Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Maeno

Hitoshi Maeno 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: 11262449
    Abstract: To accurately calculate a location range which a ship is capable of reaching within a prescribed time interval. A signal processing device is configured so as to be equipped with reachable range calculation units 17, 18 which calculate a reachable range, which is the location range a ship is capable of reaching within a prescribed time interval, on the basis of the static information of the ship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Goto, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Patent number: 10948570
    Abstract: In order to accurately identify a target object, a signal processor is provided, which includes an extracting module configured to extract, from echo sample sequences, a plurality of samples caused by the target object as a partial sample sequence, a characteristic amount calculating module configured to calculate a characteristic of the partial sample sequence as a characteristic amount, a memory configured to store a plurality of type-based data that are data as comparison targets of the characteristic amount and correspond to types from which the target object is identified, and an identifying module configured to compare the characteristic amount with each of the plurality of type-based data and, based on the comparison result, identify the target object corresponding to the partial sample sequence for which the characteristic amount is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Goto, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Publication number: 20190137624
    Abstract: To accurately calculate a location range which a ship is capable of reaching within a prescribed time interval. A signal processing device is configured so as to be equipped with reachable range calculation units 17, 18 which calculate a reachable range, which is the location range a ship is capable of reaching within a prescribed time interval, on the basis of the static information of the ship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke GOTO, Hitoshi MAENO
  • Patent number: 10183733
    Abstract: The purpose is to provide a program, method and device for controlling a movable body (e.g., single-propeller single-rudder ship) to move the movable body while keeping it orientated in a given direction. A controlling module may cause the movable body to stay at a fixed point position by controlling a thrust generator and a moving direction adjustor to orient the movable body to a direction of a disturbance estimated by a disturbance direction estimating module so that the movable body is not drifted by the disturbance. Every time the changing module sequentially changes the fixed point position, the controlling module may move the movable body to the changed fixed point position. Thus, the control device of the movable body of this disclosure may sequentially move the movable body while keeping it oriented to the direction of the disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka
  • Publication number: 20180372494
    Abstract: A sea state estimation device includes a time history memory which stores a time history of ship motion data relating to a rolling angle, a pitching angle and a heaving displacement; a hull condition data calculator which calculates current hull condition data of the hull based on the time history of the ship motion data stored in the time history memory; a cross spectra calculator which calculates cross spectra of respective ship motions; a hull response function calculator which calculates a hull response function based on the hull condition data calculated by the hull condition data calculator; and a sea state estimator which estimates a sea state in sea on which the hull is running based on the cross spectra of the respective ship motions calculated by the cross spectra calculator and the hull response function calculated by the hull response function calculator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicants: FLUID TECHNO CO., LTD., FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro TAMASHIMA, Daisuke TERADA, Akihiko MATSUDA, Hitoshi MAENO, Koji HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10137972
    Abstract: To easily grasp a relationship of parameter values which influence a log velocity of a ship, with the log velocity of the ship caused by the parameters, a ship characteristic estimating device is provided, which includes a data outputter configured to output a plurality of parameter data respectively including rotational speed data of a propeller of a ship, and wind velocity vector data of wind force that may act on the ship, and an estimator configured to receive the plurality of parameter data outputted from the data outputter, estimate values corresponding to the respective parameter data to be log velocity vectors of the ship, and output them as first output values. The rotational speed data are same as each other and the wind velocity vector data are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chizu Kawasaki, Masashi Imasaka, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Patent number: 10120070
    Abstract: A detection device detects a target based on a reception signal obtained from a reflection signal of a transmission signal. The detection device includes a Doppler frequency component generator that acquires a Doppler frequency component that indicates the amplitude level of a reception signal, for at least one Doppler frequency, based on the reception signal, a region identifier that identifies a first region and a second region that is outside the first region, based on the value of the amplitude level and the increase rate in the amplitude level, a second-Doppler frequency component suppressor that suppresses the Doppler frequency component of an unnecessary signal, out of the Doppler frequency component corresponding to the second region, and a combiner that combines the Doppler frequency component corresponding to the first region outputted from the region identifier, and the output of the second Doppler frequency component suppressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Hitoshi Maeno, Sae Takemoto, Akira Okunishi
  • Patent number: 10000270
    Abstract: A moving body control device includes a moving body direction sensor, a position sensor, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry estimates a direction of disturbance. The processing circuitry sets a target position and a starting position. The processing circuitry controls a propulsion generator and a movement direction adjuster such that a heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry, and when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance. The processing circuitry changes the starting position based on a distance between the target position and a position of the moving body sensed by the position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka
  • Publication number: 20180149731
    Abstract: In order to accurately identify a target object, a signal processor is provided, which includes an extracting module configured to extract, from echo sample sequences, a plurality of samples caused by the target object as a partial sample sequence, a characteristic amount calculating module configured to calculate a characteristic of the partial sample sequence as a characteristic amount, a memory configured to store a plurality of type-based data that are data as comparison targets of the characteristic amount and correspond to types from which the target object is identified, and an identifying module configured to compare the characteristic amount with each of the plurality of type-based data and, based on the comparison result, identify the target object corresponding to the partial sample sequence for which the characteristic amount is calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke GOTO, Hitoshi MAENO
  • Patent number: 9950777
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided. The device includes a target bearing calculating module configured to calculate a target bearing of a vehicle based on a direction of a disturbance, a stern bearing calculating module configured to calculate a stern bearing, and a rudder mechanism drive signal determining module configured to determine a rudder angle command so that the stern bearing approaches the target bearing, and determine a rudder mechanism drive signal based on the rudder angle command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka, Yuya Takashima, Chizu Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20180015994
    Abstract: The purpose is to provide a program, method and device for controlling a movable body (e.g., single-propeller single-rudder ship) to move the movable body while keeping it orientated in a given direction. A controlling module may cause the movable body to stay at a fixed point position by controlling a thrust generator and a moving direction adjustor to orient the movable body to a direction of a disturbance estimated by a disturbance direction estimating module so that the movable body is not drifted by the disturbance. Every time the changing module sequentially changes the fixed point position, the controlling module may move the movable body to the changed fixed point position. Thus, the control device of the movable body of this disclosure may sequentially move the movable body while keeping it oriented to the direction of the disturbance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuya KISHIMOTO, Hitoshi MAENO, Masashi IMASAKA
  • Publication number: 20170349258
    Abstract: A moving body control device includes a moving body direction sensor, a position sensor, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry estimates a direction of disturbance. The processing circuitry sets a target position and a starting position. The processing circuitry controls a propulsion generator and a movement direction adjuster such that a heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry, and when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance. The processing circuitry changes the starting position based on a distance between the target position and a position of the moving body sensed by the position sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuya KISHIMOTO, Hitoshi MAENO, Masashi IMASAKA
  • Publication number: 20170233051
    Abstract: To easily grasp a relationship of parameter values which influence a log velocity of a ship, with the log velocity of the ship caused by the parameters, a ship characteristic estimating device is provided, which includes a data outputter configured to output a plurality of parameter data respectively including rotational speed data of a propeller of a ship, and wind velocity vector data of wind force that may act on the ship, and an estimator configured to receive the plurality of parameter data outputted from the data outputter, estimate values corresponding to the respective parameter data to be log velocity vectors of the ship, and output them as first output values. The rotational speed data are same as each other and the wind velocity vector data are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Chizu Kawasaki, Masashi Imasaka, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Publication number: 20170088236
    Abstract: Provided is a transverse metacenter height estimation device that includes: a history storage means for storing time sequence data of the roll angle of a hull; and a transverse metacenter height estimation means that estimates the transverse metacenter height of the hull on the basis of the time sequence data of the roll angle of the hull, such data stored by the history storing means. The transverse metacenter height estimation device is characterized in that the transverse metacenter height estimation means first calculates a roll natural frequency on the basis of the time sequence data of the roll angle of the hull, sets the calculated roll natural frequency as an observation model, carries out state estimation on the basis of a normal state spatial model in which the transverse metacenter height and the gyration radius of the hull are used as state variables, and thereby estimates the transverse metacenter height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro TAMASHIMA, Daisuke TERADA, Akihiko MATSUDA, Hitoshi MAENO, Koji HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160229511
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided. The device includes a target bearing calculating module configured to calculate a target bearing of a vehicle based on a direction of a disturbance, a stern bearing calculating module configured to calculate a stern bearing, and a rudder mechanism drive signal determining module configured to determine a rudder angle command so that the stern bearing approaches the target bearing, and determine a rudder mechanism drive signal based on the rudder angle command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka, Yuya Takashima, Chizu Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9335402
    Abstract: A target object detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a transmitter, a receiver, a threshold determiner, a parameter setter, a parameter selector, and a timing controller. The transmitter repeatedly transmits a transmission pulse at a transmission timing. The receiver receives a reception signal at a reception timing set based on the transmission timing. The threshold determiner determines whether an amplitude value of the reception signal exceeds a predetermined threshold at every sampling point and counts the number of sampling points at which the amplitude value of the reception signal exceeds the threshold. The parameter setter sets a plurality of different parameters for controlling the transmission timing. The parameter selector selects the parameter from the parameter settings, to minimize the number of sampling points counted by the threshold determiner. The timing controller controls the transmission timing, based on the parameter selected by the parameter selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Maeno, Yasunobu Asada
  • Patent number: 9274211
    Abstract: A target object detection device is provided. The device includes a transmitter for transmitting at least one transmission wave in a predetermined azimuth, an echo signal receiver for receiving echo signals of the transmission waves, an echo signal suppressor for suppressing levels of the echo signals corresponding to sampling positions, a target object detector for detecting the target object(s) based on the level-suppressed echo signals, a first updater for comparing amplitude level(s) of echo signals of sampling positions, with the threshold that is set in association with the first distance, and determining to update the values with a new threshold and a new suppression value, and a second updater for comparing amplitude level(s) of echo signals of sampling positions, with the threshold that is set in association with the second distance, and determining to update the values with a new threshold and a new suppression value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Maeno
  • Publication number: 20160018518
    Abstract: A detection device detects a target based on a reception signal obtained from a reflection signal of a transmission signal. The detection device includes a Doppler frequency component generator that acquires a Doppler frequency component that indicates the amplitude level of a reception signal, for at least one Doppler frequency, based on the reception signal, a region identifier that identifies a first region and a second region that is outside the first region, based on the value of the amplitude level and the increase rate in the amplitude level, a second-Doppler frequency component suppressor that suppresses the Doppler frequency component of an unnecessary signal, out of the Doppler frequency component corresponding to the second region, and a combiner that combines the Doppler frequency component corresponding to the first region outputted from the region identifier, and the output of the second Doppler frequency component suppressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Hitoshi MAENO, Sae TAKEMOTO, Akira OKUNISHI
  • Patent number: 8830117
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of setting a threshold according to a level of an echo signal containing an unused component. The echo signal is generated by transmitting and receiving a radio wave with an antenna while the antenna revolves. The method includes acquiring levels of the echo signals at every predetermined distance interval and updating a threshold set for an observing position based on the level of the echo signal at the observing position, the threshold set for the observing position, and a threshold set for a position closer to the antenna than the observing position by the predetermined distance on the same sweep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: FURUNO Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Hitoshi Maeno
  • Patent number: 8665140
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a signal processing device, which includes an echo signal input unit for being inputted with echo signals caused by electromagnetic waves discharged from an antenna and reflected on one or more target objects, an echo signal level detector for detecting a level of each of the echo signals with reference to an azimuth and a distance to the antenna, a level change detector for detecting a level change between the echo signals from locations close to each other, the locations of the echo signals being such that the distances from the antenna are substantially the same but the azimuths are different, a pattern output module for comparing the level change with a predetermined reference pattern and outputting a level change pattern, and a missing determining module for determining a missing of a signal based on at least two of the level change patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Kazuya Nakagawa, Hitoshi Maeno