Patents by Inventor Masayasu Ito
Masayasu Ito 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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Publication number: 20150163871Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicular lamp including bypass circuits parallel to light emitting devices to precisely cope with an abnormality of the bypass circuit side. The vehicular lamp includes: one or more bypass units connected in parallel to at least a part of a plurality of light emitting devices to form a bypass route of the emission driving current so that the light emitting device is turned OFF according to a bypass control signal, or to cut off the bypass route; abnormality detecting units configured to generate state signals each of which indicates an normal state or an abnormal state of each of the bypass units; and a control unit configured to control the formation of the bypass route. When the generated state signal indicates that each of the bypass units is abnormal, supply of the emission driving current from the light source power supply is reduced or stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2014Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Toda TAKESHI, Takao MURAMATSU, Tsuchiya TOSHIYUKI, Masayasu ITO
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Patent number: 8994287Abstract: Disclosed is a light source control device including a power conversion unit and a control unit. The power conversion unit includes a transfer capacitor provided between a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit. The primary side circuit is configured such that a first inductor stores energy when a first switching element is ON. The secondary side circuit is configured such that the second inductor limits a changing speed of the driving current. The power conversion unit is configured such that the driving current is raised when the first switching element is ON. The control unit turns OFF when the magnitude of the driving current exceeds the first threshold value, and turns ON the first switching element when the magnitude of the driving current falls below the second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masayasu Ito, Takao Muramatsu
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Patent number: 8985824Abstract: An automotive lamp is provided with: a lamp chamber formed so as to include a lamp body having a front end opening portion and a translucent cover provided on the lamp body so as to cover the front end opening portion; a lamp unit that is housed inside the lamp chamber and includes a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source; a bracket that includes a light source mounting portion having a mounting surface for the semiconductor light emitting device and a plurality of radiating fins, thermally in contact with the light source mounting portion and arranged such that ventilation passages extend from the lamp body side toward the translucent cover, are formed, and that supports the lamp unit; and a fan that blows air such that air flows through the ventilation passages from the lamp body side toward the translucent cover.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masayasu Ito, Tsukasa Tokida
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Patent number: 8970136Abstract: A semiconductor light source lighting circuit includes a voltage step-down unit configured to generate a drive voltage lower than an input voltage by turning on or off a first switching element in a voltage step-down mode, a voltage step-up unit configured to generate the drive voltage higher than the input voltage by turning on or off a second switching element in a voltage step-up mode, and a controller. The controller includes a charge pump unit configured to repeat charging from the drive voltage to a second capacitor and discharging from the charged second capacitor to the first capacitor in the voltage step-up mode, and a switch drive unit configured to apply a voltage higher than the voltage at the other end of the first switching element to the control terminal of the first switching element by using a voltage of the charged first capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2014Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Takanori Namba, Masayasu Ito, Daijiro Arisawa, Mikio Motomori
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Patent number: 8947017Abstract: A circuit for lighting a semiconductor light source is provided. The circuit includes: a switching regulator including a switching element and configured to generate a drive current for the semiconductor light source using the switching element; and a control circuit configured to control on-off of the switching element such that the magnitude of the drive current comes close to a targeted value. The control circuit includes: a comparator configured to compare the magnitude of the drive current with the targeted value; an up/down counter configured to count a digital value in a counting-up direction or counting-down direction, based on a comparison result of the comparator; a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the counted digital value into an analog signal; and a drive circuit configured to control on/off of the switching element based on the analog signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Fuminori Shiotsu, Takanori Namba, Masayasu Ito
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Patent number: 8928244Abstract: A semiconductor light source lighting circuit includes a switching regulator that produces a drive current ILED with a switching element, and a control circuit that controls turning on and off of the switching element so that the magnitude of the drive current ILED approaches a target value. The control circuit includes an error comparator that compares the drive current ILED and the target value, an up/down counter that performs a counting operation, in which the control digital value is incremented or decremented based on the result of the comparison, a D/A converter that converts the control digital value into an analog duty ratio setting signal S4, and a drive circuit that controls the turning on and off of the switching element based on the signal S4. The up/down counter stops the counting operation when the switching regulator is brought into the inactive state.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Fuminori Shiotsu, Takanori Namba, Masayasu Ito
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Publication number: 20140265890Abstract: Disclosed is a light source control device including a power conversion unit and a control unit. The power conversion unit includes a transfer capacitor provided between a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit. The primary side circuit is configured such that a first inductor stores energy when a first switching element is ON. The secondary side circuit is configured such that the second inductor limits a changing speed of the driving current. The power conversion unit is configured such that the driving current is raised when the first switching element is ON. The control unit turns OFF when the magnitude of the driving current exceeds the first threshold value, and turns ON the first switching element when the magnitude of the driving current falls below the second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Masayasu ITO, Takao MURAMATSU
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Publication number: 20140252950Abstract: A semiconductor light source lighting circuit includes a voltage step-down unit configured to generate a drive voltage lower than an input voltage by turning on or off a first switching element in a voltage step-down mode, a voltage step-up unit configured to generate the drive voltage higher than the input voltage by turning on or off a second switching element in a voltage step-up mode, and a controller. The controller includes a charge pump unit configured to repeat charging from the drive voltage to a second capacitor and discharging from the charged second capacitor to the first capacitor in the voltage step-up mode, and a switch drive unit configured to apply a voltage higher than the voltage at the other end of the first switching element to the control terminal of the first switching element by using a voltage of the charged first capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicants: PANASONIC CORPORATION, KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi KIKUCHI, Takanori NAMBA, Masayasu ITO, Daijiro ARISAWA, Mikio MOTOMORI
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Publication number: 20140139988Abstract: A portable electronic device 100 includes a horizontally long casing, both ends of which are gripped by a user's both hands, respectively. The device further includes a LCD fit into the front face of the casing 10. Outwardly projecting bulges are respectively formed at both sides of the rear face of the casing where fingers of the user gripping the casing 10 placed. Since the fingers and palms are naturally flexed to fit to the dome-like bulges 42L, 42R, the portable electronic device 100 fits comfortably in the user's hands. The operability is hard to be degraded even if the device is vibrated strongly during a game play with the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2014Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Shinichi Ogasawara, Masayasu Ito, Hajime Ishihara, Nobutoshi Hamada, Shuuichi Miyazaki
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Patent number: 8710769Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting circuit includes a DC/DC converter which generates from an input voltage a drive voltage to be applied to a discharge lamp of a driven object. A first drive voltage generating path has one end to which the input voltage is applied, and at the other end of which is an output capacitor on an output side of the DC/DC converter. A second drive voltage generating path has one end to which the input voltage is applied, and at the other end of which is the output capacitor. The second drive voltage generating path is different from the first drive voltage generating path. A control circuit controls ON/OFF of the first drive voltage generating path. The discharge lamp lighting circuit is arranged so that the voltage of the output capacitor when the first drive voltage generating path is in an ON-state becomes higher than the voltage of the output capacitor when the first drive voltage generating path is not so.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Masayasu Ito
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Patent number: 8672767Abstract: A portable electronic device 100 includes a horizontally long casing, both ends of which are gripped by a user's both hands, respectively. The device further includes a LCD fit into the front face of the casing 10. Outwardly projecting bulges are respectively formed at both sides of the rear face of the casing where fingers of the user gripping the casing 10 placed. Since the fingers and palms are naturally flexed to fit to the dome-like bulges 42L, 42R, the portable electronic device 100 fits comfortably in the user's hands. The operability is hard to be degraded even if the device is vibrated strongly during a game play with the device.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Shinichi Ogasawara, Masayasu Ito, Hajime Ishihara, Nobutoshi Hamada, Shuuichi Miyazaki
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Patent number: 8580000Abstract: The present invention provides an indirect heat-drying apparatus that is resistant to adhesion of the substance to be dried on heating pipes and gives a product having a desired and stabilized liquid content. The present invention relates to an indirect heat-drying apparatus, comprising two indirect-heating rotary dryers, i.e., the first and second indirect-heating rotary dryers that are arranged in series so that the dried substance from the first indirect-heating rotary dryer is supplied to and dried in the second indirect-heating rotary dryer as the substance to be dried; and a carrier gas-supplying means of supplying the carrier gas co-currently in the first indirect-heating rotary dryer and counter-currently in the second indirect-heating rotary dryer, with respect to the flow direction from the substance to be dried.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., Tsukishima Kikai Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuya Deguchi, Takuo Shigehisa, Masayasu Ito, Zenji Kato, Yuko Sugita
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Publication number: 20130278165Abstract: A semiconductor light source lighting circuit is provided with: a switching regulator that generates a drive current of a semiconductor light source using a switching element; and a control circuit that controls ON/OFF of the switching element. The control circuit is provided with: a comparator that compares the drive current and a target value; a counter that counts a digital value in a count direction determined by a comparison result of the comparator; a digital-analog converter that converts the digital value into an analog signal; and a drive circuit that controls the ON/OFF of the switching element based on the analog signal. The counter counts the digital value at a speed determined by an ON/OFF cycle of the switching element.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2013Publication date: October 24, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Takanori Namba, Masayasu Ito
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Publication number: 20130088172Abstract: A circuit for lighting a semiconductor light source is provided. The circuit includes: a switching regulator including a switching element and configured to generate a drive current for the semiconductor light source using the switching element; and a control circuit configured to control on-off of the switching element such that the magnitude of the drive current comes close to a targeted value. The control circuit includes: a comparator configured to compare the magnitude of the drive current with the targeted value; an up/down counter configured to count a digital value in a counting-up direction or counting-down direction, based on a comparison result of the comparator; a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the counted digital value into an analog signal; and a drive circuit configured to control on/off of the switching element based on the analog signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2012Publication date: April 11, 2013Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Fuminori Shiotsu, Takanori Namba, Masayasu Ito
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Patent number: 8373401Abstract: A step-up/step-down DC-DC converter includes a control section to compare an output value from voltage decrease or increase sections and a preset target value. A computation circuit provides a voltage value resulting from subtracting a difference between the voltage value of the comparison result and a first preset voltage value from a first voltage value. A drive pulse generation section generates a drive pulse for turning on and off a voltage decrease switch and a voltage increase switch in response to the result of a comparison between the computation output voltage and a ramp wave. When the voltage value of the computation output voltage exists between the first voltage value and the second voltage value, the drive pulse generation section provides control to selectively switch the on and off operation of the voltage decrease switch and the on and off operation of the voltage increase switch.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2011Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masayasu Ito
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Patent number: 8339046Abstract: A lighting control device of a lighting device for a vehicle includes a switching regulator for supplying a driving current to a semiconductor light source. The lighting control device also includes control means having a current detecting portion for detecting the driving current and serving to control dimming of the semiconductor light source in order to reduce a mean current of the driving current by repeating driving and stopping operations of the switching regulator at a high speed upon receipt of a dimming control signal. The current detecting portion has a current holding portion for holding the driving current, detected for a driving period of the switching regulator, for a stopping period after a passage of the driving period.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masayasu Ito
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Patent number: 8314573Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting circuit facilitates carrying out re-ignition and addresses a problem than can arise due to an influence of a capacitor in an auxiliary lighting circuit. A driving voltage generating portion supplies an AC driving voltage to a discharge lamp to be a driving target. An auxiliary lighting circuit is provided on a terminal side of the discharge lamp. An auxiliary lighting capacitor, an auxiliary lighting resistor and a switch are provided in series between the terminal of the discharge lamp and a fixed voltage terminal. A control circuit controls a conducting state of the switch. The switch is brought into an ON state before the discharge lamp is turned ON, and is brought into an OFF state after the discharge lamp is turned ON.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2009Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Kazuki Saito, Masayasu Ito
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Patent number: 8314160Abstract: A thermoplastic resin foam which has both high reflectance and superior shape-retention properties, suitable for use in backlights and illumination boxes for illumination signboards, lighting fixtures, displays and the like. The thermoplastic resin foam is manufactured by a manufacturing method including a procedure for holding a resin sheet composed of thermoplastic resin (A) and thermoplastic resin (B), which has a functional group having an affinity with thermoplastic resin (A), within a pressurized inert gas atmosphere to enable the resin sheet to contain inert gas, and a procedure for foaming by heating the resin sheet containing inert gas at a temperature higher than the softening temperature of thermoplastic resin, under normal pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2005Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kohji Masuda, Masayasu Ito, Kojiro Inamori, Naoki Yoshida, Michiaki Kawakami, Hiroyuki Yamazaki, Hidehumi Miyagi, Yong Hoon Kim
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Publication number: 20120286687Abstract: A semiconductor light source lighting circuit includes a switching regulator that produces a drive current ILED with a switching element, and a control circuit that controls turning on and off of the switching element so that the magnitude of the drive current ILED approaches a target value. The control circuit includes an error comparator that compares the drive current ILED and the target value, an up/down counter that performs a counting operation, in which the control digital value is incremented or decremented based on the result of the comparison, a D/A converter that converts the control digital value into an analog duty ratio setting signal S4, and a drive circuit that controls the turning on and off of the switching element based on the signal S4. The up/down counter stops the counting operation when the switching regulator is brought into the inactive state.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2012Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi KIKUCHI, Fuminori SHIOTSU, Takanori NAMBA, Masayasu ITO
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Patent number: D688636Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2011Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: SMK CorporationInventors: Ryotaro Oishi, Masayasu Ito, Sota Kawashima, Haruo Yoshida