Patents by Inventor Masahito Niikawa
Masahito Niikawa 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).
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Patent number: 11180658Abstract: A pigment composition for a green filter includes a green pigment consisting of a halogenated zinc phthalocyanine, wherein as spectral transmission characteristics of a dispersion containing only the green pigment as a pigment, the transmittance at 400 nm is 1% or less; the transmittance at 450 nm is 25% or less; the transmittance at 600 nm is 30% or less; the transmittance at 650 nm is 0.3% or less; the transmittance at the peak wavelength is 80% or more; the half value width of the peak wavelength is 120 nm or less; the transmittance at 750 nm is 1% or less; and the transmittance at 800 nm is 20% or less. The pigment composition for a green filter has low transmittance in the blue range, low transmittance in the near infrared range, and high transmittance in the green range by only a green pigment.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2017Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: M. TECHNIQUE CO., LTD.Inventors: Masakazu Enomura, Kaeko Araki, Masahito Niikawa
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Publication number: 20190256711Abstract: A pigment composition for a green filter includes a green pigment consisting of a halogenated zinc phthalocyanine, wherein as spectral transmission characteristics of a dispersion containing only the green pigment as a pigment, the transmittance at 400 nm is 1% or less; the transmittance at 450 nm is 25% or less; the transmittance at 600 nm is 30% or less; the transmittance at 650 nm is 0.3% or less; the transmittance at the peak wavelength is 80% or more; the half value width of the peak wavelength is 120 nm or less; the transmittance at 750 nm is 1% or less; and the transmittance at 800 nm is 20% or less. The pigment composition for a green filter has low transmittance in the blue range, low transmittance in the near infrared range, and high transmittance in the green range by only a green pigment.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2017Publication date: August 22, 2019Applicant: M. TECHNIQUE CO., LTD.Inventors: Masakazu ENOMURA, Kaeko ARAKI, Masahito NIIKAWA
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Patent number: 7230647Abstract: An electronic information device which uses a memory card to which a liquid crystal display using liquid crystal with a memory effect is attached. If a command to turn off the electric power source is issued during writing of information on the liquid crystal display, a power-off process is executed after completion of the writing. This electronic information device is adapted, for example, to be used as a digital camera.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2000Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahito Niikawa, Naoki Masazumi, Kiyofumi Hashimoto, Yasuhiro Morimoto
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Patent number: 7199830Abstract: In a digital camera using an ND filter to be inserted into an optical path of an optical lens system, defocus quantity of the taking lens and imbalance of white balance due to the insertion of the ND filter are previously calculated or measured. The ND filter is inserted into the optical path when user fully pushes down a shutter release switch for taking an image of an object in order to shorten supply of electric power to an actuator for driving the ND filter. The position of the taking lens is compensated just before an image pickup device is driven for taking the image. The white balance of the image signals from the image pickup device is compensated by using the previously measured compensation coefficients.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1999Date of Patent: April 3, 2007Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanaka, Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7167203Abstract: A digital camera comprises a camera body and an image sensing unit. The image sensing unit is provided with a taking lens and an image sensing device for taking images and with an optical viewfinder. The camera body is provided with a controller for controlling the camera, signal processing circuits for processing signals from the image sensing device, a display device for displaying images taken and an interface for recording images taken onto a memory card. The display device serves as a viewfinder. In taking a image, the controller performs an AF control of the taking lens. When power supply to the camera is started, and when the display device is activated, the controller sets the taking lens at a predetermined focus position where in-focus condition is obtained for distant to close-range views, so that blurred images are not displayed on the display device.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: Minolta, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuhiko Yukawa, Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7161618Abstract: A camera system includes a camera for photographing an object and acquiring image data of the object, and a computer connectable to the camera. The camera is provided with a manipulation member and a camera controller for detecting an operation of the manipulation member and transmitting a signal based on the detected results to the computer. The computer is provided with a controller for controlling a screen of a display functioning together with the computer based on the signal received from the camera.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahito Niikawa, Kenji Nakamura, Izumi Hayakawa
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Patent number: 7148928Abstract: In a digital camera 1, an interchangeable lens 3 is attachable to a camera body 2, and a lens ROM 30 is provided in the interchangeable lens 3. In the lens ROM 30, an ICC profile which is color compensate information particular to the interchangeable lens 3 is recorded. When photographing is performed with the interchangeable lens 3 attached, the ICC profile is associated with the obtained image data. Consequently, color compensate information can be set for each kind of interchangeable lens, so that color compensation reflecting the characteristic of the interchangeable lens can be appropriately performed on the image data.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2002Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jun Minakuti, Hiroshi Ueda, Motoshi Yamaguchi, Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7124326Abstract: Downloading of an inspection program for an electronic device to be supported is accepted on the home page of the support center. The user executes the downloaded inspection program on the electronic device to generate inspection results. Then, uploading of the inspection results is accepted on the home page, a computer of the support center analyzes the uploaded inspection results to generate a diagnosis result, and the diagnosis result including necessity of repair is transferred to the user. Thereby, it is possible to properly and quickly diagnose the electronic device on the user's side and reduce the support cost by preventing unnecessary transport of the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2000Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7099559Abstract: An image processing device gives an alarm if deletion of image is directed in a state that the image has not yet been transferred from an image recording medium into a storage medium having a larger capacity. Also, when a deletion operation is performed for image, the image processing device compresses and stores the corresponding image file in accordance with an evaluation rank based on history data for the image. Therefore, the image processing device allows effective use of the storage medium having a limited capacity by contriving compression processing of the image file.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 1999Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahito Niikawa, Kenji Nakamura, Yasuhiro Morimoto, Katsuyuki Nanba
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Patent number: 7084916Abstract: The digital camera has the function of registering a captured image or the like in an album file and includes a display such as an LCD and a switch button (QV button) for switching a display image on the display. An image to be displayed on the display is changed in response to depression of a switch button among a live view image in a capturing mode, a reproduction image regarding a data file in a reproduction mode, and an album image regarding an album file in an album reproduction mode. For example, in response to depression of the switch button, the images are sequentially displayed in the above-described order. Preferably, when a captured file is not stored, a reproduced image is not displayed. When an album file is not registered, an album image is not displayed.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2003Date of Patent: August 1, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuhiro Morimoto, Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7075569Abstract: A digital camera which is an image processing apparatus is controlled so that a first image and a second image are acquired for the same subject in different timings. A plurality of correction tables for use in shading correction are prepared in advance in a shading ROM of the digital camera. When a first image and a second image are acquired, multiplication of one correction table is performed on both images by a shading correction circuit. As a result of this, a shading correction is effected on both images. The first image and the second image that have been subjected to the shading correction are taken into respective image memories, and after being subjected to a positioning process by a general controller, they are synthesized to generate a synthesized image.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2002Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7071973Abstract: A rotatable semitransparent mirror is arranged at an inclination above the optical path from the taking lens to the image sensing element, and the light reflected by the semitransparent mirror is directed to an optical finder provided above the mirror. The image sensed by the image sensing element is displayed on a liquid crystal display. The variation in the optical path from the taking lens to the image sensing element depending on whether or not the semitransparent mirror is set on the optical path is corrected by changing the position of the image sensing element or the taking lens, such that the impingement state of the light on the image sensing element or the optical path length from the taking lens to the image sensing element is normally rendered fixed.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2000Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Daigo Yoshioka, Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7071986Abstract: Flash emission is required when image data have a low luminance value and when it is determined that flash emission is not prohibited, the built-in flash is used for autofocus (AF). An AF evaluation value is obtained under the flash emission, and the lens is driven based on this value. This operation is repeated until it is determined that the lens is focused, and accurate AF is executed even in dark conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2001Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiharu Kobayashi, Kazumi Yukawa, legal representative, Masahito Niikawa, Kazuhiko Yukawa, deceased
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Patent number: 7057651Abstract: A determination is made as to whether or not the magnification set for image sensing is greater than the upper limit of the optical finder. When the set magnification is greater, the original image is subjected to a thinness process, the LCD is automatically turned ON, and the image is displayed. When using electronic zoom, an image of the photographic object corresponding to the effective image sensing magnification is displayed on the LCD 10, thereby avoiding impairing the compactness of the digital camera allowing easy confirmation of the photographic object, and allowing easy framing without providing a large optical finder.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2000Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7046280Abstract: An image processing system includes a photographing apparatus, and an image processing apparatus to which the photographing apparatus and a recording medium can be connected. The photographing apparatus includes a controller for executing a program recorded in the recording medium. The image processing apparatus includes a processor for creating a region accessible from the photographing apparatus, and a controller for causing the program to be stored in the region.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1999Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7042499Abstract: A digital camera comprises a camera body and an image sensing unit. The image sensing unit includes a taking lens, a driver of the taking lens and an image sensor, and is attachable to the camera body directly or by a cable. The camera body includes an image processor for processing image data from the image sensing unit, a flash for emitting flash light, a recorder for recording the image data, a display for displaying images, and other circuits. An interface for a personal computer and a video capture adaptor can be attached to the camera body instead of the image sensing unit. The camera body is provided with a power source section having power supplying portions each assigned to a specific circuit such as the lens driver, the image sensor, the flash, the image processor, the interface and the adaptor. The camera body detects what is attached thereto and whether the cable is used, and supplies power only to those circuits that should be activated in accordance with the result of the detection.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1999Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshihito Kido, Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 7042500Abstract: An image display system includes a photographing apparatus and an image processing apparatus connectable to the photographing apparatus. The photographing apparatus has a transmitter for transmitting prephotographed image data of an object before the object is actually photographed. The image processing apparatus has a receiver for receiving the prephotographed image data transmitted from the transmitter, and a display for displaying the received image data with the same number of pixels as the photographing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1999Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahito Niikawa
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Patent number: 6992672Abstract: A driving device for a memory card with a liquid crystal display which uses a material with a memory effect. A digital camera is an example of such a driving device. When the driving device receives data of a photographed image from a camera body, the image data are recorded to a flash memory of the memory card, and simultaneously a thumbnail image of the image data is displayed on the liquid crystal display.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2000Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahito Niikawa, Hiroaki Kubo
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Publication number: 20050275902Abstract: A recording medium including: an image storing medium for storing an image information; and a display section installed on a surface of said image storing medium, wherein said display section includes a radio IC chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2005Publication date: December 15, 2005Inventors: Noboru Koyama, Masahito Niikawa, Ayako Doi, Tatsuya Sasazawa, Akiko Murayama
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Publication number: 20050212915Abstract: The present invention provides a digital camera capable of optimizing a timing of switching a display screen to a print setting screen including an image on which print settings are to be made. In a process of protecting or formatting a captured image in a playback mode, a process of recording a captured image in an image capturing mode, and the like, a request of a file access (writing) to a memory card is generated. In response to the request or the like, a state where a file in the memory card is protected from other accesses is set, and writing of the file starts. After that, writing of the file is completed, and various accesses to the file in the memory card are permitted. That is, during a file access (writing), in response to depression of a print button, an operation of reading an image file in the memory card and switching to a print mode is inhibited.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2004Publication date: September 29, 2005Inventors: Toshihiko Karasaki, Hitoshi Hagimori, Yong Xin Huang, Masahito Niikawa