Patents by Inventor Takanori Washiro

Takanori Washiro 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: 11056917
    Abstract: A power feeding unit includes: a power feeding electrode configured to be coupled through an electric field with a power receiving electrode of a power receiving unit; a power feeding section configured to feed the power receiving unit with power through the power feeding electrode; and a power feeding side communication section configured to communicate with the power receiving unit through the power feeding electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takanori Washiro
  • Patent number: 10721002
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transmission/reception device and a transmission/reception method that improves a transmission characteristic in human body communication. The transmission/reception device includes three electrodes including a human body side electrode in contact with a human body, a space side electrode provided on a space side, not the human body side, and a circuit board provided with a circuit. At the time of transmission, a switch between the space side electrode and the circuit board is turned off to make a three-pole electrode configuration having superiority in the transmission characteristic, and each electrode is caused to function as an independent electrode. At the time of reception, the switch between the space side electrode and the circuit board is turned on to electrically short-circuit the space side electrode and the circuit board, to cause the electrodes to function as a two-pole electrode configuration having superiority in the transmission characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Fukuda, Takanori Washiro, Masahiro Uno
  • Publication number: 20200119770
    Abstract: A connection apparatus includes a connection terminal connectable to an electronic device, a cable connected to the connection terminal a transceiver connected to the cable and configured to control transmission and reception of high-frequency signals or high-frequency power, a terminal line connected to the transceiver and having an electrical length of substantially 90 degrees, and a signal wire for electric field communication, the signal wire being connected from the transceiver to the ground of the cable. The connection apparatus is capable of easily adding an electric field communication function to an existing electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori WASHIRO
  • Publication number: 20200097641
    Abstract: A more useful information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method are provided. An information processing apparatus includes an operation interface and a controller. The operation interface receives an operation by a user and is capable of electric field communication with an electric field communication terminal. The controller executes a predetermined process, using information acquired by electric field communication, when detecting execution of a predetermined operation on the operation interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori WASHIRO
  • Publication number: 20200091770
    Abstract: A power feeding unit includes: a power feeding electrode configured to be coupled through an electric field with a power receiving electrode of a power receiving unit; a power feeding section configured to feed the power receiving unit with power through the power feeding electrode; and a power feeding side communication section configured to communicate with the power receiving unit through the power feeding electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventor: Takanori Washiro
  • Patent number: 10546281
    Abstract: Devices, methods, and programs for billing for electric power. A billing method may include generating billing information for an amount related to electric power transmitted by a power supply device, performing a billing process based on the billing information, and selectively transmitting electric power based on the result of the billing process. A power supply device may include a billing information generating unit, a billing processing unit, and a power control unit. Another billing method may include determining whether billing information has been received, performing a billing process after it is determined that the billing information has been received, transmitting a response signal to a power supply device, and providing notice regarding information related to the billing process. A power receiving device may include a billing processing unit, a power control unit, and a notice control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Taro Tadano, Takanori Washiro, Kazuyoshi Takemura, Kuniya Hayashi, Isao Soma, Kayoko Tanaka, Satoshi Higano, Kazutoshi Serita
  • Patent number: 10523051
    Abstract: A power feeding unit includes: a power feeding electrode configured to be coupled through an electric field with a power receiving electrode of a power receiving unit; a power feeding section configured to feed the power receiving unit with power through the power feeding electrode; and a power feeding side communication section configured to communicate with the power receiving unit through the power feeding electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takanori Washiro
  • Publication number: 20190393967
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transmission/reception device, a transmission/reception method, and a program capable of improving a transmission characteristic in human body communication in both transmission and reception. The transmission/reception device used for human body communication includes three electrodes including a human body side electrode being in contact with a human body as a communication medium, a space side electrode provided on a space side, not a human body side, and a circuit board provided with a circuit. At this time, at the time of transmission, a switch between the space side electrode and the circuit board is turned off to make a three-pole electrode configuration having superiority in the transmission characteristic, and each electrode is caused to function as an independent electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: SHINICHI FUKUDA, TAKANORI WASHIRO, MASAHIRO UNO
  • Patent number: 10515239
    Abstract: A transmission device includes a magnetic field antenna and an electric field antenna connected electrically to the magnetic field antenna. When the magnetic field antenna is at a position allowing reception of a magnetic field signal transmitted by another magnetic field antenna included in a magnetic field transmission device, the transmission device becomes capable of transmitting an electric field signal generated on the basis of the magnetic field signal. The electric field antenna is grounded by being connected electrically to a ground to which the magnetic field transmission device is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori Washiro
  • Patent number: 10432322
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transmission/reception device, a transmission/reception method, and a program capable of improving a transmission characteristic in human body communication in both transmission and reception. The transmission/reception device used for human body communication includes three electrodes including a human body side electrode being in contact with a human body as a communication medium, a space side electrode provided on a space side, not a human body side, and a circuit board provided with a circuit. At this time, at the time of transmission, a switch between the space side electrode and the circuit board is turned off to make a three-pole electrode configuration having superiority in the transmission characteristic, and each electrode is caused to function as an independent electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Fukuda, Takanori Washiro, Masahiro Uno
  • Patent number: 10372088
    Abstract: There is provided a power consumption management device including a power measurement unit configured to measure power consumption of an electrical device, an environmental factor measurement unit configured to measure a factor of an environment in which the electrical device is used, a storage unit configured to store a predicted value related to the power consumption in which a value of the factor of the environment is designated as a parameter, and a calculation/control unit. The calculation/control unit obtains the predicted value related to the power consumption stored in the storage unit based on the value of the factor of the environment measured by the environmental factor measurement unit and compares the obtained predicted value related to the power consumption to an actual measurement value related to the power consumption obtained based on a power consumption value measured by the power measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Takanori Washiro, Kazutoshi Serita, Taro Tadano, Kazuyoshi Takemura, Kuniya Hayashi, Kayoko Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10340740
    Abstract: A power receiving unit includes: a power receiving section configured to receive electric power from a power transmission unit; and an electromagnet configured to be magnetized based on the electric power received from the power transmission unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Washiro, Masakazu Yajima, Kazuo Kikuchi, Takayuki Hirabayashi
  • Publication number: 20190188424
    Abstract: A transmission device includes a magnetic field antenna and an electric field antenna connected electrically to the magnetic field antenna. When the magnetic field antenna is at a position allowing reception of a magnetic field signal transmitted by another magnetic field antenna included in a magnetic field transmission device, the transmission device becomes capable of transmitting an electric field signal generated on the basis of the magnetic field signal. The electric field antenna is grounded by being connected electrically to a ground to which the magnetic field transmission device is connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori WASHIRO
  • Patent number: 10164718
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus (10) includes a communication device (30), comprising two input/output terminals (20a, 20b), and a terminal line (40) connected to the first input/output terminal (20a) and having an electrical length of substantially 90°. By the second input/output terminal (20b) electrically coupling with a transmission medium (50) comprising a conductor or a dielectric, a high frequency signal or electric power is transmitted to another transmission apparatus coupled electrically to the transmission medium (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori Washiro
  • Patent number: 10164719
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus includes a communication unit, including input/output terminals and two coupling electrodes. An input/output circuit of the communication unit is configured to function interchangeably. The two coupling electrodes are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the transmission medium, when coupled to the transmission medium. When the length from one coupling electrode of the two coupling electrodes to one end of the transmission medium in the longitudinal direction thereof is an electrical length in a range of (2n·90±45)° of the electrical signal and the length from another coupling electrode of the two coupling electrodes to another end of the transmission medium in the longitudinal direction thereof is an electrical length in a range of ((2n+1)·90±45)° of the electrical signal while the two coupling electrodes are coupled to the transmission medium, the communication unit transmits and receives the electrical signal to and from another transmission apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori Washiro
  • Patent number: 10158430
    Abstract: There is provided a communication terminal including an electrode unit configured to cause a dielectric to induce an electric field, and to transmit and receive signals via the dielectric, and a processing unit configured to obtain power from a reception signal received by the electrode unit, to process the reception signal, and to cause a response signal to be transmitted from the electrode unit through load modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Washiro, Yoichiro Sako, Itaru Kawakami, Tatsuya Inokuchi
  • Publication number: 20180351657
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transmission/reception device, a transmission/reception method, and a program capable of improving a transmission characteristic in human body communication in both transmission and reception. The transmission/reception device used for human body communication includes three electrodes including a human body side electrode being in contact with a human body as a communication medium, a space side electrode provided on a space side, not a human body side, and a circuit board provided with a circuit. At this time, at the time of transmission, a switch between the space side electrode and the circuit board is turned off to make a three-pole electrode configuration having superiority in the transmission characteristic, and each electrode is caused to function as an independent electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: SHINICHI FUKUDA, TAKANORI WASHIRO, MASAHIRO UNO
  • Publication number: 20180302171
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus includes a communication unit, including input/output terminals and two coupling electrodes. An input/output circuit of the communication unit is configured to function interchangeably. The two coupling electrodes are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the transmission medium, when coupled to the transmission medium. When the length from one coupling electrode of the two coupling electrodes to one end of the transmission medium in the longitudinal direction thereof is an electrical length in a range of (2n·90±45°) of the electrical signal and the length from another coupling electrode of the two coupling electrodes to another end of the transmission medium in the longitudinal direction thereof is an electrical length in a range of ((2n+1)·90±45°) of the electrical signal while the two coupling electrodes are coupled to the transmission medium, the communication unit transmits and receives the electrical signal to and from another transmission apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori WASHIRO
  • Patent number: 10097244
    Abstract: Devices and methods for supply or receiving electric power. A power supply method may include specifying a type of a power source, specifying a power receiving capability of a power receiving device, performing collation of the specified type of the power source with the specified power receiving capability, and controlling transmission of electric power from the power source of the specified type to the power receiving device based on the collation. A power receiving method may include specifying a type of a power source, specifying a power receiving capability of a power receiving device, performing collation of the specified type of the power source with the specified power receiving capability, and controlling, based on the collation, selective conversion of electric power transmitted from the power source of the specified type to the power receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Takanori Washiro, Kazuyoshi Takemura, Isao Soma, Kuniya Hayashi, Kayoko Tanaka, Taro Tadano, Satoshi Higano, Kazutoshi Serita
  • Publication number: 20180287716
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus (10) includes a communication device (30), comprising two input/output terminals (20a, 20b), and a terminal line (40) connected to the first input/output terminal (20a) and having an electrical length of substantially 90°. By the second input/output terminal (20b) electrically coupling with a transmission medium (50) comprising a conductor or a dielectric, a high frequency signal or electric power is transmitted to another transmission apparatus coupled electrically to the transmission medium (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: eNFC Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori WASHIRO