Patents by Inventor Kouji Okada

Kouji Okada 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: 9294651
    Abstract: An image reading device includes: a CCD for reading an image on a document to output an image signal; a light source for switchingly emitting visible light and non-visible light; and lighting control means for controlling lighting periods of the light source. The lighting control means is adapted to perform control such that a first light source lighting period for applying non-visible light is longer than a second light source lighting period for applying visible light. The image reading device also includes splitting means for splitting the image signals outputted from the CCD into an image signal upon application of visible light and an image signal upon application of non-visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: NEC Engineering, LTD.
    Inventors: Kouji Okada, Tetsuichiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Hoshimiya
  • Patent number: 9167123
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image reader apparatus capable of obtaining an image having stable brightness while suppressing an increase of the cost of the apparatus. The image reader apparatus 1 for reading an image on a document 2 being fed and outputting an image signal includes a synchronization signal generation circuit 4 for generating a synchronization signal SS synchronous with a feed timing and a feed cycle of the document 2, a CCD 6 for reading an image on the document 2 in synchronism with the synchronization signal SS, an LED 9 for emitting white light, and a lighting control circuit 7 for turning the LED 9 on in synchronism with the synchronization signal SS and turning the light source off so that a lighting period is equalized for each line irrespective of a variation of the feed cycle of the document 2. The lighting control circuit 7 turns the LED 9 off so that the lighting period of the LED 9 is equal to a predetermined preset period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NEC Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Okada, Tetsuichiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Hoshimiya
  • Patent number: 8456566
    Abstract: A focus range is determined on the basis of an object distance, focal distance, and aperture value, after an autofocus operation. When SW2 is operated, an exposure is performed only during a period that a displacement of a blur in an optical-axis direction is within the focus range. If an exposure time for one exposure does not reach an exposure time to obtain an optimum exposure, a plurality of exposures are performed until a total exposure time reaches the exposure time to obtain the optimum exposure. When the plurality of exposures are performed, a plurality of images obtained are combined to generate an image with the optimum exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Patent number: 8403574
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body, an interchangeable lens, and an accessory mounted between the camera body and the interchangeable lens, wherein the accessory has a signal processing unit configured to process a signal input into the accessory and a storage unit configured to store information to be used when performing the signal processing, the camera system further including a pseudo interchangeable lens which can be mounted on the accessory instead of the interchangeable lens and which is configured to supply power from the camera body to the accessory when mounted on the camera body via the accessory, and a control unit configured to, while the camera body, the accessory, and the pseudo interchangeable lens are connected, when the accessory receives within a predetermined duration predetermined information, enable communication between the camera body and the accessory even after the predetermined duration has elapsed, and rewrite the information stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20120127543
    Abstract: An image reading device includes: a CCD for reading an image on a document to output an image signal; a light source for switchingly emitting visible light and non-visible light; and lighting control means for controlling lighting periods of the light source. The lighting control means is adapted to perform control such that a first light source lighting period for applying non-visible light is longer than a second light source lighting period for applying visible light. The image reading device also includes splitting means for splitting the image signals outputted from the CCD into an image signal upon application of visible light and an image signal upon application of non-visible light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: NEC ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventors: Kouji Okada, Tetsuichiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Hoshimiya
  • Publication number: 20110255118
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image reader apparatus capable of obtaining an image having stable brightness while suppressing an increase of the cost of the apparatus. The image reader apparatus 1 for reading an image on a document 2 being fed and outputting an image signal includes a synchronization signal generation circuit 4 for generating a synchronization signal SS synchronous with a feed timing and a feed cycle of the document 2, a CCD 6 for reading an image on the document 2 in synchronism with the synchronization signal SS, an LED 9 for emitting white light, and a lighting control circuit 7 for turning the LED 9 on in synchronism with the synchronization signal SS and turning the light source off so that a lighting period is equalized for each line irrespective of a variation of the feed cycle of the document 2. The lighting control circuit 7 turns the LED 9 off so that the lighting period of the LED 9 is equal to a predetermined preset period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Kouji Okada, Tetsuichiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Hoshimiya
  • Patent number: 7907205
    Abstract: A focus range is determined on the basis of an object distance, focal distance, and aperture value, after an autofocus operation. When SW2 is operated, an exposure is performed only during a period that a displacement of a blur in an optical-axis direction is within the focus range. If an exposure time for one exposure does not reach an exposure time to obtain an optimum exposure, a plurality of exposures are performed until a total exposure time reaches the exposure time to obtain the optimum exposure. When the plurality of exposures are performed, a plurality of images obtained are combined to generate an image with the optimum exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20100302387
    Abstract: A focus range is determined on the basis of an object distance, focal distance, and aperture value, after an autofocus operation. When SW2 is operated, an exposure is performed only during a period that a displacement of a blur in an optical-axis direction is within the focus range. If an exposure time for one exposure does not reach an exposure time to obtain an optimum exposure, a plurality of exposures are performed until a total exposure time reaches the exposure time to obtain the optimum exposure. When the plurality of exposures are performed, a plurality of images obtained are combined to generate an image with the optimum exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20080151096
    Abstract: A focus range is determined on the basis of an object distance, focal distance, and aperture value, after an autofocus operation. When SW2 is operated, an exposure is performed only during a period that a displacement of a blur in an optical-axis direction is within the focus range. If an exposure time for one exposure does not reach an exposure time to obtain an optimum exposure, a plurality of exposures are performed until a total exposure time reaches the exposure time to obtain the optimum exposure. When the plurality of exposures are performed, a plurality of images obtained are combined to generate an image with the optimum exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Patent number: 7386228
    Abstract: An image taking apparatus installed with an image blur correction unit for correcting image blur by combining images, so image taking time in a case of continuous shooting of the images is prevented from being long and operations are carried out in a manner in which a photographer does not feel disorder. Combination of a second frame and a third frame that are taken with split-exposure is started from a frame that is prior by two frames in terms of time. Thereby the number of times of split-exposure operations necessary to obtain three combined images is eight, so the image taking time is made to be shorter compared to a case of simple continuous combination of the images. Further, the three combined images produced in this way include a portion overlapped in terms of time, however, the combined images are images different from one another that are continuous in terms of time, so the photographer does not feel disorder as long as setting is made as to how many frames are shifted for combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Patent number: 7266170
    Abstract: A control signal that runs a control oscillator of a signal generation circuit that generates a write clock is taken as a reference signal. That reference signal is supplied to a signal generation circuit that generates a read clock. In the signal generation circuit that generates the read clock, there is no need to generate a reference signal within its own circuits, which makes it possible to supply it to a control oscillator by adding the error timing from reading out the signal against the supplied reference signal. In this way, no means for locking the read clock into the initial frequency is needed and neither is the time for locking the read clock to the initial frequency (lock up time). This makes it possible to reduce the size of the circuit and to reduce the signal read-out time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsunami, Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20060250190
    Abstract: A trans-conductance filter circuit with an expanded cut-off frequency range is provided. The cut-off frequency of a trans-conductance filter circuit is changed by varying the current mirror ratio of a current mirror circuit. This mirror ratio is varied by changing the output current of a constant current source, or by switching among the respective action states of multiple transistors the actions of which are invoked within constant current regions. The variable cut-off frequency range can be expanded without losing the constant current attributes of the transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20060244499
    Abstract: A spread spectrum clock generation circuit capable of further reducing the electromagnetic wave radiation with a simple configuration has been disclosed and, particularly in a spread spectrum clock generation circuit using a current control oscillator (ICO), a differential signal to which a spread spectrum modulation signal, the period or amplitude of which changes, is added is generated, and the differential signal is applied to the ICO and a clock is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Shinji Miyata, Kouji Okada, Masao Iijima, Yukisato Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7095260
    Abstract: A spread spectrum clock generation circuit capable of further reducing the electromagnetic wave radiation with a simple configuration has been disclosed and, particularly in a spread spectrum clock generation circuit using a current control oscillator (ICO), a differential signal to which a spread spectrum modulation signal, the period or amplitude of which changes, is added is generated, and the differential signal is applied to the ICO and a clock is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Miyata, Kouji Okada, Masao Iijima, Teruhiko Saitou, Yukisato Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20060127084
    Abstract: An image taking apparatus installed with an image blur correction unit for correcting image blur by combining images, so image taking time in a case of continuous shooting of the images is prevented from being long and operations are carried out in a manner in which a photographer does not feel disorder. Combination of a second frame and a third frame that are taken with split-exposure is started from a frame that is prior by two frames in terms of time. Thereby the number of times of split-exposure operations necessary to obtain three combined images is eight, so the image taking time is made to be shorter compared to a case of simple continuous combination of the images. Further, the three combined images produced in this way include a portion overlapped in terms of time, however, the combined images are images different from one another that are continuous in terms of time, so the photographer does not feel disorder as long as setting is made as to how many frames are shifted for combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20060033554
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit is disclosed in which a spike-shaped noise (glitch) generated in an output is reduced. The charge pump circuit comprises: a first transistor, one of the terminals of which is connected to a high electric potential power source, turned on and off according to a charge-up signal; a second transistor, one of the terminals of which is connected to a low electric potential power source, turned on and off according to a charge-down signal; a first current restricting element connected between the other terminal of the first transistor and the output of a charge pump; and a second current restricting element connected between the other terminal of the second transistor and the output of the charge pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsunami, Kouji Okada, Takaaki Ido
  • Publication number: 20060033579
    Abstract: A trans-conductance filter circuit with an expanded cut-off frequency range is provided. The cut-off frequency of a trans-conductance filter circuit is changed by varying the current mirror ratio of a current mirror circuit. This mirror ratio is varied by changing the output current of a constant current source, or by switching among the respective action states of multiple transistors the actions of which are invoked within constant current regions. The variable cut-off frequency range can be expanded without losing the constant current attributes of the transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Publication number: 20050285641
    Abstract: A spread spectrum clock generation circuit capable of further reducing the electromagnetic wave radiation with a simple configuration has been disclosed and, particularly in a spread spectrum clock generation circuit using a current control oscillator (ICO), a differential signal to which a spread spectrum modulation signal, the period or amplitude of which changes, is added is generated, and the differential signal is applied to the ICO and a clock is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Inventors: Shinji Miyata, Kouji Okada, Masao Iijima, Teruhiko Saitou, Yukisato Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 6980054
    Abstract: A trans-conductance filter circuit with an expanded cut-off frequency range is provided. The cut-off frequency of a trans-conductance filter circuit is changed by varying the current mirror ratio of a current mirror circuit. This mirror ratio is varied by changing the output current of a constant current source, or by switching among the respective action states of multiple transistors the actions of which are invoked within constant current regions. The variable cut-off frequency range can be expanded without losing the constant current attributes of the transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Patent number: 6975148
    Abstract: A spread spectrum clock generation circuit capable of further reducing the electromagnetic wave radiation with a simple configuration has been disclosed and, particularly in a spread spectrum clock generation circuit using a current control oscillator (ICO), a differential signal to which a spread spectrum modulation signal, the period or amplitude of which changes, is added is generated, and the differential signal is applied to the ICO and a clock is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Miyata, Kouji Okada, Masao Iijima, Teruhiko Saitou, Yukisato Miyazaki