Patents by Inventor Nobuaki Matsuoka

Nobuaki Matsuoka 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: 20240127017
    Abstract: The analysis apparatus according to the present invention is capable of setting parameters and user authentication, which do not require key input. When a specific analysis apparatus is set so as to measure a specific type of data, a plurality of required parameters are converted to data having a format suitable for a relay medium and the converted data is recorded in the relay medium. An importing unit imports the plurality of parameters from the relay medium. A restoration unit is used to obtain, from the imported parameters, each parameter in the pre-conversion format thereof. The individual obtained parameters are transferred to a setting unit and set to a required setting destination. This being the case, the replay medium is created according to the support from a management device of a manufacturer and a repeater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: KYOTO ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuaki WATANABE, Takashi MATSUKI, Hidenori MATSUOKA, Ikumi KUROSE
  • Patent number: 11957188
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a sensor device and a clothes to which the sensor device is attached. The clothes includes a clothes body and an insertion and extraction portion that has an opening formed in the clothes body and enables the sensor device to be inserted into or extracted from the clothes body. The sensor device includes a humidity sensor configured to measure humidity in the clothes body and a housing having a first region exposed to an inside of the clothes body and a second region exposed to an outside of the clothes body, while the sensor device is inserted from the insertion and extraction portion into the clothes body. The humidity sensor is accommodated in the first region of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroto Matsuoka, Nobuaki Matsuura, Kei Kuwabara, Yuki Hashimoto, Takako Ishihara
  • Patent number: 10807027
    Abstract: A treatment solution supply apparatus to supply a treatment solution to a treatment solution discharge unit via a supply path that is provided with a filter configured to remove foreign substances in the treatment solution and a tubephragm pump to send the treatment solution, the supply path has an opening/closing valve on an upstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and a suck-back valve on a downstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and includes a control unit to control at least the tubephragm pump, the opening/closing valve, and the suck-back valve, wherein the control unit performs: a control of stopping sending of the treatment solution from the tubephragm pump; and a control of suspending discharge of the treatment solution from the treatment solution discharge unit by operation of the suck-back valve, and then closing the opening/closing valve to stop the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Ichino, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Hideo Funakoshi, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Masayuki Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 10767200
    Abstract: A method for producing a basic acid such as L-lysine is provided. A basic amino acid or a fermentation product containing the same is produced by a method including the following steps (A) and (B): (A) a step of culturing a microorganism able to produce a basic amino acid in a culture medium so that bicarbonate ions and/or carbonate ions serve as counter ions for the basic amino acid, to obtain a fermentation broth containing the basic amino acid; (B) a step of subjecting the fermentation broth to a heat treatment under a pressure sufficient for preventing generation of carbon dioxide gas from the fermentation broth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Kisho Suzuki, Masayuki Mori, Takehiro Hiura, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Takehiko Chikamori
  • Publication number: 20190076763
    Abstract: A treatment solution supply apparatus to supply a treatment solution to a treatment solution discharge unit via a supply path that is provided with a filter configured to remove foreign substances in the treatment solution and a tubephragm pump to send the treatment solution, the supply path has an opening/closing valve on an upstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and a suck-back valve on a downstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and includes a control unit to control at least the tubephragm pump, the opening/closing valve, and the suck-back valve, wherein the control unit performs: a control of stopping sending of the treatment solution from the tubephragm pump; and a control of suspending discharge of the treatment solution from the treatment solution discharge unit by operation of the suck-back valve, and then closing the opening/closing valve to stop the discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Katsunori ICHINO, Tsunenaga NAKASHIMA, Hideo FUNAKOSHI, Nobuaki MATSUOKA, Masayuki KAJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20190040429
    Abstract: A method for producing a basic acid such as L-lysine is provided. A basic amino acid or a fermentation product containing the same is produced by a method including the following steps (A) and (B): (A) a step of culturing a microorganism able to produce a basic amino acid in a culture medium so that bicarbonate ions and/or carbonate ions serve as counter ions for the basic amino acid, to obtain a fermentation broth containing the basic amino acid; (B) a step of subjecting the fermentation broth to a heat treatment under a pressure sufficient for preventing generation of carbon dioxide gas from the fermentation broth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Kisho Suzuki, Masayuki Mori, Takehiro Hiura, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Takehiko Chikamori
  • Patent number: 9460947
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with transfer units, provided between a stack of early-stage processing unit blocks and a stack of later-stage processing unit blocks to transfer a substrate between the transport mechanisms of laterally-adjacent unit blocks, and a vertically-movable auxiliary transfer mechanism for transporting a substrate between the transfer units. A stack of first developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of early-stage processing unit blocks, and a stack of second developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of later-stage processing unit blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida
  • Patent number: 9417529
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having two early-stage coating unit blocks, two later-stage coating unit blocks and two developing unit blocks, each unit blocks being vertically stacked on each other, The apparatus has at least two operation modes M1 and M2 adapted for abnormality. In mode M1 the processing module that processed the abnormal substrate in the developing unit blocks is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the processing module or modules, of the same type as the identified processing module, other than the identified processing module. In mode M2, the developing unit block that processed the abnormal substrate is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the developing unit block other than the identified developing unit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Hiroshi Tomita, Makoto Hayakawa, Tatsuhei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20150219994
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having two early-stage coating unit blocks, two later-stage coating unit blocks and two developing unit blocks, each unit blocks being vertically stacked on each other, The apparatus has at least two operation modes M1 and M2 adapted for abnormality. In mode M1 the processing module that processed the abnormal substrate in the developing unit blocks is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the processing module or modules, of the same type as the identified processing module, other than the identified processing module. In mode M2, the developing unit block that processed the abnormal substrate is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the developing unit block other than the identified developing unit block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Nobuaki MATSUOKA, Akira MIYATA, Shinichi HAYASHI, Suguru ENOKIDA, Hiroshi TOMITA, Makoto HAYAKAWA, Tatsuhei YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 8985880
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having two early-stage coating unit blocks, two later-stage coating unit blocks and two developing unit blocks, each unit blocks being vertically stacked on each other. The apparatus has at least two operation modes M1 and M2 adapted for abnormality. In mode M1 the processing module that processed the abnormal substrate in the developing unit blocks is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the processing module or modules, of the same type as the identified processing module, other than the identified processing module. In mode M2, the developing unit block that processed the abnormal substrate is identified, and subsequent substrates are transported to the developing unit block other than the identified developing unit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Hiroshi Tomita, Makoto Hayakawa, Tatsuhei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8888387
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block including a vertical stack of early-stage processing unit blocks; a vertical stack of later-stage processing unit blocks disposed laterally adjacent to respective ones of the early-stage processing unit blocks; a vertical stack of developing unit blocks stacked on the early-stage processing unit blocks; a vertical stack of auxiliary processing unit blocks disposed laterally adjacent to respective ones of the developing unit blocks; first transfer units, each of which are disposed between the laterally adjacent early-stage processing unit and later-stage processing unit; second transfer units, each of which is disposed between the laterally adjacent developing unit block and auxiliary processing unit block; and a auxiliary transfer mechanism for transferring a substrate between the first transfer units and between the second transfer units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida
  • Publication number: 20140327890
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with transfer units, provided between a stack of early-stage processing unit blocks and a stack of later-stage processing unit blocks to transfer a substrate between the transport mechanisms of laterally-adjacent unit blocks, and a vertically-movable auxiliary transfer mechanism for transporting a substrate between the transfer units. A stack of first developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of early-stage processing unit blocks, and a stack of second developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of later-stage processing unit blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Nobuaki MATSUOKA, Akira MIYATA, Shinichi HAYASHI, Suguru ENOKIDA
  • Patent number: 8863373
    Abstract: An application and development apparatus has a plurality of vertically stacked blocks directed to coating film formation on a substrate. This plurality of blocks includes first processing units, a first substrate transportation region, and a first transportation unit for transporting substrates between the first processing units within the first transportation region. A development process block also is vertically stacked with the blocks directed to coating film formation to constitute a layered block as the process block. The development process block also includes second processing units and a second transportation unit for transporting substrates between the second processing units within the second transportation region. The application and development apparatus further has a shelf-type delivery stage group, a vertical transportation unit and a substrate inspection unit such that a substrate input into the inspection unit passes through the delivery stage group from the vertical transportation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Shinichi Hayashi, Yasushi Hayashida, Yoshitaka Hara
  • Patent number: 8817225
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus is provided with transfer units, provided between a stack of early-stage processing unit blocks and a stack of later-stage processing unit blocks to transfer a substrate between the transport mechanisms of laterally-adjacent unit blocks, and a vertically-movable auxiliary transfer mechanism for transporting a substrate between the transfer units. A stack of first developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of early-stage processing unit blocks, and a stack of second developing unit blocks is stacked on the stack of later-stage processing unit blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida
  • Patent number: 8740481
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having at least one coating film-forming unit block stack and a vertically stacked developing unit block stack. Each unit block stack includes vertically stacked unit blocks, and each unit block includes processing modules containing liquid processing modules and heating modules. Each unit block includes a transport mechanism moveable along a transport passage from a carrier block side to an interface block side, to transport a substrate between the processing modules belonging to the unit block. Transfer units are provided on the carrier block sides of the coating film-forming unit blocks and the developing unit blocks respectively, for transferring a substrate to and from the transport mechanism of the associated coating film-forming or developing unit blocks. A first transfer mechanism transfers a substrate removed from a carrier to one of the transfer units associated with the coating film-forming unit blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida
  • Publication number: 20130329199
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having at least one coating film-forming unit block stack and a vertically stacked developing unit block stack. Each unit block stack includes vertically stacked unit blocks, and each unit block includes processing modules containing liquid processing modules and heating modules. Each unit block includes a transport mechanism moveable along a transport passage from a carrier block side to an interface block side, to transport a substrate between the processing modules belonging to the unit block. Transfer units are provided on the carrier block sides of the coating film-forming unit blocks and the developing unit blocks respectively, for transferring a substrate to and from the transport mechanism of the associated coating film-forming or developing unit blocks. A first transfer mechanism transfers a substrate removed from a carrier to one of the transfer units associated with the coating film-forming unit blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki MATSUOKA, Akira MIYATA, Shinichi HAYASHI, Suguru ENOKIDA
  • Patent number: 8568043
    Abstract: Disclosed is a coating and developing apparatus including (a) a first liquid process module to sequentially perform a first liquid process by a first chemical liquid, and a second liquid process by the first chemical liquid again; (b) a buffer module to sequentially store the respective substrates which have been subjected to the first liquid process and have not yet been subjected to the second liquid process; and (c) a second liquid process module to sequentially perform a third liquid process by a second chemical liquid. In particular, the third liquid process to be performed on a first substrate of the substrate group is started before the first liquid process performed on a last substrate of the substrate group is ended, in such a manner that right after the first liquid process is performed on the last substrate, the second liquid process is to be performed on the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Nobuaki Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8534936
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having at least one coating film-forming unit block stack and a vertically stacked developing unit block stack. Each unit block stack includes vertically stacked unit blocks, and each unit block includes processing modules containing liquid processing modules and heating modules. Each unit block includes a transport mechanism moveable along a transport passage from a carrier block side to an interface block side, to transport a substrate between the processing modules belonging to the unit block. Transfer units are provided on the carrier block sides of the coating film-forming unit blocks and the developing unit blocks respectively, for transferring a substrate to and from the transport mechanism of the associated coating film-forming or developing unit blocks. A first transfer mechanism transfers a substrate removed from a carrier to one of the transfer units associated with the coating film-forming unit blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida
  • Patent number: 8506186
    Abstract: A process block including a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, a first heating-process related block arranged on a carrier block side of the group of unit blocks, and a second heating-process related block arranged on an interface block side of the group of unit blocks. The group of liquid-process unit blocks includes doubled unit blocks for preprocessing for forming an antireflection film and a resist film, doubled unit blocks for post-processing for forming an upper layer film and performing a cleaning operation before exposure, and a unit block for developing. The first heating-process related block heats a substrate coated with a resist liquid and a substrate that has been developed. The second heating-process related block heats a substrate that has been exposed but is not yet developed, a substrate on which an antireflection film has been formed and a substrate on which an upper layer film has been formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinichi Hayashi, Yuichi Douki, Akira Miyata, Yuuichi Yamamoto, Kousuke Yoshihara, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Suguru Enokida
  • Patent number: 8480319
    Abstract: A process block is formed by arranging a heating-process related block on the side of a carrier block, a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, and a heating block on the side of an interface block, in this order from the side of the carrier block to the side of the interface block. The group of liquid-process related unit blocks is composed of: a group of unit blocks for coating films that is formed by stacking upward a unit block for an antireflection film, a unit block for a resist film, and a unit block for an upper layer film, in this order; and unit blocks for developing that are stacked on one another in the up and down direction with respect to the group of unit blocks for coating films. Liquid process modules of each of the liquid-process related unit blocks are arranged on the right and left sides of a transfer path for a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinichi Hayashi, Yuichi Douki, Akira Miyata, Yuuichi Yamamoto, Kousuke Yoshihara, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Suguru Enokida