Patents by Inventor Toshinobu Tokita

Toshinobu Tokita 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: 20230356536
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of set units to set rolled print media, a conveyance unit to convey the print media, a printing unit, a detection unit, and display units. The printing unit prints an image on the print media conveyed by the conveyance unit. The detection unit detects whether any one of the print media is fed to a predetermined printable position at which printing is performable by the printing unit. Each display unit is provided on a different one of the plurality of set units and configured to indicate whether a print medium set in a corresponding set unit is being fed. When the printing unit performs printing on the print medium, each display unit indicates whether the print medium set in the corresponding set unit is being fed in accordance with a result of detection performed by the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Kouhei Tokuda, Toshinobu Tokita, Hideyuki Nozawa, Yasuyuki Asai, Ryutaro Taira
  • Patent number: 11745521
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of set units to set rolled print media, a conveyance unit to convey the print media, a printing unit, a detection unit, and display units. The printing unit prints an image on the print media conveyed by the conveyance unit. The detection unit detects whether any one of the print media is fed to a predetermined printable position at which printing is performable by the printing unit. Each display unit is provided on a different one of the plurality of set units and configured to indicate whether a print medium set in a corresponding set unit is being fed. When the printing unit performs printing on the print medium, each display unit indicates whether the print medium set in the corresponding set unit is being fed in accordance with a result of detection performed by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouhei Tokuda, Toshinobu Tokita, Hideyuki Nozawa, Yasuyuki Asai, Ryutaro Taira
  • Publication number: 20220063306
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of set units to set rolled print media, a conveyance unit to convey the print media, a printing unit, a detection unit, and display units. The printing unit prints an image on the print media conveyed by the conveyance unit. The detection unit detects whether any one of the print media is fed to a predetermined printable position at which printing is performable by the printing unit. Each display unit is provided on a different one of the plurality of set units and configured to indicate whether a print medium set in a corresponding set unit is being fed. When the printing unit performs printing on the print medium, each display unit indicates whether the print medium set in the corresponding set unit is being fed in accordance with a result of detection performed by the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kouhei Tokuda, Toshinobu Tokita, Hideyuki Nozawa, Yasuyuki Asai, Ryutaro Taira
  • Publication number: 20200352447
    Abstract: A photoacoustic image of an object varies in contrast between a shallow portion and a deep portion according to the irradiation position of the object with respect to an ultrasonic probe. The present disclosure provides an information acquisition apparatus in which the contrast is high regardless of the depth of the region of interest. The information acquisition apparatus includes a varying unit that varies the irradiation position of the object with respect to the ultrasonic probe and controls the irradiation position according to an instruction on a condition for acquiring information on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 10638934
    Abstract: The present invention provides a subject information accumulating apparatus that conducts diagnosis with high reliability. The subject information accumulating apparatus includes compression plates configured to compress a subject, an irradiation unit configured to apply light, an acoustic wave detector configured to receive acoustic waves generated within a subject and to output an electric signal, and a controller configured to perform control so that an acoustic wave image and pressure information are displayed on a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Oikawa, Toshinobu Tokita, Masakazu Toi, Toshiyuki Kitai
  • Patent number: 10455664
    Abstract: To improve the safety of a photoacoustic apparatus by preventing illumination light from being freely emitted. A photoacoustic apparatus includes a position sensor that measures the orientation and/or position of an illumination-light emission end and a control unit that controls light emission from a light source depending on the output of the position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Yasuhiro Someda
  • Publication number: 20190162589
    Abstract: A photoacoustic probe includes: a light source which generates light to be irradiated on an object; a probe body including a receiving portion which receives a photoacoustic wave generated from the object in response to irradiation of the light emitted from the light source on the object and a contact portion which contacts the object; and an attachment to which the probe body and the light source are attached, wherein the light source is attachable to and detachable from the attachment from a side different from the object side where the contact portion contacts the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Takaaki Nakabayashi, Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20190142277
    Abstract: A photoacoustic apparatus is configured to receive an acoustic wave generated from an object to which light is irradiated, and to generate object information which is information on the object, the apparatus includes: an irradiation control unit that controls an irradiated region of the light on the object; an acoustic wave receiving unit that receives the acoustic wave generated from the object, and converts the acoustic wave into a received signal; a generating unit that generates the object information based on the received signal; and a setting unit that sets, for the object, a high absorption region in which a value related to absorption of an optical energy is at least a predetermined value, based on the received signal, wherein the irradiation control unit controls the irradiated region of the light on the object based on a position of the high absorption region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Naoto Abe
  • Publication number: 20190069782
    Abstract: A subject information obtaining apparatus includes a probe including a receiver that receives an acoustic wave to be converted to an electric signal and first and second irradiation units that irradiate mutually different areas on a subject surface with pulsed light, a control unit that controls illumination positions of the pulsed light to avoid continuous irradiation of the subject with the pulsed light from the first and second irradiation units, and a signal processing unit that performs averaging or integrating of electric signals derived from the pulsed light illuminated from the first and second irradiation units and obtains a characteristic distribution in the subject by using the averaged or integrated signal or performs combining of distributions obtained by using electric signals derived from the pulsed light illuminated from the first and second irradiation units and obtains a combined distribution as the characteristic distribution in the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20190046042
    Abstract: A photoacoustic probe is used, which includes: a reception element configured to receive an acoustic wave generated in and propagated from an object which is irradiated with light; an elastic body configured to contact with the object when receiving the acoustic wave and to diffuse or transmit the light having a wavelength that generates the acoustic wave; an acoustic matching layer disposed between the elastic body and the reception element; and a reflection film disposed between the acoustic matching layer and the elastic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventor: TOSHINOBU TOKITA
  • Publication number: 20180338686
    Abstract: The present invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus having: a photoacoustic probe unit including a light irradiating unit which irradiates light, and a probe which receives a photoacoustic wave generated from an object irradiated with light while transmitting an ultrasound wave to the object and receiving a reflected wave thereof; a processor configured to create image information of the object based on the photoacoustic wave; and a controller configured to control irradiation with light, wherein when a first contact condition is defined as a condition in which the object is irradiated with light while the probe is acoustically matched with the object, the controller determines whether or not the photoacoustic probe unit is in the first contact condition by using the reflected wave and enables irradiation with light when the photoacoustic probe unit is in the first contact condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20180188155
    Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus is used, including: an optical transmission system for transmitting light from a light source; a photoacoustic probe including an irradiating end for irradiating an object with light and a receiver for receiving acoustic waves generated from the object that has been irradiated with light; a processor for acquiring information on the object based on the acoustic waves; a light quantity meter for measuring the quantity of light emitted from the irradiating end; a memory for storing a measurement value; and a presentation unit. The processor compares the measurement value with a reference value of light quantity or a history of measurement value stored in the memory, and provides a result regarding whether or not the measurement value is within a reference range to the presentation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Masato Yajima
  • Patent number: 9995717
    Abstract: This invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus including a probe for receiving, as a received signal, an acoustic wave which is generated within an object irradiated with light and propagates on an object surface, and a processor for generating object information, which is information based on an internal optical characteristic value of the object, by using intensity of the received signal. The processor corrects the intensity of the received signal by using the reflectance upon the acoustic wave entering the probe which is calculated based on the angle of the acoustic wave entering the probe, and on the acoustic impedance and acoustic velocity of the object and the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yukio Furukawa, Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20180146950
    Abstract: An ultrasonic probe including a unit that changes a quantity of light emitted on a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Shinji Ohishi, Koichi Sentoku, Daisuke Iwase, Toshinobu Tokita, Takuro Miyasato, Shigeru Ichihara
  • Publication number: 20180146859
    Abstract: An information acquisition apparatus includes a light emission unit configured to emit light to irradiate a subject with the light, and an ultrasonic probe configured to receive an ultrasonic wave generated from irradiation of the subject with the light to output an electric signal wherein the light emission unit is provided in such a manner that a surface of the light emission unit in contact with the subject protrudes more toward a side of the subject than a surface of the ultrasonic probe in contact with the subject, and wherein an emission direction of the light emitted from the light emission unit is inclined in a direction in which the emission direction is away with respect to a line perpendicular to the surface of the ultrasonic probe where the ultrasonic probe is in contact with the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Kenji Oyama, Toshinobu Tokita, Takaaki Nakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20180116527
    Abstract: A light irradiating apparatus is used, which is characterized by having: a probe including an irradiating unit which guides light to an object, a housing containing the irradiating unit, and a touch sensor acquiring a contact condition amount between the object and the housing; and a controller controlling irradiation with light from the irradiating unit based on a level of the contact condition amount and a change in the contact condition amount, wherein in a case where the contact condition amount is equal to or more than a first reference value while the change in the contact condition amount which occurs when the housing is pressed against the object is a positive value, the controller performs a control which enables irradiation with light from the irradiating unit when the change in the contact condition amount is equal to or more than a second reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 9939367
    Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus is used, including: an optical transmission system for transmitting light from a light source; a photoacoustic probe including an irradiating end for irradiating an object with light and a receiver for receiving acoustic waves generated from the object that has been irradiated with light; a processor for acquiring information on the object based on the acoustic waves; a light quantity meter for measuring the quantity of light emitted from the irradiating end; a memory for storing a measurement value; and a presentation unit. The processor compares the measurement value with a reference value of light quantity or a history of measurement value stored in the memory, and provides a result regarding whether or not the measurement value is within a reference range to the presentation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Masato Yajima
  • Patent number: 9901257
    Abstract: There is provided an object information acquiring apparatus that includes: an optical system forming light from a light source; an emission end emitting the light; a diffuser panel diffusing the emitted light; a spacer defining a distance between the diffuser panel and an object; a receiver receiving an acoustic wave generated from the object to which the light is emitted; and a processor acquiring information on inside of the object on the basis of the acoustic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 9883806
    Abstract: A light irradiating apparatus is used, which is characterized by having: a probe including an irradiating unit which guides light to an object, a housing containing the irradiating unit, and a touch sensor acquiring a contact condition amount between the object and the housing; and a controller controlling irradiation with light from the irradiating unit based on a level of the contact condition amount and a change in the contact condition amount, wherein in a case where the contact condition amount is equal to or more than a first reference value while the change in the contact condition amount which occurs when the housing is pressed against the object is a positive value, the controller performs a control which enables irradiation with light from the irradiating unit when the change in the contact condition amount is equal to or more than a second reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20170303863
    Abstract: An object information obtaining apparatus is used which includes: an irradiator; a transmitting element transmitting an ultrasound wave; a receiving element receiving an acoustic wave; a signal processor; an information processor; and a controller, wherein the signal processor generates a photoacoustic signal and an ultrasound echo signal, the information processor obtains photoacoustic characteristic information and ultrasound characteristic information including information related to blood flow, and the controller controls, in accordance with the blood flow, at least one of light irradiation, generation of the photoacoustic signal, and obtaining of the photoacoustic characteristic information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Seiji Yoshimura, Ayumi Kabata, Katsuya Oikawa