Patents by Inventor Tomoaki Hirai

Tomoaki Hirai 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: 11908625
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a multilayer body including stacked ceramic layers, internal conductive layers stacked on the ceramic layers, first and second main surfaces opposing each other in a height direction, first and second side surfaces opposing each other in a width direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the height direction, and first and second end surfaces opposing each other in a length direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the height direction and the width direction, and external electrodes connected to the internal conductive layers. The internal conductive layers include holes having a different area equivalent diameter. When an area equivalent diameter in which a cumulative value in a cumulative distribution of area equivalent diameters of the holes in each of the internal conductive layers becomes about 99% is defined as an area equivalent diameter D99, the area equivalent diameter D99 is about 8.0 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoaki Hirai
  • Publication number: 20220406528
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a multilayer body including stacked ceramic layers, internal conductive layers stacked on the ceramic layers, and external electrodes each connected to the internal conductive layers. The internal conductive layers each include holes each having a different area equivalent diameter. The holes include first holes including ceramic pillars therein and second holes not including ceramic pillars therein. The ceramic pillars connect ceramic layers on sides of the internal conductive layers. When an area equivalent diameter in which a cumulative value in a cumulative distribution of area equivalent diameters of the holes existing in each of the internal conductive layers is 90% is defined as an area equivalent diameter D90, an abundance ratio of the first holes in a first population including holes each having the area equivalent diameter D90 or more is about 14% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventor: Tomoaki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20220406527
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a multilayer body including stacked ceramic layers, internal conductive layers stacked on the ceramic layers, and external electrodes each connected to the internal conductive layers. The internal conductive layers each include holes each having different shapes and area equivalent diameters. When an area equivalent diameter in which a cumulative value in a cumulative distribution of area equivalent diameters of the holes existing in each of the internal conductive layers is about 90% is defined as an area equivalent diameter D90, an average value of circularity of the holes in a first population including holes each having the area equivalent diameter D90 or more is about 0.7 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventor: Tomoaki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20220012978
    Abstract: A gaming machine that provides an operation unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The operation unit receives an operation of a player. The display unit displays a rotating selector device including a plurality of cells arranged in a grid. The grid has a column and a plurality of rows. A reel strip having a plurality of segments is associated with the column. Each segment has a plurality of segment symbol positions. Each segment symbol position having an associated symbol. During a game, the control unit displays and rotates the selector device and establishes a stop segment based on the timing of player input. The control unit select a symbol position of the stop segment to establish an outcome of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Yuji Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10970958
    Abstract: A gaming machine that provides an operation unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The operation unit receives an operation of a player. The display unit displays a rotating selector device including a plurality of cells arranged in a grid. The grid has a column and a plurality of rows. A reel strip having a plurality of segments is associated with the column. Each segment has a plurality of segment symbol positions. Each segment symbol position having an associated symbol. During a game, the control unit displays and rotates the selector device and establishes a stop segment based on the timing of player input. The control unit select a symbol position of the stop segment to establish an outcome of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Yuji Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10726679
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing a skill-based wagering game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine a processor programmed to initiate a skill contest game and display a skill contest game on a display device, and determine a number of skill events being included in the skill contest game. Each skill event includes an image being displayed in a corresponding user input button for a predefined event time period. The processor determines a reference point total as a function of the number of skill events, and determines a normalized skill game point total based on the total amount of base points and the reference point total, determines an award as a function of the normalized skill game point total, and adjusts the credit balance based on the award.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Konami Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Patent number: 10699533
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing a skill-based wagering game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine includes a controller programmed to display the skill-based wagering game on a display device, receive a signal indicating a wager being received from the player, and initiate the skill-based wagering game. The controller generates a skill event associated with the skill-based wagering game and randomly selects a skill event record associated with the skill event from a database. The controller receives a player's selection input from a user input device in response to the displayed skill event, determines a player skill level value based on the received player's selection, determines an award value included in the selected skill event record based on the player skill level value; and adjusts the credit balance based on the determined award value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Konami Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Patent number: 10497944
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack has a surface from which via conductors for drawing a current are exposed. Collector plates are disposed on the surfaces of the fuel cell stack so that one main surface of the collector plates faces the via conductors. Fixing plates are fixed to the collector plates. Spacers are disposed between the fuel cell stack and the fixing plates. An adhesive fixes the fixing plates to the fuel cell stack through the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., TOKYO GAS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Tomoshige, Tomoaki Hirai, Yasuhiro Sayo, Takuya Ito, Takuto Kushi, Toru Hatae
  • Patent number: 10453310
    Abstract: A gaming system for providing a tournament skill-based game to players is described herein. The gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines including a host gaming machine and a plurality of node gaming machines. Each of the plurality of gaming machines is configured to provide a skill-based game to a player. The host gaming machine is configured to transmit a data file to each participating node gaming machine indicating the selected musical soundtrack, the associated number of skill events, and the associated sequential display pattern. The host gaming machine is configured to transmit an initiation signal to each participating node gaming machine causing each participating node gaming machine to initiate the tournament skill game in coordination with the host gaming machine. Each participating gaming machine simultaneously conducts a round of the tournament skill game including displaying the skill events in the sequential display pattern with the selected musical soundtrack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto, Shoki Kogure
  • Publication number: 20190188974
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing a skill-based wagering game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine includes a controller programmed to display the skill-based wagering game on a display device, receive a signal indicating a wager being received from the player, and initiate the skill-based wagering game. The controller generates a skill event associated with the skill-based wagering game and randomly selects a skill event record associated with the skill event from a database. The controller receives a player's selection input from a user input device in response to the displayed skill event, determines a player skill level value based on the received player's selection, determines an award value included in the selected skill event record based on the player skill level value; and adjusts the credit balance based on the determined award value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Publication number: 20190102998
    Abstract: A gaming system for providing a tournament skill-based game to players is described herein. The gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines including a host gaming machine and a plurality of node gaming machines. Each of the plurality of gaming machines is configured to provide a skill-based game to a player. The host gaming machine is configured to transmit a data file to each participating node gaming machine indicating the selected musical soundtrack, the associated number of skill events, and the associated sequential display pattern. The host gaming machine is configured to transmit an initiation signal to each participating node gaming machine causing each participating node gaming machine to initiate the tournament skill game in coordination with the host gaming machine. Each participating gaming machine simultaneously conducts a round of the tournament skill game including displaying the skill events in the sequential display pattern with the selected musical soundtrack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto, Shoki Kogure
  • Publication number: 20190096193
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing a skill-based wagering game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine a processor programmed to initiate a skill contest game and display a skill contest game on a display device, and determine a number of skill events being included in the skill contest game. Each skill event includes an image being displayed in a corresponding user input button for a predefined event time period. The processor determines a reference point total as a function of the number of skill events, and determines a normalized skill game point total based on the total amount of base points and the reference point total, determines an award as a function of the normalized skill game point total, and adjusts the credit balance based on the award.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Patent number: 10121328
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing a skill-based wagering game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine includes a controller programmed to display the skill-based wagering game on a display device, receive a signal indicating a wager being received from the player, and initiate the skill-based wagering game. The controller generates a skill event associated with the skill-based wagering game and randomly selects a skill event record associated with the skill event from a database. The controller receives a player's selection input from a user input device in response to the displayed skill event, determines a player skill level value based on the received player's selection, determines an award value included in the selected skill event record based on the player skill level value; and adjusts the credit balance based on the determined award value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Patent number: 10019873
    Abstract: A game machine is provided with a center unit which holds a lottery to select at least one option from a plurality of options by a relative movement between a roulette ring having a plurality of pockets corresponding respectively to the plurality of options and a ball and a center monitor which makes predetermined effects to a lottery in the center unit. The game machine controls the center monitor so as to make the effects when a temporal condition which is a lapse of a predetermined time after the lottery is started and a positional condition under which a JP pocket corresponding to a specific option among the plurality of options and the ball are in a predetermined positional relationship are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Masato Okuaki, Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Publication number: 20180075692
    Abstract: A gaming machine that provides an operation unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The operation unit receives an operation of a player. The display unit displays a rotating selector device including a plurality of cells arranged in a grid. The grid has a column and a plurality of rows. A reel strip having a plurality of segments is associated with the column. Each segment has a plurality of segment symbol positions. Each segment symbol position having an associated symbol. During a game, the control unit displays and rotates the selector device and establishes a stop segment based on the timing of player input. The control unit select a symbol position of the stop segment to establish an outcome of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Yuji Taniguchi
  • Publication number: 20180075707
    Abstract: A gaming machine for providing a skill-based wagering game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine includes a controller programmed to display the skill-based wagering game on a display device, receive a signal indicating a wager being received from the player, and initiate the skill-based wagering game. The controller generates a skill event associated with the skill-based wagering game and randomly selects a skill event record associated with the skill event from a database. The controller receives a player's selection input from a user input device in response to the displayed skill event, determines a player skill level value based on the received player's selection, determines an award value included in the selected skill event record based on the player skill level value; and adjusts the credit balance based on the determined award value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hirai, Toru Omoto
  • Publication number: 20170162879
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack has a surface from which via conductors for drawing a current are exposed. Collector plates are disposed on the surfaces of the fuel cell stack so that one main surface of the collector plates faces the via conductors. Fixing plates are fixed to the collector plates. Spacers are disposed between the fuel cell stack and the fixing plates. An adhesive fixes the fixing plates to the fuel cell stack through the spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: YOSUKE TOMOSHIGE, Tomoaki Hirai, Yasuhiro Sayo, Takuya Ito, Takuto Kushi, Toru Hatae
  • Patent number: 9653739
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells, which includes preparing an electrical connection material, preparing a stacked body by stacking a plurality of power generation cells with the electrical connection material interposed therebetween, and firing the stacked body while applying pressure on the stacked body in a direction of stacking the power generation cells. The electrical connection material includes a ceramic porous layer and a ceramic dense layer stacked on the ceramic porous layer, the ceramic dense layer having a porosity lower than a porosity of the ceramic porous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakamura, Tomoaki Hirai
  • Patent number: 9619971
    Abstract: A game machine includes a roulette game unit that selects at least one of pockets each of which is associated with a predetermined privilege by a lottery using motion of a ball, and uses a lottery result of the roulette game unit for provision of the predetermined privilege so that a predetermined privilege associated with a pocket selected by the roulette game unit is provided. And, the game machine stops the provision of the predetermined privilege using the lottery result of the roulette game unit when the roulette game unit satisfies a predetermined stop condition, selects at least one of ball images each of which is associated with the predetermined privilege by an electronic lottery using a video lottery screen, and provides a predetermined privilege associated with a ball image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KONAMI GAMING, INC.
    Inventors: Masato Okuaki, Masao Mizoguchi, Tomoaki Hirai
  • Publication number: 20160197359
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, a metallic layer disposed between adjacent fuel cells, a first conductive material layer disposed between the metallic layer and a first fuel cell of the adjacent fuel cells so as to electrically connect the metallic layer and the first fuel cell, and a second conductive material layer disposed between the metallic layer and a second fuel cell of the adjacent fuel cells so as to electrically connect the metallic layer and the second fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: YOSUKE TOMOSHIGE, Kimihiro Mizukami, Tomoaki Hirai