Patents Assigned to Softbank Corp.
  • Publication number: 20220358550
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to the present application includes a use-condition acquiring unit, an image acquiring unit, a reservation-information acquiring unit, and a selecting unit. The use-condition acquiring unit acquires a use condition of the store. The image acquiring unit acquires an image obtained by capturing an inside of the store. The reservation-information acquiring unit acquires reservation information of the store. The selecting unit selects a store estimated to be usable on a date and time indicated in the use condition based on the acquired image of the store and the reservation information of the store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro ENDO, Masanori TANZAWA, Koji HIDAKA, Naohiro AKIYAMA, Junichiro MAMIYA
  • Patent number: 11494640
    Abstract: In order to address a conventional problem that there is no information processing apparatus for simulating processing in the brain, an information processing apparatus is configured such that one or more pieces of feature information are transferred between somas, each soma may fire using one or more pieces of accepted feature information, a firing pattern, which is a pattern of firing of one or more somas, is acquired, and output information corresponding to the firing pattern is acquired and output. Accordingly, it is possible to realize information processing for simulating processing in the brain. Also, it is possible to realize information processing for simulating processing in the brain, such as growth processing, apoptosis processing, and learning processing of elements such as somas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SOFTBANK CORP.
    Inventor: Yuko Ishiwaka
  • Patent number: 11494388
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: an output management information storage unit in which one or more pieces of output management information having an output condition, which is a condition for outputting emotion information and is a condition related to content, and emotion information are stored; an input information accepting unit that accepts input information that is content; an output information acquiring unit that judges whether or not information acquired using the content accepted by the input information accepting unit matches each of the one or more output conditions, and acquires emotion information that is paired with each of the one or more matching output conditions, from the output management information storage unit; and an information output unit that outputs the one or more pieces of emotion information acquired by the output information acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SOFTBANK CORP.
    Inventor: Yuko Ishiwaka
  • Patent number: 11482778
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for nulling a radio frequency (RF) beam for a high-altitude platform (HAP). A transmitter generates an RF signal. A primary antenna system generates an RF beam based on the RF signal. One or more processors determine a result indicating whether to modify the RF beam. When the result indicates to modify the RF beam, a detachable nulling subassembly generates nulling signals based on the RF signal to modify the RF beam generated by the primary antenna system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Sharath Ananth, Cyrus Behroozi, Nevin Morris
  • Publication number: 20220333929
    Abstract: A determination device according to one embodiment includes an acquiring unit (231) and a determination unit (233). The acquiring unit (231) acquires positional information that is related to a terminal device installed at an arbitrary location serving as a reference for a path of an air vehicle and that is calculated on the basis of correction information that includes information on coordinates of a reference station associated with an area in which the terminal device is positioned and information based on a satellite signal received by the reference station. The determination unit (233) determines a flight path of the air vehicle on the basis of the positional information acquired by the acquiring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Kunimitsu ASANUMA, Akitoshi SHIMADA, Suguru YASURAOKA
  • Patent number: 11456521
    Abstract: A method and an antenna system are provided for a high-altitude platform (HAP) configured to move in a pattern in the stratosphere to provide coverage to a region of interest and compensate for HAP movement relative to the region of interest. HAP movement is monitored. When it is determined that the HAP has moved relative to the region of interest and, based on the relative movement, a first one of a plurality of antennas in the HAP is no longer able to cover a selected portion of the region of interest, an antenna array switching circuit in the HAP is used to adjust beams transmitted by the antennas by switching to a second one of the plurality of antennas to cover the selected portion of the region of interest, such that the communication services provided to the region of interest are not interrupted due to the movement of the HAP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Sharath Ananth, Paul Heninwolf, Simon Scott
  • Patent number: 11456957
    Abstract: A method for managing nodes of a network includes receiving location information from each of a plurality of nodes in a network, where at least one node is moving relative to another node of the network. The method then includes converting the received location information for each node into a corresponding network address. The corresponding network address is based on a hierarchical cell-based partitioning scheme. The method further includes identifying a target region for a given node of the network based on a plurality of routing paths. The target region encompasses two or more nodes in the network that are next hops for the given node and that have a common segment in the corresponding network addresses. The method then includes sending forwarding rules to one or more nodes in the network. The forwarding rules includes the common segment to identify the next hops for the given node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Brian Barritt, Paul Heninwolf, Erik Kline
  • Patent number: 11444844
    Abstract: The technology relates to simulating a dynamic hybrid network. A method for simulating a dynamic hybrid network includes modeling a transmission supply of a mesh network of moving stations on aerial vehicles in flight at each time step in a time series, modeling capacity demand as a function of user distribution data and user behavior data, and computing an aggregate network metric for the dynamic hybrid network including throughput. A method for optimizing throughput of a dynamic hybrid network includes modeling a dynamic hybrid network, including a transmission supply of a mesh network of moving stations, modeling capacity demand as a function of user distribution data and user behavior data, and computing an aggregate network metric; then providing feedback to a controller and causing a change to a station in the network to increase throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventor: Jin Zhang
  • Patent number: 11411270
    Abstract: While lithium-air batteries have been known, in which oxygen in the air is used as a positive electrode active material and lithium is used as a negative electrode active material, it is desired to provide a battery system capable of efficient utilization of oxygen. A battery system is provided, including: a lithium-oxygen battery; an oxygen compressing unit configured to compress oxygen released from the lithium-oxygen battery; a storage unit configured to store oxygen compressed by the oxygen compressing unit; and an oxygen supplying unit configured to supply oxygen stored in the storage unit to the lithium-oxygen battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventor: Akihiko Tajika
  • Patent number: 11362901
    Abstract: Example embodiments may relate to web interfaces for a balloon-network. For example, a computing device may display a graphical interface that provides information related to a balloon network configured to provide service in a geographic area, where the graphical interface includes a map. The computing device may receive real-time bandwidth data related to balloons in the balloon network, where the balloons are each configured to change position via altitudinal movement and via horizontal movement with respect to the ground. Based at least in part on the received real-time bandwidth data, the computing device may display, on the map, a visual representation of bandwidth information corresponding to one or more regions in the geographic area, where the visual representation of bandwidth information updates from time to time based at least in part on a change in position of one or more balloons in the balloon network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Teller, Richard Wayne DeVaul, Michael Cassidy
  • Patent number: 11362425
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system for communication with a client device. The system includes a first transmitter configured to transmit a first signal and a second transmitter configured to transmit a second signal. The first signal is configured for a first communication band, and the second signal is configured for a second communication band different from the first communication band. The system also includes a hybrid coupler configured to split the first or second signal to a first part and a second part. In addition, the system also includes a first antenna configured to transmit the first part, and a second antenna configured to transmit the second part. The second antenna is oriented perpendicularly relative to an orientation of the first antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Sharath Ananth, Alfred Cohen
  • Patent number: 11349558
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide an antenna system for a high-altitude platform (HAP). The antenna system may include a central panel including a first set of antenna elements. The antenna system may also include a plurality of auxiliary panels arranged around the central panel and at an angular offset from the central panel. Each auxiliary panel of the set of auxiliary panels may include a second plurality of antenna elements. The first plurality of antenna elements may be configured to provide network coverage within a first area having a first radius and each of the second sets of antenna elements are configured to provide network coverage within a second area beyond the first radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Sharath Ananth, Cyrus Behroozi, Sergey Vichik
  • Patent number: 11337080
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for a communication system. The communication system includes a station moving relative to a geographic area, a plurality of antennas, and one or more processors configured to control the plurality of antennas. For instance, the one or more processors may be configured to control a first antenna of the plurality of antennas to output a primary beam to cover the geographic area, wherein the primary beam is associated with a primary cell having a first center frequency, and to control a second set of antennas of the plurality of antennas to output a plurality of secondary beams to cover a plurality of locations within the geographic area, wherein the plurality of secondary beams each has a beam angle smaller than the primary beam, and wherein the plurality of secondary beams are all associated with a secondary cell having a second center frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Sharath Ananth, Mitchell Trott, Paul Heninwolf
  • Patent number: 11317466
    Abstract: The technology provides a convenient and efficient way for business entities and other organizations to gather and transmit data from remotely located facilities without having to rely on satellite communication or specialized communication equipment. A geographically isolated facility may be used for manufacturing, warehousing, power generation, environmental monitoring, as well as other services. Information about the facility, its equipment and operation are transmitted to a back end system using high altitude platforms (HAPs). This provides opportunistic communication between remote facilities and the back-end system on an as-needed basis, for example based on bandwidth usage, peak/off-peak usage, etc. The HAPs may act as a store and forward service, or process received data before transmitting it to a ground station or the back end system. This approach allows an organization to periodically monitor its facilities, to determine equipment failure, resupply needs, and to assess the status of each facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventor: James Smith
  • Patent number: 11315086
    Abstract: An API management device includes: a reception unit configured to receive a selection of a charging condition when using an API; a receiver configured to receive a request for the API from the application; a transmitter configured to transmit a response according to the request to the application; and a history storage configured to store a history of the request for the API and the response for each of the applications that use the API. A charging management device includes: a charging condition storage configured to store the charging condition received by the reception unit for each of the applications that use the API when using the API; an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the history from the history storage; and a determination unit configured to determine a charge value for the application that uses the API based on the charging condition and the information on the history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Keita Omori, Kohei Kato, Eijiro Hoshi
  • Patent number: 11308814
    Abstract: A system and a method for suppressing a deterioration of communication quality due to frequent occurrence of handovers at cell boundaries of a plurality of cells formed by a plurality of radio relay apparatuses that can move in an upper airspace, are provided. In the system, each of the plurality of radio relay apparatuses for performing a radio communication with a terminal apparatus comprises a radio relay station which is movably provided by flying in an upper airspace, forms a cell toward the ground or the sea, and performs a radio communication with a terminal apparatus located in the cell. Each of the plurality of radio relay apparatuses flies in cooperation with each other so as to maintain a positional relationship between the radio relay apparatuses by an autonomous control or external control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Takafumi Fujii, Yoshichika Ota, Kenji Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11281206
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a group of aerial vehicles to meet a connectivity service objective are provided. A method may include causing aerial vehicles in the group to arrive at a target service area during a given arrival time window associated with the connectivity service objective, which may indicate a desired probability of service coverage of the target service area. The method further includes calculating a probability of service coverage of the target service area for the vehicles for a time period after the vehicles are expected to arrive at the target service area, determining whether the probability of service coverage meets a threshold, and causing the vehicles to operate according to a station seeking flight policy during the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Salvatore J. Candido, Sameera Sylvia Ponda
  • Patent number: 11277314
    Abstract: Example embodiments may relate to web interfaces for a balloon-network. For example, a computing device may display a graphical interface that that includes one or more interface features to receive a request for use of bandwidth of a balloon network. In particular, the computing device may receive, via the graphical interface, input data corresponding to a bandwidth request for a first location, where the bandwidth request includes: (i) an indication of the first location and (ii) an indication of time. Subsequently, the computing device may receive an indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted, where acceptance of the bandwidth request is based at least in part on expected movement of one or more balloons from a plurality of balloons in the balloon network. As such, the computing device may display, on the graphical interface, the indication corresponding to whether or not the bandwidth request is accepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Teller, Richard Wayne Devaul, Michael Cassidy
  • Patent number: 11244887
    Abstract: A three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit includes a plurality of interposers between respective integrated circuits of the three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit and below a lowermost integrated circuit, wherein a plurality of movement paths of a coolant are respectively provided in the plurality of interposers, and the plurality of movement paths of the coolant provided in the plurality of interposers are connected to each other. Alternatively, the three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit is configured by immersion and the system thereof is simplified by the coolant interacting with the outside in grooves provided to the edges of the interposers. In this case, a path for allowing the coolant to flow in the layer direction is not necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Takashi Tsutsui, Shigenori Imanaka, Tomohiko Furutani
  • Patent number: 11245194
    Abstract: An antenna for wireless communication includes a spherical reflector and one or more feeds. The spherical reflector includes an inner portion made of material that reflects radiofrequency (RF) beams, and an outer portion positioned on an edge of the inner portion, the outer portion being made of metamaterials that can be controlled to be reflective of or transparent to RF beams. The one or more feeds are configured to form one or more RF beams reflected off the spherical reflector. In some implementations, the antenna includes one or more processors configured to form one or more RF beams using the one or more feeds, and control at least a part of the outer portion of the spherical reflector to reflect an RF beam of the one or more RF beams or be transparent to the RF beam based on the one or more RF beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SoftBank Corp.
    Inventors: Sharath Ananth, Paul Heninwolf, Jean-Laurent Plateau