Patents by Inventor Yoshiro Kunugi

Yoshiro Kunugi 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: 4980914
    Abstract: A sound field correcting system for correcting for mulitpath frequency-characteristic distortion in an acoustic reproducing system. In one embodiment, the level and delay of an original signal are adjusted and superposed on the original signal so as to obtain a signal which, when reproduced by a loudspeaker, yields a sound pattern at a listening point having a flat frequency characteristic. The delay adjustment is effected in accordance with a difference between the travel distances of direct and reflected sound waves to the listening point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kunugi, Akio Tokumo, Toshikazu Yoshimi, Yoshio Sasaki, Shinjiro Kato
  • Patent number: 4868878
    Abstract: A sound field correcting system for correcting for multipath frequency-characteristic distortion in an acoustic reproducing system. In one embodiment, the level and delay of an original signal are adjusted and superposed on the original signal so as to obtain a signal which, when reproduced by a loudspeaker, yields a sound pattern at a listening point having a flat frequency characteristic. The delay adjustment is effected in accordance with a difference between the travel distances of direct and reflected sound waves to the listening point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kunugi, Akio Tokumo, Toshikazu Yoshimi, Yoshio Sasaki, Shinjiro Kato, Shuuichi Mori, Makoto Odaka, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 4739513
    Abstract: The acoustic transmission characteristics of a sound field, such as in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, are measured by placing microphones at the positions of ears of a dummy mannequin having a sound absorbing characteristic similar to that of a clothed adult human. The transmission characteristics are then corrected, such as with an automatic graphic equalizer, to provide optimized listening conditions inside the sound field for an actual listener. The use of the invention results in a listener's perception of completely natural sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1988
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kunugi, Shinichi Suzuki, Masayuki Kato, Akio Tokumo, Toshikazu Yoshimi, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 4694498
    Abstract: An automatic sound field correcting system with graphic equalizer means to be provided in an audio signal supply line. A test signal such as a pink noise is radiated in the listening space and detected at a predetermined listening point to determine the detection frequency characteristic of the test signal, thereby to adjust the frequency characteristic of the graphic equalizer means. Thereafter, the frequency characteristic of the graphic equalized means is made equal to different band-pass filter characteristics, one after another, and each time the equalization is effected, the detected test signal is obtained through the grapic equalizer means for determination of the detected frequency characteristic of the test signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Suzuki, Akio Tokumo, Yoshiro Kunugi, Masayuki Kato
  • Patent number: 4688258
    Abstract: An automatic graphic equalizer for a sound system has circuitry for measuring the effect of the physical environment receiving a sound on the frequency characteristics of the sound, and for adjusting the characteristics of a graphic equalizer to compensate for distortions in the desired flat frequency response caused by the physical environment. The circuitry includes a pink noise generator supplying pink noise to the graphic equalizer during an initialization operation, the graphic equalizer being controlled by a controller to present a flat frequency characteristic. The equalizer output is sent to a speaker which supplies the pink noise as a sound signal to the selected environment. A microphone picks up the sound in the selected environment and converts it to an electrical signal which is supplied through an ALC amplifier to a frequency-variable band-pass filter to detect the signal level in each of the equalizer frequency bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kunugi, Shinichi Suzuki, Masayuki Kato
  • Patent number: 4648117
    Abstract: A sound field correcting device for use in a stereophonic system intended for vehicular use. Speakers are installed on opposite sides of both the front and rear seats of the vehicle. The number of persons seated in the vehicle is determined and applied to a correcting unit. When plural persons are seated in the vehicle, the sound pressure levels in the high-frequency range of loudspeakers is increased. Also, the sound pressure levels of the speakers can be corrected in accordance with the positions at which persons are seated in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kunugi, Akio Tokumo, Toshikazu Yoshimi, Shinjiro Kato, Yoshio Sasaki, Makoto Odaka, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 4644292
    Abstract: An automatic gain control unit particularly adapted for vehicular use is disclosed. The ambient noise level inside the vehicle is detected, as is the level of the audio signal. A difference is formed between detection signals thus produced, and a frequency characteristic of a gain varying device, inserted in an audio signal path of the audio device, is varied according to this difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kunugi, Makoto Odaka, Takeshi Sato, Yoshio Sasaki, Akio Tokumo
  • Patent number: 4637049
    Abstract: There is provided in a car-mounted audio system an operator control section, a display section and a mechanical deck section in a central console or dashboard unit, wherein other units are located in hideaway positions, the system being characterized in that, a built-in microphone and a microphone amplifier are provided at the central control apparatus, buffers are provided at the hideaway units, and a microphone signal bus line is incorporated in the signal line connection between the central control and the hideaway units to couple a common microphone output signal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Kunugi
  • Patent number: 4622691
    Abstract: A mobile sound field correcting system for correcting an acoustic characteristic in a vehicle sound field formed by direct waves radiated from loudspeakers and reflected waves thereof providing satisfactory acoustic characteristics for different vehicles and different listening points within a vehicle. A first correcting means corrects a power spectrum of each loudspeaker in a frequency range above a frequency at which a decrease of starts of the power spectrum in a high-frequency range of each loudspeaker. Second correcting means corrects for irregularities in the frequency characteristic of each loudspeaker caused by interference of the direct waves with the reflected waves in a frequency lower than the drop-off frequency of this power spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Tokumo, Yoshiro Kunugi, Toshikazu Yoshimi, Shinjiro Kato, Yoshio Sasaki, Makoto Odaka, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 4418323
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit adapted for use as a voltage controlled oscillator in which all of the transistors of the oscillator circuit are operated in non-saturated regions so that the minority carrier accumulation time does not affect the maximum operating frequency of the circuit. First and second current mirror circuits are coupled to opposed outputs of a differential amplifier circuit and are coupled to charge and discharge a capacitor with constant current in response to the states of the differential amplifier circuit. The differential amplifier circuit is provided with a hysteresis characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1983
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Tokumo, Yoshiro Kunugi
  • Patent number: 4415862
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation amplifier in which interchannel distortion is eliminated by making the pulse transition times different between different ones of the channels. Ramp carrier signals having different phases are applied to respective pulse width modulation comparators of the two channels. The ramp carrier signals are generated by applying the output of an oscillator directly to one of the pulse width modulation comparators while the other is generated through a phase delay circuit which provides constant phase relationship independent of the frequency of the output of the oscillator. The output of the oscillator is coupled to one input of a comparator which produces first and second output signals one of which is in a high state depending upon the relative potentials of the two inputs to the comparator. The outputs are coupled to respective constant current sources which charge and discharge a capacitor in accordance with the output state of the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Kunugi
  • Patent number: 4348616
    Abstract: A preset lighting device in which the number of common input and output terminals is reduced and which does not respond to a duplicate switch activation state so that a previously-determined lighting state as maintained until a valid activation state is present. A lighting element is provided for each of plural input switches which are in turn coupled to corresponding input/output terminals. A latch circuit is provided for each lighting element to maintain the lighted state until reset occurs. First and second gate circuits detect a duplicate switching state and control the activation of the lighting elements accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1982
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tanaka, Yoshiharu Ueki, Yoshiro Kunugi, Shozaburo Sakaguchi