Patents by Inventor Toshiki Moriguchi
Toshiki Moriguchi 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).
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Patent number: 9020682Abstract: An autonomous mobile body includes a laser range sensor and an electronic control device. The electronic control device includes a storage unit that stores a size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, a width identification unit that identifies a spatial size D1 in a width direction of a passage which is a region where the autonomous mobile body can move, a calculation unit that calculates a size D8 of an interfering obstacle in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a moving target direction on a road surface based on obstacle information, an action selection unit that selects a stopping action or a retreat action based on the spatial size D1, the size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, and the size D8 of the interfering obstacle, and a mobile control unit that controls the autonomous mobile body to stop when the stopping action is selected and control the autonomous mobile body to retreat when the retreat action is selected.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Shitamoto, Tsuyoshi Nakano, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 8948956Abstract: An autonomous mobile body is configured to flexibly avoid obstacles. The mobile body has a movement mechanism configured to translate in a horizontal plane and rotate around a vertical axis, and the distance to an obstacle is derived for each directional angle using an obstacle sensor. A translational potential of the mobile body and a rotational potential of the mobile body for avoiding interference with the obstacle are generated, based on the distance from the autonomous mobile body to the obstacle at each directional angle. An amount of control relating to a translational direction and a translational velocity of the mobile body and an amount of control relating to a rotational direction and an angular velocity of the mobile body are generated based on the generated potentials, and the movement mechanism is driven.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Takahashi, Takafumi Suzuki, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 8886385Abstract: An autonomous mobile body is configured to smoothly avoid obstacles. The mobile body has a movement mechanism configured to translate in a horizontal plane and rotate around a vertical axis, and the distance to an obstacle is derived for each directional angle using an obstacle sensor. Using a model having two arcs, one at each end in a major axis direction, connected by line segments that lie in the major axis direction and containing the autonomous mobile body, the movement mechanism is driven with a combination of translation and rotation, without interference between the obstacle and the model.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Takahashi, Takafumi Suzuki, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Publication number: 20130166134Abstract: An autonomous mobile body includes a laser range sensor and an electronic control device. The electronic control device includes a storage unit that stores a size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, a width identification unit that identifies a spatial size D1 in a width direction of a passage which is a region where the autonomous mobile body can move, a calculation unit that calculates a size 8 of an interfering obstacle in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a moving target direction on a road surface based on obstacle information, an action selection unit that selects a stopping action or a retreat action based on the spatial size D1, the size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, and the size D8 of the interfering obstacle, and a mobile control unit that controls the autonomous mobile body to stop when the stopping action is selected and control the autonomous mobile body to retreat when the retreat action is selected.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2011Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.Inventors: Hideo Shitamoto, Tsuyoshi Nakano, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Publication number: 20130131910Abstract: An autonomous mobile body is configured to flexibly avoid obstacles. The mobile body has a movement mechanism configured to translate in a horizontal plane and rotate around a vertical axis, and the distance to an obstacle is derived for each directional angle using an obstacle sensor. A translational potential of the mobile body and a rotational potential of the mobile body for avoiding interference with the obstacle are generated, based on the distance from the autonomous mobile body to the obstacle at each directional angle. An amount of control relating to a translational direction and a translational velocity of the mobile body and an amount of control relating to a rotational direction and an angular velocity of the mobile body are generated based on the generated potentials, and the movement mechanism is driven.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2010Publication date: May 23, 2013Applicants: KEIO UNIVERSITY, MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.Inventors: Masaki Takahashi, Takafumi Suzuki, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 8272466Abstract: A robot capable of traveling while constantly directing a predetermined part of a main body to a detection target. In the robot, a main body is jointed to a traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the main body and the traveling unit. Based on position information of a detection target detected by a position detection sensor, a control device controls, while the traveling unit is traveling, a body drive motor so that a front surface of the main body constantly faces the detection target and rotates the main body relative to the traveling unit. Accordingly, a CCD camera, a microphone, a speaker, display or the like provided on the front surface of the main body constantly face the detection target. Thus, the robot can reliably communicate with the detection target even during traveling, through mutual transmission of information between the robot and the detection target.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2007Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiki Moriguchi, Tsuyoshi Nakano
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Publication number: 20120232739Abstract: An autonomous mobile body is configured to smoothly avoid obstacles. The mobile body has a movement mechanism configured to translate in a horizontal plane and rotate around a vertical axis, and the distance to an obstacle is derived for each directional angle using an obstacle sensor. Using a model having two arcs, one at each end in a major axis direction, connected by line segments that lie in the major axis direction and containing the autonomous mobile body, the movement mechanism is driven with a combination of translation and rotation, without interference between the obstacle and the model.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2010Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicants: KEIO UNIVERSITY, MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.Inventors: Masaki Takahashi, Takafumi Suzuki, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 8160762Abstract: An autonomous moving apparatus includes a vehicle provided with a drive unit; a cover that is attached to the vehicle such that the cover either entirely or partially covers side, upper, and lower surfaces of the vehicle, and the cover is arranged to be displaced with respect to the vehicle; a detection unit arranged to output detection signals in accordance with relative displacement generated between at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle and the cover facing at least one of the upper and lower surfaces; and a control unit arranged to control the drive unit in accordance with the detection signals output from the detection unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2009Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.Inventors: Toshiki Moriguchi, Takahiko Murayama, Takuya Okada
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Patent number: 7729821Abstract: When dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in position, speed, or acceleration is stored in a memory in an automated guided vehicle as it is, the capacity of the memory is insufficient and thus needs to be increased. A pattern is mounted in a stacker crane 1; the pattern is drawn by dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in acceleration (FIG. 2C), and corresponds to an instruction value provided to an actuator installed in the stacker crane 1. In this case, a curve function corresponding to an approximate expression for the dot-sequential data is derived in a form of a Fourier series having a finite number of terms and using time as an independent variable and the position, speed, or acceleration as a dependent variable. Data identifying the Fourier series, having a finite number of terms, is stored in a memory 5 mounted in the stacker crane 1.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2006Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiki Moriguchi, Takeshi Murakami
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Publication number: 20100049388Abstract: An autonomous moving apparatus includes a vehicle provided with a drive unit; a cover that is attached to the vehicle such that the cover either entirely or partially covers side, upper, and lower surfaces of the vehicle, and the cover is arranged to be displaced with respect to the vehicle; a detection unit arranged to output detection signals in accordance with relative displacement generated between at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle and the cover facing at least one of the upper and lower surfaces; and a control unit arranged to control the drive unit in accordance with the detection signals output from the detection unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.Inventors: Toshiki Moriguchi, Takahiko Murayama, Takuya Okada
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Publication number: 20090173561Abstract: A robot capable of traveling while constantly directing a predetermined part of a main body to a detection target. In the robot, a main body is jointed to a traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the main body and the traveling unit. Based on position information of a detection target detected by a position detection sensor, a control device controls, while the traveling unit is traveling, a body drive motor so that a front surface of the main body constantly faces the detection target and rotates the main body relative to the traveling unit. Accordingly, a CCD camera, a microphone, a speaker, display or the like provided on the front surface of the main body constantly face the detection target. Thus, the robot can reliably communicate with the detection target even during traveling, through mutual transmission of information between the robot and the detection target.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2007Publication date: July 9, 2009Applicant: MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshiki Moriguchi, Tsuyoshi Nakano
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Publication number: 20090164123Abstract: A traveling unit for a self-propelled apparatus, which is capable of detecting two different collision levels. The traveling unit includes: two running wheels rotatably supported by a frame; a motor that drives and rotates the two running wheels; and two tape switches that detect a collision of the frame with an obstacle. When the tape switch detects a small level of collision which is a first collision, the traveling unit performs an operation to avoid the obstacle. When the tape switch detects a second collision whose collision level is higher than the first collision, the traveling unit stops traveling.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2007Publication date: June 25, 2009Applicant: MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 7529604Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving body system which can determine a moved position of a moving body such as a guided vehicle or a stacker crane wherever it is on a moving path, which can stop the moving body anywhere, and which can quickly move the moving body to a stopped position. The present invention provides a moving body system including a guided vehicle 1 moving along running rails 2, 2 constituting a moving path and a detected member 20 laid along the running rails 2, 2. The detected member 20 includes a large number of mark members 21, 21, . . . in a direction in which the guided vehicle 1 moves. The guided vehicle 1 includes a first detecting sensor 11 and a second detecting sensor 12 which detect the mark members 21, 21, . . . of the detected member 20.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2004Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 7426424Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving body system which can determine the moving position of a vehicle, stacker crane, or other moving body wherever on a moving path having a branching portion or a joining portion the moving body is, the system being able to precisely stop the moving body at any position and enabling the moving body to move fast to a stop position. A moving body system includes a vehicle 1 moving along running rails 2, 2 constituting a moving path having a joining portion and a detected member 20 laid along the running rails 2, 2. The detected member 20 includes a large number of mark members 21, 21, . . . in a direction in which the vehicle 1 moves. The vehicle 1 includes a first detecting sensor 11 and a second detecting sensor 12 which detect the mark members of the detected member 20.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: September 16, 2008Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toshiki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 7303169Abstract: An overhead running vehicle 10 uses an absolute position sensor or an encoder to detect its own position. The overhead running vehicle 10 then reports its own position and state to a system controller 14 via a communication line also used as an electricity feeding line. Further, the overhead running vehicle 10 intercepts reports from other overhead running vehicles 10 to avoid collisions or deadlocks. The system controller 14 and each overhead running vehicle 10 can determine the positions and state of other overhead running vehicles 10. This enables the system to be efficiently operated.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2004Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kikuo Hori, Ken Nishimura, Motohiko Kuzuya, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Publication number: 20070043484Abstract: When dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in position, speed, or acceleration is stored in a memory in an automated guided vehicle as it is, the capacity of the memory is insufficient and thus needs to be increased. A pattern is mounted in a stacker crane 1; the pattern is drawn by dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in acceleration (FIG. 2C), and corresponds to an instruction value provided to an actuator installed in the stacker crane 1. In this case, a curve function corresponding to an approximate expression for the dot-sequential data is derived in a form of a Fourier series having a finite number of terms and using time as an independent variable and the position, speed, or acceleration as a dependent variable. Data identifying the Fourier series, having a finite number of terms, is stored in a memory 5 mounted in the stacker crane 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2006Publication date: February 22, 2007Applicant: MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshiki Moriguchi, Takeshi Murakami
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Publication number: 20050203699Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving body system which can determine the moving position of a vehicle, stacker crane, or other moving body wherever on a moving path having a branching portion or a joining portion the moving body is, the system being able to precisely stop the moving body at any position and enabling the moving body to move fast to a stop position. A moving body system includes a vehicle 1 moving along running rails 2, 2 constituting a moving path having a joining portion and a detected member 20 laid along the running rails 2, 2. The detected member 20 includes a large number of mark members 21, 21, . . . in a direction in which the vehicle 1 moves. The vehicle 1 includes a first detecting sensor 11 and a second detecting sensor 12 which detect the mark members of the detected member 20.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2005Publication date: September 15, 2005Applicant: Murata Kikai Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toshiki Moriguchi
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Publication number: 20050150416Abstract: An overhead running vehicle 10 uses an absolute position sensor or an encoder to detect its own position. The overhead running vehicle 10 then reports its own position and state to a system controller 14 via a communication line also used as an electrcity feeding line. Further, the overhead running vehicle 10 intercepts reports from other overhead running vehicles 10 to avoid collisions or deadlocks. The system controller 14 and each overhead running vehicle 10 can determine the positions and state of other overhead running vehicles 10. This enables the system to be efficiently operated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2004Publication date: July 14, 2005Applicant: MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kikuo Hori, Ken Nishimura, Motohiko Kuzuya, Toshiki Moriguchi
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Publication number: 20050021196Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving body system which can determine a moved position of a moving body such as a guided vehicle or a stacker crane wherever it is on a moving path, which can stop the moving body anywhere, and which can quickly move the moving body to a stopped position. The present invention provides a moving body system including a guided vehicle 1 moving along running rails 2, 2 constituting a moving path and a detected member 20 laid along the running rails 2, 2. The detected member 20 includes a large number of mark members 21, 21, . . . in a direction in which the guided vehicle 1 moves. The guided vehicle 1 includes a first detecting sensor 11 and a second detecting sensor 12 which detect the mark members 21, 21, . . . of the detected member 20.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Applicant: MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Toshiki Moriguchi