Patents by Inventor Toshifumi Tanaka

Toshifumi Tanaka 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: 8330374
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted load controller is characterized by including: a power terminal connected to a power line through a fuse; load connecting portions to which loads having vehicle-mounted light sources are connected; switches which are provided corresponding to the load connecting portions and which control states of power supply from the power line connected to the power terminal to the light sources connected to the load connecting portions; and a control unit which controls the switches in response to inputted control signals. The vehicle-mounted load controller is characterized in that the multiple load connecting portions to which the multiple light sources for different uses are respectively connected are electrically connected to the power terminal, and that each of the switches stops the supply of power from the power line to the light source connected to the corresponding load connecting portion when the magnitude of current flowing through the light source reaches or exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Tanaka, Tomoyuki Nakano
  • Publication number: 20120086336
    Abstract: A power converter that receives a plurality of direct current (DC) powers, which are received in different modes and have a common ground and substantially the same potential, and operates a plurality of loads, wherein the power converter operates the respective loads according to input states of the plurality of DC powers and supplies the plurality of loads with power via at least a common switch element or a common coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8089215
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a DC power source; an inverter for inverting the DC power at a predetermined inversion time interval to supply a square wave AC power to a discharge lamp; and a controller for controlling the output power. The controller performs a synchronous operation and controls the DC power source such that DC power outputted during a period other than the output temporarily increasing period in a power increasing period is greater than the DC output power outputted during the period other than the output temporarily increasing period in a rated power period. Further, the controller controls the DC power source such that at least one of an increment of the output power for the output temporarily increasing period and a length of the output temporarily increasing period is less in at least a part of the output increasing period than in the rated power period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Tanaka, Hirofumi Konishi, Shin Ukegawa, Shinichi Anami, Masahiro Seki
  • Publication number: 20110260617
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a power converting unit; a voltage measuring unit for measuring an output voltage from the power converting unit or a value equivalent to the output voltage; a current measuring unit for measuring an output current from the power converting unit or a value equivalent to the output current; and a control unit for controlling the power converting unit. When one of the output voltage and the output current of the power converting unit is changed by a specific magnitude per unit hour, the control unit determines that a change in a load status has occurred and controls the power converting unit by switching constant current control in which a measurement value of the current measuring unit is kept at a specific current designated value to constant voltage control in which a measurement value of the voltage measuring unit is kept at a specific voltage designated value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshifumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20110074295
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device is realized, which enables scale and cost reductions thereof, and is capable of reducing a flash at a starting time of the discharge lamp, suppressing a feeling of wrongness at a time of raising a luminous flux, and easily suppressing variations among a plurality of the discharge lamps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110037405
    Abstract: A transformer in this invention comprises substrates constructing a primary winding, substrates constructing the secondary winding, and a core member disposed around the substrates. The substrates defining the primary winding are provided with insertion holes for passing a middle leg portion of the core member, and patterned conductors having one turn. The transformer further comprises an interlayer connection member. The interlayer connection member is located inwardly of the patterned conductors of the substrates defining the primary winding. The interlayer connection member is located on the same side of the patterned conductors defining the primary winding. The interlayer connection member is configured to establish the electrical connection of the patterned conductors defining the primary winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Tomoyuki Nakano, Toshiaki Nakamura, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110018441
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted load controller is characterized by including: a power terminal connected to a power line through a fuse; load connecting portions to which loads having vehicle-mounted light sources are connected; switches which are provided corresponding to the load connecting portions and which control states of power supply from the power line connected to the power terminal to the light sources connected to the load connecting portions; and a control unit which controls the switches in response to inputted control signals. The vehicle-mounted load controller is characterized in that the multiple load connecting portions to which the multiple light sources for different uses are respectively connected are electrically connected to the power terminal, and that each of the switches stops the supply of power from the power line to the light source connected to the corresponding load connecting portion when the magnitude of current flowing through the light source reaches or exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Tanaka, Tomoyuki Nakano
  • Publication number: 20100052538
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a DC power source; an inverter for inverting the DC power at a predetermined inversion time interval to supply a square wave AC power to a discharge lamp; and a controller for controlling the output power. The controller performs a synchronous operation and controls the DC power source such that DC power outputted during a period other than the output temporarily increasing period in a power increasing period is greater than the DC output power outputted during the period other than the output temporarily increasing period in a rated power period. Further, the controller controls the DC power source such that at least one of an increment of the output power for the output temporarily increasing period and a length of the output temporarily increasing period is less in at least a part of the output increasing period than in the rated power period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Tanaka, Hirofumi Konishi, Shin Ukegawa, Shinichi Anami, Masahiro Seki
  • Patent number: 7638171
    Abstract: A method for using a low-cost artificial fingerprint liquid for quantitatively and with a good reproducibility evaluating an anti-staining property, and a fingerprint adhering property or a fingerprint removing property on the surface of an optical disk such as a reproduction-only optical disk, optical recording disk, magneto-optical recording disk, various displays such as a CRT, and various substances such as glass. A stamp is used to transfer the artificial fingerprint solution to the surface to be tested. An artificial fingerprint liquid comprising a fine-particle-form substance and a dispersion medium capable of dispersing the fine-particle-form substance. The dispersion medium preferably has a surface tension ranging from 20 to 50 mN/m at 25° C., and preferably is selected from at least one of higher fatty acid, derivative of higher fatty acid, terpens, and derivatives of terpens. The fine-particle-form substance is at least one selected from inorganic fine particles and organic fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashida, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090267517
    Abstract: In vehicle headlamp control apparatuses, which receive a direct current voltage Es, light discharge lamps by square waves, and drive motors, in each of which the number is at least one, arithmetic operations are performed for synchronizing the square waves for lighting the discharge lamps and pulses for driving the motors with each other and for driving the motors within a substantially constant time after polarities of the square waves for lighting the discharge lamps are inverted. By using an inexpensive microcomputer, the vehicle headlamp control apparatuses make it possible to realize lighting controls for the discharge lamps and smooth drive controls for headlamps and auxiliary lamps by the motors for varying optical axes thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Tanaka, Tomoyuki Nakano
  • Patent number: 7595090
    Abstract: A method for using a low-cost artificial fingerprint liquid for quantitatively and with a good reproducibility evaluating an anti-staining property, and a fingerprint adhering property or a fingerprint removing property on the surface of an optical disk such as a reproduction-only optical disk, optical recording disk, magneto-optical recording disk, various displays such as a CRT, and various substances such as glass. A stamp is used to transfer the artificial fingerprint solution to the surface to be tested. An artificial fingerprint liquid comprising a fine-particle-form substance and a dispersion medium capable of dispersing the fine-particle-form substance. The dispersion medium preferably has a surface tension ranging from 20 to 50 mN/m at 25° C., and preferably is selected from at least one of higher fatty acid, derivative of higher fatty acid, terpens, and derivatives of terpens. The fine-particle-form substance is at least one selected from inorganic fine particles and organic fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashida, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7583058
    Abstract: The method of charging a lithium ion secondary battery uses a lithium ion secondary battery comprising a positive electrode including a mixed metal oxide containing at least Li, Mn, and Ni as metal components as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt; and includes a constant current charging step of carrying out constant current charging with a set charging current value I1 corresponding to a set value nC satisfying the condition represented by the expression of 2C?nC?60C, where C is a rated capacity value of the lithium ion secondary battery, and n is a number of 2 to 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Iijima, Kazuya Ogawa, Toshifumi Tanaka, Satoshi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7493801
    Abstract: A low-cost artificial fingerprint liquid for quantitatively and with a good reproducibility evaluating an anti-staining property, and a fingerprint adhering property or a fingerprint removing property on the surface of an optical disk such as a reproduction-only optical disk, optical recording disk, magneto-optical recording disk, various displays such as a CRT, and various substances such as glass including a fine-particle-form substance and a dispersion medium capable of dispersing the fine-particle-form substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashida, Toshifumi Tanaka, Kazushi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7462973
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, at least one interdigital transducer (IDT) provided on the piezoelectric substrate, and a shield electrode provided on the piezoelectric substrate. The IDT has a first pattern on an edge that faces the shield electrode. The shield electrode has a second pattern on an edge so as to be evenly spaced apart from the first pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited
    Inventors: Hirotada Wachi, Toshifumi Tanaka, Tohru Takezaki, Satoshi Ichikawa, Tsuyoshi Oura, Koichi Wada, Satoshi Orito
  • Patent number: 7372347
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) device includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first and a second interdigital transducers (IDT) provided thereon. The second IDT has a side that is substantially aligned with a corresponding side of the first IDT, and another side of the second IDT is arranged so that the second IDT may adjust a leaked wave caused resulting from by a power-flow angle of the piezoelectric substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Orito, Tsuyoshi Oura, Toru Takezaki, Satoshi Ichikawa, Hirotada Wachi, Toshifumi Tanaka, Koichi Wada
  • Patent number: 7368881
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, a power supplied to a discharge lamp La through a DC-DC converter 1 and an inverter 2 is controlled depending on detection results of a lamp voltage detection unit 6 and a lamp current detection unit 7, and in an electrode heating period an alternation time of an output to the discharge lamp when starting actuation of the discharge lamp is set longer than an alternation time in a steady lighting period, and the alternation time in the electrode heating period is increased depending on lowering of a supply power or current to the discharge lamp. Thus, even when a lamp current is suddenly changed, the discharge lamp is prevented from going off at the time of polarity inversion without lowering a life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Takashi Kanbara, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7327666
    Abstract: An optical recording medium has a plurality of laminated information recording layers. The average reflectivity within a stipulated range in the unrecorded regions of at least one of the information recording layers has a value between the reflectivity in the crystalline state and the reflectivity in the amorphous state. When the focus of the laser beam is aligned to one information recording layer, the difference in reflectivity is small between the case in which those regions of the other information recording layer on which the beam spot shines is a recorded region and the case in which it is an unrecorded region, and even in the case that a boundary between a recorded region and an unrecorded region is present within the beam spot, the distribution of reflectivity within the beam spot becomes constant, so the stable recording and/or playback can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7264860
    Abstract: The present invention provides a low-cost artificial fingerprint liquid for quantitatively and with a good reproducibility evaluating an anti-staining property, and a fingerprint adhering property or a fingerprint removing property on the surface of an optical disk such as a reproduction-only optical disk, optical recording disk, magneto-optical recording disk, various displays such as a CRT, and various substances such as glass. An artificial fingerprint liquid comprising a fine-particle-form substance and a dispersion medium capable of dispersing the fine-particle-form substance. The dispersion medium preferably has a surface tension ranging from 20 to 50 mN/m at 25° C., and preferably is selected from at least one of higher fatty acid, derivative of higher fatty acid, terpens, and derivatives of terpens. The fine-particle-form substance is at least one selected from inorganic fine particles and organic fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashida, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20070138975
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, a power supplied to a discharge lamp La through a DC-DC converter 1 and an inverter 2 is controlled depending on detection results of a lamp voltage detection unit 6 and a lamp current detection unit 7, and in an electrode heating period an alternation time of an output to the discharge lamp when starting actuation of the discharge lamp is set longer than an alternation time in a steady lighting period, and the alternation time in the electrode heating period is increased depending on lowering of a supply power or current to the discharge lamp. Thus, even when a lamp current is suddenly changed, the discharge lamp is prevented from going off at the time of polarity inversion without lowering a life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Takashi Kanbara, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7221074
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first and a second interdigital transducers (IDTs) provided on the piezoelectric substrate. The first IDT includes multiple tracks having different frequency characteristics that are connected in parallel. The second IDT includes a normalized electrode pattern. The frequency characteristic of the multiple tracks is asymmetric to a center frequency of the SAW filter, substantially flat in a passband when those of the multiple tracks are overlapped, or complementary in the passband. Thus, it is possible to provide the surface acoustic wave device having a high damping property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Orito, Toru Takezaki, Satoshi Ichikawa, Hirotada Wachi, Tsuyoshi Oura, Toshifumi Tanaka, Koichi Wada