Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Shimizu

Hiroaki Shimizu 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).

  • Publication number: 20240108186
    Abstract: A charging base includes: a base seat installed on a floor surface; a columnar tower part provided on the base seat; a first support provided on the tower part and capable of supporting a vertical first electric vacuum cleaner; and a second support provided on the tower part and capable of supporting a vertical second electric vacuum cleaner. An electric vacuum cleaner system includes the charging base configured as described above, the vertical first electric vacuum cleaner, and the vertical second electric vacuum cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Koshiro TAKANO, Eigo SHIMIZU, Yumi KUROKAWA, Shigeyuki NAGATA, Eunjin CHOI, Isamu OKUDA, Tsutomu MATSUBARA, Takenori SEKIGUCHI, Hiroaki ITO, Kenji YANAGISAWA
  • Patent number: 11941815
    Abstract: A system and a method for training a model to be used for semantic segmentation of images, comprising: a—obtaining (S01) a first plurality of foggy images (101), b—training (S02) a classification model for estimating fog density, c—classifying (S03) a second plurality of images (101) having light fog, d—obtaining (S04) a third plurality of foggy images (103) having light fog, e—training (S05) a semantic segmentation model using the third plurality of foggy images, f—applying (S06) the semantic segmentation model to the second plurality of foggy (102) images to obtain semantic segmentations (102?), g—obtaining (S07) a fourth plurality of foggy images (104) having dense fog, h—training (S08) using the previously obtained foggy images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE, ETH ZURICH
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shimizu, Dengxin Dai, Christos Sakaridis, Luc Van Gool
  • Patent number: 11900696
    Abstract: A system and a method for processing a plurality of images, each image of the plurality of images being acquired by a respective image acquisition module of a vehicle and each image acquisition module being oriented outwardly with respect to the vehicle, the method comprising: elaborating a bird's eye view image of surroundings of the vehicle using pixel values of pixels of at least one portion of each image of the plurality of images as pixel values of the bird's eye view image, and performing, on the bird's eye view image, a detection of at least one lane marked on a surface on which the vehicle is and visible on the bird's eye view image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Kazuki Tamura, Hiroaki Shimizu, Marc Proesmans, Frank Verbiest, Jonas Heylen, Bruno Dawagne, Davy Neven, Bert Debrabandere, Luc Van Gool
  • Patent number: 11881016
    Abstract: A system and a method for processing an image so as to perform instance segmentation. The system/method includes: a—inputting (S1) the image (IMG) to a first neural network configured to output an affinity graph (AF), and b—inputting (S2), to a second neural network, the affinity graph and a predefined seed-map (SM), so as to determine whether other pixels belong to a same instance, and set at a first value the value of the other pixels determined as belonging to the same instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, K.U. LEUVEN R&D
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shimizu, Bert De Brabandere, Davy Neven, Marc Proesmans, Luc Van Gool
  • Patent number: 11858146
    Abstract: A working method of performing work with increase or decrease in weight on an object by a robot system having a robot, a first hand with an assist device, and a second hand without the assist device, includes switching between an assisted work state in which the first hand is coupled to the robot and work is performed with assistance by the assist device and a non-assisted work state in which the second hand is coupled to the robot and work is performed without assistance by the assist device according to a weight of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nahomi Adachi, Hiroaki Shimizu, Masaki Miyasaka, Kazufumi Oya
  • Patent number: 11837120
    Abstract: In a display device, when blue (B) light enters a first liquid crystal panel, radiated light radiated from the first liquid crystal panel contains red (R) phosphorescence having a wavelength range longer than blue (B) light due to a deterioration of a liquid crystal material. Thus, in the display device, an optical sensor device is provided behind a mirror comprised of a dichroic mirror to monitor or the like the service life of the first liquid crystal panel on the basis of a result of reception, at the optical sensor device, of light having a frequency band ranging from 600 nm to 650 nm, and makes notification of the result. Furthermore, on the basis of a result from the optical sensor device, an electrode used to suck impurities provided at the first liquid crystal panel is driven to sweep ionic impurities from a display region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shimizu, Tatsuya Yanagisawa
  • Publication number: 20230306753
    Abstract: A method includes: recognizing a signal candidate position around a vehicle by using a sensor mounted on the vehicle, the signal candidate position being a position a traffic light is possibly present, the vehicle including a light configured in such a manner that a light distribution state of the light changes; and performing a first light control process of controlling the light in response to recognition of the signal candidate position, the first light control process including at least one of: increasing an intensity of light emitted to the signal candidate position to a value higher than before the recognition of the signal candidate position; or making the intensity of the light emitted to the signal candidate position higher than an intensity of light emitted to an area other than the signal candidate position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro KINOSHITA, Akihiro WATANABE, Hiroaki SHIMIZU, Ichiro MATSUYAMA, Masaki KISHIMOTO, Masamichi OHSUGI, Masateru UDATE, Satoshi TAKEYASU, Takahiro DOI, Takashi MORIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230290160
    Abstract: A stop line detection apparatus recognizes a boundary line of a lane on which the host vehicle travels, and detect a stop line at an intersection in front of the host vehicle. The apparatus sets an intersection area corresponding to the intersection in the road on which the host vehicle travels on the basis of a captured image by a front camera of the host vehicle, detects a crosswalk in the intersection area, a stop line search area setting unit configured to set a stop line search area extending from the crosswalk toward a front side in the lane on which the host vehicle travels, and performs stop line detection in the stop line search area. A depth of the stop line search area in an extending direction of a traveling lane is smaller than twice a depth of the crosswalk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kawaharada, Akihiro Watanabe, Hiroaki Shimizu, Ichiro Matsuyama, Masaki Kishimoto, Masamichi Ohsugi, Masateru Udate, Satoshi Takeyasu, Takahiro Doi, Takashi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11745366
    Abstract: A comb-shaped outer blade that scoops up body hair while suppressing the damage to the skin. The comb-shaped outer blade includes a base part that has a rod shape and extends in a first direction, a comb-blade attachment part that has a plate shape and extends in the first direction and a second direction, open blade parts each of which has a cantilever shape and protrudes from base part in a third direction, and bent blade parts arranged alternately with the open blade parts in the first direction, the bent blade parts connecting the base part to the attachment part. Each of the bent blade parts includes a protruding part that protrudes from the base part along the third direction, bent part that is connected to a distal end of the protruding part, and connecting part that connects bent part and comb-blade attachment part in an inclined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoki Okura, Masato Omori, Hiroaki Shimizu, Shunsuke Komori, Atsutaka Ikemoto, Daisuke Sone
  • Patent number: 11685067
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric razor that can further suppress irritation to a skin. An electric razor of the present disclosure includes a body configured to be gripped by a user, a head having three or more blade blocks, and a head support connecting the head and the body to each other. The head support supports the head in a floatable-and-sinkable way with respect to the body. The head includes a case that supports the three or more blade blocks, and a blade float that allows each of the three or more blade blocks to float and sink with respect to the case. A first urging force with which the head support urges the head in a floating direction is larger than a second urging force with which the blade float urges the plurality of blade blocks which are one or more less than three or more blade blocks in a floating direction. The first urging force is smaller than a third urging force with which the blade float urges all of the three or more blade blocks in the floating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Hashimoto, Shunsuke Komori, Hiroaki Shimizu, Akitaka Ito, Daiki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11679520
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric razor in which a support frame that supports an outer blade and an inner blade, which constitute a block, can be smoothly removed. An electric razor according to the present disclosure includes a main body gripped by a user and a head having a blade block including an outer blade (that is, a slit blade, a mesh blade) and an inner blade disposed inside the outer blade and sliding with respect to the outer blade. The head includes a base, a support frame that supports the blade block so as to be able to float and sink, a case held by the support frame, a hook that locks the support frame or the case to the base, and at least one push-up member that urges the support frame in a direction away from the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Hashimoto, Shunsuke Komori, Kotaro Yanagi, Akitaka Ito, Hiroaki Shimizu, Daisuke Sone
  • Publication number: 20230098793
    Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that captures an image of a subject to output an image-capturing signal; a development processing unit that generates development data based on the image-capturing signal; and an output control unit that outputs the development data to an external device in a predetermined transmission format via a connecting member that connects the image-capturing device to the external device. The output control unit outputs the image-capturing signal to the external device via the connecting member in the predetermined transmission format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro YOSHIMURA, Hiroaki SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 11598731
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an inspection method determining whether there is a defect in an electrode structural body including a cathode electrode layer, an electrolyte layer and an anode electrode layer electrode by an image processor. The inspection method includes a step of scanning the electrode structural body along a scanning direction to obtain a continuous transmission image, a step of digitizing a shade of each pixel of the transmission image, a step of calculating a difference value between a grayscale of a specific pixel and a median value of grayscales of comparison pixels located in front or rear of the specific pixel along the scanning direction, and a step of determining presence or absence of the defect according to the difference value and a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11546529
    Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that captures an image of a subject to output an image-capturing signal; a development processing unit that generates development data based on the image-capturing signal; and an output control unit that outputs the development data to an external device in a predetermined transmission format via a connecting member that connects the image-capturing device to the external device. The output control unit outputs the image-capturing signal to the external device via the connecting member in the predetermined transmission format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Yoshimura, Hiroaki Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20220398951
    Abstract: In a display device, when blue (B) light enters a first liquid crystal panel, radiated light radiated from the first liquid crystal panel contains red (R) phosphorescence having a wavelength range longer than blue (B) light due to a deterioration of a liquid crystal material. Thus, in the display device, an optical sensor device is provided behind a mirror comprised of a dichroic mirror to monitor or the like the service life of the first liquid crystal panel on the basis of a result of reception, at the optical sensor device, of light having a frequency band ranging from 600 nm to 650 nm, and makes notification of the result. Furthermore, on the basis of a result from the optical sensor device, an electrode used to suck impurities provided at the first liquid crystal panel is driven to sweep ionic impurities from a display region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shimizu, Tatsuya Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 11512204
    Abstract: A squarylium dye [A] that has high invisibility, i.e., exhibits low absorption in the visible light region (400 nm to 750 nm), has excellent near-infrared absorption capability and high light resistance, tends not to exhibit aggregations, and has specific X-ray diffraction peaks; and an image-forming material and the like containing the squarylium dye [A] having said characteristics. The problem is solved by a squarylium dye [A] having specific X-ray diffraction peaks represented by general formula (1). Moreover, the problem is also solved by various materials containing the squarylium dye [A].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: TOYO INK SC HOLDINGS CO., LTD., TOYO VISUAL SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Sakamoto, Hiroaki Shimizu, Sumihiro Aikyo
  • Publication number: 20220314471
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric razor that can further suppress irritation to a skin. An electric razor of the present disclosure includes a body configured to be gripped by a user, a head having three or more blade blocks, and a head support connecting the head and the body to each other. The head support supports the head in a floatable-and-sinkable way with respect to the body. The head includes a case that supports the three or more blade blocks, and a blade float that allows each of the three or more blade blocks to float and sink with respect to the case. A first urging force with which the head support urges the head in a floating direction is larger than a second urging force with which the blade float urges the plurality of blade blocks which are one or more less than three or more blade blocks in a floating direction. The first urging force is smaller than a third urging force with which the blade float urges all of the three or more blade blocks in the floating direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Toshiharu HASHIMOTO, Shunsuke KOMORI, Hiroaki SHIMIZU, Akitaka ITO, Daiki MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220314472
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric razor in which a support frame that supports an outer blade and an inner blade, which constitute a block, can be smoothly removed. An electric razor according to the present disclosure includes a main body gripped by a user and a head having a blade block including an outer blade (that is, a slit blade, a mesh blade) and an inner blade disposed inside the outer blade and sliding with respect to the outer blade. The head includes a base, a support frame that supports the blade block so as to be able to float and sink, a case held by the support frame, a hook that locks the support frame or the case to the base, and at least one push-up member that urges the support frame in a direction away from the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Toshiharu HASHIMOTO, Shunsuke KOMORI, Kotaro YANAGI, Akitaka ITO, Hiroaki SHIMIZU, Daisuke SONE
  • Publication number: 20220314470
    Abstract: A comb-shaped outer blade that scoops up body hair while suppressing the damage to the skin. The comb-shaped outer blade includes a base part that has a rod shape and extends in a first direction, a comb-blade attachment part that has a plate shape and extends in the first direction and a second direction, open blade parts each of which has a cantilever shape and protrudes from base part in a third direction, and bent blade parts arranged alternately with the open blade parts in the first direction, the bent blade parts connecting the base part to the attachment part. Each of the bent blade parts includes a protruding part that protrudes from the base part along the third direction, bent part that is connected to a distal end of the protruding part, and connecting part that connects bent part and comb-blade attachment part in an inclined state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Shoki OKURA, Masato OMORI, Hiroaki SHIMIZU, Shunsuke KOMORI, Atsutaka IKEMOTO, Daisuke SONE
  • Patent number: D1009648
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rhythm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Shimizu