenji Torazawa, Kouichi Tada
  • Patent number: 6243326
    Abstract: A magneto-optic disk and a recording/reproduction device therefor adopt optical super-resolution to increase recording capacity. More specifically, the magneto-optic disk has an heat emitting layer (6) on a recording layer (4) and still preferably has an intermediate layer (8) between a reproduction layer (3) and the recording layer (4). The recording/reproduction device includes a circuit (33) for pulsing a laser beam to be radiated to the magneto-optic disk and still preferably includes a polarization rotating unit (50) and a polarizing filter (51) for blocking only the center of the laser beam in reproduction. The heat emitting layer (6) diffusing any heat generated by the laser beam, and the discontinuously radiated laser beam allow small recording domain. The laser beam having its center blocked forms smaller main lobe due to diffraction effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Sumi, Yoshihisa Suzuki, Atsushi Yamaguchi, Kenji Tanase, Yoshiharu Uchihara, Kenji Torazawa, Seiji Murata
  • Patent number: 6198710
    Abstract: A meandering groove is formed in a digital disk (10) with a wobble signal that is wobbled to reproduce a clock signal. The wobble signal is read out by an optical head (26). An address detection circuit (40) detects an address signal that is multiplexed with the wobble signal. A PLL oscillation circuit (24) provides a clock signal in synchronization with the wobble signal. Data is modulated by a modulation circuit (16) according to the clock signal and a timing signal based on the address signal, and recorded on the digital disk (10). In reproduction, a RF signal in the wobble signal is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter (42). The signal is demodulated by a demodulation circuit (44) for data output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hori, Hisashi Matsuyama, Akiomi Kunisa, Nobuo Itoh, Seiichiro Takahashi, Toshiaki Hioki, Kenji Asano, Noboru Mamiya, Yoshiharu Uchihara, Kenji Nakao, Satoshi Sumi, Kenji Torazawa
  • Patent number: 6108296
    Abstract: Micro-pits or micro-pit strings, which are disabled precise copying by means of illegal copying described above and enable signals different from signals of a normal disc to be detected in case of failure in precise copying, are recorded in a copy protected area of an optical disc beforehand. A read unit checks the copy protected area and determines a loaded disc is legal disc or illegally copied disc. If illegal, reading is prohibitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Kajiyama, Youichi Tsuchiya, Kenji Torazawa, Kouichi Tada
  • Patent number: 5997276
    Abstract: A disc is provided which includes a disc body of disc shape having a center hole. An information recording area is formed on one side surface of the disc body. The information recording area has information thereon read by reflection of laser light. The information recording area has an inner circumferential edge positioned adjacent to the center hole. The disc body has a radius ranging from 39 mm to 80 mm, the center hole has a radius ranging from 7.5 mm to 7.55 mm, and the inner circumferential edge of the information recording area being positioned to extend from a radius of 15 mm to 22 mm from the center of the disc body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Torazawa, Takanari Kusafuka, Masahiro Higuchi
  • Patent number: 5999685
    Abstract: A light guide plate is provided including a first lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of the light guide plate on a light emission surface. The plurality of lenticular unit lenses in the first lens portion are triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125.degree. to 165.degree. and are so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other. Such construction makes it possible to set the number of lenticular lens sheets used to one or to further eliminate the necessity of the lenticular lens sheets, so that the cost of parts and the fabrication cost of the light guide plate can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichiro Goto, Michiaki Sato, Yasuko Teragaki, Katsutoshi Hibino, Kenji Torazawa, Masahiro Higuchi, Takanari Kusafuka
  • Patent number: 5914929
    Abstract: The present invention is provided with a cartridge holder for installation of a cartridge which houses an optical disk, and a tray which is located below said cartridge holder and in which an unhoused optical disk is placed, and which can move to-and-fro between a position in which information are recorded and/or played back and a position in which the optical disk is exchanged, a center shaft which rotates by means of a rotating drive means, and a holding mechanism including a turntable which is secured to the shaft and is provided with a magnetic body, an optical disk centering means and a support surface which supports the optical disk; and a clamper which can be brought into contact with and separated from the support surface of said turntable and which maintains in contact with the support surface of the turntable optical disks which do not have hubs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seizo Kato, Kenji Torazawa, Kenji Nakao, Shigeki Hori
  • Patent number: 5363364
    Abstract: A disc recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention intermittently records and reproduces compressed digital audio data in normal recording/reproduction. In high-speed dubbing of digital audio data, two of such apparatuses are used, wherein compressed digital audio data is continuously reproduced from a disc for reproduction by the reproduction side apparatus to be directly applied to the recording side apparatus and continuously recorded on a disc for recording. Thus, the compressed high-speed dubbing of the digital audio data can be achieved without increasing a rotation speed of the disc even in high-speed dubbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Torazawa, Yasuhiro Ishii, Tateo Toyama, Shin'ichiro Tomisawa, Nagatoshi Sugihara
  • Patent number: 4993011
    Abstract: An erasing beam B1 and a recording beam B2 emitted from a laser diode array 20 are focused on different tracks of a optical magnetic disk D, the erasing beam B1 being focused on a track located ahead of a track on which the recording beam B2 is focused. The reflected beams of the erasing beam B1 and the recording beam B2 are separated respectively into two polarized components by means of a polarized beam splitter 17 and the polarized components are received by photo sensor means 23 and 24. Based on outputs of the photo sensor means 23 and 24, an address signal, a focus error signal and a tracking error signal are obtained. At the time of reproduction, the laser diode array 20 emits a reproducing beam so that the photo sensor means provide a reproducing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Torazawa, Satoshi Sumi, Seiji Murata, Shigekazu Minechika