Patents by Inventor Koichi Sono

Koichi Sono 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: 10621934
    Abstract: A display includes: a frame-rate conversion section being configured to be capable of changing a frame-rate conversion ratio having a value of 1 or more, the frame-rate conversion section converting a frame rate of an image signal at the frame-rate conversion ratio being set; and a display section displaying an image having undergone frame rate conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Masayuki Takahashi, Koichi Sono
  • Publication number: 20180166033
    Abstract: A display includes: a frame-rate conversion section being configured to be capable of changing a frame-rate conversion ratio having a value of 1 or more, the frame-rate conversion section converting a frame rate of an image signal at the frame-rate conversion ratio being set; and a display section displaying an image having undergone frame rate conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: Saturn Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Masayuki Takahashi, Koichi Sono
  • Patent number: 9928789
    Abstract: A display includes: a frame-rate conversion section being configured to be capable of changing a frame-rate conversion ratio having a value of 1 or more, the frame-rate conversion section converting a frame rate of an image signal at the frame-rate conversion ratio being set; and a display section displaying an image having undergone frame rate conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Masayuki Takahashi, Koichi Sono
  • Publication number: 20130021387
    Abstract: A display includes: a frame-rate conversion section being configured to be capable of changing a frame-rate conversion ratio having a value of 1 or more, the frame-rate conversion section converting a frame rate of an image signal at the frame-rate conversion ratio being set; and a display section displaying an image having undergone frame rate conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Takahashi, Koichi Sono
  • Patent number: 8290310
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a computation unit that determines an interpolation process starting point and gradient on the basis of a change point at which a difference between pixel values of adjacent pixels of an image signal is greater than zero and is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, wherein a position of a pixel scanned earlier or later than the change point by substantially one-half a continuous width of pixels having an identical grayscale value is set as the starting point and the gradient is determined based on a difference between pixel values before and after the change point and the continuous width, and a conversion unit that converts pixel values of the image signal on the basis of the determined starting point and gradient so that a grayscale change from the interpolation process starting point in the image signal corresponds to the gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Sono
  • Patent number: 8174513
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving a display panel, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for easily generating a programmable signal to drive a digital display panel without re-designing a drive signal generating apparatus according to the specifications of the digital display panel including its size, the number of scan lines, and types of input signals. The apparatus includes a memory, a decoder, and an output waveform generating circuit. The memory stores information to generate a plurality of drive pulse signals necessary for driving the display panel. The decoder reads information stored in an address assigned according to a predetermined control sequence from the memory and then edits the read information so as to be suitable for specifications of the display panel. The output waveform generating circuit generates drive pulse signals corresponding to the information read by the decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Sono, Young-sun Kim, Tae-young Lee
  • Patent number: 7948563
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for automatically adjusting luminance, and more particularly, apparatus and method for automatically adjusting luminance per region in plurality of luminance regions of an image to be displayed according to its average luminance value. An average luminance of an image is detected, and then contrast and brightness of image is automatically adjusted according to detected average luminance. Amplification of contrast and brightness is increased to brighten an image in an image with low luminance and reduced to suppress image dazzle in an image with high luminance, thereby providing user with an image of appropriate brightness, irrespective of original brightness. It is possible to prevent diversion of image by dividing its luminance level into a plurality of regions and controlling contrast and luminance per region. Further, a buffer region between luminance regions prevents flickering of image on a screen due to diversion of an adjustable gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Sono
  • Publication number: 20100045685
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device with shorter response time and simpler configuration is provided. The liquid crystal display device including: a plurality of pixels each including a liquid crystal element; and a driving section performing an image display driving by applying a driving voltage based on a video signal to the liquid crystal element in each of the pixels. The driving section performs an overdrive processing on the video signal of current frame to generate an overdriven video signal based on a current frame image and an immediately preceding frame image of the input images based on the video signals, and based on immediately-preceding-state information which is additional information briefly representing a immediately preceding state of the liquid crystal element of the pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki, Kazuhiro Nukiyama, Hisashi Mamiya, Koichi Sono
  • Publication number: 20090142000
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a computation unit that determines an interpolation process starting point and gradient on the basis of a change point at which a difference between pixel values of adjacent pixels of an image signal is greater than zero and is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, wherein a position of a pixel scanned earlier or later than the change point by substantially one-half a continuous width of pixels having an identical grayscale value is set as the starting point and the gradient is determined based on a difference between pixel values before and after the change point and the continuous width, and a conversion unit that converts pixel values of the image signal on the basis of the determined starting point and gradient so that a grayscale change from the interpolation process starting point in the image signal corresponds to the gradient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Sono
  • Patent number: 7265736
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing false contour in a digital display apparatus including a plasma display panel (PDP) using pulse number modulation are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-young Lee, Chang-yeong Kim, Young-sun Kim, Koichi Sono, Chang-wan Hong
  • Publication number: 20070165194
    Abstract: An image display apparatus comprises a plurality of light sources, each of which outputs light having a different color than the other light sources, and a digital micro mirror device (DMD) panel having a plurality of mirror elements. The plurality of mirror elements reflect light output from the light sources in one of a first direction, for displaying an image, and a second direction different from the first direction. The apparatus further includes a detecting part which detects the quantity of light reflected in the second direction by at least one mirror element of the DMD panel, and an adjusting control part which determines the quantity of light output from the respective light sources based on the detection by the detecting part, and which adjusts light output of the light sources based on the determined quantity of light output from the light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung-min Jung, Jeong-ho Nho, Koichi Sono, Yong-Dok Cha
  • Patent number: 7123370
    Abstract: A control system having device units removably attachable to a control device such as a computer is arranged to optimize the allocation and distribution of electric power to the device units and also displays of varied kinds. For this purpose, each device unit of the system includes a communication circuit arranged to transmit information of electric power consumption and an operating state of the device unit detachably connected to the control device such as a computer, a stopping circuit for partly stopping a function of the device unit according to a control signal sent in reply from the control device on the basis of information of varied kinds transmitted through the transmission circuit to the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaku Watanabe, Kenichi Kondo, Nobuo Fukushima, Masayoshi Sekine, Koichi Sono, Motohiro Ishikawa, Yuji Koide
  • Patent number: 7012639
    Abstract: In order to transfer at a high speed a large amount of data, such as data of a moving image, an image pickup system having an image pickup apparatus is arranged to convert an object image inputted through an optical system into an electrical signal, to convert the electrical signal into a digital signal by an A/D conversion part, to obtain from the digital signal a video signal in a predetermined form by a video signal generating part, to convert a color space of the video signal by a color space converting part in such a way as to compress the video signal according to a look-up table held within the color space converting part, and to transfer the compressed video signal to an external personal computer through an interface part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohiro Ishikawa, Kenichi Kondo, Nobuo Fukushima, Masayoshi Sekine, Koichi Sono, Gaku Watanabe, Yuji Koide
  • Patent number: 6956678
    Abstract: A control system having device units removably attachable to a control device arranged to optimize the allocation and distribution of electric power to the device units and also displays of varied kinds. For this purpose, each device unit of the system includes a communication circuit arranged to transmit information of electric power consumption and an operating state of the device unit detachably connected to the control device, The control device, includes a communication circuit arranged to receive the information on the device unit from the device unit, and a control circuit arranged to compare the information of electric power consumption and the operating state received by the communication circuit with information of the amount of electric power which can be supplied to the device unit and to send the control signal to the device unit for partly stopping the function of the device unit according to the result of comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaku Watanabe, Kenichi Kondo, Nobuo Fukushima, Masayoshi Sekine, Koichi Sono, Motohiro Ishikawa, Yuji Koide
  • Patent number: 6870566
    Abstract: In an image sensing apparatus using an image sensing device, such as a CCD, to be used by connecting to an external device, such as a computer, an operating rate of the CCD is changed in accordance with a rate at which the computer receives image signals from the image sensing apparatus. Further, when the operating rate of the CCD is changed, a proper exposure value is conjectured to obtain an image sensed at a proper exposure on the basis of operating rates of the CCD before and after the operating rate is changed, and a proper exposure value of the CCD before the operating rate is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Koide, Kenichi Kondo, Nobuo Fukushima, Masayoshi Sekine, Koichi Sono, Gaku Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20050001826
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving a display panel, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for easily generating a programmable signal to drive a digital display panel without re-designing a drive signal generating apparatus according to the specifications of the digital display panel including its size, the number of scan lines, and types of input signals. The apparatus includes a memory, a decoder, and an output waveform generating circuit. The memory stores information to generate a plurality of drive pulse signals necessary for driving the display panel. The decoder reads information stored in an address assigned according to a predetermined control sequence from the memory and then edits the read information so as to be suitable for specifications of the display panel. The output waveform generating circuit generates drive pulse signals corresponding to the information read by the decoder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventors: Koichi Sono, Young-sun Kim, Tae-young Lee
  • Publication number: 20040178775
    Abstract: A control system having device units removably attachable to a control device such as a computer is arranged to optimize the allocation and distribution of electric power to the device units and also displays of varied kinds. For this purpose, each device unit of the system includes a communication circuit arranged to transmit information of electric power consumption and an operating state of the device unit detachably connected to the control device such as a computer, a stopping circuit for partly stopping a function of the device unit according to a control signal sent in reply from the control device on the basis of information of varied kinds transmitted through the transmission circuit to the control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Gaku Watanabe, Kenichi Kondo, Nobuo Fukushima, Masayoshi Sekine, Koichi Sono, Motohiro Ishikawa, Yuji Koide
  • Publication number: 20040070590
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing false contour in a digital display apparatus including a plasma display panel (PDP) using pulse number modulation are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-Young Lee, Chang-Yeong Kim, Young-Sun Kim, Koichi Sono, Chang-Wan Hong
  • Patent number: 6683591
    Abstract: For enabling a liquid display drive with a low voltage and a high speed, each pixel is provided with a liquid crystal cell 5, a switching transistor 7 and an additional capacitance 9, and the additional capacitances are electrically commonly connected for a block of plural pixels. After the image signal is supplied to the pixels corresponding to the block, the potential of desired one of the common electrode lines 52, 52′, to which the additional capacitances 9 corresponding to the block are connected, is varied and retained at thus varied value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Hashimoto, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Shigeki Kondo, Takayuki Ishii, Kazuyuki Shigeta, Koichi Sono, Daisuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6642958
    Abstract: In an image pickup system, an image pickup unit is connected to a computer which has a display device. In order to make a display by matching the characteristic of the image pickup unit with that of the display device, the image pickup unit is provided with a control part which is arranged to measure a signal processing speed of the computer, to compare the signal processing speed with an image pickup speed or a picked-up image data output speed of the image pickup unit and to vary an image pickup action or a picked-up image data output action of the image pickup unit according to a result of the comparison or according to an operation performed by an operator of the image pickup system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaku Watanabe, Kenichi Kondo, Nobuo Fukushima, Masayoshi Sekine, Koichi Sono, Motohiro Ishikawa, Yuji Koide