Patents by Inventor Shogo Kitano

Shogo Kitano 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: 8094888
    Abstract: An image processor, includes: an image pickup part configured to pick up a pickup image of a certain area; an irradiator configured to irradiate at least a part of the certain area for the pickup image picked up by the image pickup part; an extractor configured to extract, as an irradiation image, a light irradiated from the irradiator, the irradiation image being extracted from the pickup image picked up by the image pickup part; an image generating part configured to generate an irradiation removed image which is obtained by removing the irradiation image from the pickup image; an object recognizer configured to recognize an object in the certain area, based on the irradiation removed image generated by the image generating part; and a distance sensor configured to sense a distance to the object sensed by the object recognizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Satoh, Shogo Kitano
  • Patent number: 7920247
    Abstract: A distance measurement system includes: an projection apparatus (1) which projects measurement beams (PL1, PL2) at least at first and second projection angles (?3, ?15, ?, ?) towards a detection area; an image pick-up apparatus (2) which picks up an image of a first reflected light (LB1) and an image of a second reflected light (LB2) from the detection area. The system further includes: a distance calculation unit (32) which calculates a first distance (d1) to a first measurement point (P2, P5) and a second distance (d2) to a second measurement point (P4, P7); a judgment unit (33) which judges that specular reflection is caused; and an operation unit (34) which, when it is judged by the judgment unit (33) that the specular reflection is caused, calculates a distance (d4) to a detection object (MB1, MB2) causing the specular reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shogo Kitano
  • Patent number: 7684056
    Abstract: A light detecting method and apparatus wherein non-projection imaging operation of a predetermined range is carried out once within a non-projection imaging operation time thereby to obtain background information. During a remaining time after the non-projection imaging operation, light is radiated. At least two imaging operations of a predetermined range are performed thereby to acquire projection information. Information on the radiated light is extracted based on the background information and the projection information. Accordingly, the dead time that may occur before extraction of reflected light can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shogo Kitano
  • Patent number: 7583901
    Abstract: The present invention has been developed considering the above-described problems and aims to provide various structures and applications for illuminative light communication. According to the first aspect of the prevent invention, a broadcast system includes an LED light source 115 for lighting, a power line 103 that supplies electric power to the LED light source 115, a data modulator 102 that modulates and multiplexes a plurality of pieces of data, superimposes the resulting signal on an electric power waveform, and then transmits the resulting superimposed signal waveform to the power line 103, and a filter 112 that selectively separates one or more of a plurality of pieces of modulated data on the power line so as to control light intensity or blinking of the LED light source. Data is transmitted through changes in light intensity or blinking of the LED light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Nakagawa Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Masao Nakagawa, Toshihiko Komine, Shinichiro Haruyama, Takaaki Ishigure, Yasuhiro Koike, Shogo Kitano, Yasuo Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20090141260
    Abstract: A distance measurement system includes: an projection apparatus (1) which projects measurement beams (PL1, PL2) at least at first and second projection angles (?3, ?15, ?, ?) towards a detection area; an image pick-up apparatus (2) which picks up an image of a first reflected light (LB1) and an image of a second reflected light (LB2) from the detection area. The system further includes: a distance calculation unit (32) which calculates a first distance (d1) to a first measurement point (P2, P5) and a second distance (d2) to a second measurement point (P4, P7); a judgment unit (33) which judges that specular reflection is caused; and an operation unit (34) which, when it is judged by the judgment unit (33) that the specular reflection is caused, calculates a distance (d4) to a detection object (MB1, MB2) causing the specular reflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Shogo KITANO
  • Publication number: 20080044060
    Abstract: An image processor, includes: an image pickup part configured to pick up a pickup image of a certain area; an irradiator configured to irradiate at least a part of the certain area for the pickup image picked up by the image pickup part; an extractor configured to extract, as an irradiation image, a light irradiated from the irradiator, the irradiation image being extracted from the pickup image picked up by the image pickup part; an image generating part configured to generate an irradiation removed image which is obtained by removing the irradiation image from the pickup image; an object recognizer configured to recognize an object in the certain area, based on the irradiation removed image generated by the image generating part; and a distance sensor configured to sense a distance to the object sensed by the object recognizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Satoh, Shogo Kitano
  • Publication number: 20080037007
    Abstract: A light detecting method and apparatus wherein non-projection imaging operation of a predetermined range is carried out once within a non-projection imaging operation time thereby to obtain background information. During a remaining time after the non-projection imaging operation, light is radiated. At least two imaging operations of a predetermined range are performed thereby to acquire projection information. Information on the radiated light is extracted based on the background information and the projection information. Accordingly, the dead time that may occur before extraction of reflected light can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shogo Kitano
  • Publication number: 20060056855
    Abstract: The present invention has been developed considering the above-described problems and aims to provide various structures and applications for illuminative light communication. According to the first aspect of the prevent invention, a broadcast system includes an LED light source 115 for lighting, a power line 103 that supplies electric power to the LED light source 115, a data modulator 102 that modulates and multiplexes a plurality of pieces of data, superimposes the resulting signal on an electric power waveform, and then transmits the resulting superimposed signal waveform to the power line 103, and a filter 112 that selectively separates one or more of a plurality of pieces of modulated data on the power line so as to control light intensity or blinking of the LED light source. Data is transmitted through changes in light intensity or blinking of the LED light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Masao Nakagawa, Toshihiko Komine, Shinichiro Haruyama, Takaaki Ishigure, Yasuhiro Koike, Shogo Kitano, Yasuo Sugawara