Patents by Inventor Tomohiro Hirakawa

Tomohiro Hirakawa 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: 11928271
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method comprises: obtaining, by a processing system and using a set of rotation electrodes that interact with the knob interface, first resulting signals and second resulting signals; determining, by the processing system, an initial state of the knob interface using the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals; obtaining, by the processing system and using the set of rotation electrodes, third resulting signals indicating a first rotational state of the knob interface, based at least in part on the knob interface being rotated from the initial state to the first rotational state; determining, by the processing system, the rotational direction of the knob interface using the first resulting signals, the second resulting signals, and the third resulting signals; and adjusting, by the processing system, a setting using the determined rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Kelvin Fong, Tomohiro Hirakawa, Yan-Ju Du
  • Publication number: 20240069671
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, one or more embodiments relate to an input device that includes a proximity sensing panel including sensor electrodes, and a proximity sensing circuit. The proximity sensing circuit configured to receive an indication of a transition from a first image refresh rate to a second image refresh rate, wherein the first image refresh rate is greater than a beacon signal rate and the second image refresh rate is equal to or lower than the beacon signal rate. The proximity sensing panel is also configured to align transmitting a beacon signal on the proximity sensing panel to a non-refresh period corresponding to the second refresh rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Masaaki Shiomura, Hirokazu Hatayama, Makoto Takeuchi, Takayuki Noto, Nobukazu Tanaka, Daisuke Ito, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20240069655
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method comprises: obtaining, by a processing system and using a set of rotation electrodes that interact with the knob interface, first resulting signals and second resulting signals; determining, by the processing system, an initial state of the knob interface using the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals; obtaining, by the processing system and using the set of rotation electrodes, third resulting signals indicating a first rotational state of the knob interface, based at least in part on the knob interface being rotated from the initial state to the first rotational state; determining, by the processing system, the rotational direction of the knob interface using the first resulting signals, the second resulting signals, and the third resulting signals; and adjusting, by the processing system, a setting using the determined rotational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kelvin Fong, Tomohiro Hirakawa, Yan-Ju Du
  • Publication number: 20240019947
    Abstract: A rotatable knob system includes: a panel comprising a plurality of sensor electrodes; and a rotatable knob interface comprising a rotary wheel and a fixed base, wherein the fixed base comprises knob sensing electrodes and a ground pad. The knob sensing electrodes of the fixed base are disposed over the knob sensing electrodes of the plurality of sensor electrodes of the panel, and the ground pad is disposed over reference electrodes of the panel. The panel comprises a plurality of traces which connect the knob sensing electrodes of the panel to a processing system, and the plurality of traces connecting the knob sensing electrodes of the panel to the processing system do not overlap with the reference electrodes of the panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Tomohiro Hirakawa, Nobukazu Tanaka, Takayuki Noto
  • Patent number: 11861103
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, one or more embodiments relate to an input device that includes a proximity sensing panel including sensor electrodes, and a proximity sensing circuit. The proximity sensing circuit is configured to determine that an image refresh rate to an equal or lower frequency than a beacon signal rate. The input-display device is configured to align transmitting a beacon signal on proximity sensing panel to during non-refresh period of a display or perform an additional image refresh frame on the display panel immediately before a next Vsync signal and a corresponding non-refresh period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Masaaki Shiomura, Hirokazu Hatayama, Makoto Takeuchi, Takayuki Noto, Nobukazu Tanaka, Daisuke Ito, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20230325027
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, one or more embodiments relate to an input device that includes a proximity sensing panel including sensor electrodes, and a proximity sensing circuit. The proximity sensing circuit is configured to determine that an image refresh rate to an equal or lower frequency than a beacon signal rate. The input-display device is configured to align transmitting a beacon signal on proximity sensing panel to during non-refresh period of a display or perform an additional image refresh frame on the display panel immediately before a next Vsync signal and a corresponding non-refresh period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Masaaki Shiomura, Hirokazu Hatayama, Makoto Takeuchi, Takayuki Noto, Nobukazu Tanaka, Daisuke Ito, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 11335295
    Abstract: A processing system includes a timing controller and source driver circuitry. The timing controller is configured to stop scanning of a plurality of gate lines of a display panel in response to a detection of a communication failure between the processing system and a controller. The source driver circuitry is configured to update a plurality of display elements of the display panel to cause a black display in response to expiration of a time limit after the detection of the communication failure. The timing controller may be further configured to resume the scanning of the plurality of gate lines in response to the expiration of the time limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Tomohiro Hirakawa, Takayuki Noto, Masaaki Shiomura, Hirokazu Hatayama, Yoriaki Miyoshi, Keiichi Yoshida, Hiroshi Shimura
  • Patent number: 11329566
    Abstract: A DC power supply circuit includes a voltage regulator circuit, a transformer including a primary winding, a transistor connected to the primary winding and alternately repeating switching on and off of a current, a rectifier circuit connected to a secondary winding and converting a voltage output from the secondary winding into a DC voltage, and a control circuit for controlling an on/off duty ratio of the transistor according to a target voltage. When the target voltage is included in a first voltage range, the control circuit sets the duty ratio to be constant, and a transistor of the regulator circuit operates in a linear region. When the target voltage is included in a second voltage range higher than the first voltage range, the control circuit changes the duty ratio according to the target voltage, and the transistor operates in a saturation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20210288583
    Abstract: A DC power supply circuit includes a voltage regulator circuit, a transformer including a primary winding, a transistor connected to the primary winding and alternately repeating switching on and off of a current, a rectifier circuit connected to a secondary winding and converting a voltage output from the secondary winding into a DC voltage, and a control circuit for controlling an on/off duty ratio of the transistor according to a target voltage. When the target voltage is included in a first voltage range, the control circuit sets the duty ratio to be constant, and a transistor of the regulator circuit operates in a linear region. When the target voltage is included in a second voltage range higher than the first voltage range, the control circuit changes the duty ratio according to the target voltage, and the transistor operates in a saturation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventor: Tomohiro HIRAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10372248
    Abstract: The semiconductor device is intended for connection with an in-cell type display touch panel having a plurality of common electrodes, a reference voltage for display is applied to the common electrodes in a display drive period, and the common electrodes serve as sensor electrodes in a touch detection period. The semiconductor device includes a DC level shift circuit operable to shift the DC level of a toggle signal output by a toggle drive circuit to the reference voltage. The semiconductor device supplies the reference voltage to the common electrodes of the display touch panel in the display drive period, and performs a guarding action in which at least a part of the plurality of common electrodes is supplied with a toggle signal shifted in DC level in the touch detection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kazuya Endo, Shinobu Nohtomi, Nobukazu Tanaka, Tomohiro Hirakawa, Hiroshi Takeyama, Takayuki Noto, Petr Shepelev
  • Publication number: 20180107309
    Abstract: The semiconductor device is intended for connection with an in-cell type display touch panel having a plurality of common electrodes, a reference voltage for display is applied to the common electrodes in a display drive period, and the common electrodes serve as sensor electrodes in a touch detection period. The semiconductor device includes a DC level shift circuit operable to shift the DC level of a toggle signal output by a toggle drive circuit to the reference voltage. The semiconductor device supplies the reference voltage to the common electrodes of the display touch panel in the display drive period, and performs a guarding action in which at least a part of the plurality of common electrodes is supplied with a toggle signal shifted in DC level in the touch detection period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuya ENDO, Shinobu NOHTOMI, Nobukazu TANAKA, Tomohiro HIRAKAWA, Hiroshi TAKEYAMA, Takayuki NOTO, Petr SHEPELEV
  • Patent number: 9518384
    Abstract: A flush toilet includes: a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a rim spout portion configured to spout flush water to form a swirl flow which swirlingly flows along the inner peripheral surface; a drainage conduit having an inlet connecting with the recess to discharge waste therethrough, wherein the waste-receiving surface of the bowl portion is composed of a left waste-receiving sub-surface and a right waste-receiving sub-surface defined, respectively, on both sided of a center line with respect to a lateral direction of the bowl portion, the left waste-receiving sub-surface and the right waste-receiving sub-surface are formed, respectively, in different shapes in a front region of the bowl portion so as to allow flush water spouted from the rim spout portion to form a major stream which flows from a front end of the bowl portion into the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shu Kashirajima, Tomohiro Hirakawa, Masaki Kitamura, Yuki Shinohara, Yuki Shimokawa
  • Patent number: 9359753
    Abstract: A flush toilet which including a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a water spouting portion for spouting the flush water forwardly; and a drainage conduit. The recess of the bowl portion has a bottom below a pooled water level, and a wall surface connecting between the bottom and a lower edge of the waste-receiving surface, wherein the bottom of the recess has a front bottom surface and a rear bottom surface. The bowl portion is configured to allow flush water to form a major stream which is directed to flow from an front end of the bowl portion toward the inlet of the drainage conduit, and the rear bottom surface of the bottom is configured to allow a part of the major stream to collide therewith, and then guide the collided major stream to a front region inside the drainage conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Hirakawa, Masaki Kitamura, Shu Kashirajima, Yuki Shinohara, Koji Kamei
  • Patent number: 9157225
    Abstract: A flush toilet which includes: a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a first rim spout portion which spouts flush water toward a front end of the bowl portion so as to form a swirl flow; and a second rim spout portion which spouts flush water so as to form a swirl flow having a same flow direction as that of the swirl flow formable by the first rim spout portion. The bowl portion is configured to allow flush water spouted from the first rim spout portion to form a major stream which flows from the front end of the bowl portion into the recess, and allow flush water spouted from the second rim spout portion to flow into the recess from a lateral side of the bowl portion and then merge with the major stream M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shu Kashirajima, Tomohiro Hirakawa, Masaki Kitamura, Yuki Shinohara, Koji Kamei
  • Publication number: 20150275494
    Abstract: A flush toilet includes: a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a rim spout portion configured to spout flush water to form a swirl flow which swirlingly flows along the inner peripheral surface; a drainage conduit having an inlet connecting with the recess to discharge waste therethrough, wherein the waste-receiving surface of the bowl portion is composed of a left waste-receiving sub-surface and a right waste-receiving sub-surface defined, respectively, on both sided of a center line with respect to a lateral direction of the bowl portion, the left waste-receiving sub-surface and the right waste-receiving sub-surface are formed, respectively, in different shapes in a front region of the bowl portion so as to allow flush water spouted from the rim spout portion to form a major stream which flows from a front end of the bowl portion into the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Shu KASHIRAJIMA, Tomohiro HIRAKAWA, Masaki KITAMURA, Yuki SHINOHARA, Yuki SHIMOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150082531
    Abstract: A flush toilet which includes: a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a first rim spout portion which spouts flush water toward a front end of the bowl portion so as to form a swirl flow; and a second rim spout portion which spouts flush water so as to form a swirl flow having a same flow direction as that of the swirl flow formable by the first rim spout portion. The bowl portion is configured to allow flush water spouted from the first rim spout portion to form a major stream which flows from the front end of the bowl portion into the recess, and allow flush water spouted from the second rim spout portion to flow into the recess from a lateral side of the bowl portion and then merge with the major stream M.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shu KASHIRAJIMA, Tomohiro HIRAKAWA, Masaki KITAMURA, Yuki SHINOHARA, Koji KAMEI
  • Publication number: 20140289947
    Abstract: A flush toilet which including a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a water spouting portion for spouting the flush water forwardly; and a drainage conduit. The recess of the bowl portion has a bottom below a pooled water level, and a wall surface connecting between the bottom and a lower edge of the waste-receiving surface, wherein the bottom of the recess has a front bottom surface and a rear bottom surface. The bowl portion is configured to allow flush water to form a major stream which is directed to flow from an front end of the bowl portion toward the inlet of the drainage conduit, and the rear bottom surface of the bottom is configured to allow a part of the major stream to collide therewith, and then guide the collided major stream to a front region inside the drainage conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro HIRAKAWA, Masaki KITAMURA, Shu KASHIRAJIMA, Yuki SHINOHARA, Koji KAMEI
  • Patent number: 8640272
    Abstract: A flush toilet bowl includes: a bowl portion including a pooling portion in communication with a drain conduit; a rim surface provided above the bowl portion; and a first slit opening configured to spout flush water supplied through a first conduit toward the bowl portion and to spout the supplied flush water in a generally tangential direction of the rim surface, thereby generating a swirling flow flowing forward near a boundary between the rim surface and the bowl portion. A slit opening shape in a cross section generally perpendicular to a flow direction of water flow spouted from the first slit opening is horizontally flattened. There is provided a flush toilet bowl capable of minimizing the overhang of the rim portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toto Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Morita, Toshifumi Yoneda, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20100186158
    Abstract: A flush toilet bowl includes: a bowl portion including a pooling portion in communication with a drain conduit; a rim surface provided above the bowl portion; and a first slit opening configured to spout flush water supplied through a first conduit toward the bowl portion and to spout the supplied flush water in a generally tangential direction of the rim surface, thereby generating a swirling flow flowing forward near a boundary between the rim surface and the bowl portion. A slit opening shape in a cross section generally perpendicular to a flow direction of water flow spouted from the first slit opening is horizontally flattened. There is provided a flush toilet bowl capable of minimizing the overhang of the rim portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Morita, Toshifumi Yoneda, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 7325258
    Abstract: Providing a flush toilet wherein the amount of water supplied to the jet hole and the amount of water supplied to the rim section are independently controlled. The present invention is a flush toilet (1) for supplying flushwater from a flushwater tank, the flush toilet comprising a bowl section (2) at the bottom portion of which is formed a jet hole; a jet flushwater tank (10) for storing flushwater to be supplied from the jet hole; a jet drain valve (14) disposed on the jet flushwater tank; a jet water conduit (18) for conducting flushwater which has passed through the jet drain valve to the jet hole; a rim section (4) disposed on the upper portion of the bowl section; a rim flushwater tank (8) for storing flushwater supplied to the rim section; a rim drain valve (12) disposed on the rim flushwater tank; and a rim water conduit (16) for conducting flushwater passed through the rim drain valve to the rim section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoji Asada, Toshifumi Yoneda, Tomohiro Hirakawa