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).
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Patent number: 11262449Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 18, 2017Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke Goto, Hitoshi Maeno
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Patent number: 10948570Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Keisuke Goto, Hitoshi Maeno
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Publication number: 20190137624Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke GOTO, Hitoshi MAENO
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Patent number: 10183733Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 26, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka
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Publication number: 20180372494Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2016Publication date: December 27, 2018Applicants: FLUID TECHNO CO., LTD., FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiro TAMASHIMA, Daisuke TERADA, Akihiko MATSUDA, Hitoshi MAENO, Koji HAYASHI
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Patent number: 10137972Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chizu Kawasaki, Masashi Imasaka, Hitoshi Maeno
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Patent number: 10120070Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 11, 2014Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Hitoshi Maeno, Sae Takemoto, Akira Okunishi
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Patent number: 10000270Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 26, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka
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Publication number: 20180149731Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2016Publication date: May 31, 2018Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke GOTO, Hitoshi MAENO
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Patent number: 9950777Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 5, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka, Yuya Takashima, Chizu Kawasaki
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Publication number: 20180015994Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2015Publication date: January 18, 2018Inventors: Kazuya KISHIMOTO, Hitoshi MAENO, Masashi IMASAKA
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Publication number: 20170349258Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2015Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Kazuya KISHIMOTO, Hitoshi MAENO, Masashi IMASAKA
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Publication number: 20170233051Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2015Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Chizu Kawasaki, Masashi Imasaka, Hitoshi Maeno
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Publication number: 20170088236Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Masahiro TAMASHIMA, Daisuke TERADA, Akihiko MATSUDA, Hitoshi MAENO, Koji HAYASHI
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Publication number: 20160229511Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2016Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka, Yuya Takashima, Chizu Kawasaki
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Patent number: 9335402Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 19, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hitoshi Maeno, Yasunobu Asada
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Patent number: 9274211Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 20, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hitoshi Maeno
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Publication number: 20160018518Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2014Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Hitoshi MAENO, Sae TAKEMOTO, Akira OKUNISHI
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Patent number: 8830117Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 5, 2011Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: FURUNO Electric Company LimitedInventor: Hitoshi Maeno
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Patent number: 8665140Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Furuno Electric Company LimitedInventors: Kazuya Nakagawa, Hitoshi Maeno