Patents by Inventor Makoto Hirano

Makoto Hirano 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: 20100170436
    Abstract: The invention aims to provide substrate treatment equipment that can automatically collect a substrate in a normal condition without needing manual operation. The equipment includes a substrate holder 26 for holding substrates 12 in a multistage manner and a substrate transfer unit 34 for transferring the substrates 12 into the substrate holder 26, wherein a substrate holding condition of the substrate holder 26 is sensed by a sensing section 60. The sensing section 60 has photo-sensors 64a, 64b, and sensing waveforms sensed by the photo-sensors 64a, 64b are compared with a normal waveform. A control section 66 is provided, which controls a substrate transfer unit 34 such that substrates 12 other than at least a substrate 12 that was determined to be abnormal are transferred by the unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Akihiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7751922
    Abstract: A processing furnace for performing prescribed heat treatment on plural substrates, a boat for carrying the plural substrates that are laid one over another in the boat into and out of the processing furnace, a substrate detecting sensor for detecting the plural substrates laid one over another in the boat by changing a relative position of the substrate detecting sensor with respect to each of the plural substrates, and a control section for registering reference positions of the plural substrates and an allowable range of positional deviations from the reference positions of the plural substrates are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Norichika Yamagishi, Akihiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7738299
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, an erase discharge method may include drawing charges accumulated in a floating gate of a floating gate type field effect transistor into a semiconductor substrate to perform an erase operation by applying a first voltage to a word line, a second voltage to an N-well and a P-well, and/or opening a bit line and a ground line. The word line may be grounded, and a discharge transistor connected to the bit line may be turned on. The N-well and the P-well may be grounded to discharge charges accumulated in the N-well and P-well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Kuriyama, Makoto Hirano, Hiroki Murakami, Yuichiro Nakagaki
  • Publication number: 20100139996
    Abstract: In a frictional drive vehicle, a load acting on the vehicle such as the weight of a rider is converted into a force that urges two frictionally engaging parts (3L, 3R, 25) toward each other. Thereby, the contact pressure between the two frictionally engaging parts is maintained at an optimum level under all conditions. A weight of a rider may be transmitted to a drive member that frictionally engages a main wheel via a four-link parallel link mechanism (40, 50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru TAKENAKA, Makoto HIRANO, Hideharu IZUMI, Kazuya KUWABARA, Taiji KOYAMA, Masao SASAKI, Hiroshi GOMI, Shinichiro KOBASHI
  • Publication number: 20100096905
    Abstract: The omni-directional drive device comprises a main wheel (2) comprising an endless annular member rotatable around a center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line, electric motors (5R and 5L) for producing rotative forces around the rotation axis of the main wheel (2) and around the center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2) and an arrangement (rotary members (4R and 4L) fitted with free rollers (3R and 3L)) for converting the rotational forces of the electric motors (5R and 5L) to the rotational forces around the rotation center of the main wheel (2) and around the center (C) of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Makoto Hirano, Hideharu Izumi, Kazuya Kuwabara, Taiji Koyama, Shinichiro Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20100038960
    Abstract: [Task] Provided is an omni-directional drive device that does not complicate the arrangement for a power source for a drive source such as an electric motor, and achieves a high durability and an ease of maintenance. [Solution] A drive force in a first direction is produced by a movement of a first moveable member (10) itself, and a drive force in a second direction is produced by the rotation of first free rollers (14) retained by the first moveable member, the rotation of the first free rollers (14) being caused by engagement with second free rollers (15) that are retained by a second moveable member (11) and rotative actuation of the second moveable member (11). Electric motors serving as drive sources may be mounted on base members (4 and 5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Makoto Hirano, Hideharu Izumi, Kazuya Kuwabara, Taiji Koyama, Shinichiro Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20100030943
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory having a burst mode reading function in synchronization with a clock signal comprises a memory array composed of a plurality of memory cells, a sync read control circuit for releasing an upper group of the received address as a memory access address and a lower group of the received address as a burst address in synchronization with the clock signal, a sense amplifier for releasing an output data from each of the memory cells selected by the memory address, a decoder for decoding the burst address, a address latch for latching the decoded burst address in synchronization with the clock signal, a page selector for holding the output data and selecting corresponding one of the output data determined by the burst address of the address latch, and an output latch for latching the output data in synchronization with the clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Kengo Maeda, Akira Tanigawa, Masuji Nishiyama, Shoichi Ohori, Makoto Hirano, Hiroshi Takashima, Shinji Matoba, Masamichi Asano
  • Patent number: 7639765
    Abstract: A communication apparatus (400) capable of supporting two bidirectional communication protocols is connected to a single bidirectional signal line and a controller (414). Software processes of the controller (414) include only processes of requesting transmission, setting transmission data, and decoding reception data. All communication processes, such as generation of a waveform during transmission, sampling of data during reception, decoding of a reception address, and the like, are hardware processes of the communication apparatus (400). In accordance with a control of a state determining circuit (405), the generation of a waveform during transmission is controlled by a transmission control circuit (409) and a data output circuit (111), while the sampling of data during reception and the decoding of a reception address are controlled by a waveform timing check circuit (407) and a reception control circuit (410).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Suzuki, Makoto Hirano
  • Publication number: 20090288900
    Abstract: Provided is an inverted pendulum mobile vehicle such as a single-passenger coaxial two-wheel vehicle which is capable of turning with a small turning radius without causing discomfort to a rider or a vehicle occupant or causing a cargo or the like on the vehicle from shifting or falling off from the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a wheel supporting frame (12), a body frame (12) supported by the wheel supporting frame so as to be rotatable around a vertical axial line and carry a rider and or a cargo and a body coupler (52, 78, 70) that couples the body frame relative to the wheel supporting frame in a prescribed dynamic positional relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Makoto Hirano, Hideharu Izumi, Kazuya Kuwabara, Taiji Koyama, Shinichiro Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20090016132
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a reference current generating circuit configured to generate a bias signal in response to a precharge signal during a precharge operation. Each of a plurality of sense amplifier circuits is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of bit lines. Each sense amplifier is configured to precharge a corresponding bit line in response to the bias signal. The reference current generating circuit is configured to maintain the bias signal at a level higher than a voltage of the bit lines, but lower than a supply voltage during a sensing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Makoto Hirano
  • Publication number: 20090016128
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit may include: a mode register and a clock delay control circuit. The mode register may store latency information corresponding to a plurality of frequencies. The clock delay control circuit may generate a delay clock signal using an external clock signal and the latency information. The delay clock signal may be used to control a timing margin of output data read during synchronous burst read operations of a non-volatile memory. A non-volatile memory device may include the semiconductor integrated circuit and a data output unit. The data output unit may use the delay clock signal to control the timing margin of the output data read during synchronous burst read operations. A memory system may include the semiconductor integrated circuit. A computing system may the semiconductor integrated circuit, as well as one or more of a memory controller, bus, modem, microprocessor, user interface, and battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Makoto Hirano
  • Publication number: 20080317181
    Abstract: A communication apparatus (400) capable of supporting two bidirectional communication protocols is connected to a single bidirectional signal line and a controller (414). Software processes of the controller (414) include only processes of requesting transmission, setting transmission data, and decoding reception data. All communication processes, such as generation of a waveform during transmission, sampling of data during reception, decoding of a reception address, and the like, are hardware processes of the communication apparatus (400). In accordance with a control of a state determining circuit (405), the generation of a waveform during transmission is controlled by a transmission control circuit (409) and a data output circuit (111), while the sampling of data during reception and the decoding of a reception address are controlled by a waveform timing check circuit (407) and a reception control circuit (410).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Akihiro Suzuki, Makoto Hirano
  • Publication number: 20080236487
    Abstract: Adverse effects when a carrier is open, such as particles adhesion to the substrate or natural oxidation film deposits on the substrate, as well as a rise in oxygen concentration and contamination of the substrate transfer chamber are prevented. Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a carrier (10) in which a cover unit (10a) is provided on a substrate loading/unloading opening (10b) for loading and unloading a substrate (9), a carrier open/close chamber (61) continuously arranged to the carrier (10), a substrate transfer chamber (16) continuously arranged to the carrier open/close chamber, a substrate processing chamber continuously arranged to the substrate transfer chamber, an exhaust means (63) for exhausting the atmosphere in the carrier open/close chamber by suction, and an exhaust quantity adjuster means (65, 66) for adjusting the suction exhaust quantity of the exhaust means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.,
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Akinari Hayashi, Makoto Tsuri, Haruyuki Miyata
  • Publication number: 20080193274
    Abstract: The invention aims to provide substrate treatment equipment that can automatically collect a substrate in a normal condition without needing manual operation. The equipment includes a substrate holder 26 for holding substrates 12 in a multistage manner and a substrate transfer unit 34 for transferring the substrates 12 into the substrate holder 26, wherein a substrate holding condition of the substrate holder 26 is sensed by a sensing section 60. The sensing section 60 has photo-sensors 64a, 64b, and sensing waveforms sensed by the photo-sensors 64a, 64b are compared with a normal waveform. A control section 66 is provided, which controls a substrate transfer unit 34 such that substrates 12 other than at least a substrate 12 that was determined to be abnormal are transferred by the unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Akihiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20080145972
    Abstract: A paste printer allows an electrically-conductive pad formed on a board to be exposed in an opening of a masking member. A removal mechanism is allowed to act on the surface of the electrically-conductive pad within the opening. A rust film is removed from the surface of the electrically-conductive pad. The surface of the electrically-conductive pad gets cleaned. Since the electrically-conductive pad is exposed within the opening of the masking member, the removal mechanism is applied only to the electrically-conductive pad. This results in prevention of damages to the board over an area outside the electrically-conductive pad. In addition, the squeegee serves to supply the electrically-conductive paste to the surface of the electrically-conductive pad through the opening of the masking member. The electrically-conductive pad is covered with the electrically-conductive paste. This results in a reliable prevention of oxidation on the surface of the electrically-conductive pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Tetsuji ISHIKAWA, Makoto HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20080127467
    Abstract: A processing furnace for performing prescribed heat treatment on plural substrates, a boat for carrying the plural substrates that are laid one over another in the boat into and out of the processing furnace, a substrate detecting sensor for detecting the plural substrates laid one over another in the boat by changing a relative position of the substrate detecting sensor with respect to each of the plural substrates, and a control section for registering reference positions of the plural substrates and an allowable range of positional deviations from the reference positions of the plural substrates are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Norichika Yamagishi, Akihiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20080123434
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, an erase discharge method may include drawing charges accumulated in a floating gate of a floating gate type field effect transistor into a semiconductor substrate to perform an erase operation by applying a first voltage to a word line, a second voltage to an N-well and a P-well, and/or opening a bit line and a ground line. The word line may be grounded, and a discharge transistor connected to the bit line may be turned on. The N-well and the P-well may be grounded to discharge charges accumulated in the N-well and P-well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Masao Kuriyama, Makoto Hirano, Hiroki Murakami, Yuichiro Nakagaki
  • Patent number: 7377241
    Abstract: In a valve operating system for an internal combustion engine provided with valve operating characteristics changing member capable of changing operating characteristics of an engine valve, the valve operating characteristics changing member includes a connection operating member which is provided in common at a drive rocker arm and both free rocker arms to be capable of switching an alternative connecting state of the drive rocker arm to both the free rocker arms and a release state of connection of the drive rocker arms to both the free rocker arms. Thus, the operating characteristics of the engine valve can be reliably switched with favorable responsiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Hirano
  • Patent number: 7353785
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine variable compression ratio system is provided that includes a piston inner (5a), a piston outer (5b) that is fitted around the outer periphery of the piston inner (5a) so that it can slide only in the axial direction and is capable of moving between a low compression ratio position (L) and a high compression ratio position (H), a raising member (14) that can pivot around axes of the piston inner and outer (5a, 5b) between a non-raised position (A) and a raised position (B), and an actuator (20) connected to the member (14) and pivoting it to the non-raised position (A) or the raised position (B), in which piston outer high compression ratio position latching means (30b) is disposed between the piston inner (5a) and the piston outer (5b) and operates, when the piston outer (5b) has reached the high compression ratio position (H), so as to prevent relative axial movement of the piston inner (5a) and the piston outer (5b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kondo, Makoto Hirano
  • Publication number: 20070279111
    Abstract: A DLL circuit having a phase comparison circuit for comparing phases of a reference clock and a delay clock and a variable delay addition circuit for adjusting delay amount according to a signal from the phase comparison circuit comprises a means for inputting a first signal latched at a logic “1” by start of 1 clock cycle of an internal clock to the variable delay addition circuit through a dummy delay at the start of burst and a means for detecting duration time of the logic “1” of the first signal input by the variable delay addition circuit through the dummy delay until the end of the 1 clock cycle of the internal clock and setting an initial value of delay amount of the variable delay addition circuit based on the duration time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Kengo Maeda, Akira Tanigawa, Masuji Nishiyama, Shoichi Ohori, Makoto Hirano, Hiroshi Takashima, Shinji Matoba, Masamichi Asano