Patents by Inventor Yoko Shinohara

Yoko Shinohara 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: 10823560
    Abstract: A tilt sensor includes: a pressure sensor disposed to be relatively movable with respect to a detection target object and configured to detect pressure of a fluid; and a tilt information detection unit configured to detect tilt information (for example, a tilt angle) of the detection target object according to an output of the pressure sensor and movement information of the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Yoko Shinohara, Masayuki Suda, Ayako Nobe, Yoshiyuki Kaiho
  • Patent number: 10451510
    Abstract: A pressure change measuring apparatus and a pressure change measuring method are capable of detecting a change in pressure to be measured with respect to a time axis with high accuracy. The pressure change measuring apparatus includes a reference value setting unit that generates a reference value signal based on an output signal of a differential pressure measuring cantilever under a predetermined state and outputs the reference value signal. An arithmetic processing unit calculates the pressure change in the pressure to be measured based on the output signal, the reference value signal, a volume of a cavity, and a flowing quantity of a pressure transmission medium flowing into and out of the cavity for every unit of a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Yoko Shinohara, Masayuki Suda, Manabu Oumi, Takeshi Uchiyama, Yoshiyuki Kaiho, Ayako Nobe
  • Patent number: 10393608
    Abstract: An arithmetic processing unit included in a pressure change measuring apparatus includes a differential pressure calculation unit configured to obtain a pressure difference between an inner pressure of a cavity and a pressure to be measured based on an output signal of a differential pressure measuring cantilever. A pressure-to-be-measured calculating unit calculates the pressure to be measured based on a set inner pressure of the cavity and the differential pressure calculated by the differential pressure calculation unit. A flow rate calculating unit calculates a flowing quantity of a pressure transmission medium flowing into and out of the cavity for every unit of a predetermined time period based on the differential pressure calculated by the differential pressure calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Yoko Shinohara, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Masayuki Suda
  • Patent number: 10094724
    Abstract: A pressure sensor which detects variation in pressures, the pressure sensor including a cantilever which is bent according to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of a cavity in a sensor main body, and an intra-lever gap which is formed on a proximal end portion of the cantilever. The proximal end portion is partitioned into a first support portion and a second support portion by an intra-lever gap in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the proximal end portion and a distal end portion are connected to each other in plan view. A doped layer which is provided on a portion of the first and second support portions forms a first displacement detection portion and a second displacement detection portion. Lengths of the first and second displacement detection portions are shorter than those of the first and second supports along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignees: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Isao Shimoyama, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, Hidetoshi Takahashi, Minh-Dung Nguyen, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Yoko Shinohara, Masayuki Suda
  • Publication number: 20180238685
    Abstract: A tilt sensor includes: a pressure sensor disposed to be relatively movable with respect to a detection target object and configured to detect pressure of a fluid; and a tilt information detection unit configured to detect tilt information (for example, a tilt angle) of the detection target object according to an output of the pressure sensor and movement information of the pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi UCHIYAMA, Manabu OUMI, Yoko SHINOHARA, Masayuki SUDA, Ayako NOBE, Yoshiyuki KAIHO
  • Patent number: 10012557
    Abstract: A pressure sensor which detects variation in pressure, the pressure sensor including a cantilever which bends according to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of a cavity in a sensor main body, and a first gap, a second gap, and a third gap which are formed on a proximal end portion of the cantilever. The first to third gaps electrically partition the proximal end portion of the cantilever into a first support portion, a second support portion, a first displacement detection portion, and a second displacement portion in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the proximal end portion and a distal end portion of the cantilever are connected to each other in plan view. The first and second displacement detection portions detect displacement according to the bending of the cantilever between the first and second support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Isao Shimoyama, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, Hidetoshi Takahashi, Minh-Dung Nguyen, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Yoko Shinohara
  • Patent number: 9995642
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a sensor main body having a cavity, a cantilever having a lever main body and lever support-portion, which is bent according to a pressure difference between the cavity and sensor outside main body, and a displacement detection unit detects cantilever displacement based on resistance variation in resistance values of the main body-resistance portion formed in the lever main body and lever-resistance portion formed in the lever support-portion. A division groove is formed in the lever support; the division divides the lever-resistance portion into a first resistance portion electrically connected to a detection-electrode in series and second resistance portion closer to other adjacent lever support-portion than the first resistance portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignees: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Isao Shimoyama, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, Hidetoshi Takahashi, Minh-Dung Nguyen, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Yoko Shinohara, Masayuki Suda
  • Publication number: 20170292877
    Abstract: The present invention is a pressure sensor (1) which includes a sensor main body (2) having a cavity, a cantilever (3) having a lever main body (20) and a lever support portion (21A, 21B) and which is bent according to a pressure difference between the cavity and the outside of the sensor main body (2), and a displacement detection unit (4) which detects displacement of the cantilever (3) based on resistance variation in resistance values of the main body-resistance portion (31) formed in the lever main body (20) and a lever-resistance portion (32) formed in the lever support portion (21A, 21B). A division groove (40) is formed in the lever support (21A), and the division groove (40) divides the lever-resistance portion (32) into a first resistance portion (32a) which is electrically connected to a detection electrode (35) in series and a second resistance portion (32b) which is positioned so as to be closer to the other adjacent lever support portion (21B) than the first resistance portion (32a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Isao SHIMOYAMA, Kiyoshi MATSUMOTO, Hidetoshi TAKAHASHI, Minh-Dung NGUYEN, Takeshi UCHIYAMA, Manabu OUMI, Yoko SHINOHARA, Masayuki SUDA
  • Publication number: 20170276563
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pressure change measuring apparatus and a pressure change measuring method, which are capable of detecting a change in pressure to be measured with respect to a time axis with high accuracy. Specifically, a reference value setting unit (60) included in a pressure change measuring apparatus (1) is configured to generate a reference value signal based on an output signal of a differential pressure measuring cantilever (4) under a predetermined state, and to output the reference value signal. An arithmetic processing unit (30) is configured to calculate the pressure change in pressure to be measured based on the output signal, the reference value signal, a volume of a cavity (10), a flowing quantity of a pressure transmission medium flowing into and out of the cavity (10) for every unit of a predetermined time period, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Yoko SHINOHARA, Masayuki SUDA, Manabu OUMI, Takeshi UCHIYAMA, Yoshiyuki KAIHO, Ayako NOBE
  • Patent number: 9769755
    Abstract: A terminal device has measurement sensors for measuring physical quantities of measurement targets. A storage unit stores information determining a mode for activating the measurement sensors. Based on the information stored in the storage unit, a control unit switches all or part of the measurement sensors from a non-activated state to an activated state when the measurement sensors are to be activated. An activation unit includes an activation sensor driven on the basis of environmental changes. The activation unit is configured to activate the control unit on the basis of detection results from the activation sensor when a physical quantity correlated with the physical quantity of the measurement target satisfies a given activation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Koichi Moriya, Yutaka Tomimatsu, Yoko Shinohara, Masataka Shinogi
  • Publication number: 20170160162
    Abstract: An arithmetic processing unit (30) included in a pressure change measuring apparatus (1) includes: a differential pressure calculation unit configured to obtain a pressure difference between an inner pressure of a cavity (10) and a pressure to be measured based on an output signal of a differential pressure measuring cantilever (4); a pressure-to-be-measured calculating unit configured to calculate the pressure to be measured based on a set inner pressure of the cavity (10) and the differential pressure calculated by the differential pressure calculation unit; a flow rate calculating unit configured to calculate a flowing quantity of a pressure transmission medium flowing into and out of the cavity (10) for every unit of a predetermined time period based on the differential pressure calculated by the differential pressure calculation unit; and an inner pressure updating unit configured to calculate the inner pressure of the cavity (10) after the predetermined time period based on the flowing quantity calculat
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Yoko SHINOHARA, Takeshi UCHIYAMA, Manabu OUMI, Masayuki SUDA
  • Publication number: 20170131168
    Abstract: A pressure sensor which detects variation in pressure, the pressure sensor including a cantilever which bends according to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of a cavity in a sensor main body, and a first gap, a second gap, and a third gap which are formed on a proximal end portion of the cantilever. The first to third gaps electrically partition the proximal end portion of the cantilever into a first support portion, a second support portion, a first displacement detection portion, and a second displacement portion in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the proximal end portion and a distal end portion of the cantilever are connected to each other in plan view. The first and second displacement detection portions detect displacement according to the bending of the cantilever between the first and second support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicants: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Isao SHIMOYAMA, Kiyoshi MATSUMOTO, Hidetoshi TAKAHASHI, Minh-Dung NGUYEN, Takeshi UCHIYAMA, Manabu OUMI, Yoko SHINOHARA
  • Patent number: 9551621
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a sensor body which has a first surface and a cavity with an opening in the first surface, a cantilever which has a base end portion supported on the first surface and a distal end portion provided to form a gap from a peripheral edge of the opening inside the opening, is flexurally deformed according to a pressure difference between an inside and an outside of the cavity, and is formed of a semiconductor material, and a displacement measurement unit which measures a displacement of the cantilever vibrating according to the pressure difference at a frequency larger than a lower limit frequency fLOW (Hz) defined by Expression (1), where a width (?m) of the gap is represented by G, a volume (ml) of the cavity is represented by V, and a proportional constant is represented by k.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Isao Shimoyama, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, Hidetoshi Takahashi, Minh-Dung Nguyen, Yoko Shinohara, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Masataka Shinogi
  • Patent number: 9543491
    Abstract: A portable thermal power generation device generates power using heat produced by a living body. A thermal power generation member generates power on the basis of a temperature difference between a temperature at a heat source-side position and a temperature at a heat release destination-side position between the living body that is a heat source and a heat release destination of heat released from the portable thermal power generation device. A movable member is configured to change a thermal resistance of at least part of a heat transfer path between the living body and the heat release destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Yoko Shinohara, Fumio Kimura
  • Publication number: 20160349130
    Abstract: A pressure sensor which detects variation in pressures, the pressure sensor including a cantilever which is bent according to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of a cavity in a sensor main body, and an intra-lever gap which is formed on a proximal end portion of the cantilever. The proximal end portion is partitioned into a first support portion and a second support portion by an intra-lever gap in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the proximal end portion and a distal end portion are connected to each other in plan view. A doped layer which is provided on a portion of the first and second support portions forms a first displacement detection portion and a second displacement detection portion. Lengths of the first and second displacement detection portions are shorter than those of the first and second supports along the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicants: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Isao SHIMOYAMA, Kiyoshi MATSUMOTO, Hidetoshi TAKAHASHI, Minh-Dung NGUYEN, Takeshi UCHIYAMA, Manabu OUMI, Yoko SHINOHARA, Masayuki SUDA
  • Patent number: 9247374
    Abstract: A terminal device has at least one measurement sensor for measuring a physical quantity of a measurement target. A control unit switches the measurement sensor, when activated, from a non-activated state to an activated state. An activation unit, which is driven at lower power consumption than the measurement sensor, activates the control unit when a physical quantity having a correlation with the physical quantity of the measurement target has satisfied a given activation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Yutaka Tomimatsu, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Koichi Moriya, Yoko Shinohara, Masataka Shinogi
  • Publication number: 20150096388
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a sensor body which has a first surface and a cavity with an opening in the first surface, a cantilever which has a base end portion supported on the first surface and a distal end portion provided to form a gap from a peripheral edge of the opening inside the opening, is flexurally deformed according to a pressure difference between an inside and an outside of the cavity, and is formed of a semiconductor material, and a displacement measurement unit which measures a displacement of the cantilever vibrating according to the pressure difference at a frequency larger than a lower limit frequency fLOW (Hz) defined by Expression (1), where a width (?m) of the gap is represented by G, a volume (ml) of the cavity is represented by V, and a proportional constant is represented by k.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicants: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Isao Shimoyama, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, Hidetoshi Takahashi, Minh-Dung Nguyen, Yoko Shinohara, Takeshi Uchiyama, Manabu Oumi, Masataka Shinogi
  • Patent number: 8978215
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing piezoelectric actuators, a vibrating body plate supporting vibrating bodies at vibrational nodes thereof and a moving body plate having moving bodies are provided. Each of the vibrating bodies has a vibrator and a piezoelectric body mounted on the vibrator. The vibrating body plate and the moving body plate are stacked over one another to provide a piezoelectric actuator assembly. The piezoelectric actuator assembly is then cut at the vibrational nodes of the vibrating bodies to provide individual piezoelectric actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Watanabe, Tatsuro Sato, Kazuo Tani, Yoko Shinohara
  • Patent number: 8945733
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium in which information can be recorded using a heat-assisted magnetic recording method comprises a recording layer formed on a substrate. The recording layer has a plurality of magnetic recording bit regions and a plurality of high thermal conductors each extending inside a corresponding one of the bit regions. The high thermal conductors have a thermal conductivity higher than that of the recording layer and assist in dissipating heat energy imparted to the bit regions during the recording of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Tanaka, Norio Chiba, Manabu Oumi, Masakazu Hirata, Yoko Shinohara, Sachiko Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8905805
    Abstract: A U-shaped groove and a V-shaped groove are formed onto a cladding disposed on a substrate, a core and a metal structure are formed inside the grooves, respectively, and then the substrate surface is planarized. Further, after a cladding is formed again, the substrate is cut and the cut surface is polished such that the metal structure inside the V-shaped groove has a predetermined thickness, thereby forming a scattering body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yoko Shinohara, Norio Chiba, Manabu Oumi, Masakazu Hirata, Sachiko Tanabe, Yoshikazu Tanaka