Patents by Inventor Tohru Kurata

Tohru Kurata 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: 20070297694
    Abstract: An image-processing apparatus including computation means and rotation/parallel-shift addition means is provided. The computation means is configured to compute a parallel-shift quantity and a rotation angle of the observed screen. The rotation/parallel-shift addition means is configured to move the observed screen in a parallel shift according to the parallel-shift quantity computed by the computation means, rotate the observed screen by the rotation angle computed by the computation means, and superpose the shifted and rotated observed screen on the reference screen or a post-addition screen obtained as a result of superposing observed screens other than the observed screen on the reference screen in order to add the other observed screens to the reference screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20070195172
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of compensating an imager-created image for a distortion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20070188619
    Abstract: A method for correcting distortion of a captured image is provided. The method includes receiving a detection output from a sensor; optically correcting distortion of a captured image in image data from the element due to the positional change of the imaging element by controlling a control mechanism depending on the detection output in the receiving step, the mechanism being configured to control a position at which incident light from a target object enters the imaging element; receiving image data resulting from the optical correction of a captured image in the correcting step from the element, and detecting a motion vector per one screen of a captured image from the image data; and further correcting distortion of a captured image due to the positional change of the imaging element for the image data from the imaging element based on the motion vector detected in the motion vector detecting step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20070177037
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of compensating a signal of an image of one screen for distortions in the horizontal and/or vertical directions of a screen of the image. The method includes the steps of: dividing one screen area of the image into a plurality of picture divisions; and detecting a movement vector of the image for each particular one of the picture divisions from information on a difference in image between the particular picture division on one of two screens and the particular division on the other of the two screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20070140591
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for identifying a motion vector by executing the steps of setting a plurality of reference blocks, searching a specific reference block, and detecting the motion vector is provided. The image processing apparatus includes correlation-value computation means, table generation means, and motion-vector computation means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20060140603
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for correcting distortions of image-taking video signals are provided. The method and an apparatus adopting the method are capable of reducing distortion generated in a taken image by correction of inter-frame and intra-frame hand movements in an image-taking apparatus employing an image-taking device of an X-Y address type. To be more specific, this method is capable of correcting distortion observed in a taken image as distortion caused by a positional change, which occurs in the horizontal and/or vertical directions of the taken image at a photographing time as a positional change of the image-taking device. In accordance with the method, in a frame period of a taken image, an inter-frame correction quantity for a positional change of the device is detected and, on the basis of the detected inter-frame correction quantity, the positional change is corrected to eliminate a displacement observed when the frame changes to the next one as a displacement of the taken image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Tohru Kurata, Manabu Kubo, Kimitaka Wada, Toshiyuki Kaimi
  • Publication number: 20060140602
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for correcting distortion of image-taking video signals are provided. The method and an apparatus adopting the method are capable of reducing distortion generated in a taken picture by a focal plane phenomenon caused by a hand movement or the like in an image-taking apparatus employing an image-taking device of an X-Y address type. To be more specific, this method is capable of correcting distortion observed in a taken image as distortion caused by a positional change, which occurs in the horizontal and/or vertical directions of the taken image at a photographing time as a positional change of the image-taking device. In accordance with the method, one screen segment of the taken image is divided into a plurality of image sub-segments. For each of the image sub-segments, the rate of the positional change of the image-taking device is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Tohru Kurata, Manabu Kubo, Kimitaka Wada, Toshiyuki Kaimi
  • Publication number: 20060140503
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for correcting distortions of image-taking video signals and an apparatus for correcting distortions are provided. The apparatus and method thereof are capable of reducing distortion generated in a taken image caused by a hand movement and by a characteristic of an image-taking lens in an image-taking apparatus employing an image-taking device of an X-Y address type. The apparatus has a lens-distortion correction quantity generation section to generate a first correction quantity set in advance as a correction quantity to be used for correcting a distortion caused by the image-taking lens characteristic as a distortion of a taken image at a pixel position on the device on the basis of information on the pixel position. The screen segment of the taken image is divided into many image sub-segments. For each of the image sub-segments, the positional change rate of the device is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Tohru Kurata, Manabu Kubo, Kimitaka Wada, Toshiyuki Kaimi
  • Publication number: 20060110050
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, an image processing system and an image processing method can correct the distortion of an image at a low cost and can generate a high quality image in real time. An image processing apparatus is provided which is an image processing apparatus for correcting an original image having distortion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Aoyama, Tohru Kurata, Atsushi Nose, Kimitaka Wada
  • Patent number: 7010856
    Abstract: A copper plate 2 is mounted on a titanium electrode element 1 by spot welding, and a lead wire 3a is attached to the copper plate 2 by solder 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Suda, Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20050253878
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image display device that resolution-converts input image data to perform image display. The image display device includes an image memory storing the input image data, a control section specifying an effective range from the input image data, and a resolution converting section reading image data within the effective range from the image memory, and resolution-converts the image data within the effective range to obtain as a resolution of output image data. The resolution converting section starts reading of the image data of a single screen from said image memory before writing of the image data of the single screen is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Kubo, Tohru Kurata, Kimitaka Wada, Toshiyuki Kaimi
  • Publication number: 20050053307
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an zoom position acquiring section for acquiring a zoom position representing a lens position condition of the optical zoom mechanism on taking the inputted image, a zooming-direction decoding section for decompressing correction parameter associated with the zoom position, which is acquired by the zoom position acquiring section, according to a zoom compression parameter, into which a correction parameter for distortion correction corresponding to each lens position condition is compressed by utilizing zoom partitioning points at which lens position conditions of the optical zoom mechanism are sequentially partitioned into plural levels that are set between a wide-end and a tele-end and that include both ends, and an image correction section for correcting distortion of the inputted image according to the correction parameter decompressed by the zooming-direction decoding section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nose, Koji Aoyama, Tohru Kurata, Kimitaka Wada
  • Publication number: 20040207733
    Abstract: A lattice dividing unit 911 determines lattice lines to divide parameters of all points of a picture at every division and supplies distortion correction parameters (distortion correction coordinates) on the lattice points to a distortion correction memory (not shown). A polynomial of degree n coefficient deriving unit 902 expresses all distortion correction coordinates on each lattice line in the form of a function relative to positions on lattice lines and approximates the distortion correction coordinates by desired division polynomial of degree n. Further, a sample point deriving unit 903 compresses distortion correction parameters based upon the division polynomial of degree n obtained from the polynomial of degree n coefficient deriving unit 902.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nose, Koji Aoyama, Tohru Kurata, Kimitaka Wada
  • Publication number: 20040208394
    Abstract: An image display device alleviates image blurring when the relative positional relationship between the image display device and the user's face changes, and also prevents stealthy viewing of information by viewing from directly behind in a train or similar, without being accompanied by the trouble of filter attachment or removal or degraded image quality such as when using a privacy filter. The image display device includes image pick-up unit 3, image display unit 8, detection unit 24 to detect the position of the user's eyes by image recognition from an image picked-up by the image pick-up unit 3, and display position alteration unit 26 to alter the position of image display by the image display unit 8 based on the detection result of the detection unit 24.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Patent number: 6673852
    Abstract: A conductive composition for a biological electrode is capable of reducing the impedance between the electrode and the skin. A conductive gel composition for a biological electrode which is capable of electrically and physically connecting a living body to an electrode element and is composed of at least the following components: (1) a radical-polymerizable unsaturated compound; (2) a moisturizer serving as a plasticizer and functioning to supplementing and promoting the physiological humidifying function of the horny layer; (3) a polymerization initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent. This moisturizer serves also as a plasticizer and, furthermore, elevates the moisture content in the horny layer at the application of this composition. The above-mentioned composition may further contain a plasticizer selected from among polyhydric alcohols, amines and ethers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Suda, Tohru Kurata
  • Patent number: 6650922
    Abstract: A biological electrode includes an electrode element having electroconductivity with respect to a living body, the biological electrode used by disposing said electrode element at a predetermined position, and the electrode element being made of biodegradable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Tohru Kurata, Shin Suda
  • Patent number: 6495627
    Abstract: A conductive composition for a biological electrode is capable of reducing the impedance between the electrode and the skin. A conductive gel composition for a biological electrode which is capable of electrically and physically connecting a living body to an electrode element and is composed of at least the following components: (1) a radical-polymerizable unsaturated compound; (2) a moisturizer serving as a plasticizer and functioning to supplementing and promoting the physiological humidifying function of the horny layer; (3) a polymerization initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent. This moisturizer serves also as a plasticizer and, furthermore, elevates the moisture content in the horny layer at the application of this composition. The above-mentioned composition may further contain a plasticizer selected from among polyhydric alcohols, amines and ethers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Suda, Tohru Kurata
  • Patent number: 6466268
    Abstract: An operation for correcting horizontally an array of pixels in two-dimensional image data is performed so that a plurality of divided frames are joined properly in position in the horizontal direction and displayed. The horizontally corrected image data is stored, in the order of write address, on memories for storing image data. The image data stored is read in the same order as the order of write address or in the order different from the order of write address. The image data outputted from the memories for storing image data is vertically corrected so that the divided frames are joined properly in position in the vertical direction and displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Kato, Hiroshi Okuda, Tohru Kurata, Satoru Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20020138101
    Abstract: A copper plate 2 is mounted on a titanium electrode element by spot welding, and a lead wire 3a is attached to the copper ate 2 by solder 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shin Suda, Tohru Kurata
  • Publication number: 20010031988
    Abstract: A biological electrode includes an electrode element having electroconductivity with respect to a living body, the biological electrode used by disposing said electrode element at a predetermined position, and the electrode element being made of biodegradable material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Tohru Kurata, Shin Suda