Patents by Inventor Tomonori FUKUSHIMA

Tomonori FUKUSHIMA 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: 11994624
    Abstract: A photodetector includes a plurality of cells each configured to detect light and including: a light receiving element configured to output an electrical signal upon receipt of the light, a resistor connected to the light receiving element, and first and second switches connected to the resister. Either the first switch or the second switch is turned on according to a selection signal. The photodetector further includes a first output terminal connected to the first switch of each of the cells and through which a first output signal is output based on the electrical signal that has been output from the first switch, and a second output terminal connected to the second switch of each of the cells and through which a second output signal is output based on the electrical signal that has been output from the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Nobu Matsumoto, Tomonori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11988745
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device measures a distance to the measured object base on light scattered on the measured object is detected. The distance measuring device includes an optical detector and a measurer. The optical detector detects the scattered light. The measurer has a sampler to sample a signal corresponding to an output signal of the optical detector every time when the light is emitted at a plurality of sampling time points and a storage to accumulate sampling values and store an accumulation value at each sampling time point. The measurer measures the distance based on a plurality of accumulation values at the sampling time points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Tomonori Fukushima, Nobu Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20230228854
    Abstract: A photodetector includes a plurality of cells each configured to detect light and including: a light receiving element configured to output an electrical signal upon receipt of the light, a resistor connected to the light receiving element, and first and second switches connected to the resister. Either the first switch or the second switch is turned on according to a selection signal. The photodetector further includes a first output terminal connected to the first switch of each of the cells and through which a first output signal is output based on the electrical signal that has been output from the first switch, and a second output terminal connected to the second switch of each of the cells and through which a second output signal is output based on the electrical signal that has been output from the second switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUBOTA, Nobu MATSUMOTO, Tomonori FUKUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 11698434
    Abstract: A machine control device includes an imaging control unit that controls an imaging device to capture two images at two different imaging positions; an imaging position information acquiring unit that acquires positional information of two imaging positions; a measurement distance restoring unit that restores a measurement distance of an object based on two images, distance information between two imaging positions, and a parameter of the imaging device, by using a stereo camera method; a measurement precision calculating unit that calculates a measurement precision of the measurement distance of the object based on two images, the distance information between two imaging positions, and the parameter of the imaging device; an area specifying unit that specifies a partial area of the object as a specified area; and a measurement precision determining unit that determines whether the measurement precision of the object satisfies a predetermined precision in the specified area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomonori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11691237
    Abstract: A machine control device includes: an imaging control unit that controls the imaging device to capture two images at two different imaging positions; an imaging position information acquiring unit that acquires positional information of the two imaging positions; a measurement distance restoring unit that restores a measurement distance of the object based on two images, distance information between two imaging positions, and a parameter of the imaging device by using a stereo camera method; and a predetermined precision position calculating unit that calculates distance information between the two imaging positions at which the measurement precision of the object satisfies a predetermined precision based on the two images, the measurement distance of the object, and the parameter of the imaging device, in which the machine control device controls the position and orientation of the imaging device based on the distance information between the two imaging positions, and changes two imaging positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomonori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11635497
    Abstract: A method for determining photodetector elements used for measurement, from photodetector elements of a photodetector device, includes directing measurement light to an object, such that the measurement light reflected by the object is incident on the photodetector device, selecting a group of candidate photodetector elements that are consecutively arranged to each other from the plurality of photodetector elements, and obtaining an output signal from each of the candidate photodetector elements of the group when the reflected measurement light is incident on the photodetector device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Nobu Matsumoto, Tomonori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11204420
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a distance measurement apparatus includes a light emitter that intermittently emits a light beam, and a meter that measures a distance to an object from a length of time from an emission of the light beam from the light emitter to a return of reflected light by the object. The light emitter emits the light beam in a certain cycle with delay corresponding to randomly set offset time. The meter generates an integrated detection signal by shifting a plurality of detection signals of the light beam emitted in the certain cycle by the respective offset times and time-divisionally integrating the detection signals, and determines based on the integrated detection signal whether or not the light indicated by the detection signals is reflected light by the object, emitted from the light emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Nobu Matsumoto, Saki Sato, Tomonori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 10739456
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device includes emission circuitry, an optical mechanism system, and measurement circuitry. The emission circuitry emits pulse light having a predetermined pulse width. The optical mechanism system emits the pulse light emitted by the emission circuitry to an object to be measured and receives scattered light of the pulse light scattered by the object to be measured. The measurement circuitry measures, via the optical mechanism system, a distance to the object to be measured using a detection signal having magnitude corresponding to light intensity received within a time range corresponding to the pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Nobu Matsumoto, Tomonori Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20200249309
    Abstract: A machine control device includes an imaging control unit that controls an imaging device to capture two images at two different imaging positions; an imaging position information acquiring unit that acquires positional information of two imaging positions; a measurement distance restoring unit that restores a measurement distance of an object based on two images, distance information between two imaging positions, and a parameter of the imaging device, by using a stereo camera method; a measurement precision calculating unit that calculates a measurement precision of the measurement distance of the object based on two images, the distance information between two imaging positions, and the parameter of the imaging device; an area specifying unit that specifies a partial area of the object as a specified area; and a measurement precision determining unit that determines whether the measurement precision of the object satisfies a predetermined precision in the specified area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Tomonori FUKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20200246931
    Abstract: A machine control device includes: an imaging control unit that controls the imaging device to capture two images at two different imaging positions; an imaging position information acquiring unit that acquires positional information of the two imaging positions; a measurement distance restoring unit that restores a measurement distance of the object based on two images, distance information between two imaging positions, and a parameter of the imaging device by using a stereo camera method; and a predetermined precision position calculating unit that calculates distance information between the two imaging positions at which the measurement precision of the object satisfies a predetermined precision based on the two images, the measurement distance of the object, and the parameter of the imaging device, in which the machine control device controls the position and orientation of the imaging device based on the distance information between the two imaging positions, and changes two imaging positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Tomonori FUKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20200191961
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device measures a distance to the measured object base on light scattered on the measured object is detected. The distance measuring device includes an optical detector and a measurer. The optical detector detects the scattered light. The measurer has a sampler to sample a signal corresponding to an output signal of the optical detector every time when the light is emitted at a plurality of sampling time points and a storage to accumulate sampling values and store an accumulation value at each sampling time point. The measurer measures the distance based on a plurality of accumulation values at the sampling time points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Tomonori Fukushima, Nobu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10613225
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device measures a distance to the measured object base on light scattered on the measured object is detected. The distance measuring device includes an optical detector and a measurer. The optical detector detects the scattered light. The measurer has a sampler to sample a signal corresponding to an output signal of the optical detector every time when the light is emitted at a plurality of sampling time points and a storage to accumulate sampling values and store an accumulation value at each sampling time point. The measurer measures the distance based on a plurality of accumulation values at the sampling time points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Tomonori Fukushima, Nobu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10473785
    Abstract: A distance measuring device according to an embodiment includes a weight value generator, a cumulative signal generator, and a distance measurer. The weight value generator generates, on the basis of similarity between a first digital signal obtained by digitizing reflected light of laser light irradiated in a first irradiation direction and a second digital signal obtained by digitizing reflected light of laser light irradiated in a second irradiation direction different from the first irradiation direction, a weight value of the second digital signal. The cumulative signal generator accumulates, on the first digital signal, a signal obtained by weighting the second digital signal with the weight value and generates a third digital signal. The distance measurer measures a distance to a target object on the basis of a time difference between irradiation timing of the laser light and timing of a peak position in the third digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Tomonori Fukushima, Nobu Matsumoto, Saki Sato
  • Publication number: 20190086541
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a distance measurement apparatus includes a light emitter that intermittently emits a light beam, and a meter that measures a distance to an object from a length of time from an emission of the light beam from the light emitter to a return of reflected light by the object. The light emitter emits the light beam in a certain cycle with delay corresponding to randomly set offset time. The meter generates an integrated detection signal by shifting a plurality of detection signals of the light beam emitted in the certain cycle by the respective offset times and time-divisionally integrating the detection signals, and determines based on the integrated detection signal whether or not the light indicated by the detection signals is reflected light by the object, emitted from the light emitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUBOTA, Nobu MATSUMOTO, Saki SATO, Tomonori FUKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20190086542
    Abstract: A distance measuring device according to an embodiment includes a weight value generator, a cumulative signal generator, and a distance measurer. The weight value generator generates, on the basis of similarity between a first digital signal obtained by digitizing reflected light of laser light irradiated in a first irradiation direction and a second digital signal obtained by digitizing reflected light of laser light irradiated in a second irradiation direction different from the first irradiation direction, a weight value of the second digital signal. The cumulative signal generator accumulates, on the first digital signal, a signal obtained by weighting the second digital signal with the weight value and generates a third digital signal. The distance measurer measures a distance to a target object on the basis of a time difference between irradiation timing of the laser light and timing of a peak position in the third digital signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUBOTA, Tomonori Fukushima, Nobu Matsumoto, Saki Sato
  • Publication number: 20180081040
    Abstract: A method for determining photodetector elements used for measurement, from photodetector elements of a photodetector device, includes directing measurement light to an object, such that the measurement light reflected by the object is incident on the photodetector device, selecting a group of candidate photodetector elements that are consecutively arranged to each other from the plurality of photodetector elements, and obtaining an output signal from each of the candidate photodetector elements of the group when the reflected measurement light is incident on the photodetector device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUBOTA, Nobu MATSUMOTO, Tomonori FUKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20170363740
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device includes emission circuitry, an optical mechanism system, and measurement circuitry. The emission circuitry emits pulse light having a predetermined pulse width. The optical mechanism system emits the pulse light emitted by the emission circuitry to an object to be measured and receives scattered light of the pulse light scattered by the object to be measured. The measurement circuitry measures, via the optical mechanism system, a distance to the object to be measured using a detection signal having magnitude corresponding to light intensity received within a time range corresponding to the pulse width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Nobu Matsumoto, Tomonori Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20170082746
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device measures a distance to the measured object base on light scattered on the measured object is detected. The distance measuring device includes an optical detector and a measurer. The optical detector detects the scattered light. The measurer has a sampler to sample a signal corresponding to an output signal of the optical detector every time when the light is emitted at a plurality of sampling time points and a storage to accumulate sampling values and store an accumulation value at each sampling time point. The measurer measures the distance based on a plurality of accumulation values at the sampling time points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Tomonori Fukushima, Nobu Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20160210735
    Abstract: A system for recognizing obstacle avoidance around a moving object includes an image capturing unit configured to capture images in a moving direction of the object, a processing unit configured to generate three-dimensional data based on the captured images, determine positions of the obstacles in a three-dimensional space according to the three-dimensional data, and generate an image including marks indicating a region proximate to the obstacles, and a display unit configured to display the generated image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventor: Tomonori FUKUSHIMA