Patents Assigned to Furuno Electric Company
  • Patent number: 8264395
    Abstract: A radar device is disclosed. The radar device includes a radar antenna, from which detection signals are transmitted while the radar antenna being rotated, the radar device generating a radar image from reflection waves of the transmitted detection signals, a reception module for receiving the reflection waves of the detection signals, an inclination calculating module for calculating an inclination of level of the received signals that continue in a predetermined direction, the inclination being a rate of change in the received signal level per predetermined range in the predetermined direction, and a rain/snow reflection determining module for determining whether the received signals are reflection signals from at least one of rain and snow by using the inclination calculated by the inclination calculating module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takumi Fujikawa, Tatsuya Kojima
  • Patent number: 8256295
    Abstract: A speed-of-sound measurement apparatus includes a wave transmission module for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to a front surface of a subject's body, a plurality of wave reception modules which each receives the ultrasonic wave from the subject's body and outputs a waveform signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic wave, a presumed propagation time calculating module for calculating a propagation time from when the ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the wave transmission module to when the ultrasonic wave arrives at each of the wave reception modules after propagating along the front surface of the subject's body or inside the subject's body, based on a presumed value of speed-of -sound in the subject's body and a front surface shape of the subject's body, a validity index value calculating module for finding a validity index value to be an index of validity of the propagation time based on the waveform signals outputted by at least two of the plurality of wave reception modules, and a speed-of-sound de
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Suetoshi, Dorian Cretin, Atsushi Uodome
  • Patent number: 8246542
    Abstract: A bone strength diagnostic device includes a wave-transmission module that transmits an ultrasonic wave obliquely to a bone covered with soft tissues; a wave-reception module that receives the ultrasonic wave that exits from the bone to the side of the soft tissues; a shape detection module for detecting the shape of the front surface of the bone; and a speed-of-sound deriving module for deriving the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave that propagates along the front surface of the bone, based on the received wave signals, and the shape of the front surface of the bone detected using the shape detection module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Suetoshi, Atsushi Uodome, Dorian Cretin
  • Patent number: 8248296
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a target object detection signal processing device, which includes a reception data output module, to which a reception signal is inputted, for outputting reception data indicative of a signal level of the reception data, a scan-to-scan correlation processing module for performing scan-to-scan correlation processing between the reception data and previous reception data indicative of a reception level of previously acquired reception signal to output scan-to-scan correlation data, and an output selection module, to which the reception data and the scan-to-scan correlation data are inputted, for selectively outputting either one of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Maeno, Youichi Maruyama, Kazuya Nakagawa, Koji Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8237608
    Abstract: This disclosure is related to a magnetron including a cylindrical cathode having a center axis, an anode coaxially arranged with the cathode so as to be separated from the cathode via a predetermined space, and a pair of pole pieces provided to both ends of the cathode in the axial direction so as to oppose to each other and having opposing faces perpendicular to the axial direction. The pole piece has a first ridge of a ring shape that is formed on the opposing face and is coaxial with the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuya Takashima
  • Publication number: 20120195167
    Abstract: An underwater detection device for detecting underwater by transmission and reception of an ultrasonic signal is provided. The device includes a transmission module for transmitting the ultrasonic signal underwater, a reception module for receiving an echo signal of the transmitted ultrasonic signal, a bottom detection module for detecting a bottom based on the echo signal from the bottom, a bottom-sediment determination module for calculating probabilities of the bottom sediment on how much the bottom sediment contains each of predetermined bottom sediment types based on the echo signal and a bottom-sediment display module for displaying a texture representing each of the bottom sediment types below the bottom being displayed based on the probabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Kubota, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yuumiko Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8207864
    Abstract: An underwater detection device for detecting underwater by transmission and reception of an ultrasonic signal is provided. The device includes a transmission module for transmitting the ultrasonic signal underwater, a reception module for receiving an echo signal of the transmitted ultrasonic signal, a bottom detection module for detecting a bottom based on the echo signal from the bottom, a bottom-sediment determination module for calculating probabilities of the bottom sediment on how much the bottom sediment contains each of predetermined bottom sediment types based on the echo signal and a bottom-sediment display module for displaying a texture representing each of the bottom sediment types below the bottom being displayed based on the probabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Kubota, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yumiko Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20120154217
    Abstract: A navigation message acquiring unit acquires bit data per word from a received bit data row. Here, if continuous words constituting one subframe is failed to be acquired in one frame, only a word that is accurately decoded is stored. Here, final two bits in a word immediately prior to the accurately decoded word is also stored along with the accurately decoded word. If all of the words constituting the one subframe are successfully acquired in a plurality of frames, a phase match between the words is performed by using the final two bits in the word stored along with each of the words and immediately prior to the accurately decoded word, a supplemented subframe is formed by joining each of the phased matched words, and the navigation message acquiring unit outputs the supplemented subframe with time-of-week information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Takahiro Hosooka
  • Publication number: 20120143408
    Abstract: A steering assist system for a vehicle includes a turning device, a steering device, a steering sensor and an autopilot device. The steering device is operable to apply a first turning force to the turning device. The steering sensor detects a steering state of the steering device during which the steering device applies the first turning force. The autopilot device automatically navigates the vehicle to a desired heading of the vehicle. The autopilot device includes an actuator and a steering assist control section. The actuator is operable to apply a second turning force to the turning device. The steering assist control section controls the actuator to apply the second turning force to turn the turning device in the same direction that the first turning force is turning the turning device when the steering sensor detects the steering state of the steering device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Tempei HOSOKAWA
  • Patent number: 8183954
    Abstract: A coaxial waveguide converter is disclosed. It includes a waveguide to which a high frequency signal is transmitted, a coaxial line having an inner conductor that is coupled to the waveguide so as to project an end of the inner conductor into the waveguide, and a first adjustment conductor provided on the periphery of the projected end part of the inner conductor so as to be movable in the axial direction of the inner conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Koji Yano
  • Patent number: 8184040
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a radar device including a transmission module for sequentially transmitting two or more kinds of pulse signals having different pulse widths by a predetermined transmitting pattern, a memory module for storing a predetermined number of pulse reply data corresponding to each kind of the pulse signals, the predetermined number being number of transmissions of the kind of the pulse signals, a pulse integrating module for performing pulse integration of the pulse reply data stored in the memory module for each kind of the pulse signal, and an image generating module for generating a radar image using the results of the pulse integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masaya Takase, Hitoshi Maeno
  • Patent number: 8149163
    Abstract: To provide a GPS compound device having a configuration including a GPS receiver, that accurately determines abnormality in an output from the GPS receiver based on a difference between a GPS pseudorange measurement and a Doppler frequency measurement, when detecting the abnormality in the outputs from the GPS receiver, while avoiding continuation of the abnormality at the time of the abnormality determination resulting from estimation errors of the GPS pseudorange measurement and the Doppler frequency measurement. When the abnormality of the outputs from the GPS receiver are detected, an abnormal period is counted. When the count value is below a predetermined threshold, the outputs from the GPS receiver are treated as abnormal, and after it exceeded the threshold, the outputs from the GPS receiver are treated as normal. Thus, the abnormality of the outputs from the GPS receiver can be determined accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Toda
  • Patent number: 8115674
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a target object detection device for detecting different areas by different pulse-shaped signals detecting an area from an antenna position to a given distance. The device includes a transmission module for transmitting different pulse-shaped transmission signals at predetermined timings, a reception module for receiving their reflection signals to generate a reception signal, a saturation detection module for comparing a level of each of the reception signals with a predetermined threshold to detect saturation of the reception signal, and an image forming module for forming a detection image based on the reception signals. The transmission module generates an alternative pulse-shaped signal that is different from the transmitted pulse-shaped transmission signal when the saturation detection module detects the saturation of the reception signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Ohnishi
  • Publication number: 20110319750
    Abstract: A navigation system includes two or more navigation instruments connected with a network, and two or more sensors connected with the network and for detecting information to be used by the navigation instruments. The navigation instrument includes a switch control module for switching between a state in which the navigation instrument functions as a mother unit and as a child unit, a delivery module for transmitting through the network, when one of the navigation instruments functions as the mother unit, representative sensor selection related information to another navigation instrument that functions, the representative sensor selection related information being information about which sensor is to be used among the two or more sensors, and a representative sensor selecting module for selecting the sensor to be used based on the representative sensor selection related information received from the navigation instrument that functions as the mother unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Yuichi HARA
  • Patent number: 8085619
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a fish finder, which includes a transmission module and a reception module, for outputting an ultrasonic wave underwater, receiving an echo, and outputting a reception signal corresponding to an intensity of the received echo, a control module for generating echo data corresponding to a depth based on the reception signal, a display module for displaying the echo data, and a user interface for receiving a user's operation. The control module causes the display module to display the echo data so that the echo data is displayed in two or more display screens. At least one display screen displays an area having a color different from a background color. A part of the echo data at a depth range corresponding to a height of the area is displayed in the other display screen so as to expand the echo data in a depth direction. The user interface specifies a position and a size of the area via the user's operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Misonoo, Yasunobu Asada, Norihiro Nishimoto, Masaaki Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8059487
    Abstract: An underwater detection device includes a transceiver module for transmitting underwater an ultrasonic pulse signal that is frequency-modulated and receiving an echo signal corresponding to the transmitted signal, a pulse compression module for pulse-compressing the signal received by the transceiver module and outputting a signal pulse-compressed, a suppression range determining module for determining a suppression range where a range side lobe suppression process is performed for the pulse-compressed signal, an echo determining module for determining whether the data of the pulse-compressed signal at each depth corresponding to a range side lobe, a suppression value determining module for determining a suppression value for the data of the pulse-compressed signal at each depth, a suppression conducting module for performing a calculation to suppress the range side lobe based on the suppression value for the data determined to be data of the pulse-compressed signal corresponding to the range side lobe by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasunobu Asada
  • Patent number: 7987049
    Abstract: A GPS-Based ADS for determining attitude and heading of a moving body comprises a GPS receiver, an inertial sensor unit, a blockage area calculator, a sensor anomaly detector and a monitor. The GPS-Based ADS provides information useful for making a judgment on appropriateness of installation sites and mounting conditions of a GPS antenna and inertial sensors based on blockage area information concerning each satellite signal blockage area obtained by the blockage area calculator and sensor signal anomaly information concerning each inertial sensor anomaly obtained by the sensor anomaly detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hayashi, Sadao Sato, Masaru Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7970370
    Abstract: A signal conversion apparatus includes a local oscillator for locally generating a signal having a frequency, a phase shifter for shifting the phase of the locally generated signal output from the local oscillator by an amount determined based on a relationship between the amount of phase shift and the amount of frequency pulling, and a converter for converting an input signal by using the phase-shifted locally generated signal output from the phase shifter. The phase shifter varies impedance between the local oscillator and the converter so that the oscillating frequency of the locally generated signal output from the local oscillator remains unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Takayoshi Hirose, Takuo Kashiwa
  • Patent number: 7956798
    Abstract: A radar apparatus having an integral ARPA function transmits at least two kinds of pulse signals, each of which has different pulselength, according to a specific transmission pattern and receives echoes of the transmitted pulse signal. The radar apparatus includes an echo data generator for generating display echo data for each range scale selected for on-screen presentation by using an echo signal obtained with each transmission pulselength, an ARPA processor for generating a single set of motion-related information on each tracked target to be superimposed on the display echo data by using echo signals obtained with the different pulselengths, a display output synthesizer for superimposing the motion-related information on each tracked target generated by the ARPA processor on the display echo data, and a display unit for displaying a superimposed picture produced by the display output synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Yanagi, Koji Dai, Sae Takemoto
  • Patent number: 7942819
    Abstract: An ultrasonic bone evaluation apparatus includes stationary and movable standoffs fitted with respective ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasound, a moving mechanism for moving the movable standoff, an encoder, a controller, and an inner temperature sensor for determining the temperature of an inner tissue of a body part. The moving mechanism moves the movable standoff toward the stationary standoff to sandwich the body part therebetween. The encoder measures the distance between the two transducers whereas the controller determines the time required for the ultrasound to travel between the transducers when the body part is sandwiched between the standoffs. The controller calculates the speed of sound propagating through the body part from distance and time measurement values, corrects the speed of sound through the body part based on the temperature of the body part measured by the inner temperature sensor, and evaluates the bone of the body part based on the corrected speed of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tatsuo Arai