Panasonic Patents

Panasonic Corporation manufactures and sells electronic and electric products. Its products include audiovisual equipment (such as flat-panel televisions, Blu-ray recorders, digital cameras, PCs projectors and in-flight entertainment systems), home appliances (such as cooking, beauty, cooling and heating equipment), systems and communications products (such as mobile phones and surveillance and security cameras). Panasonic also offers lighting, automotive systems (such as car navigation systems) and industrial devices (such as electronic components, electronic materials, semiconductors and optical devices).

Panasonic Patents by Type

  • Publication number: 20170104533
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a display, an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines, a processor, and a memory storing a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations. The operations include displaying a first assist image on the display, and executing a visible light communication mode. In the visible light communication mode, the operations include (i) setting a second exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appear according to a change in luminance of the subject, (ii) obtaining a bright line image including the plurality of bright lines, and (iii) obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki OSHIMA, Koji NAKANISHI, Hideki AOYAMA, Ikuo FUCHIGAMI, Tsutomu MUKAI, Hidehiko SHIN, Yosuke MATSUSHITA, Shigehiro IIDA, Kazunori YAMADA, Toshiyuki MAEDA, Akihiro UEKI, Takashi SUZUKI, Akira SHIOKAWA, Koji AOTO
  • Publication number: 20170104951
    Abstract: An imaging device in the present invention includes an imaging unit that images an image and an installation unit on which the imaging unit is removably installed. The installation unit houses a first contactless transmitter that transmits and receives at least one of a power and a signal in a non-contact basis. The imaging unit houses an axis portion, a second contactless transmitter, and transmits and receives at least one of the electric power and the signal in a non-contact basis, and an imaging mechanism portion that is fixed to the other end portion of the axis portion in the side opposite to the installation unit side, and is connected to the second contactless transmitter via a transmission wire inserted through the axis portion. In this way, a watertproofness and a dustproofness can be improved, and thus, it is possible to improve a long-term reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jyouji WADA, Yoshihito URASHIMA, Tamotsu UCHIDA, Toshihisa TSUDA, Hirohito TSURUTA, Masahumi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20170104103
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a thin-film transistor are provided. The methods include forming a gate electrode above a substrate, a gate insulating layer above the gate electrode, a non-crystalline silicon layer above the gate insulating layer, and a channel protective layer above the non-crystalline silicon layer. The non-crystalline silicon layer and the channel protective layer are processed to form a projecting part. The projecting part has an upper layer composed of the channel protective layer and a lower layer composed of the non-crystalline silicon layer. The projecting part and portions of the non-crystalline silicon layer on sides of the projecting part are irradiated with a laser beam to crystallize at least the non-crystalline silicon layer in the projecting part. An absorptance of the non-crystalline silicon layer for the laser beam is greater in the projecting part than in the portions on the sides of the projecting part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicants: JOLED INC., PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hiroshi HAYASHI, Takahiro KAWASHIMA, Genshirou KAWACHI
  • Publication number: 20170101819
    Abstract: An optical switching device includes: a plurality of optically variable bodies that are each variable in a degree of an optical state according to electric power; and an optical adjustment layer located between the plurality of optically variable bodies. The optically variable bodies each include: a pair of substrates; a pair of electrodes located between the pair of substrates; and an optically variable layer located between the pair of electrodes. The optical adjustment layer adheres the plurality of optically variable bodies in sheet form in a thickness direction, and adjusts a refractive index between respective substrates of adjacent optically variable bodies. The pair of electrodes have an exposed surface for supplying the electric power. An adhesion strength of the optical adjustment layer to the substrates is higher than an adhesion strength of the optically variable layer to the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuko SUZUKA, Norihiro ITO
  • Publication number: 20170102139
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a substrate that is light transmissive and has one or more region in which a phosphor layer is formed; a heat transfer plate having a first surface in surface-to-surface contact with a surface of the substrate and having one or more apertures overlapping the one or more regions; and a heat dissipation plate having a surface in surface-to-surface contact with a second surface of the heat transfer plate opposite the first surface and having an aperture overlapping the one or more apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru IIZAWA, Masahito YAMANA, Yoshiyuki NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20170104285
    Abstract: A connector is configured such that a socket housing (31) is engaged with a header housing as to cause a socket-side signal terminal (32) to contact a header-side signal terminal and as to cause a socket-side power source terminal (33) to contact a header-side power source terminal. The socket-side signal terminal (32) and the socket-side power source terminal are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the socket housing (31). In the socket-side power source terminal and the header-side power source terminal, contact points to contact each other are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the socket housing (31). Tongues (35, 36) are formed in the socket-side power source terminal (33). the contact points are provided at the tongues (35, 36), respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Lt
    Inventor: KOHSUKE YOSHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20170099948
    Abstract: A mount assembly for dynamically positioning a display to a mounting surface. The assembly comprises a base support frame and a pivoting support frame pivotally coupled thereto and defining a pivot angle in between, with the pivoting support frame being transitional between first and second positions, the pivot angle increasing as the pivot support frame transitions from the first position toward the second position. A carriage frame adapted to be engaged with the display, and having a first attachment portion is pivotally and translatably coupled to the base support frame and defines a carriage angle therebetween, and a second attachment portion is pivotally coupled to the pivoting support frame. The carriage frame is transitional relative to the base support frame between stowed and deployed positions, the carriage angle increasing as the carriage transitions from the stowed position to the deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC AVIONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Birendra Prasad, Shrenik Shah
  • Publication number: 20170101998
    Abstract: The ceiling fan includes: a body having a plurality of blades and an upper mounting pipe portion; a suspender which is fixed to a ceiling; a first pipe which is suspended from the suspender and suspends the body by the upper mounting pipe portion; and a second pipe which is accommodated in the inside of a lower portion of the first pipe and into which an upper portion of the upper mounting pipe portion is inserted. The first pipe, the second pipe and the upper mounting pipe portion are connected to each other by a connecting bolt which penetrates an overlapping part where the first pipe, the second pipe and the upper mounting pipe portion overlap with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC ECOLOGY SYSTEMS, CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiminobu YAMAMOTO, Kee Cheng NG, Wei Ming TAN, Hiroyuki KURAMOCHI
  • Patent number: 9615688
    Abstract: A steam generator includes a water storage chamber that stores water and at least one heating portion that heats the water in the water storage chamber to generate steam. A water supply device supplies water into the water storage chamber. A plurality of fins are provided in the water storage chamber. The water storage chamber has a steam spout port from which the steam generated by the heating portion spouts. The plurality of fins extend along a steam-generating direction under the steam spout port, and are separated from each other and cross the heating portion. The heating portion may be above and below a water surface that emerges in the water storage chamber during heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Shibuya, Hiroshi Kawai, Yuji Hayakawa, Kuniaki Abe
  • Patent number: 9618616
    Abstract: Each of antenna system processors of a radar receiver generates, through correlation calculation of a reflection signal and a radar transmission signal, an array correlation signal for each delay in arrival of the reflection signal at each Doppler frequency. A static target candidate extractor extracts, on the basis of outputs of the antenna system processors and a Doppler frequency of a reflection signal from a static target located at a side of a moving body, array correlation signals corresponding to a candidate for the static target. A reference signal detector outputs a reference signal regarding the side of the moving body using, among the outputs of the static target candidate extractor, array correlation signals whose consistency is high. A correction value calculator calculates, using outputs of the reference signal detector, a correction value for correcting deviations between reception antennas included in an array antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kishigami, Hirofumi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9618645
    Abstract: A metal detection device includes a metal detection coil arranged in a metal detection area, wherein the metal detection coil is excited, and an electromagnetic wave radiated from the metal detection coil detects whether metal exists in the metal detection area. An oscillation circuit generates a sinusoidal oscillating current having a single fundamental frequency and supplies the oscillating current to the metal detection coil to excite the coil. A harmonic level detection circuit detects a harmonic component of the fundamental frequency component of the oscillating current and generates a detection signal. A comparison circuit compares a signal level of the detection signal and a pre-set reference value. A processing circuit determines whether metal exists in the metal detection area based on a comparison result. When determining that metal exists in the metal detection area, the processing circuit drives a notification unit to issue a notification indicating detection of metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Irie, Masashi Kawada, Satoshi Hyodo, Hiroshi Kohara
  • Patent number: 9618948
    Abstract: An appliance control system includes: a sensor (3) that detects environmental data of a surrounding environment; a plurality of appliances (2) as control targets; a remote controller including: a display unit (15) that displays a list of the appliances (2); an input unit (16) that receives an operation of controlling the appliances (2); a storage unit (13) that stores a threshold value in the environmental data for each of the plurality of appliances (2); and a processing unit (12) that gives higher priority to an appliance in which the environmental data has exceeded a threshold value, the priority being concerned with a display order of the appliance (2) on the display unit (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Yamaguchi, Akihiko Hiroishi, Makoto Kawasaki, Satoshi Kitamura
  • Patent number: 9618234
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes: a main refrigerant circuit (21) having a compressor (1), a radiator (2), a first expansion mechanism (5), a second expansion mechanism (6), and an evaporator (4); an injection passage (22) for supplying an intermediate-pressure refrigerant to an injection port 1c of the compressor 1; and a water circuit (30) through which water to be heated in the radiator (2) flows. The refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes a sub heat exchanger (3) for cooling the water in the water circuit (30) by exchanging heat between the refrigerant in the injection passage (22) and the water to be heated in the radiator (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kou Komori, Yuichi Yakumaru, Tomoichiro Tamura, Masaya Honma, Hiroki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9620012
    Abstract: An application processing unit executes an application that is performed as a notification device mounted in a vehicle. In the application processing unit, an input unit acquires information indicating that the vehicle is receiving driving assistance. In the application processing unit, an output unit outputs notifications to other vehicles in accordance with the information that has been acquired at the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Nakakuki, Takao Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 9618697
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a photoluminescent layer that emits light containing first light, a light-transmissive layer located on or near the photoluminescent layer, a low-refractive-index layer and a high-refractive-index layer. A submicron structure is defined on the photoluminescent layer and/or the light-transmissive layer. The low-refractive-index layer is located on or near the photoluminescent layer so that the photoluminescent layer is located between the low-refractive-index layer and light-transmissive layer. The high-refractive-index layer is located on or near the low-refractive-index layer so that the low-refractive-index layer is located between the high-refractive-index layer and the photoluminescent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Inada, Taku Hirasawa, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Akira Hashiya, Mitsuru Nitta, Takeyuki Yamaki
  • Patent number: 9619722
    Abstract: A gaze direction detection device according to the present technology includes a detector for detecting a gaze of a driver over a predetermined period of time, a determiner for outputting second gaze information indicating that the driver is gazing, from first gaze information detected by the detector, a generator for generating a gaze distribution from the second gaze information output by the determiner, and a corrector for correcting the first gaze information detected by the detector, where the corrector calculates a center of a reference distribution that is set in advance and a center of the gaze distribution generated by the generator, and causes the center of the reference distribution and the center of the gaze distribution to overlap each other, and then calculates a correction parameter based on a difference between the reference distribution and the gaze distribution, and corrects the first gaze information with the correction parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Takeda, Masayuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9620099
    Abstract: The ultrasonic transducer device in accordance with the present invention includes a body unit and a fixing member. The body unit includes a housing including a space which is in a front surface of the housing and is for receiving an ultrasonic transducer, and a clip part provided to a side surface of the housing. The fixing member includes a fixing plate including a fixing surface to be attached to a rear surface of an exterior panel of a vehicle, and a through hole to communicate to an opening in the exterior panel, and an interlocked part removably connected to the clip part so that the space faces the through hole. The clip part includes an interlocking part, and a spring part keeping the interlocking part in a position in which the interlocking part is physically connected to the interlocked part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Osamu Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 9619055
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display panel including a touch panel and a front window, it is possible to reduce the reproduction cost of the touch panel, achieving a high yield in the reproduction of the touch panel. The touch panel and the front window are bonded together by a PET film and a UV curable resin. When air bubbles or other defects are found between the front window and the touch panel, the front window and the touch panel are detached by cutting the UV curable resin by a cutter blade, in order to reproduce the touch panel. The residue of the UV curable resin left on the PET film is removed by detaching the PET film from the touch panel. A tab in which the adhesive is not formed is provided in an end of the PET film, so that the PET film can be easily detached from the touch panel, starting from the tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Matsumoto, Eiji Oohira
  • Patent number: 9620267
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a resistor, a sheet-shaped resistive element having formed thereon a plurality of belt-shaped electrodes is cut in a direction crossing these belt-shaped electrodes to produce strip-shaped resistive elements. On the other hand, a metal paste containing a glass frit is printed in a pattern of belts arranged at regular intervals on a surface of a plate-shaped insulating substrate to form a plurality of adhesive layers. Then, the strip-shaped resistive elements are respectively applied to the adhesive layers on the plate-shaped insulating substrate, and these are fired in a nitrogen atmosphere. After firing, while a resistance value of a part between each adjacent two electrodes of each strip-shaped resistive element is measured, the strip-shaped resistive element is trimmed so that the resistance value becomes a predetermined value. Then, the plate-shaped insulating substrate having adhered thereto the strip-shaped resistive elements is divided into pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiji Tsuda, Shoji Hoshitoku, Takeshi Iseki, Kazutosi Matumura
  • Patent number: 9620282
    Abstract: A power transfer system is provided with a transmission coil and a reception coil respectively provided along a first surface and a second surface that face each other proximal to each other. The transmission coil and reception coil are provided proximally to be electromagnetically coupled to each other. The winding wire of the transmission coil is wound on the first surface, and the winding wire of the reception coil is wound on the second surface. The power transfer system is provided with a magnetic body provided proximately so as to be electromagnetically coupled to the transmission coil and the reception coil to cover at least one part of a region in which at least the winding wires of the transmission coil and reception coil are present between the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Asanuma, Atsushi Yamamoto, Tsutomu Sakata
  • Patent number: 9620299
    Abstract: A capacitor includes a capacitor element and an electrolyte containing a lactone compound. At least one of a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the capacitor element contains activated carbon Entire surface functional group amount D (meq/g/nm2) in an average sectional area of pores of the activated carbon is calculated at 0.152 or less by the following equation: D=F/S where F represents an entire surface functional group amount per unit weight (meq/g) of the activated carbon, and S represents an area (nm2) of a circle of which diameter is an average diameter of the pores of the activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Ito
  • Patent number: 9620320
    Abstract: The contact device includes an armature, a driver, a fixed contact, a movable contact, a contact spring, and a card. The driver drives the armature. The movable contact is to be in contact with and separate from the fixed contact. The contact spring is for holding the movable contact so as to allow the movable contact to be in contact with and separate from the fixed contact. The card interconnects the armature and the contact spring. The card is made of resilient material and fixed to each of the armature and the contact spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiharu Nakahara, Kazuhisa Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 9620336
    Abstract: A dry etching apparatus plasma processes a wafer held by a carrier having a frame and an holding sheet. A electrode unit of a stage includes an electrostatic chuck. Adjacent to an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, a first electrostatic attraction electrode and a second electrostatic attraction electrode are incorporated. The first electrostatic attraction electrode is of unipolar type and electrostatically attracts the wafer via the holding sheet. The second electrostatic electrode is of bipolar type and electrostatically attracts the frame via the holding sheet as well as a holding sheet between the wafer and the frame. Both of plasma processing performance and electrostatic attraction performance are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shogo Okita
  • Patent number: 9617986
    Abstract: A hermetic compressor includes: a main bearing (126) which supports a main shaft (120) of a shaft (119); and a thrust ball bearing at an upper end portion of the main bearing (126). A rotor (116) is fixed to the main shaft (120) via a flange. A rotor core (117) has a magnetic center displaced upward relative to the magnetic center of a stator core (115) so that a downward magnetic attractive force is applied between the rotor (116) and the stator (114). Accordingly, a contact load between steel balls and upper and lower races in the thrust ball bearing is appropriately maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ko Inagaki, Noboru Iida
  • Patent number: 9618412
    Abstract: A semiconductor physical quantity sensor includes: a first base material; an electrode formed on the first base material; a diaphragm which bends in accordance with a physical quantity applied from the outside; a second base material fixed to the first base material and supporting the diaphragm such that the diaphragm is opposed to the electrode with a space (S) in between; and an insulator formed on a surface on the first base material side of the diaphragm. Moreover, a wall portion to define the space (S) is formed between the insulator and the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Kataoka, Jun Ogihara, Naoki Ushiyama, Hisanori Shiroishi
  • Patent number: 9615647
    Abstract: A makeup application assistance device includes: an image acquisition unit that acquires an image obtained by photographing a face; a face part acquisition unit that acquires, from the image, face part regions of the face; a face makeup technique selection unit that selects a face makeup technique, which is a face makeup application method, for each face part; a skin condition acquisition unit that acquires the skin condition of the face; a skin correction makeup technique selection unit that selects, on the basis of the skin condition, a skin correction makeup technique, which is a skin correction makeup application method; and a makeup technique presentation unit that presents the selected face makeup techniques associated with the corresponding face part regions, and presents the selected skin correction makeup technique, to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Yamanashi, Rieko Asai, Aoi Muta, Chie Nishi, Kaori Ajiki
  • Patent number: 9620867
    Abstract: An antenna apparatus is configured to include first, second, third and fourth antennas. The first and fourth antennas are provided to be symmetrical with respect to a predetermined symmetry line on the grounding conductor, and the second and third antennas are arranged to be symmetrical with respect to the symmetry line so that the second and third feeding points are separated apart by a predetermined distance. A first antenna element of the first antenna and a fourth antenna element of the fourth antenna are formed to be substantially parallel to a Y-axis direction, and a second antenna element of the second antenna and a third antenna element of the third antenna are formed to be substantially parallel to an X-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichi Hamabe
  • Patent number: 9620530
    Abstract: A display device includes a substrate, a display region, a peripheral region, an insulating layer which is disposed on a gate signal line and a conductor, a conductive layer which is disposed on the insulating layer and crosses a plurality of gate signal lines and the conductor in the peripheral region, a first semiconductor film which is disposed between the insulating layer and the conductive layer, and a second semiconductor film which is disposed between the insulating layer and the conductive layer and which is separated from the first semiconductor film. The conductive layer is connected to the plurality of gate signal lines via a plurality of diodes, and the plurality of gate signal lines are arranged in the display region and the peripheral region. A length of the conductor differs from a length of the gate signal line in the display region and the peripheral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Itakura, Hitoshi Komeno, Tomoaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9620740
    Abstract: The organic electroluminescence element includes: a moisture-proof substrate; a light emitting stack including a first electrode, a light emitting layer, and a second electrode; and an enclosing member bonded to the substrate to enclose the stack. The element further includes a light-outcoupling structure provided on a side of the substrate facing the first electrode and having an uneven structure made of material having a refractive index almost equal to or lower than a refractive index of the substrate. The uneven structure includes a plane divided into a matrix of sections, and multiple protruded parts having almost same heights individually allocated to desired sections of the matrix. With regard to an arbitrary region of the plane, a ratio of a total area of one or some of the multiple protruded parts in the arbitrary region to an area of the arbitrary region is almost constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamae, Shin Okumura, Hitomichi Takano, Masuyuki Ota
  • Patent number: 9622117
    Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus uses a Wi-Fi system to transmit to another wireless communication apparatus a WiGig switching request frame (F1) requesting that the communication method for communicating with another wireless communication apparatus be switched from the Wi-Fi system to a WiGig system. The wireless communication apparatus uses RSSI when the WiGig switching request frame (F1) was received to determine whether to allow the switch from the Wi-Fi system to the WiGig system, and uses the Wi-Fi system to transmit to the wireless communication apparatus a WiGig switching response frame (F2) indicating the result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Yamasaki, Nobuhiko Arashin
  • Patent number: 9620995
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission system according to the present disclosure includes: a pair of antennas, between which power is transmissible wirelessly by resonant magnetic coupling at a frequency f0, one of which is a series resonant circuit, and the other of which is a parallel resonant circuit; and a control section, which controls a transmission frequency according to the magnitude of the power being transmitted between the antennas. If the power transmitted between the antennas is greater than a reference value P1, the control section sets the transmission frequency to be a value that falls within a first level range that is higher than the frequency f0. But if the power is smaller than the reference value P1, then the control section sets the transmission frequency to be a value that falls within a second level range that is lower than the first level range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kanno, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9620756
    Abstract: Provided are a separator-integrated electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery with a reduced risk of a short circuit between electrodes due to precipitation of metallic lithium on a surface of an electrode mixture layer. A positive electrode (12) configured as a separator-integrated electrode includes a positive current collector (22), a positive active material layer (24) formed on a surface thereof, a first porous layer (26) formed on a surface of the positive active material layer (24) and containing inorganic particles, and a second porous layer (28) formed on a surface of the first porous layer (26) and made of resin fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nagino, Yasunori Baba, Atsushi Fukui
  • Patent number: 9620794
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell to generate electric power; a casing accommodating at least the fuel cell, the casing including an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; a supply passage connected to the air inlet, to introduce external air into the casing; an exhaust passage connected to the exhaust outlet, to exchange heat with the supply passage and discharge at least air inside the casing; an air supply device to introduce the external air into the casing; a temperature detector to detect a temperature; and a controller configured to control at least the air supply device. If the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the controller has caused the air supply device to operate is lower than or equal to a first predetermined temperature, the controller reduces an amount of air supplied by the air supply device and causes the air supply device to continue operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Morita, Hiroshi Tatsui, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Patent number: 9621192
    Abstract: A bit interleaving method involves applying a bit permutation process to bits of a QC-LDPC codeword made up of N cyclic blocks each including Q bits, and dividing the codeword after the permutation process into a plurality of constellation words each including M bits, the codeword being divided into F×N?/M folding sections (N? being a subset of N selected cyclic blocks and being a multiple of M/F), each of the constellation words being associated with one of the F×N?/M folding sections, and the bit permutation process being applied such that each of the constellation words includes F bits from each of M/F different cyclic blocks in a given folding section associated with a given constellation word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mihail Petrov
  • Patent number: 9620979
    Abstract: A storage battery control apparatus includes: a storage battery state detection unit which obtains a remaining SOC which is an SOC of a storage battery at the start of a supply and demand control period; an offset power value determination unit which determines an offset power value that is a power value indicating charge or discharge; an adjustment instruction value obtainment unit which obtains an adjustment instruction value indicating a state of charge and discharge of the storage battery; and a charge and discharge control unit which performs control of discharging power from the storage battery to the grid or charging power from the grid to the storage battery, the power having a magnitude of a first power value which is a power value obtained by adding the offset power value to the adjustment instruction power value indicated by the adjustment instruction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Waki, Tatsuya Mizobata, Minoru Takazawa
  • Patent number: 9620990
    Abstract: An electricity supply management device includes a solar cell; a commercial Alternating Current (AC) power source; and a storage battery, in which the storage battery is charged by an electric power from the solar cell, and a power from at least one of the solar cell, the commercial AC power source and the storage battery is supplied to one or more load devices. A power consumption level by the load devices is controlled based on comparison result between a power generation amount by the solar cell and a power consumption amount by the load devices, and a charge level of the storage battery indicative of a ratio of charging to capacity of the storage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Takehara
  • Patent number: 9620731
    Abstract: A thin film transistor according to the present disclosure including: a gate electrode above a substrate; a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer above the gate insulating layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are above the gate insulating layer, and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, in which the gate insulating layer includes a first area and a second area, the first area being above the gate electrode, the second area being different from an area above the gate electrode, and made of a same substance as the first area, and the first area has a higher density than a density of the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC COPRORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Ukeda, Akihito Miyamoto, Norishige Nanai
  • Patent number: 9621095
    Abstract: An amplitude control unit (40) detects the amplitude of a movable element (12) that reciprocates relative to a stator (11), detects fluctuations in a load over time according to detected fluctuations over time in the amplitude, and detects an abnormality on the basis of the detected fluctuations over time in the load. The amplitude control unit (40) outputs the detected amplitudes to a control output unit (50). The control output unit (50) controls a drive current (Id) for reciprocating the movable element (12) on the basis of the amplitude information supplied from the amplitude control unit (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ibuki, Takafumi Ohba, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9621102
    Abstract: A duty ratio calculation section (5a) of this device calculates target duty ratios of respective phases on the basis of a motor current value. When the target duty ratio of an arbitrary phase (U-phase) has become an uncontrolled duty ratio (for example, 5% or lower or 95% or higher), a duty ratio correction section (5b) obtains corrected duty ratios by either adding or subtracting a differential duty ratio, that is, the difference between the target duty ratio of the arbitrary phase (U-phase) and a controllable duty ratio (for example, 0% or 100%), to or from the target duty ratios of the other phases (V-phase, W-phase). A PWM output section (5c) applies a PWM signal, which is based on the controllable duty ratio and the corrected duty ratios, to the power device (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoru Itani
  • Patent number: 9621982
    Abstract: A directivity control apparatus controls a directivity of a sound collected by a first sound collecting unit including a plurality of microphones. The directivity control apparatus includes a directivity forming unit, configured to form a directivity of the sound in a direction toward a monitoring target corresponding to a first designated position in an image displayed on a display unit, and an information obtaining unit, configured to obtain information on a second designated position in the image displayed on the display unit, designated in accordance with a movement of the monitoring target. The directivity forming unit is configured to change the directivity of the sound toward the monitoring target corresponding to the second designated position by referring to the information on the second designated position obtained by the information obtaining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Shigenaga, Akitoshi Izumi, Kazunori Hayashi, Toshimichi Tokuda, Hirotaka Sawa
  • Patent number: 9622312
    Abstract: A drive circuit (1) according to the present invention is a drive circuit which causes an LED module (4) to emit light, using a dimming signal which is an alternating current signal which has been phase-controlled in response to a dimming level, the drive circuit (1) including a control signal generating unit (8) which integrates a voltage of a rectified dimming signal to generate a control signal for controlling the luminance of the LED module (4), the voltage being greater than or equal to a first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage less than a maximum voltage of the dimming signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Takahashi, Kazuhiko Itoh
  • Patent number: 9621436
    Abstract: An application information acquisition unit transmits a device list of unconnected devices, which are owned devices recorded in a local storage but not retrieved by a device retrieval unit, and connected devices, which are owned devices retrieved by the device retrieval unit, to an external server via an external network. A service list display unit displays a list of device cooperation services indicated in device cooperation service list information obtained by the application information acquisition unit from the external server and a list of devices determined to be owned devices by an owned device management unit on a display unit, whereby a user is prompted to select a device cooperation service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Keiichi Tanaka, Yuki Taoka, Kenji Masuda
  • Patent number: 9621433
    Abstract: A control method used in a remote control system according to the present disclosure includes: a step of displaying candidates for a target apparatus to be controlled among apparatuses on a user interface region of a display unit of an information terminal; a step of obtaining, via a network, control indexes used to determine a display mode for the user interface region; a step of displaying, on the user interface region, one or more control menus in a display mode determined based on a selected target apparatus and the control indexes; a step of generating a control signal for causing the target apparatus to perform an operation according to control corresponding to a control menu, when the control menu is selected from the one or more displayed control menus; and a step of transmitting the control signal to the target apparatus via the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Chikara Yoshida, Kazushige Yamada, Kenji Shimizu, Masaki Takahashi, Yuri Nishikawa, Masayuki Kozuka, Toshihisa Nakano, Tsutomu Sekibe, Motoji Ohmori, Hiroyuki Takemura, Jun Yamaguchi, Takeshi Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9621816
    Abstract: A lighting control device includes: a luminance acquirer that acquires a luminance measured value of a fixed point of an object when the object is viewed from a predetermined viewpoint; and a lighting adjuster that individually controls a plurality of light sources irradiating the object from different directions based on the luminance measured value, and adjusts lighting on the object such that the luminance of the fixed point comes close to a predetermined setting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chie Nishi
  • Patent number: 9621779
    Abstract: A face recognition device includes: an image capture unit, an area detection unit, a feature amount extraction unit, a distance estimation unit and a feature amount update unit. The image capture unit is configured to capture an image of an object. The area detection unit is configured to detect a given area of the object based on an image obtained as an image capture result of the image capture unit. The feature amount extraction unit is configured to extract a feature amount within the given area detected by the area detection unit. The distance estimation unit is configured to estimate a distance between the image capture unit and the given area. The feature amount update unit is configured to update the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit based on the distance estimated by the distance estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuji Aoki, Akihiro Nakanowatari, Shin Yamada, Hiroaki Yoshio, Takayuki Matsukawa
  • Patent number: 9621861
    Abstract: A projection image display system which forms an image on a projection plane with plural images includes a first projection-type display apparatus, a second projection-type display apparatus, a first-controller configured to control the first projection-type display apparatus to display a guide figure when a projectable region does not contain an assigned projection region for the first projection-type display apparatus, a second controller configured to control the second projection-type display apparatus to display a reference figure when a projectable region contains an assigned projection region for the second projection-type display apparatus. The guide figure is a figure to be referenced by a user for adjusting the position of the first projection-type display apparatus. The reference figure is a figure to be referenced by the user, as a norm for the position adjustment, in combination with the guide figure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinao Hiranuma
  • Patent number: 9621871
    Abstract: An image coding method for properly handling a 3D video format including a base layer and an enhancement layer includes a video layer and a system layer. The video layer includes a step of coding an image to generate a coded stream. The system layer includes a step of multiplexing the coded stream and an identifier to generate a system stream, the identifier indicating whether or not the image has a left-right mixed format that includes a base layer and an enhancement layer and that has a left view image area and a right view image area in each picture. In the coding step, the image that includes the base layer and the enhancement layer and that has the left view image area and the right view image area in each picture is coded to generate the coded stream, when the image has the left-right mixed format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Nishi, Tadamasa Toma, Taiji Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9622004
    Abstract: Provided a sound velocity correction device including an environmental parameter obtainer that acquires a measured value of a surrounding environmental parameter of a sound collector that collects a sound emitted from a sound source; and a sound velocity corrector that corrects a sound velocity of the sound which is used to form directivity in a directing direction toward the sound source from the sound collector, using the measured value of the surrounding environmental parameter of the sound collector which is acquired by the environmental parameter obtainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Shuichi Watanabe, Hisashi Tsuji, Akitoshi Izumi, Hirotaka Sawa
  • Patent number: 9622234
    Abstract: Provided is a wireless communication terminal such that, in a system in which E-PDCCH control information is transmitted, flexible frequency scheduling for the E-PDCCH control information for a plurality of terminals can be performed by restricting ACK/NACK scheduling, while an upstream data resource is ensured. The wireless communication terminal is provided with: a reception unit that receives a control signal via an extended physical downstream control channel; a control unit that determines an ACK/NACK resource for transmitting an ACK/NACK signal on the basis of an association rule such that, in the extended physical downstream control channel transmitting each extended control channel element in a single frequency resource block, arbitrary successive numbers of ACK/NACK resources correspond to the extended control channel elements contained in different frequency resource blocks; and a transmission unit that transmits the ACK/NACK signal by using the determined ACK/NACK resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Kazuki Takeda, Hidetoshi Suzuki, Ayako Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 9622302
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a lighting device having an LED as a light source; a lighting circuit; and a heat dissipation device configured to dissipate heat generated by the lighting device. The lighting circuit has: a power source configured to supply electric power to the LED; and a controller configured to control current which is output from the power source to the LED. The heat dissipation device has a device characteristics information providing unit configured to provide device characteristics information of the heat dissipation device to the controller, wherein the controller determines compatibility between the heat dissipation device and the lighting device, based on the device characteristics information, and controls lighting of the LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Mishima, Nobuyoshi Takeuchi