Patents by Inventor Masashi Motomura

Masashi Motomura 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: 10506675
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a power supply circuit and an output unit. The power supply circuit generates a pulsating voltage. The output unit is to be connected to a pair of electric wires to apply the pulsating voltage to the pair of electric wires. The power supply circuit generates the pulsating voltage such that the pulsating voltage has a full-wave rectified waveform obtained by full-wave rectifying an alternating voltage as a wave alternating between a positive voltage and a negative voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Konishi, Kenichi Fukuda, Masashi Motomura, Kiyoshi Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20190306952
    Abstract: In a signal transmitter, a control circuit is configured to control a discharge switch and a control switch to transmit a transmission signal for causing the value of the output voltage to be a first voltage value or a second voltage value smaller than the first voltage value for each constant period. The control circuit controls the discharge switch and the control switch such that a voltage gradient becomes a prescribed gradient in a case where the control circuit changes the value of the output voltage from the first voltage value to the second voltage value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Masashi MOTOMURA, Hirofumi KONISHI, Kenichi FUKUDA
  • Patent number: 10349475
    Abstract: A receiver circuit is configured to receive a transmission signal represented by a change in DC voltage applied across power supply lines according to transmission data. The receiver circuit is also configured to compare the DC voltage (sampled value(s) of a detection voltage) with a threshold, thereby detecting a change in the DC voltage. The receiver circuit is further configured to calculate the threshold from a voltage value of the DC voltage (the sampled value(s) of a detection voltage) input to a receiver input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Motomura, Hirofumi Konishi
  • Patent number: 10299338
    Abstract: A sensor device according to an example of the embodiment is connected, on an input side rather than an illumination apparatus, to a main power source line of an illumination system to which a DC voltage is applied and to which the illumination apparatus is connected through a branch wire. The sensor device includes: a sensing unit that detects an object and outputs a detection signal; and a switch that is provided in the main power source line and connects or disconnects the main power source line by an on-off operation on the input side rather than the illumination apparatus. The switch is controlled to be turned on or off based on the detection signal of the sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Konishi, Masashi Motomura
  • Publication number: 20190104583
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a power supply circuit and an output unit. The power supply circuit generates a pulsating voltage. The output unit is to be connected to a pair of electric wires to apply the pulsating voltage to the pair of electric wires. The power supply circuit generates the pulsating voltage such that the pulsating voltage has a full-wave rectified waveform obtained by full-wave rectifying an alternating voltage as a wave alternating between a positive voltage and a negative voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Hirofumi KONISHI, Kenichi FUKUDA, Masashi MOTOMURA, Kiyoshi OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20190098717
    Abstract: The ballast system includes constant current circuits, the power supply circuit, signal paths, a control circuit and pull-up circuits. A junction point of resistors in each of the pull-up circuits is connected to a corresponding signal path of the signal paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kenichi FUKUDA, Hirofumi KONISHI, Masashi MOTOMURA
  • Patent number: 10057949
    Abstract: A signal transmitting device includes an input unit, an output unit, and a step-down circuit. The input unit is configured to receive an input voltage. The output unit is configured to output an output voltage. The step-down circuit is configured to controllably adjust the output voltage by stepping down the input voltage. The step-down circuit includes first and second capacitors, a switch circuit, an inductor, first and second diodes, and a control circuit. The switch circuit includes a series circuit of first and second switches. The control circuit is configured to control the first and second switches to change a voltage value of the output voltage in order to transmit transmission data from the output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Motomura, Hirofumi Konishi, Kenichi Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20180184500
    Abstract: A sensor device according to an example of the embodiment is connected, on an input side rather than an illumination apparatus, to a main power source line of an illumination system to which a DC voltage is applied and to which the illumination apparatus is connected through a branch wire. The sensor device includes: a sensing unit that detects an object and outputs a detection signal; and a switch that is provided in the main power source line and connects or disconnects the main power source line by an on-off operation on the input side rather than the illumination apparatus. The switch is controlled to be turned on or off based on the detection signal of the sensing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Hirofumi KONISHI, Masashi MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20180035504
    Abstract: A signal transmitter includes a power supply, an external signal receiver and a communication controller. The external signal receiver is configured to receive an external instruction signal that represents a lighting state of the light fixture based on an output of a sensor configured to detect a state of a lighting space illuminated by the light fixture. The communication controller is configured to change an output voltage level of the power supply to transmit, to the light fixture, a transmission signal for setting the light fixture to the lighting state represented by at least the external instruction signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Hirofumi KONISHI, Masashi MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20180035501
    Abstract: A receiver circuit is configured to receive a transmission signal represented by a change in DC voltage applied across power supply lines according to transmission data. The receiver circuit is also configured to compare the DC voltage (sampled value(s) of a detection voltage) with a threshold, thereby detecting a change in the DC voltage. The receiver circuit is further configured to calculate the threshold from a voltage value of the DC voltage (the sampled value(s) of a detection voltage) input to a receiver input unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Masashi MOTOMURA, Hirofumi KONISHI
  • Patent number: 9832825
    Abstract: The signal transmitting device includes: a transmitter-side input for receiving a first DC voltage; a transmitter-side output for outputting a second DC voltage; and a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the first DC voltage into the second DC voltage. Further, the signal transmitting device includes a control circuit configured to control the voltage conversion circuit so that the second DC voltage has a voltage value (selected from a first voltage value and a second voltage value) which changes according to transmission data in a predetermined transmission period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Motomura, Hirofumi Konishi, Kenichi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9826586
    Abstract: A power supply includes an input for receiving a first DC voltage, an output for outputting a second DC voltage, a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the first DC voltage into the second DC voltage, and a control circuit configured to control the voltage conversion circuit to vary a voltage value of the second DC voltage. The control circuit is configured to control the voltage conversion circuit so as to decrease the voltage value of the second DC voltage from a first voltage value to a second voltage value for a predetermined duration every time a predetermined period elapses. The first voltage value is equal to or greater than a voltage value necessary to keep lighting a light source. The second voltage value is smaller than the voltage value necessary to keep lighting the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Motomura, Hirofumi Konishi, Kenichi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9820346
    Abstract: A control circuit is configured to, when switching a state of a light source from an extinguished state to a lighting state, control a voltage conversion circuit so that a second DC voltage has a voltage value which changes according to transmission data containing an activation command. A lighting device is configured to keep the state of the light source at the extinguished state until receiving the activation command from the receiver circuit, and to change the state of the light source to the lighting state when receiving the activation command from the receiver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Fukuda, Hirofumi Konishi, Masashi Motomura
  • Publication number: 20170318634
    Abstract: A signal transmitting device includes an input unit, an output unit, and a step-down circuit. The input unit is configured to receive an input voltage. The output unit is configured to output an output voltage. The step-down circuit is configured to controllably adjust the output voltage by stepping down the input voltage. The step-down circuit includes first and second capacitors, a switch circuit, an inductor, first and second diodes, and a control circuit. The switch circuit includes a series circuit of first and second switches. The control circuit is configured to control the first and second switches to change a voltage value of the output voltage in order to transmit transmission data from the output unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Masashi MOTOMURA, Hirofumi KONISHI, Kenichi FUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20170223790
    Abstract: A power supply includes an input for receiving a first DC voltage, an output for outputting a second DC voltage, a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the first DC voltage into the second DC voltage, and a control circuit configured to control the voltage conversion circuit to vary a voltage value of the second DC voltage. The control circuit is configured to control the voltage conversion circuit so as to decrease the voltage value of the second DC voltage from a first voltage value to a second voltage value for a predetermined duration every time a predetermined period elapses. The first voltage value is equal to or greater than a voltage value necessary to keep lighting a light source. The second voltage value is smaller than the voltage value necessary to keep lighting the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Masashi MOTOMURA, Hirofumi KONISHI, Kenichi FUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20170223791
    Abstract: A control circuit is configured to, when switching a state of a light source from an extinguished state to a lighting state, control a voltage conversion circuit so that a second DC voltage has a voltage value which changes according to transmission data containing an activation command. A lighting device is configured to keep the state of the light source at the extinguished state until receiving the activation command from the receiver circuit, and to change the state of the light source to the lighting state when receiving the activation command from the receiver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Kenichi FUKUDA, Hirofumi KONISHI, Masashi MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20170188421
    Abstract: The signal transmitting device includes: a transmitter-side input for receiving a first DC voltage; a transmitter-side output for outputting a second DC voltage; and a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the first DC voltage into the second DC voltage. Further, the signal transmitting device includes a control circuit configured to control the voltage conversion circuit so that the second DC voltage has a voltage value (selected from a first voltage value and a second voltage value) which changes according to transmission data in a predetermined transmission period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Masashi MOTOMURA, Hirofumi KONISHI, Kenichi FUKUDA
  • Patent number: 7779195
    Abstract: A communication control apparatus for common bus connection devices is provided between a plurality of devices to which addresses are allocated and a common bus and controlling an access between each of the plurality of devices and the common bus, the communication control apparatus includes: an input determination unit configured to recognize an identification signal indicating the beginning and end of a packet for the common bus which is an information unit capable of being transmitted by one transfer operation through the common bus and determining whether or not there is an input from the common bus to the device in question, a transmission determination unit configured to determine whether or not there is a transmission of the packet from the device in question on the common bus to the common bus, and an access suspend unit configured to determine that another device on the common bus is performing a packet operation and suspending a clock in each unit in the device in question when the input determinati
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masashi Motomura, Tetsuji Tsunekawa
  • Publication number: 20060294287
    Abstract: A communication control apparatus for common bus connection devices is provided between a plurality of devices to which addresses are allocated and a common bus and controlling an access between each of the plurality of devices and the common bus, the communication control apparatus includes: an input determination unit configured to recognize an identification signal indicating the beginning and end of a packet for the common bus which is an information unit capable of being transmitted by one transfer operation through the common bus and determining whether or not there is an input from the common bus to the device in question, a transmission determination unit configured to determine whether or not there is a transmission of the packet from the device in question on the common bus to the common bus, and an access suspend unit configured to determine that another device on the common bus is performing a packet operation and suspending a clock in each unit in the device in question when the input determinati
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Masashi Motomura, Tetsuji Tsunekawa