Patents by Inventor Nobuyuki Hirayama

Nobuyuki Hirayama 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: 8857934
    Abstract: This invention provides a print element substrate having a plurality of printing elements. The print element substrate includes a detection circuit configured to detect substrate information of the print element substrate, a shift register configured to serially input print signals for performing driving control of the printing elements, serial-parallel convert the print signals, and parallelly output the print signals, a latch circuit configured to latch the print signals parallelly output from the shift register, and a driving circuit configured to drive the plurality of printing elements based on the print signals latched by the latch circuit. Detection signals based on the substrate information are parallelly input from the detection circuit to the shift register until serial input of next print signals starts after parallelly outputting the print signals from the shift register to the latch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20140300660
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head substrate includes: a plurality of energy generating element arrays each including a plurality of energy generating elements configured to generate energy for ejecting liquid; a supply port array in which a plurality of supply ports configured to supply liquid to the plurality of energy generating elements are arranged between the plurality of energy generating element arrays in an arrangement direction in which the plurality of energy generating elements are arranged; a temperature detection element that is configured to detect a temperature of the liquid ejection head substrate and that is provided on one side of the supply port array; and a heating element that is configured to heat the liquid ejection head substrate and that is provided on the other side of the supply port array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai
  • Patent number: 8833889
    Abstract: An element substrate, comprising a first resistance element and second resistance element each of which includes a first terminal and a second terminal and is arranged in a predetermined direction, wherein the first terminals are connected to a first line for commonly supplying a current, and the second terminals are connected to a second line for commonly supplying a current, and a detection unit configured to detect a voltage of the first terminal of the first resistance element and a voltage of the first terminal of the second resistance element while power is supplied to the first resistance element and is not supplied to the second resistance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Kanno, Nobuyuki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8740350
    Abstract: An inkjet recording head substrate having an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy used to discharge ink and a drive element for driving the electrothermal transducer mounted thereon includes a first circuit portion for outputting selection signals for selecting the electrothermal transducer to be driven at a amplitude level of a second voltage higher than a first voltage based on an input signal of the amplitude level of the first voltage, a second circuit portion for inputting the selection signals from the first circuit portion and controlling the drive element corresponding to the electrothermal transducer to be driven based on the selection signals subject to the second voltage, and a plurality of signal lines for transmitting the selection signals between the first and second circuit portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Sakurai, Tatsuo Furukawa, Hidenori Watanabe, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai
  • Patent number: 8672452
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a liquid discharge head substrate including a discharge port through which a liquid is discharged, and a plurality of energy generating elements that generate energy for discharging the liquid from the discharge port, and a circuit board having flexibility including a pair of differential transmission lines for transmitting differential transmission signals used as logical signals for driving the energy generating elements, to the liquid discharge head substrate, and a voltage supply line for supplying a voltage applied to the energy generating elements to obtain the energy, to the liquid discharge head substrate, wherein the pair of differential transmission lines is provided on one surface of the circuit board, and the voltage supply line is provided on the other surface of the circuit board, which is on a reverse side of the one surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Takamitsu Tokuda, Kengo Umeda, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Takaaki Yamaguchi, Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Tatsuo Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20140063128
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a first unit configured to supply power, and a second unit including an input unit to which the power is input, a plurality of heaters connected to the input unit via a common power source line and configured to discharge liquid, an energization unit configured to energize the plurality of heaters, and a selection unit configured to select a target heater from the heaters for discharging liquid to be energized in turn by the energization unit for a period corresponding to a time interval at which liquid is discharged, wherein the selection unit further selects non-target heaters from the heaters to be energized different from the heater targeted for use for discharging liquid before and after the target heater is energized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Kengo Umeda
  • Publication number: 20140035977
    Abstract: Data transfer is realized to support a high-speed and complex driving control of the driving element. A driving device includes a driving unit configured to supply a driving element with a pulse signal that determines a driving period to drive the driving element, an input unit configured to receive, in synchronization with a trigger signal, a data signal containing first information, second information, a first flag and a second flag that determine a waveform of the pulse signal, a first setting unit configured to set in the driving unit the first information that is input to the input unit, a retaining unit configured to read and retain the second information on the basis of the first flag, and a second setting unit configured to set in the driving unit the second information that is retained in the retaining unit on the basis of the second flag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tatsuo Furukawa, Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Hisao Terajima
  • Patent number: 8632150
    Abstract: A printhead substrate comprises: a plurality of printing elements arrayed in a predetermined direction; first logic circuits arranged in correspondence with respective groups each assigned to a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, and configured to select a printing element to be driven from the printing elements belonging to each of the groups; driving circuits configured to drive the printing elements based on signals output from the first logic circuits; second logic circuits configured to supply externally input printing data to the first logic circuits corresponding to the respective groups; and electricity storage units arranged in the respective groups, connected to a power supply line for supplying power to at least one of the first logic circuits, the second logic circuits, and the driving circuits, and configured to store charges in accordance with a voltage applied through the power supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tomoko Kudo, Tatsuo Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20130342609
    Abstract: A printhead substrate, comprising a plurality of printing elements which are assigned to a plurality of groups, a plurality of driving circuits which are arranged in correspondence with the respective groups and drive the printing elements, a first current source configured to generate currents of a plurality of current amounts corresponding to the respective groups, second current sources which are arranged in correspondence with the respective driving circuits and configured to generate currents to be supplied to the printing elements, and setting units configured to generate voltages in accordance with currents generated by the first current source and set currents to be generated by the second current sources based on the voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Hidenori Yamato, Nobuyuki Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20130314464
    Abstract: A printing element substrate, comprising a plurality of printing elements which form a plurality of groups, a first generating unit configured to generate a threshold signal set for each of the plurality of groups and a ramp signal, based on an externally received digital signal, and second generating units, which are arranged in correspondence with the respective groups, configured to generate, based on the ramp signal and the threshold signal, enable signals for setting a period during which the printing element is driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tomoko Kudo, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Kengo Umeda
  • Publication number: 20130300789
    Abstract: A device includes a first element substrate and a second element substrate for driving a driving element; a first signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the first element substrate; a second signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the second element substrate; and a signal output unit. Each of the first and second element substrates includes a driving element, a first signal generation unit configured to output a first signal, a second signal generation unit configured to output a second signal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a selection unit configured to receive a signal from the first and the second signal generation units, select one of a state of the first signal, a state of the second signal, and a high-impedance state on the basis of the selection signal input from the input terminal, and output the state to the output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Shinichi Omo, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Patent number: 8579399
    Abstract: Data transfer is realized to support a high-speed and complex driving control of the driving element. A driving device includes a driving unit configured to supply a driving element with a pulse signal that determines a driving period to drive the driving element, an input unit configured to receive, in synchronization with a trigger signal, a data signal containing first information, second information, a first flag and a second flag that determine a waveform of the pulse signal, a first setting unit configured to set in the driving unit the first information that is input to the input unit, a retaining unit configured to read and retain the second information on the basis of the first flag, and a second setting unit configured to set in the driving unit the second information that is retained in the retaining unit on the basis of the second flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tatsuo Furukawa, Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Hisao Terajima
  • Patent number: 8508565
    Abstract: A device includes a first element substrate and a second element substrate for driving a driving element; a first signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the first element substrate; a second signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the second element substrate; and a signal output unit. Each of the first and second element substrates includes a driving element, a first signal generation unit configured to output a first signal, a second signal generation unit configured to output a second signal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a selection unit configured to receive a signal from the first and the second signal generation units, select one of a state of the first signal, a state of the second signal, and a high-impedance state on the basis of the selection signal input from the input terminal, and output the state to the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Shinichi Omo, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Patent number: 8506030
    Abstract: This invention provides an element substrate having a heater selection circuit normally operable even in the use of voltage conversion circuits, which are arranged along the nozzle arrayed direction, each having a small-area in order to reduce the area of the element substrate. The element substrate according to this invention includes a heater selection circuit, which receives a signal output from a voltage conversion circuit, a block selection signal, and a print data signal, and generates and outputs a signal for performing switching by a switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Kurokawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai
  • Patent number: 8400484
    Abstract: A device includes a first element substrate and a second element substrate for driving a driving element; a first signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the first element substrate; a second signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the second element substrate; and a signal output unit. Each of the first and second element substrates includes a driving element, a first signal generation unit configured to output a first signal, a second signal generation unit configured to output a second signal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a selection unit configured to receive a signal from the first and the second signal generation units, select one of a state of the first signal, a state of the second signal, and a high-impedance state on the basis of the selection signal input from the input terminal, and output the state to the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Shinichi Omo, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Patent number: 8371668
    Abstract: A recording element substrate which is provided with a first recording element group and a second recording element group, each group including a plurality of recording elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tomoko Kudo
  • Patent number: 8342620
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a high-resolution, small-size, low-cost driving device includes a clock signal generating unit configured to receive a first clock signal of a differential signaling system and generate a second clock signal, an input unit configured to input a data signal which includes first information and second information, a first timing generating unit configured to select an edge of the second clock signal based on the first information and to generate a first signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge a second timing generating unit configured to select edge of the second clock signal based on the second information and to generate a second signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge, a logical circuit configured to generate a pulse signal based on the first and second signals, and a driving element configured to drive a driven element using the pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tatsuo Furukawa, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Publication number: 20120306953
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control so as to apply a first driving voltage to a heat generation element to discharge ink from an orifice and then apply a second driving voltage to the heat generation element so as not to cause bubbling or discharging of ink. In this case, the control unit performs control to apply the second driving voltage before detection of a feature point on the waveform of a signal representing temperatures in a temperature drop process detected by the temperature detection element after application of the first driving voltage and along with the application of the first driving voltage based on a temperature detected by a temperature detection element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Kanno, Nobuyuki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8322809
    Abstract: A recording head having a plurality of recording elements that are grouped into a plurality of blocks and ejecting ink by driving the recording elements in a time-divisional manner includes driving units configured to drive the recording elements, an input unit configured to receive an enable signal that defines a period during which the driving of the recording elements is enabled at one ink ejection, and a control unit configured to control the time-divisional driving by the driving units on the basis of pulses detected during the period defined by the enable signal received by the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Kudo, Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Tomoyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8292407
    Abstract: In a liquid-discharging-head substrate including a plurality of ink supply ports, if lines are provided on the substrate between adjacent elements, energy generating elements cannot be arranged in high density. A liquid-discharging-head substrate according to the present invention includes an element array in which a plurality of elements configured to generate energy for discharging liquid are arranged, a first common line, a second common line, first individual lines configured to connect the elements and the first common line, and second individual lines configured to connect the elements and the second common line. The element array is provided between the first common line and the second common line, the first individual lines are provided in an area between the element array and the first common line, and the second individual lines are provided in an area between the element array and the second common line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Yusuke Imahashi