Patents by Inventor KENJI YANAI

KENJI YANAI 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).

  • Method and apparatus for driving actuators
    Patent number: 10802589
    Abstract: A method of driving an actuator using a shape memory alloy is provided. An impact-driven actuator is activated by a pulse voltage generated by an action of a transistor. A keyboard outputs a key event at the timing of an input operation. A stress monitoring unit calculates a stress amount of an impact-driven actuator based on parameters of a key event and a pulse voltage. A stress adjustment unit changes the parameter of the pulse voltage when the stress amount reaches a permissible value. The parameter may be a wave crest value or a pulse width of the pulse voltage. The stress adjustment section is also able to stop the action of the impact-driven actuator in response to a key event corresponding to a break code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yamazaki, Kenji Yanai, Fusanobu Nakamura, Yasushi Tsukamoto
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING ACTUATORS
    Publication number: 20170344117
    Abstract: A method of driving an actuator using a shape memory alloy is provided. An impact-driven actuator is activated by a pulse voltage generated by an action of a transistor. A keyboard outputs a key event at the timing of an input operation. A stress monitoring unit calculates a stress amount of an impact-driven actuator based on parameters of a key event and a pulse voltage. A stress adjustment unit changes the parameter of the pulse voltage when the stress amount reaches a permissible value. The parameter may be a wave crest value or a pulse width of the pulse voltage. The stress adjustment section is also able to stop the action of the impact-driven actuator in response to a key event corresponding to a break code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: MITSUHIRO YAMAZAKI, KENJI YANAI, FUSANOBU NAKAMURA, YASUSHI TSUKAMOTO