Patents by Inventor Mitsuo Yokohata

Mitsuo Yokohata 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: 20230019724
    Abstract: A gas meter (10) includes a normal measurement mode in which the flow rate is measured in a predetermined sampling period and a detailed measurement mode in which the flow rate is measured in a sampling period shorter than the predetermined sampling period in the normal measurement mode. A center device (40) gives an instruction to the gas meter (10) to measure the flow rate in the detailed measurement mode. The center device (40) further collects flow rate data measured in the detailed measurement mode from the gas meter (10), and generates, based on the collected flow rate data, failure diagnosis information for diagnosing a failure in a gas appliance. With this configuration, the failure part in the gas appliance can be remotely identified, which accelerates the repair work.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: TADANORI SHIRASAWA, MITSUO YOKOHATA
  • Patent number: 11397005
    Abstract: A flow measurement device includes a flow rate measurement unit, an arithmetic unit that calculates a difference value between a the first flow rate value and a second flow rate value, and a difference value conversion unit that calculates a flow rate ratio, based on the difference value. An appliance characteristic extraction unit extracts at least one appliance characteristic quantity indicating a characteristic of a flow rate change and a value calculated from a first flow rate value and a second flow rate value, as an appliance characteristic quantity. Furthermore, an appliance inherent characteristic information holding unit holds appliance inherent characteristic quantities indicating a characteristic flow rate state of a specific gas appliance, and an appliance discrimination unit discriminates a gas appliance, based on a comparison between the appliance characteristic quantity and the appliance inherent characteristic quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kitano, Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Patent number: 11215487
    Abstract: A flow rate measurement device includes a flow rate measurer to measure a fluid flow rate at regular time intervals, a period setting unit, an arithmetic unit to calculate first average flow rates and amounts of change each between the average flow rates in sequence, and second average flow rates and amounts of change each between the average flow rates in sequence, and a fuel cell determinator to determine whether a fuel cell is in operation. The fuel cell determinator determines that a fuel cell is in operation when an increment of the second average flow rate repeats for first predetermined successive times, an increment of the first average flow rate repeats for second predetermined times or more in each of the second periods, and an increment of the first average flow rate not greater than or equal to a third predetermined flow rate in each of the second periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kitano, Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Publication number: 20210054997
    Abstract: A gas meter according to the present invention includes flow rate measuring part that measures a flow rate of gas flowing through flow passage, shutoff valve that shuts off flow passage, wireless communicator that periodically performs wireless communication externally, and communication interval setting part that sets a communication interval in wireless communication. Communication interval setting part sets the communication interval according to the flow rate of gas measured by flow rate measuring part. By changing a setting of the communication interval according to the flow rate measured by flow rate measuring part, it is possible to enhance a responsiveness required according to the flow rate of gas measured by flow rate measuring part while a minimum necessary communication frequency is maintained. Accordingly, the power saving can be achieved and also convenience can be maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: MASAAKI SAKATA, MITSUO YOKOHATA, SHOTA TERAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10704942
    Abstract: Flow rate measurement device includes flow rate measurement unit that measures a flow rate of gas at a prescribed time interval, and arithmetic unit that calculates a characteristic flow rate from the flow rates measured within a predetermined period, and calculates a ratio of each flow rate measured at multiple times within the predetermined period with respect to the characteristic flow rate. In addition, flow rate measurement device includes appliance characteristic extraction unit that extracts an appliance characteristic quantity which indicates a characteristic of a flow rate change in currently using gas appliances within the predetermined period, the appliance characteristic quantity being the ratio or information obtained from the ratio, and appliance inherent characteristic information holding unit that holds an appliance inherent characteristic quantity indicating a characteristic flow rate state of a specific gas appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kitano, Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Publication number: 20200200576
    Abstract: A flow rate measurement device includes flow rate measurer to measure a flow rate of a fluid at regular time intervals, the fluid flowing in flow path, period setting unit to set a first period and a second period, arithmetic unit to calculate first average flow rates and amounts of change each between the average flow rates in sequence, and second average flow rates and amounts of change each between the average flow rates in sequence in a predetermined period, and fuel cell determinator to determine whether or not a fuel cell is in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: YUSUKE KITANO, MITSUO YOKOHATA
  • Publication number: 20190219420
    Abstract: The flow rate measuring device includes flow rate measurer that measures a flow rate of gas, appliance discriminator that discriminates a gas appliance that is being used based on a change in flow rate from a reference flow rate obtained based on the flow rate measured by flow rate measurer, and reference flow rate setter that updates a reference flow rate based on the flow rate measured by flow rate measurer when the flow rate measured by the flow rate measurer satisfies a predetermined condition. Furthermore, the predetermined condition is changed when appliance discriminator determines that the gas appliance is a specific gas appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: MITSUO YOKOHATA, YUSUKE KITANO
  • Patent number: 10323966
    Abstract: A gas meter that is a flow rate measurement device includes a flow rate measurement unit for measuring, at a constant time interval, a flow rate of gas flowing in a passage, a pressure measurement unit for measuring pressure of the gas in the passage, a power supply unit for supplying power to a pressure measurement unit, and an appliance determination unit for determining an appliance being used based on a gas flow rate value. The gas meter further includes a measurement interval controller for determining a gas non-use state, an appliance determination performing state, or an appliance determination non-performing state based on the gas flow rate value and operation information of the appliance determination unit, for controlling the power supply unit in accordance with the determined state, and for changing an interval for turning on/off power supplied to the pressure measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Yokohata, Yusuke Kitano
  • Publication number: 20190024891
    Abstract: Flow measurement device includes flow rate measurement unit, arithmetic unit that calculates a difference value between a the first flow rate value and a second flow rate value, and difference value conversion unit that calculates a flow rate ratio, based on the difference value. In addition, flow measurement device includes appliance characteristic extraction unit that extracts at least one appliance characteristic quantity indicating a characteristic of a flow rate change, and that extracts a value calculated from a first flow rate value and a second flow rate value, as at least one appliance characteristic quantity, in a case where the flow rate ratio falls within a reference range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: YUSUKE KITANO, MITSUO YOKOHATA
  • Publication number: 20190003866
    Abstract: Flow rate measurement device includes flow rate measurement unit that measures a flow rate of gas at a prescribed time interval, and arithmetic unit that calculates a characteristic flow rate from the flow rates measured within a predetermined period, and calculates a ratio of each flow rate measured at multiple times within the predetermined period with respect to the characteristic flow rate. In addition, flow rate measurement device includes appliance characteristic extraction unit that extracts an appliance characteristic quantity which indicates a characteristic of a flow rate change in currently using gas appliances within the predetermined period, the appliance characteristic quantity being the ratio or information obtained from the ratio, and appliance inherent characteristic information holding unit that holds an appliance inherent characteristic quantity indicating a characteristic flow rate state of a specific gas appliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: YUSUKE KITANO, MITSUO YOKOHATA
  • Publication number: 20180052023
    Abstract: A gas meter that is a flow rate measurement device includes a flow rate measurement unit for measuring, at a constant time interval, a flow rate of gas flowing in a passage, a pressure measurement unit for measuring pressure of the gas in the passage, a power supply unit for supplying power to a pressure measurement unit, and an appliance determination unit for determining an appliance being used based on a gas flow rate value. The gas meter further includes a measurement interval controller for determining a gas non-use state, an appliance determination performing state, or an appliance determination non-performing state based on the gas flow rate value and operation information of the appliance determination unit, for controlling the power supply unit in accordance with the determined state, and for changing an interval for turning on/off power supplied to the pressure measurement unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Mitsuo YOKOHATA, Yusuke KITANO
  • Patent number: 9453750
    Abstract: A fluid instrument information providing device comprises a gas usage amount integrating section for integrating the usage amount of a gas for each of the kinds of gas instruments which is determined by a gas instrument determiner section, based on a change in the flow of the gas which is measured by the flow measuring section; an instrument information generating section for generating a plurality of gas instrument information including charge information relating to the gas instrument corresponding to the integrated usage amount for each kind of the gas instrument which is integrated by the gas usage amount integrating section, based on the integrated usage amount; an information selecting section operated by a user to select gas instrument information from among the gas instrument information generated by the gas instrument information generating section; and an output section for outputting instrument information selected by the information selecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Yokohata, Motoyuki Nawa
  • Patent number: 9097572
    Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a flow rate measurement device which is capable of simplifying calculation, reducing the amount of memory necessary for calculation, absorbing variations resulting from manual operation or ignition state when the appliances are used alone or in combination, and improving appliance identification precision of appliances having similar characteristics with a configuration which extracts characteristics of appliances. The flow rate measurement device identifies the appliances with high precision by extracting characteristics of gas appliances from code sequences into which a differential conversion unit converts, at regular time intervals, differentials by a first calculation unit which calculates differentials at regular time intervals in the flow rates measured by a flow rate measurement unit and by a second calculation unit which calculates differentials at time intervals different from the first calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Kamimura, Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Patent number: 9080902
    Abstract: A gas meter of the present invention includes a flow measuring section for measuring a flow value of a gas flowing through a fluid passage connected to a gas instrument at each specified time interval; a measurement flow memory for storing the measured flow value; and a fuel cell determiner section for determining that the instrument using a gas is a fuel cell, when a condition A and a condition B are satisfied, in which the condition A is such that a maximum value of determination target flow values is equal to or less than a second predetermined value, the determination target flow values being a predetermined number of flow values measured before and after a reference flow value which is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value and is closest to the first predetermined value, the determination target flow values being included in stored flow values, and the condition B is such that a difference value derived by subtracting from each of all of the determination target flow values, an average val
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagatomo, Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Publication number: 20150128721
    Abstract: A fluid instrument information providing device comprises a gas usage amount integrating section for integrating the usage amount of a gas for each of the kinds of gas instruments which is determined by a gas instrument determiner section, based on a change in the flow of the gas which is measured by the flow measuring section; an instrument information generating section for generating a plurality of gas instrument information including charge information relating to the gas instrument corresponding to the integrated usage amount for each kind of the gas instrument which is integrated by the gas usage amount integrating section, based on the integrated usage amount; an information selecting section operated by a user to select gas instrument information from among the gas instrument information generated by the gas instrument information generating section; and an output section for outputting instrument information selected by the information selecting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Mitsuo Yokohata, Motoyuki Nawa
  • Patent number: 9026381
    Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a flow rate measurement device which is capable of simplifying calculation, reducing the amount of memory necessary for calculation, absorbing variations in the flow rate which changes in various ways depending on the state of usage, and improving identification precision of appliances with a configuration which extracts characteristics of appliances. The flow rate measurement device monitors and determines the change in the flow rate measured by a flow rate measurement unit, and extracts and determines codes obtained by a differential conversion unit and appliance characteristic flow rates representing the characteristics of gas appliances, thereby identifying the gas appliances in which appliance characteristics vary depending on the state of usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Patent number: 9026382
    Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a flow rate measurement device which is capable of simplifying calculation, reducing the amount of memory necessary for calculation, absorbing variations resulting from manual operation or ignition state when appliances are used alone or in combination, and improving appliance identification precision with a configuration which extracts characteristics of appliances. The flow rate measurement device monitors and determines the change in a flow rate measured by a flow rate measurement unit, monitors and determines the code obtained by differential conversion unit, extracts appliance characteristic flow rates representing the characteristics of the gas appliances, and compares them with the appliance-specific characteristics, thereby identifying the gas appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Yokohata
  • Patent number: 9014993
    Abstract: A flow rate measuring device simplifies calculation, reduces memory required for calculation, absorbs variations due to manual operation and, depending on the state of ignition, improves the accuracy of appliance identification by extracting features of appliances. The flow rate measuring device includes: a difference value conversion unit that converts into codes difference values of the flow rate measured at constant time intervals by an ultrasonic flowmeter; an appliance feature extraction unit creates an appliance feature code string indicating a feature of each appliance by, for example, making comparison and judgment using a third last code, a second last code, a last code and a current code of the codes obtained at constant time intervals, and by performing code deletion; and an identification unit performs appliance identification by comparing the appliance feature code string with an appliance inherent feature code string indicating the feature code string inherent in each appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Yokohata, Ryuji Iwamoto, Takuhisa Ootani, Kouichi Ueki, Kazutaka Asano, Hajime Miyata, Youichi Itou
  • Publication number: 20150073731
    Abstract: A flow meter device comprises a flow measuring section (2) for measuring a flow of a fluid in a fluid passage through which the fluid is supplied to a fluid instrument in use; and a measurement data processing section (3) which calculates a slope of a change in a flow difference per unit time which change occurs with time, at a time point when a sign of the flow difference per unit time is inverted, based on the flow of the fluid measured by the flow measuring section, and determines whether or not the fluid instrument in use is a particular fluid instrument based on whether or not the slope falls within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Mitsuo Yokohata, Motoyuki Nawa
  • Patent number: 8973602
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas shutoff device that prevents tampering procurement of gas or tamper due to stealing of the gas shutoff device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Yokohata