Patents by Inventor Tomoko Katsuhara
Tomoko Katsuhara 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).
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Patent number: 10234959Abstract: An input apparatus includes a conductive layer having flexibility, a capacitance-type sensor layer having a plurality of detection units, and a structure layer having a plurality of structures, a reaction force of which is non-linearly changed with respect to a pressing amount. The structure layer is disposed between the conductive layer and the sensor layer. The two or more structures are disposed in an operation area corresponding to the detection units.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2015Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroto Kawaguchi, Tomoko Katsuhara, Akira Ebisui, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yoshiaki Sakakura
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Patent number: 10175782Abstract: An input apparatus includes a conductive layer having flexibility, a plurality of structures, a reaction force of which is non-linearly changed with respect to a pressing amount, a capacitance-type sensor layer, and an intermediate layer disposed between the plurality of structures and the sensor layer. The intermediate layer has a plurality of hole portions into which the plurality of structures is pressed, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Akira Ebisui, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yoshiaki Sakakura
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Publication number: 20180348889Abstract: Provided are an input device and an electronic apparatus each including capacitive elements and being capable of allowing a plurality of information items to be separately input by simple operations. The input device includes: a capacitive element; a conductor that can be electrostatically coupled to the capacitive element; an operation portion that allows a load to be applied to the conductor; and a retaining portion that retains the conductor apart from the capacitive element. The retaining portion is capable of displacing the conductor with respect to the capacitive element in a stepwise manner in accordance with the load that is applied to the conductor through intermediation of the operation portion, and is capable of retaining the conductor at a plurality of positions with respect to the capacitive element.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2016Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: TAIZO NISHIMURA, HIROTO KAWAGUCHI, HIROSHI MIZUNO, TAKASHI ITAYA, AKIRA EBISUI, TOMOKO KATSUHARA, YOSHITERU TAKA
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Patent number: 10115543Abstract: There is provided a keyboard cover including a first sheet material having a surface including a plurality of key tops configured of roughened surfaces and a base configured of a smooth surface connecting a plurality of the key tops, a plurality of the key tops being projected from the base viewed from the surface; and a second sheet material covering a rear surface of the first sheet material and having concave parts corresponding to a plurality of the key tops viewed from the rear surface. Also provided is an electronic apparatus, including a keyboard body and the keyboard cover.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2015Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Akira Ebisui
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Patent number: 10055067Abstract: [Object] To provide a sensor device capable of detecting an operation position and a pressing force with high accuracy. [Solution] A sensor device includes a first conductor layer, an electrode substrate, and a plurality of first structural bodies configured to separate the first conductor layer from the electrode substrate. At least one of the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate has flexibility. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes intersecting the plurality of first electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a plurality of sub-electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2014Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shogo Shinkai, Kei Tsukamoto, Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Hayato Hasegawa, Fumihiko Iida, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Publication number: 20180177975Abstract: This sleep assistance apparatus includes a stimulation generation unit that generates stimulation, a user being capable of receiving the stimulation; a detection unit that detects biological information of the user; and a control unit that decides optimal stimulation on the basis of the detected biological information, and causes the stimulation generation unit to generate the optimal stimulation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2015Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: YOSHIO GOTO, TOMOKO KATSUHARA, YUKARI TSUNODA
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Publication number: 20180088709Abstract: There is provided a sensor device includes a sheet-like first conductor layer and an electrode substrate. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrode wires, a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at paired portions of the first and second electrode wires, and a sheet substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires. The sensor device also includes a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2017Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Takashi Itaya, Shogo Shinkai, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Fumihiko Iida, Hayato Hasegawa, Kei Tsukamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoko Katsuhara, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Publication number: 20180004306Abstract: A sensor is provided with a conductor layer, a sensor layer including a plurality of sensor units, and a separating layer which separates the conductor layer from the sensor layer, the sensor unit is formed of alternately arranged first and second electrode elements, and sensitivity on an outer periphery of the sensor unit is higher than the sensitivity in a central portion of the sensor unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2015Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: AKIRA EBISUI, HIROTO KAWAGUCHI, TOMOKO KATSUHARA, HIROSHI MIZUNO, TAIZO NISHIMURA
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Publication number: 20170364182Abstract: The sensor device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, an electrode substrate, a first support, and a second support. The first conductive layer is formed to be deformable sheet-shaped. The second conductive layer is disposed to be opposed to the first conductive layer. The electrode substrate includes multiple first electrode wires and multiple second electrode wires and is disposed to be deformable between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the multiple second electrode wires being disposed to be opposed to the multiple first electrode wires and intersecting with the multiple first electrode wires. The first support includes multiple first structures, the multiple first structures connecting the first conductive layer and the electrode substrate. The second support includes multiple second structures, the multiple second structures connecting the second conductive layer and the electrode substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroto Kawaguchi, Shogo Shinkai, Kei Tsukamoto, Tomoko Katsuhara, Hayato Hasegawa, Fumihiko Iida, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Publication number: 20170351339Abstract: An input apparatus includes a conductive layer having flexibility, a capacitance-type sensor layer having a plurality of detection units, and a structure layer having a plurality of structures, a reaction force of which is non-linearly changed with respect to a pressing amount. The structure layer is disposed between the conductive layer and the sensor layer. The two or more structures are disposed in an operation area corresponding to the detection units.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2015Publication date: December 7, 2017Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: HIROTO KAWAGUCHI, TOMOKO KATSUHARA, AKIRA EBISUI, TAIZO NISHIMURA, HIROSHI MIZUNO, YOSHIAKI SAKAKURA
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Publication number: 20170322647Abstract: An input apparatus includes a conductive layer having flexibility, a plurality of structures, a reaction force of which is non-linearly changed with respect to a pressing amount, a capacitance-type sensor layer, and an intermediate layer disposed between the plurality of structures and the sensor layer. The intermediate layer has a plurality of hole portions into which the plurality of structures is pressed, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2015Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: TOMOKO KATSUHARA, HIROTO KAWAGUCHI, AKIRA EBISUI, TAIZO NISHIMURA, HIROSHI MIZUNO, YOSHIAKI SAKAKURA
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Patent number: 9811226Abstract: There is provided a sensor device that includes a flexible first conductor layer and an electrode substrate. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrode wires, a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at capacitively coupled portions of the first and second electrode wires, and a flexible substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires. The sensor device also includes a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2014Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takashi Itaya, Shogo Shinkai, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Fumihiko Iida, Hayato Hasegawa, Kei Tsukamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoko Katsuhara, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Patent number: 9785297Abstract: The sensor device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, an electrode substrate, a first support, and a second support. The first conductive layer is formed to be deformable sheet-shaped. The second conductive layer is disposed to be opposed to the first conductive layer. The electrode substrate includes multiple first electrode wires and multiple second electrode wires and is disposed to be deformable between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the multiple second electrode wires being disposed to be opposed to the multiple first electrode wires and intersecting with the multiple first electrode wires. The first support includes multiple first structures, the multiple first structures connecting the first conductive layer and the electrode substrate. The second support includes multiple second structures, the multiple second structures connecting the second conductive layer and the electrode substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2013Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroto Kawaguchi, Shogo Shinkai, Kei Tsukamoto, Tomoko Katsuhara, Hayato Hasegawa, Fumihiko Iida, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Publication number: 20170211553Abstract: This actuator includes: a holder; a slider; a wire; and a pair of electrode units. The slider is slidably held by the holder. The wire is a member that is locked at the slider, the wire causing the slider to slide by contracting in at least a line length direction when being energized. One end of the wire is bonded to one of the electrode units, and the other end of the wire is bonded to the other of the electrode units.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2015Publication date: July 27, 2017Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroto Kawaguchi, Tomoko Katsuhara, Yasuhiro Watanabe
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Publication number: 20170115792Abstract: A sensor panel includes a sensor section that detects magnetic force of a contacting surface or a region in the vicinity of the contacting surface on a basis of a change in capacitance and is allowed to output a signal depending on the change in capacitance along with information on a position where the change in capacitance has occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2015Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: TAIZO NISHIMURA, HIROTO KAWAGUCHI, HIROSHI MIZUNO, SHOGO SHINKAI, FUMIHIKO IIDA, AKIRA EBISUI, KEI TSUKAMOTO, TOMOKO KATSUHARA
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Patent number: 9632637Abstract: A sensor device includes: a first sensor including a first electrode board including a plurality of first capacitive elements arranged in a matrix, a first conductor layer facing the first electrode board, a first support layer arranged between the first electrode board and the first conductor layer, the first support layer being deformable, and a first operation input surface provided on the first electrode board or the first conductor layer, the first electrode board and/or the first conductor layer being flexible; and a second sensor layered on the first sensor, the second sensor including a second electrode board including a plurality of second capacitive elements, a second conductor layer facing the second electrode board, and a second support layer arranged between the second electrode board and the second conductor layer, the second support layer being deformable, the second electrode board and/or the second conductor layer being flexible.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2014Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shogo Shinkai, Hayato Hasegawa, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Tomoko Katsuhara, Fumihiko Iida, Kei Tsukamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Patent number: 9420969Abstract: A biological information acquisition method for acquiring information on a living body on a basis of a quantified value of a physiologically active substance originated from the living body, includes a step of collecting the physiologically active substance from a body surface of the living body.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Masahiro Matsumoto, Tomoko Katsuhara, Yuuki Watanabe, Masatsugu Ueno, Tomohiko Nakamura, Sayaka Chikuma
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Publication number: 20160202800Abstract: There is provided a sensor device that includes a flexible first conductor layer and an electrode substrate. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrode wires, a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at capacitively coupled portions of the first and second electrode wires, and a flexible substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires. The sensor device also includes a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2014Publication date: July 14, 2016Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi Itaya, Shogo Shinkai, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Fumihiko Iida, Hayato Hasegawa, Kei Tsukamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoko Katsuhara, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Publication number: 20160026297Abstract: [Object] To provide a sensor device capable of detecting an operation position and a pressing force with high accuracy. [Solution] A sensor device includes a first conductor layer, an electrode substrate, and a plurality of first structural bodies configured to separate the first conductor layer from the electrode substrate. At least one of the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate has flexibility. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes intersecting the plurality of first electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a plurality of sub-electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2014Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Shogo Shinkai, Kei Tsukamoto, Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Hayato Hasegawa, Fumihiko lida, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe
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Publication number: 20160011691Abstract: [Object] To provide a sensor device capable of detecting an operation position and pressing force with high accuracy. [Solution] A sensor device includes a first conductor layer having flexibility, a second conductor layer, an electrode substrate that is provided between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer and has flexibility, a plurality of first structural bodies that separate the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate, and a plurality of second structural bodies that separate the electrode substrate and the second conductor layer. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes that intersect the plurality of first electrodes. A plurality of unit regions are provided to correspond to respective intersections between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. At least two of the first structural bodies and/or at least two of the second structural bodies are included in each unit region.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2014Publication date: January 14, 2016Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Shogo Shinkai, Kei Tsukamoto, Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Hayato Hasegawa, Fumihiko lida, Takayuki Tanaka, Tomoaki Suzuki, Taizo Nishimura, Hiroshi Mizuno, Yasuyuki Abe