Patents by Inventor Shigeaki Maruyama

Shigeaki Maruyama 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: 20080122315
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate supporting vibration structure which is a vibration structure for supporting a substrate. The substrate supporting vibration structure includes a spacer member, fixed between a first substrate and a second substrate, having at least one form selected from a pillar form and a long strip form; and a piezoelectric element, formed at a predetermined position between the first substrate and the second substrate or at a predetermined position of the long strip-form portion of the spacer member, having a vibration supporting portion and a vibration applying portion. In the structure, the vibration supporting portion and vibration applying portion of the piezoelectric element are disposed in the thicknesswise direction of the first and second substrates stacked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Tomoyuki Takahashi, Mikio Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20080055277
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a touch panel display including, a flat plate-shaped movable panel unit, a movable support member, an acoustic vibration unit, and a soft member, wherein the acoustic vibration unit includes, a sound generating member, an actuator, and a hard member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Takenaka, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20080024459
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a display section with a touch screen, and the touch screen is adapted to display at least one graphical user interface object and detect a touch position on the touch screen. The apparatus has a haptic feedback generating unit attached to the touch screen and is adapted to generating haptic feedback. A pressure sensing unit is attached to the touch screen and adapted to detect pressure applied to the touch screen. A controller section is adapted to control and drive the display section. The graphical user interface object displayed on the touch screen has a plurality of logical states. The controller section determines a current logical state of the graphical user interface object and a form of the haptic feedback to be generated depending on the detected touch position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Poupyrev, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20070182708
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system including a tactile feedback device with which a user can sense the tactile force that is applied by the user on actuating a button or the like. The system includes a main body part (10), an operating unit (20) on which the user acts for inputting for interfacing with the main body part, and a display part (30) for demonstrating an image consistent with the current state of an interface program and an application program. The operating unit includes an interfacing element (22) for accepting an inputting operation from the user and a piezo actuator (21) for presenting a tactile feedback to the user performing the inputting operation on the operating unit. The piezo actuator is mounted on the interfacing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ivan Poupyrev, Shigeaki Maruyama, Tyler Daniel
  • Publication number: 20070146316
    Abstract: A haptic display includes at least one haptic device that can give tactile feedback instead of visible feedback. Each of the haptic devices converts a signal from a signal producing unit into force or tactile pattern. The haptic device does not require a large mass, so that it can be provided on almost any portion or part within the body of a mobile apparatus. For example, the haptic device can be embedded under a touch panel display that constitutes both input and output device. By providing the haptic devices under respective menu/function button areas displayed on the touch panel display, it is possible to stimulate the specific button in response to the user-input-operation, thereby directly providing the tactile feedback to the user's finger touching the corresponding button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan POUPYREV, Junichi Rekimoto, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20070096594
    Abstract: A piezoelectric composite device including: a feeding electrode; a common electrode; a signal detecting electrode; a first piezoelectric element joined between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a second piezoelectric element joined between the common electrode and the signal detecting electrode; a predetermined voltage being supplied between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a force detection signal based on an external force being extracted from the detecting electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Junichi Sekine, Ivan Poupyrev
  • Patent number: 7205978
    Abstract: A haptic display includes at least one haptic device that can give tactile feedback instead of visible feedback. Each of the haptic devices converts a signal from a signal producing unit into force or tactile pattern. The haptic device does not require a large mass, so that it can be provided on almost any portion or part within the body of a mobile apparatus. For example, the haptic device can be embedded under a touch panel display that constitutes both input and output device. By providing the haptic devices under respective menu/function button areas displayed on the touch panel display, it is possible to stimulate the specific button in response to the user-input-operation, thereby directly providing the tactile feedback to the user's finger touching the corresponding button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Poupyrev, Junichi Rekimoto, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20070080951
    Abstract: The present invention related to an input device including: an image display unit (30) that displays information; a touch panel (15) with which a user performs input operation of information by touching a portion corresponding to the position at which the information of the image display unit is displayed; a vibration generation device (71) disposed in the image display unit and feeds back, to the user, various kinds of sense of touch in accordance with the type of the information through the touch panel; and a vibration control circuit (73) for allowing the vibration generation device to generate various forms of vibrations in accordance with the type of the information. The vibration generation device is a bimorph piezoelectric actuator. Each of first and second actuator units has multi-layered piezoelectric elements (63).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Shigeki Motoyama, Ivan Poupyrev, Keiichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20070080608
    Abstract: A piezoelectric composite device including: a feeding electrode; a common electrode; a signal detecting electrode; a first piezoelectric element joined between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a second piezoelectric element joined between the common electrode and the signal detecting electrode; a predetermined voltage being supplied between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a force detection signal based on an external force being extracted from the detecting electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Junichi Sekine, Ivan Poupyrev
  • Publication number: 20070035526
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a touch panel display apparatus including: a display panel; a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape; a movable support section for supporting the movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit the movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of the movable panel unit; an actuator configured to drive the movable panel unit to vibrate; an actuator drive control section for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control the actuator; an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by the actuator to vibrate; and a superposing section for superposing an acoustic signal on the actuator drive signal outputted by the actuator drive control section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: Mikio Takenaka, Shigeaki Maruyama, Junichi Sekine
  • Publication number: 20060238069
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric composite device including: a feeding electrode; a common electrode; a signal detecting electrode; a first piezoelectric element joined between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a second piezoelectric element joined between the common electrode and the signal detecting electrode; a predetermined voltage being supplied between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a force detection signal based on an external force being extracted from the detecting electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Junichi Sekine, Ivan Poupyrev
  • Publication number: 20060028095
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric composite device including: a feeding electrode; a common electrode; a signal detecting electrode; a first piezoelectric element joined between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a second piezoelectric element joined between the common electrode and the signal detecting electrode; a predetermined voltage being supplied between the feeding electrode and the common electrode; and a force detection signal based on an external force being extracted from the detecting electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Junichi Sekine, Ivan Poupyrev
  • Publication number: 20050057527
    Abstract: An information display device (1A) comprises a touch panel (TP), an information display panel (LCD) located under the touch panel (TP) and four strip-like piezoelectric elements (E), which are caused to be vibrated and displaced by pressing force generated when the touch panel (TP) is pressed, being disposed at the outer peripheral portion of the touch panel (TP), wherein both end portions of each strip-like piezoelectric element (E) are supported by surface-like holders (112A, 112B) with twist resilient deformation structures and a rotary shaft (113) so that each strip-like piezoelectric element (E) may not be disturbed from being vibrated and displaced. In this touch panel type information device, both end portions of a plurality of strip-like piezoelectric elements are supported by the supporting member having the holders with the twist resilient deformation structure which do not disturb both end portions of the strip-like piezoelectric elements from being vibrated and displaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Takenaka, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20030174121
    Abstract: A haptic display includes at least one haptic device that can give tactile feedback instead of visible feedback. Each of the haptic devices converts a signal from a signal producing unit into force or tactile pattern. The haptic device does not require a large mass, so that it can be provided on almost any portion or part within the body of a mobile apparatus. For example, the haptic device can be embedded under a touch panel display that constitutes both input and output device. By providing the haptic devices under respective menu/function button areas displayed on the touch panel display, it is possible to stimulate the specific button in response to the user-input-operation, thereby directly providing the tactile feedback to the user's finger touching the corresponding button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Poupyrev, Junichi Rekimoto, Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6477448
    Abstract: A force feed back supply apparatus having a force feed back supply unit which is held by or mounted on an operator, and a force feed back generating unit for providing the force feed back supply unit with the load corresponding to an operation or the like of the operator, includes a clutch mechanism interposed between the force feed back supply unit and the force feed back generating unit; detector for detecting the position and orientation (attitude) of the force feed back supply unit with respect to the force feed back generating unit; and a controller for controlling the force feed back generating unit on the basis of the detection result of the detector, wherein when a force feed back is supplied, the clutch mechanism is set to be coupled between the force feed back supply unit and the force feed back generating unit, and when no force feed back is supplied, the clutch mechanism is set to be uncoupled between the force feed back supply unit and the force feed back generating unit and the controller contro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeaki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5437359
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for feeding a printed wiring board automatically sets a feeding stroke with respect to different types of printed wiring boards and sequentially feeds the boards. In the apparatus for sequentially feeding a printed wiring board to a predetermined position, a sensor is provided for detecting information on the printed wiring board including the size, shape, color, and type of the printed wiring board, whereby a feeding stroke with respect to each of the printed wiring boards is set based upon the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Maruyama, Yukio Kawazu