Patents by Inventor Shigeki Murata

Shigeki Murata 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: 7880794
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a thin imaging device in which a high image resolution is obtained and in which the resolution does not uniformly vary even when the shooting distance is changed; and a lens array used therein. The present invention relates to an imaging device comprising: a lens array 130 constructed by arranging in parallel a plurality of lens elements having optical power in at least one surface; and an image sensor 110 in which an optical image formed by an optical system having each of the lens elements is received by each of mutually different imaging regions each having a plurality of photoelectric conversion sections so that the optical image is converted into an electric image signal, wherein each lens element and the imaging region corresponding to the lens element constitute an imaging unit, while the imaging units have diverse imaging region areas. The present invention relates also to a lens array used therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Michihiro Yamagata, Hiroaki Okayama, Kazutake Boku, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Kenichi Hayashi, Yoshimasa Fushimi, Shigeki Murata, Takayuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20080088731
    Abstract: A thin image sensor which is capable of projecting an illuminating light for illuminating an object and has high optical performance is provided. An image sensor (10) includes: a lens array (11) including lens elements (11a) arranged in an array on a plane; an imaging element (13) for converting an optical image into an electrical signal, the imaging element including imaging areas, each of which includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion sections and is operable to receive the optical image; and a light source section (14) for projecting an illuminating light for illuminating an object from which the optical images are to be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2005
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanaka, Michihiro Yamagata, Kazutake Boku, Hiroaki Okayama, Kenichi Hayashi, Yoshimasa Fushimi, Shigeki Murata, Takayuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7312810
    Abstract: In a wide-angle image-generating device for obtaining a developed image by picking up a wide-angle image of about ±90 degrees using a reflecting mirror having a rotary-symmetrical convex shape, and performing computational processing, the contents of the developed image thus obtained are tilted by the amount commensurate with the inclination of the central rotational axis of the reflecting plane, which produces the drawback of giving a sense of discomfort to the viewer when the central rotational axis of the reflecting plane is tilted from a vertical direction within a plane perpendicular to a 0-degree direction. In the present invention, an angle sensor (12) is provided in the imaging device for picking up a wide-angle image of about ±90 degrees using a reflecting mirror (1), and the tilt within the plane perpendicular to the 0-degree direction is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Yasushi Sogabe, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 7236304
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device which is small in light loss, is operable to suppress an occurrence of a stray light, and is operable to provide an image with a high quality as far as a periphery thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okayama, Michihiro Yamagata, Kazutake Boku, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Kenichi Hayashi, Yoshimasa Fushimi, Shigeki Murata, Takayuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20070091197
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device which is small in light loss, is operable to suppress an occurrence of a stray light, and is operable to provide an image with a high quality as far as a periphery thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okayama, Michihiro Yamagata, Kazutake Boku, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Kenichi Hayashi, Yoshima Fushimi, Shigeki Murata, Takayuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20060171696
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging optical system for forming an optical image of an object, the imaging optical system including a focal length adjusting section adjustable a focal length based on an input signal and a plurality of image forming lenses for receiving a light that has transmitted through said focal length adjusting section to form the optical image of the object, and an image sensor for generating an electrical image signal obtained by converting the optical image, wherein a unit is composed of each of the image forming lens and an image taking area on the image sensor having a plurality of light receiving sections for receiving the optical image, and a plurality of units being two-dimensionally arranged, so that it is possible to provide the imaging apparatus with high convenience, which is reduced in thickness, and whose focal length adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeki Murata, Michihiro Yamagata, Kazutake Boku, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Kenichi Hayashi, Yoshimasa Fushimi, Hiroaki Okayama, Takayuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6847497
    Abstract: A wide-angle imaging device suitable for a monitor area of about 180 degrees. A first reflection mirror (1) is provided that has, around the rotation center axis (6) of a rotary symmetrical body, a reflection surface having an approximately ±90-degree convex shape with respect to a reference optical axis direction, an image forming lens (2) that has a principal point (7) on the rotation center axis of the first reflection mirror (1) and forms the image of a reflection beam from the first reflection mirror (1) and an imaging element (3) are disposed, and an object within approximately ±90 degrees around the rotation center axis of the first reflection mirror (1) is imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 6762789
    Abstract: An omnidirectional video apparatus that operates when an image at an arbitrary view point is cut out from an omnidirectional image for reproduction, to minimize the amount of information transferred if all directions are stored in another apparatus is provided. Only positional information from an omnidirectional image position storage means (3) is displayed on an image pickup position display means (4) of a terminal device via a bidirectional communication means (10). A view point position indicating means (5) specifies a required view point position. An image converting means (6) of a supply center extracts required images from the omnidirectional image position storage means (3) depending on the view point position indicated by the view point position indicating means (5) and transmits the images via the bidirectional communication means (10) to the terminal device for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Hiroshi Ishiguro, Shigeki Murata, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20040104996
    Abstract: In a wide-angle image-generating device for obtaining a developed image by picking up a wide-angle image of about ±90 degrees using a reflecting mirror having a rotary-symmetrical convex shape, and performing computational processing, the contents of the developed image thus obtained are tilted by the amount commensurate with the inclination of the central rotational axis of the reflecting plane, which produces the drawback of giving a sense of discomfort to the viewer when the central rotational axis of the reflecting plane is tilted from a vertical direction within a plane perpendicular to a 0-degree direction. In the present invention, an angle sensor (12) is provided in the imaging device for picking up a wide-angle image of about ±90 degrees using a reflecting mirror (1), and the tilt within the plane perpendicular to the 0-degree direction is measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Yasushi Sogabe, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 6738569
    Abstract: To provide an omnidirectional visual camera having a simple configuration and which can pick up omnidirectional images covering an angle of 360° around an axis. This camera comprises a reflecting member and a camera section. The reflecting member is composed of a rotating surface portion, a cylindrical portion and a joining section, which are integrally formed of a transparent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Shigeki Murata
  • Publication number: 20040027689
    Abstract: A wide-angle imaging device suitable for a monitor area of about 180 degrees. A first reflection mirror (1) is provided that has, around the rotation center axis (6) of a rotary symmetrical body, a reflection surface having an approximately ±90-degree convex shape with respect to a reference optical axis direction, an image forming lens (2) that has a principal point (7) on the rotation center axis of the first reflection mirror (1) and forms the image of a reflection beam from the first reflection mirror (1) and an imaging element (3) are disposed, and an object within approximately ±90 degrees around the rotation center axis of the first reflection mirror (1) is imaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 5784229
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tape driving apparatus capable of receiving a cassette tape to be mounted therein, the cassette tape including a magnetic tape and a take-up reel hub for winding the magnetic tape, the take-up reel hub having a first flange and a second flange for limiting movement of the magnetic tape along a direction of the width of the magnetic tape. The tape driving apparatus includes: a capstan for driving the magnetic tape; and a tape guide disposed in a tape travel path extending from the capstan to the take-up reel hub, the tape guide including a first flange and a second flange for limiting a travelling height of the magnetic tape, wherein a distance between the first flange and the second flange of the tape guide is larger than a distance between the first flange and the second flange of the take-up reel hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Hideaki Yoshio, Kenji Matsuura, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 5646682
    Abstract: A track width error inspector apparatus for examining a width error of recording tracks of a magnetic tape, in which a signal of a given frequency range is recorded on alternate tracks with a plurality of magnetic heads and magnetic powder is applied to the tape and light is radiated thereon and a reflection of the light therefrom is detected, includes: a movable table on which the tape is disposed; an image pick-up for producing an image of the recording tracks; a memory for storing image data from the image pickup; a frequency spectrum detector for detecting frequency components of a frequency spectrum produced by a Fourier transformation of the image data; a ratio calculator for calculating a ratio between one odd-numbered order frequency component and one even-numbered order frequency component; and a track width error calculator for calculating the width error of the recording tracks from the calculated ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 5546259
    Abstract: A tape transporting apparatus comprising a detecting device for detecting the winding diameter of a reel or the travelling state of tape, and a height variable device for varying the tape restricting height of a tape guide depending on the output of the detecting device, in which the tape restricting height is varied when the tape is deformed when the winding diameter becomes small and the tape tension becomes large, thereby preventing tape damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriya Iwata, Kenji Matuura, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 5343338
    Abstract: The present invention purports to provide a tape recording/reproducing apparatus capable of causing a plurality of tapes having different width respectively to travel smoothly and its cassette. The cassette positioning spring 1 gives an appropriate pressing force even in the case that the cassettes have different thicknesses, and the cassettes are respectively fixed at predetermined positions so that the lower edges of the magnetic tape 3a, 3b are positioned at the same height. The flange 9 of the guide post 12 is shifted in an up-and-down direction in response to a magnetic tape width signal detected through the cassette detecting switch 13 or the beginning edge detector 14a, or the ending edge detector 14b, so that even narrow magnetic tape 3a can travel at the predetermined height. Furthermore, by changing the inclined angle and/or the inclined direction of the movable post 10, a downward torsion force is applied to the narrow magnetic tape 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Murata, Haruo Isaka, Kenji Matsuura, Yasushi Sogabe
  • Patent number: 5206770
    Abstract: A rotating head apparatus includes an electromechanical conversion element which moves a magnetic head. The electromechanical conversion element allows the contact state between the tape and a rotating head to be stably optimum by varying a voltage applied to the electromechanical conversion element cyclically and according to an output from a discriminator which discriminates the kind of the tape or the rotation speed of the rotating head. Therefore, the apparatus makes it possible to keep the space loss minimum, and prevents a reduction of the performance of signal recording and reproducing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 5189491
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for obtaining a displacement condition of a track in a longitudinal direction thereof on a magnetic tape on which a periodic signal is recorded by detecting a signal position from image information obtained by imaging said track while moving the magnetic tape and/or the image device in the longitudinal direction of the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Kenji Matsuura, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 5142588
    Abstract: The amount of displacement of a track recorded on a magnetic tape from the linear state is analyzed by using an image analysis apparatus, and a two-dimensional distribution state of the displacement state is displayed, so that a difference in the displacement state due to the position on the magnetic tape can be known, while the changes in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape or the variation state of the displacement in the time course can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Kenji Matsuura, Shigeki Murata
  • Patent number: 4951789
    Abstract: In a clutch assembly, a driven member is driven by a driving member through an engaging or clutch member which is mounted on the driven member movably between a position to be engaged with the driving member and a position to be released from the driving member. The engaging or clutch member is thrust toward the engaged position by a first thrusting force. A releasing member is movable between an active position to abut at one end thereof against the engaging or clutch member and an inactive position to be apart from the engaging member, and is thrust toward the abutting end by a second thrusting force. When the releasing member abuts against the engaging member, the releasing member is first moved in the opposite direction to the second thrusting force direction by a driving force of the driving member to reach a stop position, and then the engaging member is moved in the direction to be disengaged from the driving member by the driving force of the driving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Murata, Jirou Kajino, Hitoshi Minabe
  • Patent number: 4408236
    Abstract: A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus wherein a magnetic tape is drawn out of a tape cartridge by a tape loading mechanism which is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position by the rotational power of a motor, and which motor also drives an operating mode changing mechanism which changes the operating mode of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Murata, Jirou Kajino, Hitoshi Minabe