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: 8226190
    Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a recording element, a first voltage conversion circuit configured to receive a first control signal and to output the first control signal with an increased amplitude, a second voltage conversion circuit configured to receive a second control signal and to output the second control signal with an increased amplitude, a PMOS transistor connected to one end of the recording element, and an NMOS transistor connected to the other end of the recording element, wherein the PMOS transistor has a gate connected to an output of the first voltage conversion circuit, and the NMOS transistor has a gate connected to an output of the second voltage conversion circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tatsuo Furukawa, Masataka Sakurai, Ryo Kasai, Tomoko Kudo
  • Publication number: 20120162317
    Abstract: A printhead manufacturing method comprises preparing a printing element substrate including a receiver including a first terminal and second terminal, a first input pad connected to the first terminal, a second input pad connected to the second terminal, and a plurality of selection pads connected to the second terminal via at least two resistive elements out of a plurality of printing elements to obtain combined resistances different from each other; preparing a head substrate including a first transmission line, and a second transmission line; selects one of the plurality of selection pads to be connected to the first transmission line in accordance with values of the combined resistances; and connecting at least one of the plurality of the selected selection pads and the first transmission line, connecting the first input pad and the first transmission line, and connecting the second input pad and the second transmission line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Kengo Umeda
  • Patent number: 8177333
    Abstract: In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Masataka Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8147039
    Abstract: A head substrate is capable of integrating driver transistors while keeping the size small even at high nozzle density, while integrating a functional circuit such as a temperature sensor or energy adjustment circuit. An ink supply port, a heater array which is arrayed along the longitudinal direction of the ink supply port and includes a plurality of heaters, a transistor array which is arrayed along the arrayed direction of the heater array and includes a plurality of transistors for driving a plurality of heaters, and a logic circuit which drives the transistor array are arranged on the head substrate. The logic circuit is arranged between the heater array and the transistor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Kurokawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Masataka Sakurai, Ryo Kasai
  • Publication number: 20110310210
    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: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Shinichi Omo, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Patent number: 8075103
    Abstract: An ink jet print head substrate is provided which can prevent voltage drop variations during driving, no matter in what way the ejection energy generation elements are driven, and which can also apply a stable energy to the ejection energy generation elements at all times. The ink jet print head substrate of this invention has a plurality of kinds of ejection energy generation elements to generate different magnitudes of ink ejection energy and wiring portions. The print head substrate also has a plurality of wiring layers arranged to at least partly overlap one another. The wiring portions connected to the different kinds of ejection energy generation elements are provided at least partly in different wiring portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuo Furukawa, Masataka Sakurai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Tomoko Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20110292154
    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: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoko Kurokawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai
  • Publication number: 20110285788
    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: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Takamitsu Tokuda, Kengo Umeda, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Takaaki Yamaguchi, Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Tatsuo Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20110279511
    Abstract: A substrate includes a first and a second element arrays in each of which a plurality of elements is arrayed along a first direction of the substrate, a first and a second pad arrays in which a plurality of pads is arrayed along respective two opposite sides extending along a second direction of the substrate, a reception circuit configured to receive data for driving the elements, a data circuit configured to generate data corresponding to the first and the second element array, respectively based on the received data, a signal generation circuit configured to generate a period signal for determining a drive period of the elements based on the generated data, and an output circuit configured to output information related to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoko Kudo, Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Publication number: 20110273498
    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: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tatsuo Furukawa, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Publication number: 20110273507
    Abstract: This invention is directed to real time detection of occurrence of a transfer error and feedback of the detection result to a printing apparatus in consideration of a possible risk that a signal transfer error occurs on a transfer path that becomes longer as the printhead is elongated. To accomplish this, in a printhead configured by cascade-connecting a plurality of element substrates, information of a transfer error detected in real time in each element substrate during transfer of a print data signal is output to an element substrate on the next stage by taking account of information input from an element substrate on the preceding stage. Information containing pieces of information from all element substrates is output from an element substrate on the final stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidenori Yamato, Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Shinji Takagi
  • Publication number: 20110274213
    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: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tatsuo Furukawa, Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Hisao Terajima
  • Patent number: 8016378
    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: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Kurokawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai
  • Patent number: 8002374
    Abstract: An increase in energy applied to a heating element can be prevented and the service life of a printhead can be prolonged even when the temperature of the printing element having a negative temperature coefficient rises and the resistance of the heating element decreases. A printhead having heating elements connected to a common power supply comprises a switching element series-connected to and controlling driving of the heating element at a voltage applied to a control terminal; a constant voltage source; a wiring resistance generated at a connection wiring line serial-connected to the heating element; and a voltage control circuit which controls to make the potential difference between both ends of the wiring resistance equal to the voltage of the constant voltage source when driving the heating element. A current flowing through the heating element is made constant without any influence of the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ichiro Saito, Muga Mochizuki, Takaaki Yamaguchi, Masao Kato, Toshiyasu Sakai
  • Patent number: 7988260
    Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a recording element array including a plurality of recording elements, a drive circuit configured to drive the recording elements, and a heater located to surround the recording element array as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the recording element substrate and located above or below a capacitive element or a resistive element included in the drive circuit as viewed on a cross section of the recording element substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Kudo, Tatsuo Furukawa, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai
  • Publication number: 20110134192
    Abstract: An ink jet print head substrate is provided which can prevent voltage drop variations during driving, no matter in what way the ejection energy generation elements are driven, and which can also apply a stable energy to the ejection energy generation elements at all times. The ink jet print head substrate of this invention has a plurality of kinds of ejection energy generation elements to generate different magnitudes of ink ejection energy and wiring portions. The print head substrate also has a plurality of wiring layers arranged to at least partly overlap one another. The wiring portions connected to the different kinds of ejection energy generation elements are provided at least partly in different wiring portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuo Furukawa, Masataka Sakurai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Tomoko Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7954918
    Abstract: A selection circuit receives heat-enable signals to drive heaters, whereby signals are selected to drive the heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20110122181
    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: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Tomoko Kudo, Tatsuo Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20110102512
    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: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Yusuke Imahashi
  • Publication number: 20110012950
    Abstract: In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirayama, Ryo Kasai, Masataka Sakurai