Patents by Inventor Naoki NUMAGUCHI

Naoki NUMAGUCHI 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: 11787068
    Abstract: According to a certain aspect of the present invention, a control device for a robot is provided. The control device includes a processor configured to implement: a function of obtaining a signal indicating a detected value of a sensor detecting a state quantity of the robot; and a function of, in converting the detected value to an estimated value of the state quantity according to a conversion function obtained by calibration of the sensor, applying an offset value compensating for a difference between the estimated value and the actual state quantity in a critical situation in operation of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamagishi, Keiji Togawa, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi
  • Patent number: 11453128
    Abstract: A control device for a robot includes a processor configured to implement: a function of obtaining a signal indicating a detected value of a sensor detecting a state quantity of the robot; and a function of, in converting the detected value to an estimated value of the state quantity according to a conversion function obtained by calibration of the sensor, applying an offset value compensating for a difference between the estimated value and the actual state quantity in a critical situation in operation of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamagishi, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi
  • Patent number: 10869010
    Abstract: A mat for an image pickup apparatus, where the image pickup apparatus operates to recognize a real object, the mat includes: a play field that defines a bottom region of a space in which the real object is placed; and a calibration chart located in the space and having a plurality of color regions in which respective luminances thereof differ from one another, where: the image pickup apparatus: (i) obtains data of a picked up image of the space in which the real object is located; and (ii) evaluates the picked up image and adjusts at least one of an image pickup condition in which the picked up image of the space is taken, and a processing condition in which the data are analyzed to recognize the real object, and at least one of the image pickup condition and the processing condition are adjusted based on color information in the data of the picked up image resulting from the plurality of color regions of the calibration chart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Ogasawara, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi, Hiroyuki Segawa, Akio Ohba
  • Publication number: 20200189110
    Abstract: According to a certain aspect of the present invention, a control device for a robot is provided. The control device includes a processor configured to implement: a function of obtaining a signal indicating a detected value of a sensor detecting a state quantity of the robot; and a function of, in converting the detected value to an estimated value of the state quantity according to a conversion function obtained by calibration of the sensor, applying an offset value compensating for a difference between the estimated value and the actual state quantity in a critical situation in operation of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamagishi, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi
  • Publication number: 20200189125
    Abstract: According to a certain aspect of the present invention, a control device for a robot is provided. The control device includes a processor configured to implement: a function of obtaining a signal indicating a detected value of a sensor detecting a state quantity of the robot; and a function of, in converting the detected value to an estimated value of the state quantity according to a conversion function obtained by calibration of the sensor, applying an offset value compensating for a difference between the estimated value and the actual state quantity in a critical situation in operation of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamagishi, Keiji Togawa, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi
  • Publication number: 20200045284
    Abstract: A mat for an image pickup apparatus, where the image pickup apparatus operates to recognize a real object, the mat includes: a play field that defines a bottom region of a space in which the real object is placed; and a calibration chart located in the space and having a plurality of color regions in which respective luminances thereof differ from one another, where: the image pickup apparatus: (i) obtains data of a picked up image of the space in which the real object is located; and (ii) evaluates the picked up image and adjusts at least one of an image pickup condition in which the picked up image of the space is taken, and a processing condition in which the data are analyzed to recognize the real object, and at least one of the image pickup condition and the processing condition are adjusted based on color information in the data of the picked up image resulting from the plurality of color regions of the calibration chart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Ogasawara, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi, Hiroyuki Segawa, Akio Ohba
  • Patent number: 10510189
    Abstract: In an information processing system 1, an information processing apparatus 10 recognizes, when a user moves real bodies 120a and 120b arranged on a play field 19, the movement on the basis of, for example, an image taken by a camera 122 taking an image of the movement to interlock objects of corresponding characters 202a and 202b displayed on a display apparatus 16. In addition, when the user moves the characters 202a and 202b through an input apparatus 14, the information processing apparatus 10 transmits a control signal to the corresponding real bodies 120a and 120b to perform interlocking. When a situation in which interlocking between the real bodies 120a and 120b and the characters 202a and 202b is difficult occurs, an appropriate scenario is selected from the scenarios prepared in advance and realized, thereby maintaining the consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Naoki Numaguchi, Keiji Togawa, Hiroshi Osawa, Takeshi Yamagishi, Shinichi Hirata
  • Patent number: 10471343
    Abstract: A block set assembled by a user and an information processing device communicate with each other. The information processing device thereby obtains information on the structure of the block set. In addition, an object of a crane truck corresponding to the block set is displayed on a display device. Correspondences between joints and wheels and correspondences between movements are set. Thereby, when the block set is moved, the movement of the block set is reflected in the object on display. When the object is moved, the movement of the object is reflected in the block set by transmitting a control signal from the information processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Naoki Numaguchi, Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa, Keiji Togawa
  • Patent number: 10477175
    Abstract: An image of a block or the like entering a space above a play mat is picked up by an image pickup apparatus, and an information processing apparatus detects and recognizes the block on the basis of a picture of the block in a picked up image and performs information processing. The play mat includes a play field that defines a detection space for the block, and a calibration chart including at least a plurality of regions of colors of different luminances. The image pickup apparatus adjusts an exposure time period, a gain value for each color component and a correction rule upon gamma correction on the basis of the picture of the calibration chart in the picked up image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Ogasawara, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi, Hiroyuki Segawa, Akio Ohba
  • Patent number: 10293268
    Abstract: A block system 1 includes a block 102 and a host terminal 10. The block 102, configured such that two or more blocks are connectable with each other, includes a power supply mechanism 110 for supplying power to the block 102, a communication mechanism 114 for establishing connection with the host terminal 10 to transmit and receive various signals, a storage mechanism 112 for storing identification information related with the block 102, a display mechanism 118 for emitting light and displaying an image under the control of the host terminal 10, and a control mechanism 116 for executing programmed processing in accordance with a signal from the host terminal 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa, Keiji Togawa, Naoki Numaguchi
  • Patent number: 10279249
    Abstract: On a play field 20 set in real space, a target region 102 having the play field 20 as a bottom surface and having a predetermined height h is set virtually. A target region image that expresses a distance of the target region 102 from an imaging surface as a pixel value on an image plane is generated, and compared with a depth image corresponding to an actual captured image 100; thus, only images of blocks 3c and 3b inside the target region 102 are extracted as detection and tracking targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Naoki Numaguchi, Alexis Andre
  • Patent number: 10192360
    Abstract: By extracting figures of a play field and a display apparatus from a taken image, the positional coordinates of the play field and a screen in a world coordinate system are obtained. Next, a virtual world is built such that the ground of the virtual world is positioned continually flush with the surface of the play field in a real world, on the opposite side of the real world with the screen in between in a virtual space defined in the world coordinate system. Then, a virtual viewpoint is placed at a position corresponding to the viewpoint of a user in a real space so as to generate an image with the virtual world projected to the screen on the basis of this virtual viewpoint as a display image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Osawa, Naoki Numaguchi, Shinichi Hirata, Keiji Togawa, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 10146332
    Abstract: A core information receiving section of an information processing device receives information related to the state of a core from a first block of a block set assembled by a user. A structure analyzing section identifies the shape, posture, and position of the block set on the basis of an image photographed by a camera and the information related to the state of the core. An information processing section performs predetermined information processing according to the shape, posture, and position of the block set or an operation on an input device by the user. A display processing section generates an image to be displayed as a result of the information processing, and outputs the image to a display device. A driving control section transmits a signal for controlling the operation of the block set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Keiji Togawa, Shinichi Hirata, Naoki Numaguchi, Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa
  • Patent number: 10130883
    Abstract: An information processing device communicates with a block set assembled by a user, and thereby obtains information on the structure of the block set. In addition, a corresponding position setting screen including an image of an object corresponding to the block set is displayed on a display device. The user moves a joint of the block set which joint is desired to be associated, by for example bending and stretching the joint. Next, the user indicates a joint to be associated on a 3D object side in the image of the 3D object by a cursor, and performs a determination input. The joint of the block set and the joint of the 3D object are thereby associated with each other. The block set and the object are interlocked with each other bidirectionally by thus setting the corresponding positions of the block set and the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Naoki Numaguchi, Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa, Keiji Togawa
  • Publication number: 20180027222
    Abstract: An image of a block or the like entering a space above a play mat is picked up by an image pickup apparatus, and an information processing apparatus detects and recognizes the block on the basis of a picture of the block in a picked up image and performs information processing. The play mat includes a play field that defines a detection space for the block, and a calibration chart including at least a plurality of regions of colors of different luminances. The image pickup apparatus adjusts an exposure time period, a gain value for each color component and a correction rule upon gamma correction on the basis of the picture of the calibration chart in the picked up image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Ogasawara, Norio Nagatsuka, Naoki Numaguchi, Hiroyuki Segawa, Akio Ohba
  • Publication number: 20170296913
    Abstract: On a play field 20 set in real space, a target region 102 having the play field 20 as a bottom surface and having a predetermined height h is set virtually. A target region image that expresses a distance of the target region 102 from an imaging surface as a pixel value on an image plane is generated, and compared with a depth image corresponding to an actual captured image 100; thus, only images of blocks 3c and 3b inside the target region 102 are extracted as detection and tracking targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Naoki NUMAGUCHI, Alexis ANDRE
  • Publication number: 20170182412
    Abstract: By extracting figures of a play field and a display apparatus from a taken image, the positional coordinates of the play field and a screen in a world coordinate system are obtained. Next, a virtual world is built such that the ground of the virtual world is positioned continually flush with the surface of the play field in a real world, on the opposite side of the real world with the screen in between in a virtual space defined in the world coordinate system. Then, a virtual viewpoint is placed at a position corresponding to the viewpoint of a user in a real space so as to generate an image with the virtual world projected to the screen on the basis of this virtual viewpoint as a display image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Osawa, Naoki Numaguchi, Shinichi Hirata, Keiji Togawa, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Publication number: 20170024934
    Abstract: In an information processing system 1, an information processing apparatus 10 recognizes, when a user moves real bodies 120a and 120b arranged on a play field 19, the movement on the basis of, for example, an image taken by a camera 122 taking an image of the movement to interlock objects of corresponding characters 202a and 202b displayed on a display apparatus 16. In addition, when the user moves the characters 202a and 202b through an input apparatus 14, the information processing apparatus 10 transmits a control signal to the corresponding real bodies 120a and 120b to perform interlocking. When a situation in which interlocking between the real bodies 120a and 120b and the characters 202a and 202b is difficult occurs, an appropriate scenario is selected from the scenarios prepared in advance and realized, thereby maintaining the consistency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Naoki NUMAGUCHI, Keiji TOGAWA, Hiroshi OSAWA, Takeshi YAMAGISHI, Shinichi HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20160334885
    Abstract: A core information receiving section of an information processing device receives information related to the state of a core from a first block of a block set assembled by a user. A structure analyzing section identifies the shape, posture, and position of the block set on the basis of an image photographed by a camera and the information related to the state of the core. An information processing section performs predetermined information processing according to the shape, posture, and position of the block set or an operation on an input device by the user. A display processing section generates an image to be displayed as a result of the information processing, and outputs the image to a display device. A driving control section transmits a signal for controlling the operation of the block set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Keiji Togawa, Shinichi Hirata, Naoki Numaguchi, Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa
  • Publication number: 20160332075
    Abstract: An information processing device communicates with a block set assembled by a user, and thereby obtains information on the structure of the block set. In addition, a corresponding position setting screen including an image of an object corresponding to the block set is displayed on a display device. The user moves a joint of the block set which joint is desired to be associated, by for example bending and stretching the joint. Next, the user indicates a joint to be associated on a 3D object side in the image of the 3D object by a cursor, and performs a determination input. The joint of the block set and the joint of the 3D object are thereby associated with each other. The block set and the object are interlocked with each other bidirectionally by thus setting the corresponding positions of the block set and the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Naoki Numaguchi, Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa, Keiji Togawa