Patents by Inventor Taro Funamoto

Taro Funamoto 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: 20110007050
    Abstract: When displaying moving images by using liquid crystal panels and others, a problem exists in that tail streaks occur, and image degradation is resultantly caused. To solve this problem, an echo suppression circuit divides a video signal into a pair composed of two successive frames for comparison between these two frames in signal level for the purpose of suppressing an echo phenomenon occurring when a liquid crystal panel displays video signals including moving images. If these two frames are not the same in signal level, the signal is accordingly corrected so as to equalize the signal level of these frames. Based on the video signals and others corrected by the echo suppression circuit, a controller operates the liquid crystal panel with AC drive through a source driver and a gate driver. As such, the drive voltage used to operate the liquid crystal panel with AC drive is adjusted so as to be balanced between positive and negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Ichiro SATO, Katsuhiko KUMAGAWA, Kazuo INOUE, Taro FUNAMOTO, Wataru MACHIDORI, Katsuyuki ARIMOTO
  • Patent number: 7450101
    Abstract: A signal converting section increases a transfer rate of an input image signal to be supplied to a liquid crystal panel and, at the same time, also inserts a non-image signal for applying a predetermined voltage to liquid-crystal cells in a space of the input image signal and supplies it as a picture-element signal to a source driver. To each picture cell, an input image signal and a non-image signal are sequentially written with positive or negative polarity. For all picture elements, after the input image signal is written, the non-image signal equal in polarity to the input image signal is always written. Furthermore, after the non-image signal is written, an image signal opposite in polarity to the non-image signal is always written. Thus, when an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel in OCB mode, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of back transition and carry out image display evenly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Arimoto, Yoshihito Ohta, Takahiro Kobayashi, Taro Funamoto, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Kenji Nakao, Seiji Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7414608
    Abstract: An image display apparatus and method provided for visually improving a sense of contrast by adjusting contrast and a light source to have a correlation. A characteristics detection part detects MAX, MIN, and APL (average) of an input signal. A control data generation part calculates Gain for amplifying a difference between MAX and MIN to a width of a dynamic range and Offset indicating the DC level to be shifted so that the input video signal amplified by Gain falls within the output dynamic range of a DC level adjustment part. A signal amplitude adjustment part amplifies the input video signal with reference to APL and in accordance with Gain. The DC level adjustment part shifts the DC level of the amplified input video signal in accordance with a value of Offset. A light source control part controls a light source so that a visual brightness level on a screen is equal to a brightness level of the input video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Takahiro Kobayashi, Yoshihito Ota, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Patent number: 7265743
    Abstract: An image display apparatus and method are provided for visually improving a sense of contrast by adjusting contrast and a light source to have a correlation. A characteristics detection part detects MAX, MIN, and APL (average) of an input signal. A control data generation part calculates Gain for amplifying a difference between MAX and MIN to a width of a dynamic range and Offset indicating the DC level to be shifted so that the input video signal amplified by Gain falls within the output dynamic range of a DC level adjustment part. A signal amplitude adjustment part amplifies the input video signal with reference to APL and in accordance with Gain. The DC level adjustment part shifts the DC level of the amplified input video signal in accordance with a value of Offset. A light source control part controls a light source so that a visual brightness level on a screen is equal to a brightness level of the input video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Takahiro Kobayashi, Yoshihito Ota, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Patent number: 7265741
    Abstract: An EPG extraction portion extracts EPG information; a program type decision portion decides the type of broadcast program using the extracted EPG information, and outputs a ratio modification signal to change the ratio of the image display interval to the black display interval according to the program type; a driving pulse generation portion generates a gate driver control signal which changes the write timing of a frequency-doubled image signal and frequency-doubled black display signal in one field interval, according to the ratio modification signal; and, a gate driver changes the write timing of the frequency-doubled image signal and frequency-doubled black display signal according to the gate driver control signal, to change the ratio of the image display interval to the black display interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kumamoto, Taro Funamoto
  • Patent number: 7256837
    Abstract: In a baseband video transmission system for transmission of a video signal at a baseband based on the DVI standard, a transmitting device multiplexes a data signal representing data other than video during at least one blanking period of component video signals of the video signal to generate a DVI signal. A receiving device receives the DVI signal, and extracts the data signal from the received DVI signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Nio, Taro Funamoto
  • Publication number: 20070063944
    Abstract: When displaying moving images by using liquid crystal panels and others, a problem exists in that tail streaks occur, and image degradation is resultantly caused. To solve this problem, an echo suppression circuit divides a video signal into a pair composed of two successive frames for comparison between these two frames in signal level for the purpose of suppressing an echo phenomenon occurring when a liquid crystal panel displays video signals including moving images. If these two frames are not the same in signal level, the signal is accordingly corrected so as to equalize the signal level of these frames. Based on the video signals and others corrected by the echo suppression circuit, a controller operates the liquid crystal panel with AC drive through a source driver and a gate driver. As such, the drive voltage used to operate the liquid crystal panel with AC drive is adjusted so as to be balanced between positive and negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Ichiro Sato, Katsuhiko Kumagawa, Kazuo Inoue, Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Patent number: 7173609
    Abstract: When displaying moving images by using liquid crystal panels and others, a problem exists in that tail streaks occur, and image degradation is resultantly caused. To solve this problem, an echo suppression circuit divides a video signal into a pair composed of two successive frames for comparison between these two frames in signal level for the purpose of suppressing an echo phenomenon occurring when a liquid crystal panel displays video signals including moving images. If these two frames are not the same in signal level, the signal is accordingly corrected so as to equalize the signal level of these frames. Based on the video signals and others corrected by the echo suppression circuit, a controller operates the liquid crystal panel with AC drive through a source driver and a gate driver. As such, the drive voltage used to operate the liquid crystal panel with AC drive is adjusted so as to be balanced between positive and negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Sato, Katsuhiko Kumagawa, Kazuo Inoue, Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Patent number: 7119785
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is provided with a detecting section (108) for detecting a value of a parameter that causes fluctuations in a back transition occurrence condition; a calculating section (106) for determining, in accordance with the detection value of the detecting section, at least one of a ratio of an time period of applying a high voltage with respect to one frame period, the high voltage being applied to the liquid crystal panel in order to prevent back transition, a magnitude of the high voltage, and an applied voltage corresponding to white display; and a controller (104) for alternately outputting a video signal and a non-image signal for applying the high voltage and driving the liquid crystal panel on a condition in accordance with the determination result of the calculating section. With this, it is possible to always display video irrespectively of fluctuation in the back transition occurrence condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LTD
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Arimoto, Yoshihito Ohta, Takahiro Kobayashi, Tsugio Murao, Taro Funamoto
  • Patent number: 7106294
    Abstract: A doubler part doubles frequencies of video signals. A drive control circuit generates, in response to a synchronizing signal outputted from the doubler part, PWM dimming frequency information such that a PWM dimming frequency f and a black display ratio B satisfy the relationships f?25B+250 and B>10, and provides such information to a PWM dimming signal generation circuit. In addition, the drive control circuit drives a gate driver and a source driver such that one frame period is divided into an image display period and a black display period. The PWM dimming signal generation circuit generates, in response to a synchronizing signal and the PWM dimming frequency information, a PWM dimming signal and provides the PWM dimming signal to a lighting circuit. The lighting circuit activates a backlight device with dimming, in response to the PWM dimming signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LTD
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kumamoto, Taro Funamoto, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Patent number: 7095396
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device capable of suppressing the occurrence of a back transition in OCB cells and displaying excellent images as well as a driving method thereof are provided. One frame period has a first period P1 for writing a signal for initializing the state of a liquid crystal in pixel cells and a second period for writing pixel data in correspondence with an image signal in pixel cells, and a voltage level to be applied to each pixel cell is set in the first period such that each pixel cell retains a voltage Vsup higher than that in the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Ohta, Katsuyuki Arimoto, Takahiro Kobayashi, Taro Funamoto
  • Publication number: 20060077157
    Abstract: A signal converting section increases a transfer rate of an input image signal to be supplied to a liquid crystal panel and, at the same time, also inserts a non-image signal for applying a predetermined voltage to liquid-crystal cells in a space of the input image signal and supplies it as a picture-element signal to a source driver. To each picture cell, an input image signal and a non-image signal are sequentially written with positive or negative polarity. For all picture elements, after the input image signal is written, the non-image signal equal in polarity to the input image signal is always written. Furthermore, after the non-image signal is written, an image signal opposite in polarity to the non-image signal is always written. Thus, when an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel in OCB mode, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of back transition and carry out image display evenly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Arimoto, Yoshihito Ohta, Takahiro Kobayashi, Taro Funamoto, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Kenji Nakao, Seiji Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6989812
    Abstract: A signal converting section increases a transfer rate of an input image signal to be supplied to a liquid crystal panel and, at the same time, also inserts a non-image signal for applying a predetermined voltage to liquid-crystal cells in space of the input image signal and supplies it as a picture-element signal to a source driver. To each picture cell, an input image signal and a non-image signal are sequentially written with positive or negative polarity. For all picture elements, after the input image signal is written, the non-image signal equal in polarity to the input image signal is always written. Furthermore, after the non-image signal is written, an image signal opposite in polarity to the non-image signal is always written. Thus, when an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel in OCB mode, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of back transition and carry out image display evenly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Arimoto, Yoshihito Ohta, Takahiro Kobayashi, Taro Funamoto, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Kenji Nakao, Seiji Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6980225
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus that uses a backlight for display includes a video signal time compression circuit for compressing a video signal in the time axis direction and outputting the time-compressed video signal, an LCD controller for driving a liquid crystal panel based on the time-compressed video signal, and a source driver and a gate driver. The liquid crystal display apparatus also includes a motion detection circuit for detecting the amount of motion of a display image based on the video signal, a PWM modulation pulse generation circuit for generating modulation pulses different in frequency according to the detection result from the motion detection circuit, and an inverter for lighting up the backlight based on the modulation pulses, to thereby enable reduction of image contour blurring in a moving image and reduction of flicker in a still image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Katsuyuki Arimoto, Yoshihito Ohta, Takahiro Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Kumamoto, Tetsuo Kariya
  • Publication number: 20050007389
    Abstract: A doubler part 10 doubles the frequencies of video signals. A drive control circuit 34 generates, in response to a synchronizing signal outputted from the doubler part 10, PWM dimming frequency information such that a PWM dimming frequency f and a black display ratio B satisfy the relationships and B>10, and provides such information to a PWM dimming signal generation circuit 17. In addition, the drive control circuit 34 drives a gate driver 12 and a source driver 13 in a manner such that one frame period is divided into an image display period and a black display period. The PWM dimming signal generation circuit 17 generates, in response to a synchronizing signal and the PWM dimming frequency information, a PWM dimming signal and provides the PWM dimming signal to a lighting circuit 16. The lighting circuit 16 activates a backlight device 15 with dimming, in response to the PWM dimming signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kumamoto, Taro Funamoto, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Publication number: 20040201561
    Abstract: Provided are an image display apparatus and method capable of visually improving a sense of contrast by adjusting contrast and a light source to have correlation. A characteristics detection part 11 detects MAX, MIN, and APL of an input signal. A control data generation part 12 calculates Gain for amplifying a difference between MAX and MIN to a width of a dynamic range and Offset indicating the DC level to be shifted so that the input video signal amplified by Gain falls with in the output dynamic range of a DC level adjustment part 13B. A signal amplitude adjustment part 13A amplifies the input video signal with reference to APL and in accordance with Gain. The DC level adjustment part 13B shifts the DC level of the amplified input video signal in accordance with a value of Offset. A light source control part 16 controls a light source 18 so that a visual brightness level on a screen is equal to a brightness level of the input video signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Takahiro Kobayashi, Yoshihito Ota, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Publication number: 20040201562
    Abstract: Provided are an image display apparatus and method capable of visually improving a sense of contrast by adjusting contrast and a light source to have correlation. A characteristics detection part 11 detects MAX, MIN, and APL of an input signal. A control data generation part 12 calculates Gain for amplifying a difference between MAX and MIN to a width of a dynamic range and Offset indicating the DC level to be shifted so that the input video signal amplified by Gain falls with in the output dynamic range of a DC level adjustment part 13B. A signal amplitude adjustment part 13A amplifies the input video signal with reference to APL and in accordance with Gain. The DC level adjustment part 13B shifts the DC level of the amplified input video signal in accordance with a value of Offset. A light source control part 16 controls a light source 18 so that a visual brightness level on a screen is equal to a brightness level of the input video signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Takahiro Kobayashi, Yoshihito Ota, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Patent number: 6795053
    Abstract: Provided are an image display apparatus and method capable of visually improving a sense of contrast by adjusting contrast and a light source to have correlation. A characteristics detection part 11 detects MAX, MIN, and APL of an input signal. A control data generation part 12 calculates Gain for amplifying a difference between MAX and MIN to a width of a dynamic range and Offset indicating the DC level to be shifted so that the input video signal amplified by Gain falls with in the output dynamic range of a DC level adjustment part 13B. A signal amplitude adjustment part 13A amplifies the input video signal with reference to APL and in accordance with Gain. The DC level adjustment part 13B shifts the DC level of the amplified input video signal in accordance with a value of Offset. A light source control part 16 controls a light source 18 so that a visual brightness level on a screen is equal to a brightness level of the input video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Funamoto, Wataru Machidori, Takahiro Kobayashi, Yoshihito Ota, Katsuyuki Arimoto
  • Publication number: 20040141094
    Abstract: An EPG extraction portion extracts EPG information; a program type decision portion decides the type of broadcast program using the extracted EPG information, and outputs a ratio modification signal to change the ratio of the image display interval to the black display interval according to the program type; a driving pulse generation portion generates a gate driver control signal which changes the write timing of a frequency-doubled image signal and frequency-doubled black display signal in one field interval, according to the ratio modification signal; and, a gate driver changes the write timing of the frequency-doubled image signal and frequency-doubled black display signal according to the gate driver control signal, to change the ratio of the image display interval to the black display interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kumamoto, Taro Funamoto
  • Publication number: 20040075635
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is provided with a detecting section (108) for detecting a value of a parameter that causes fluctuations in a back transition occurrence condition; a calculating section (106) for determining, in accordance with the detection value of the detecting section, at least one of a ratio of an time period of applying a high voltage with respect to one frame period, the high voltage being applied to the liquid crystal panel in order to prevent back transition, a magnitude of the high voltage, and an applied voltage corresponding to white display; and a controller (104) for alternately outputting a video signal and a non-image signal for applying the high voltage and driving the liquid crystal panel on a condition in accordance with the determination result of the calculating section. With this, it is possible to always display video irrespectively of fluctuation in the back transition occurrence condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Arimoto, Yoshihito Ohta, Takahiro Kobayashi, Tsugio Murao, Taro Funamoto