Patents by Inventor Tomoki Hikichi

Tomoki Hikichi 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: 9523743
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic sensor capable of identifying an individual having a high offset voltage, which is a cause of an initial defect in magnetic characteristics, and changes over time. A cross-transmission switch is provided in a changeover switch circuit which transmits to an amplifier circuit a differential signal voltage output from a Hall element, and the cross-transmission switch cross-transmits a signal in any one of a first period and a second period during which a current flowing into the Hall element is switched by a control signal from a control circuit, to thereby determine and identify a magnitude of an offset voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SII Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoki Hikichi, Minoru Ariyama
  • Patent number: 9453889
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic sensor device which maintains accuracy thereof while reducing current consumption by switching drive power of a Hall element to two drive power. A magnetic sensor device is equipped with a driving circuit which supplies power to a sensor element, a switch changeover circuit which restricts the supply of the power from the driving circuit to the sensor element, a differential amplifier circuit which performs arithmetic processing on an output signal of the sensor element, a threshold voltage generating circuit which generates a threshold voltage used in magnetism determination, a comparison circuit which compares and determines a voltage of the differential amplifier circuit and the threshold voltage, and a logic circuit which according to the output of the comparison circuit, switches the power outputted from the driving circuit, switches the threshold voltage and controls on/off of the switch changeover circuit in a constant cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takemasa Miura, Minoru Ariyama, Tomoki Hikichi, Kentaro Fukai
  • Patent number: 9453888
    Abstract: The sensor device includes: a physical quantity voltage conversion element; a differential amplifier; a first capacitor that includes one terminal connected to a first output terminal of the differential amplifier; a comparator; a low pass filter circuit arranged at the first output terminal of the differential amplifier; a control circuit configured to on/off control the physical quantity voltage conversion element, the differential amplifier, the comparator, and the low pass filter circuit; and a logic circuit configured to output a result of operation processing performed on an output signal of the comparator. The logic circuit is configured to: successively verify, in a case where there is a change between a previous logic output and a first logic output, the logic outputs a plurality of times; and output a control signal to the control circuit so that the low pass filter circuit is turned on in a second signal processing period and thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoki Hikichi, Minoru Ariyama, Kentaro Fukai, Takemasa Miura
  • Publication number: 20160258995
    Abstract: To provide a sensor device which is capable of high temperature detection using self-heat generation without providing a dedicated terminal and suppresses an increase in cost with an increase in chip occupation area due to the addition of a test pad. A sensor device is configured to include an active logic switching circuit for switching an active logic of an output driver and perform a heating inspection while switching the active logic of the output driver during an inspection process with the output driver as a heat generation source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventor: Tomoki HIKICHI
  • Patent number: 9267818
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic sensor device capable of performing signal processing at high speed with high accuracy. The magnetic sensor device includes: a plurality of Hall elements; a plurality of differential amplifiers to which the plurality of Hall elements are connected, respectively; a detection voltage setting circuit for outputting a reference voltage; and a comparator including: a plurality of differential input pairs connected to the plurality of differential amplifiers, respectively; and a differential input pair connected to the detection voltage setting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Muraoka, Minoru Ariyama, Tomoki Hikichi, Kentaro Fukai
  • Patent number: 9261569
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor device capable of removing the influence of each offset voltage of a sensor element, a differential amplifier, and an amplifier of the sensor device, to thereby detect a physical quantity with high precision and respond to high-speed operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Minoru Ariyama, Daisuke Muraoka, Tomoki Hikichi, Kentaro Fukai
  • Publication number: 20150377647
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic sensor which is reduced in power consumption without reducing magnetism detection sensitivity of a magnetoelectric transducing element. One end of a magnetoelectric transducing element is connected to an output electrode of a constant current circuit, and the other end thereof is connected to a power supply electrode on the positive side of one or plural signal processing circuits, and the like built in a magnetic sensor, whereby a connection relation of the magnetoelectric transducing element and the signal processing circuit is configured such that they are connected in series with a voltage source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Kentaro FUKAI, Minoru ARIYAMA, Tomoki HIKICHI, Takemasa MIURA
  • Publication number: 20150377983
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic sensor device which maintains accuracy thereof while reducing current consumption by switching drive power of a Hall element to two drive power. A magnetic sensor device is equipped with a driving circuit which supplies power to a sensor element, a switch changeover circuit which restricts the supply of the power from the driving circuit to the sensor element, a differential amplifier circuit which performs arithmetic processing on an output signal of the sensor element, a threshold voltage generating circuit which generates a threshold voltage used in magnetism determination, a comparison circuit which compares and determines a voltage of the differential amplifier circuit and the threshold voltage, and a logic circuit which according to the output of the comparison circuit, switches the power outputted from the driving circuit, switches the threshold voltage and controls on/off of the switch changeover circuit in a constant cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Takemasa MIURA, Minoru ARIYAMA, Tomoki HIKICHI, Kentaro FUKAI
  • Publication number: 20150276891
    Abstract: The sensor device includes: a physical quantity voltage conversion element; a differential amplifier; a first capacitor that includes one terminal connected to a first output terminal of the differential amplifier; a comparator; a low pass filter circuit arranged at the first output terminal of the differential amplifier; a control circuit configured to on/off control the physical quantity voltage conversion element, the differential amplifier, the comparator, and the low pass filter circuit; and a logic circuit configured to output a result of operation processing performed on an output signal of the comparator. The logic circuit is configured to: successively verify, in a case where there is a change between a previous logic output and a first logic output, the logic outputs a plurality of times; and output a control signal to the control circuit so that the low pass filter circuit is turned on in a second signal processing period and thereafter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoki HIKICHI, Minoru ARIYAMA, Kentaro FUKAI, Takemasa MIURA
  • Patent number: 9128127
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor device capable of removing the influence of each offset voltage of a sensor element, a differential amplifier, and an amplifier of the sensor device, to thereby detect a physical quantity with high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Minoru Ariyama, Daisuke Muraoka, Tomoki Hikichi, Kentaro Fukai
  • Publication number: 20150115942
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic sensor circuit that outputs a desired detection pulse while preventing an erroneous detection/erroneous release pulse output when a fluctuation in a power supply voltage occurs within an operating power supply voltage range. A magnetic sensor circuit is configured to include a detection circuit that detects a fluctuation in a power supply voltage or an internal power supply voltage and so as not to latch a determination output of a comparator by a latch circuit that, on the basis of a power supply fluctuation detection signal output from the detection circuit, holds the logic of a control clock signal output from an oscillation circuit for a prescribed period of time and determines the output logic of an output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoki HIKICHI, Daisuke MURAOKA, Minoru ARIYAMA, Kentaro FUKAI
  • Publication number: 20150084620
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic sensor capable of identifying an individual having a high offset voltage, which is a cause of an initial defect in magnetic characteristics, and changes over time. A cross-transmission switch is provided in a changeover switch circuit which transmits to an amplifier circuit a differential signal voltage output from a Hall element, and the cross-transmission switch cross-transmits a signal in any one of a first period and a second period during which a current flowing into the Hall element is switched by a control signal from a control circuit, to thereby determine and identify a magnitude of an offset voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoki HIKICHI, Minoru ARIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150040687
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor device capable of removing the influence of each offset voltage of a sensor element, a differential amplifier, and an amplifier of the sensor device, to thereby detect a physical quantity with high precision and respond to high-speed operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Minoru ARIYAMA, Daisuke MURAOKA, Tomoki HIKICHI, Kentaro FUKAI
  • Publication number: 20150035567
    Abstract: An output driver circuit provides an overcurrent protection function by a simple circuit configuration. The output driver circuit has a constant-current circuit, a constant-current mirror MOS transistor, and a selector circuit. The constant-current mirror MOS transistor and the output MOS transistor constitute a current mirror circuit. The gate of the output MOS transistor is controlled by a voltage based on a constant current generated by the constant-current mirror MOS transistor, thereby limiting the current flowing between the source and the drain of the output MOS transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro MITANI, Minoru ARIYAMA, Daisuke MURAOKA, Tomoki HIKICHI
  • Publication number: 20150022241
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor device capable of removing the influence of each offset voltage of a sensor element, a differential amplifier, and an amplifier of the sensor device, to thereby detect a physical quantity with high precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Minoru ARIYAMA, Daisuke MURAOKA, Tomoki HIKICHI, Kentaro FUKAI
  • Patent number: 8866474
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor device for generating a logic output in accordance with a magnetic field intensity applied to a magnetoelectric conversion element includes: a comparator for inputting amplified output signals of the magnetoelectric conversion element, and outputting a comparison result; and a logic circuit for performing arithmetic processing on an output signal of the comparator. Only when the logic output is changed by a change in the magnetic field intensity, the logic circuit performs successive matching determination of logic outputs a plurality of times. Thus, the variation in determination for detection or canceling of a magnetic field intensity, which is caused by noise generated from respective constituent elements included in the magnetic sensor device and external noise, may be reduced while suppressing electric power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke Muraoka, Minoru Ariyama, Tomoki Hikichi, Kentaro Fukai
  • Publication number: 20140232387
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic sensor device capable of performing signal processing at high speed with high accuracy. The magnetic sensor device includes: a plurality of Hall elements; a plurality of differential amplifiers to which the plurality of Hall elements are connected, respectively; a detection voltage setting circuit for outputting a reference voltage; and a comparator including: a plurality of differential input pairs connected to the plurality of differential amplifiers, respectively; and a differential input pair connected to the detection voltage setting circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke MURAOKA, Minoru ARIYAMA, Tomoki HIKICHI, Kentaro FUKAI
  • Patent number: 8502529
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic sensor device capable of suppressing a variation in determination for detection or canceling of a magnetic field intensity, which is caused by noise generated from respective constituent elements included in the magnetic sensor device and external noise, to thereby achieve high-precision magnetic reading. The magnetic sensor device includes: a first D-type flip-flop and a second D-type flip-flop each having an input terminal connected to an output terminal of a comparator; an XOR circuit having a first input terminal and a second input terminal which are connected to an output terminal of the first D-type flip-flop and an output terminal of the second D-type flip-flop, respectively; a selector circuit; and a third D-type flip-flop having an input terminal connected to an output terminal of the selector circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke Muraoka, Minoru Ariyama, Tomoki Hikichi, Manabu Fujimura
  • Patent number: 8476891
    Abstract: Provided is a constant current circuit capable of low current consumption operation, which is prevented from repeating a start-up state and a zero steady state and entering an oscillating state when power is activated. When power is activated, until a node (A) reaches a start-up state, an excitation current is continued to be supplied to a node (B), to thereby reliably start up the constant current circuit in a short period of time without repeating the start-up state and the zero steady state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoki Hikichi, Minoru Ariyama, Daisuke Muraoka, Manabu Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20130076350
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor device for generating a logic output in accordance with a magnetic field intensity applied to a magnetoelectric conversion element includes: a comparator for inputting amplified output signals of the magnetoelectric conversion element, and outputting a comparison result; and a logic circuit for performing arithmetic processing on an output signal of the comparator. Only when the logic output is changed by a change in the magnetic field intensity, the logic circuit performs successive matching determination of logic outputs a plurality of times. Thus, the variation in determination for detection or canceling of a magnetic field intensity, which is caused by noise generated from respective constituent elements included in the magnetic sensor device and external noise, may be reduced while suppressing electric power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke MURAOKA, Minoru ARIYAMA, Tomoki HIKICHI, Kentaro FUKAI