Patents by Inventor Nobuo Watanabe

Nobuo Watanabe 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: 20030210479
    Abstract: A projection lens (46) comprises: a cylindrical exterior case (621) having a lens-shifting through-hole (625) on a side thereof and an inner circumferential step or inner flange (623); a lens (610) of which outer periphery (611) on a first side is abutted to the inner circumferential step or inner flange (623); a flexible or elastic spacer (660) abutted to an outer periphery (612) of a second side of the lens (610); and a retainer (670) holding the spacer (660), where the lens (610) is fixed on the exterior case (621).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuo Watanabe, Shuji Narimatsu, Tomonobu Machida, Shunji Umemura, Shohei Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 6639743
    Abstract: A support member (311) for supporting liquid crystal panels (441R, 441G, 441B) is disposed parallel to a cooling air flow channel formed between a light-incident end of a cross dichroic prism (45) and the respective liquid crystal panels and is constructed by a pair of components for supporting a neighborhood of the ends of the respective liquid crystal panels, so that the gap between the light-incident end of the cross dichroic prism and the respective liquid crystal panels facing the cooling air flow channel can be enlarged, thereby flowing cooling air sufficient for cooling a polarizer (446) and the respective liquid crystal panels in a direction of the cooling air flow channel for efficiently cooling them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6619800
    Abstract: A projector includes an illumination system for emitting illumination light, an electro-optical device for modulating light from the illumination system according to image information, and a projection'system for projecting a modulated light beam obtained by the electro-optical device. The electro-optical device has a polarizer on at least one of the light incident side and the light emitting side, and the polarizer is attached to a flexible and transmissive plate material that bends in response to changes in shape of the polarizer. This makes it possible to reduce unevenness in brightness and color of images to be projected and displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Takezawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Hidemasa Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 6603590
    Abstract: An optical modulation device is presented having a distance Wp from the end of an opposite substrate to the inner peripheral edge of a cover portion in a frame being set to be smaller than the distance W1 from the end of the opposite substrate to the inner peripheral edge of a first light-shielding portion (Wp<W1). Therefore, there is no fear that incident light from outside of the inner peripheral edge of the cover portion may be blocked by the cover portion, so that incident light may reliably enter the entire image area. This arrangement makes it possible to prevent the peripheral portion of a projection image from becoming dark, and thereby improve the quality of the projection image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Ogawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Hiromi Saito, Shigeo Toda
  • Publication number: 20030117887
    Abstract: A row access command and column access command are supplied as one packet to an FCRAM in two successive clock cycles in order to shorten random access time and random cycle time. At this time, definition of the read/write operation is made by use of a first command and a decode address of a memory cell array is fetched in response to the first command. When the decode address of the memory cell array is fetched in response to the first command, command control pins of the conventional SDR/DDR-SDRAM are used as address pins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shigeo Ohshima, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6572231
    Abstract: A projector is provided that includes a cooling structure which efficiently cools an electrooptic device, and which can cope with an increase in brightness of a light source and a reduction in size of the projector. A cooling fan for introducing cooling air is mounted above an air inlet, and a regulating fan for regulating the cooling air introduced by the cooling fan is mounted at a position opposing the cooling fan across an electrooptic device. For this reason, the cooling air is formed in a substantially linear shape, and the electrooptic device can be uniformly and efficiently cooled without cooling only parts of the electrooptic device. This allows a cooling structure to be obtained which can cope with an increase in brightness of a light source lamp serving as a light source and a reduction in size of a projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20030071975
    Abstract: The invention provides a structure to attach a liquid crystal panel to a prism, which enables further enhancements in cooling capabilities. The structure includes a storing member fixed on a base and holding a holding frame, where a liquid crystal panel is held. Erected pieces to form a space to receive the holding frame are formed protruding on both left and right sides at the light incident side. Protrusions to form an air path with a cross-dichroic prism are formed on both left and right sides on the light emitting side. The liquid crystal panel is attached to the cross-dichroic prism through a holding member having an opening at a portion corresponding to the panel face of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Fujimori, Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa, Taisuke Uehara, Toshiaki Hashizume, Masashi Kitabayashi, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6523960
    Abstract: The invention provides a light source device of an easy maintenance, and a projector using the light source device. The light source device includes a light source lamp, a reflector, a lamp housing for covering substantially entirely almost the outer surface except for an opening plane of the reflector and a front glass for covering the opening plane of the reflector. The light source device is formed so as to be integrally exchangeable as a unit in the projector. Since the lamp housing covers almost the whole surface of the reflector, even if the light source lamp and the reflector burst, fragments thereof do not scatter to the inside of the projector, there is no need to remove the outer casing to clean the inside of the device, and maintenance of the projector can be facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6522600
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises first and second pins, a controller, a first command decoder and a lower-side command decoder. The controller is supplied with a signal indicating that a read command is input and a signal indicating that a write command is input based on the signal input to the first pin. The first command decoder is controlled by an output signal of the controller, defines the readout/write operation by use of the first command, fetches an upper-side decode address of a memory cell array via the second pin and decodes the first command. A lower-side command decoder is controlled by an output signal of the controller, fetches a lower-side decode address of the memory cell array via the control pin in response to the second command, decodes the lower-side command, and outputs a lower address latch command, mode register set command and auto-refresh command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeo Ohshima, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20020191156
    Abstract: The invention provides a projector which results in good contrast and high luminance by fine-adjusting a polarizer. The projector includes a polarizer angle adjustment mechanism in which a first frame arranged in the vicinity of an electrooptic device pivotally supports a second frame having a polarizer thereon. The second frame is pivoted by an adjustment member so that it can turn properly. By properly using the adjustment member, the polarization axes of the polarizer can be optimumly set, and a high-contrast and high-luminance image is thus presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20020192519
    Abstract: An output limitation warning lamp is turned on when a possible output Qf of the fuel cell is less than a predetermined value L2. The output limitation warning lamp is provided at a combination meter in an instrument panel. The output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when a possible output Qb of the secondary battery is less than a predetermined value L3. Furthermore, the output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when an allowable drive output Qh, which is the sum of the possible output Qf of the fuel cell and the possible output Qb of the secondary battery, has been less than a required output Ed* calculated at a step before carrying out output limitation to more than a certain extent for longer than a predetermined length of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fujita, Yasuhiko Niimi, Takashi Kotoh, Hideaki Mizuno, Nobuo Watanabe, Tadaichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6481850
    Abstract: To reduce inconsistencies in an image to be displayed in a projector. At least one of a polarizer on the side of a light incident surface and a polarizer on the side of a light emitting surface is bonded on a sapphire glass plate. The sapphire glass plate may preferably be formed of single-crystal sapphire. In addition, the sapphire glass plate may preferably be held by a holding frame made of metal. The sapphire glass plate and the holding frame made of metal may preferably be bonded by an adhesive agent having superior heat conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Takezawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Hidemasa Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20020149993
    Abstract: A row access command and column access command are supplied as one packet to an FCRAM in two successive clock cycles in order to shorten random access time and random cycle time. At this time, definition of the read/write operation is made by use of a first command and a decode address of a memory cell array is fetched in response to the first command. When the decode address of the memory cell array is fetched in response to the first command, command control pins of the conventional SDR/DDR-SDRAM are used as address pins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shigeo Ohshima, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6460998
    Abstract: The invention provides a projector which results in good contrast and high luminance by fine-adjusting a polarizer. The projector includes a polarizer angle adjustment mechanism in which a first frame arranged in the vicinity of an electrooptic device pivotally supports a second frame having a polarizer thereon. The second frame is pivoted by an adjustment member so that it can turn properly. By properly using the adjustment member, the polarization axes of the polarizer can be optimumly set, and a high-contrast and high-luminance image is thus presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6426915
    Abstract: A row access command and column access command are supplied as one packet to an FCRAM in two successive clock cycles in order to shorten random access time and random cycle time. At this time, definition of the read/write operation is made by use of a first command and a decode address of a memory cell array is fetched in response to the first command. When the decode address of the memory cell array is fetched in response to the first command, command control pins of the conventional SDR/DDR-SDRAM are used as address pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeo Ohshima, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6416184
    Abstract: A projector is provided in which the production of an outer casing is facilitated, cooling efficiency is maintained well, and the outward appearance is preferable. A dustproof ventilating member is mounted in a clearance formed between the rim of an opening of a front casing forming an outer casing, and a projection lens. For this reason, cooling air can be reliably drawn into a device via the ventilating member. Since this eliminates the necessity for forming a meshed air inlet in the outer casing, the production of the outer casing is facilitated, and the manufacturing operation of the projector is easily performed. Moreover, cooling efficiency is maintained well, and the outward appearance is made preferable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Arai, Shogo Kurosawa, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6398367
    Abstract: The invention provides a light source device of an easy maintenance, and a projector using the light source device. The light source device includes a light source lamp, a reflector, a lamp housing for covering substantially entirely almost the outer surface except for an opening plane of the reflector and a front glass for covering the opening plane of the reflector. The light source device is formed so as to be integrally exchangeable as a unit in the projector. Since the lamp housing covers almost the whole surface of the reflector, even if the light source lamp and the reflector burst, fragments thereof do not scatter to the inside of the projector, there is no need to remove the outer casing to clean the inside of the device, and maintenance of the projector can be facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20020064697
    Abstract: An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugiura, Nobuo Watanabe, Kouta Manabe, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20020051276
    Abstract: The distance Wp from the end of a opposite substrate 400 to the inner peripheral edge of a cover portion 95 in a frame 91 is set to be smaller than the distance W1 from the end of the opposite substrate 400 to the inner peripheral edge of a first light-shielding portion 31 (Wp<W1). Therefore, there is no fear that incident light, which is incident from the outside (&thgr;o side) of the inner peripheral edge of the cover portion 95 may be blocked by the cover portion 95, and incident light reliably enters the entire image area, which makes it possible to prevent the peripheral portion of a projection image from becoming dark, and to thereby improve the quality of the projection image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Ogawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Hiromi Saito, Shigeo Toda
  • Patent number: 6373616
    Abstract: An optical modulation device is presented having a distance Wp from the end of an opposite substrate to the inner peripheral edge of a cover portion in a frame being set to be smaller than the distance W1 from the end of the opposite substrate to the inner peripheral edge of a first light-shielding portion (Wp<W1). Therefore, there is no fear that incident light from outside of the inner peripheral edge of the cover portion may be blocked by the cover portion, so that incident light may reliably enter the entire image area. This arrangement makes it possible to prevent the peripheral portion of a projection image from becoming dark, and thereby improve the quality of the projection image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Ogawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Hiromi Saito, Shigeo Toda