Patents by Inventor Akihiro Arai

Akihiro Arai 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: 20240112509
    Abstract: A vehicle is a vehicle that is equipped with an illumination device in a vehicle cabin and that is capable of traveling in an EV mode, the vehicle being configured to change a manner of luminescence of the illumination device when the vehicle enters a low emission zone (LEZ) where the vehicle needs to travel in the EV mode, and to cause a driver to perceive the entrance. For the change in the manner of the luminescence, for example, the color of the luminescence of the illumination device may be changed from a regular color to a specific color. By the change in the manner of the luminescence of the illumination device, it is possible to cause the driver to sensorily recognize the entrance to the low emission zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunori WAKAMATSU, Masatoshi ISHINO, Yuuki ARAI, Takafumi EGUCHI, Akihiro KUSADA
  • Patent number: 11911918
    Abstract: A distance-measuring system includes: a first ranging sensor; a second ranging sensor that covers a detection range more limited than a detection range covered by the first ranging sensor and has resolution higher than resolution of the first ranging sensor; and an image processing device. The image processing device includes: a machine detector that detects a position of a mobile machine, based on a first sensed result obtained by the first ranging sensor; a sensor controller that controls a detection position to be detected by the second ranging sensor to detect the position of the mobile machine which has been detected; and a safety determiner that controls the mobile machine, based on a second sensed result obtained by the second ranging sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tanaka, Akihiro Arai, Kenji Fujita
  • Publication number: 20230010554
    Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus includes a dilution unit, an electrophoresis unit, and a control device. The dilution unit dilutes a sample with dilution water. The electrophoresis unit analyzes the sample diluted by the dilution unit by electrophoresing the sample. The control device controls the dilution unit and the electrophoresis unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira HARADA, Akihiro Arai, Hidesato Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20220404502
    Abstract: A laser radar includes: a projector configured to project laser light in a direction having an acute angle with respect to a rotation axis; a light receiver configured to condense reflected light of the laser light onto a photodetector; a rotary part to rotate the projector and the light receiver to form an object detection surface having a conical shape; and a controller configured to detect entry of an object into a three-dimensional monitoring region. The object detection surface is set so as to widen toward the monitoring region. The controller sets a detection range corresponding to the monitoring region, on the object detection surface, and detects entry of the object into the monitoring region by a position of the object on the object detection surface, which is detected on the basis of emission of the laser light and reception of the reflected light, being included in the detection range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Yasuyuki KANO, Ryo FUKUDA, Akihiro ARAI
  • Publication number: 20220229015
    Abstract: A microchip electrophoresis method includes sequentially analyzing a plurality of samples by repeating an analysis process by electrophoresis separation in a microchip, executing a cleaning process of the microchip, and setting timing of the cleaning process of the microchip at arbitrary timing between a plurality of analysis processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidesato KUMAGAI, Akihiro ARAI, Akira HARADA
  • Patent number: 11391696
    Abstract: A microchip electrophoresis apparatus includes a microchip, a dispensing part, a suction part, and a control part. The control part is configured to perform a buffer solution filling step and a liquid surface aligning step. In the buffer solution filling step, a buffer solution is filled in a channel of the microchip, and also a liquid surface level of the buffer solution in a first reservoir and a liquid surface level of the buffer solution in a second reservoir provided on the other end of the channel are set to a predetermined level or more. The liquid surface aligning step is performed after the buffer solution filling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Arai
  • Publication number: 20220184617
    Abstract: A microfluidic system includes a chip holder that holds a microchip including a plurality of reservoirs, a chip cover, a sealing member; a dispensing probe, a suction mechanism, a first storage where a first cleaning solution is stored, a second storage where a second cleaning solution is stored, a pump, a channel switch, and a controller. The channel switch is configured to switch between a channel through which the first cleaning solution is suctioned from the first storage and a channel through which the second cleaning solution is suctioned from the second storage. The controller controls operations of the channel switch and the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro ARAI
  • Publication number: 20210270772
    Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus includes an electrophoresis mechanism that perform electrophoresis of a sample with a microchip, a controller that determines whether or not the microchip satisfies a criterion for performance of the microchip, and a cleaning mechanism that performs first cleaning for cleaning a device with cleaning water and second cleaning for cleaning the device with a cleaning solution different from cleaning water. The cleaning mechanism performs second cleaning onto the device when the device is determined as not satisfying the criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro ARAI
  • Patent number: 11093807
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image processor performing image processing to image data, an image forming unit forming an image on a sheet based on the image data, and a controller changing an image forming condition of the image forming unit based on user information, in a case where a first measuring image is formed by the image forming unit to generate a first conversion condition for image data conversion in image processing to be performed by an external image processing apparatus, controlling the image forming unit based on the changed image forming condition, and in a case where a second measuring image is formed by the image forming unit to generate a second conversion condition for image data conversion in image processing to be performed by the image processor, controlling the image forming unit based on a default image forming condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Riki Fukuhara, Toshiyuki Miyake, Yutaka Ando, Akihiro Arai, Yuichiro Oda
  • Publication number: 20210245366
    Abstract: A distance-measuring system includes: a first ranging sensor; a second ranging sensor that covers a detection range more limited than a detection range covered by the first ranging sensor and has resolution higher than resolution of the first ranging sensor; and an image processing device. The image processing device includes: a machine detector that detects a position of a mobile machine, based on a first sensed result obtained by the first ranging sensor; a sensor controller that controls a detection position to be detected by the second ranging sensor to detect the position of the mobile machine which has been detected; and a safety determiner that controls the mobile machine, based on a second sensed result obtained by the second ranging sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Yasushi TANAKA, Akihiro ARAI, Kenji FUJITA
  • Patent number: 11085897
    Abstract: It is an object to repeatedly use a microchip without complicating the structure of the microchip, as well as not impairing cost and operability. A seal-attached member 26 is disposed facing a microchip 5 held by a chip holding unit 7, and has through holes 64-3 and 64-4 provided at positions corresponding to reservoirs 53-3 and 53-4, respectively, and elastic members 67 that are pressed against the microchip 5 so as to maintain airtightness between the through holes 64-3 and 64-4 and the corresponding reservoirs 53-3 and 53-4. When the inside of a flow path 55 of the microchip 5 is cleaned, a dispensing probe 8 is inserted into the through hole 64-4 while airtightness between the through hole 64-4 and the dispensing probe 8 is maintained. Then, a suction nozzle 22-3 is inserted into the through hole 64-3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Arai
  • Publication number: 20210231608
    Abstract: A controller sets a schedule in which an order of a plurality of electrophoresis processes is defined. The controller controls a storage device to store first information representing a result of an electrophoresis process that has ended among the plurality of electrophoresis processes and second information about setting for the plurality of electrophoresis processes. The controller receives a stop signal from an information processing apparatus while the plurality of electrophoresis processes defined in the schedule are being performed. When the controller receives the stop signal, the controller controls an electrophoresis mechanism to perform until the end, an electrophoresis process that is being performed among the plurality of electrophoresis processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidesato KUMAGAI, Akihiro ARAI, Akira HARADA
  • Patent number: 11016429
    Abstract: A control unit of an image forming device determines a remaining amount threshold value and selects a first mode or a second mode. In the first mode, a sheet feeding unit of the image forming device starts feeding a sheet based on presence/absence of an insertion sheet that is to be inserted by an inserter device immediately prior to a sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit. In the second mode, the sheet feeding unit starts feeding a sheet regardless of presence/absence of an insertion sheet that is to be inserted by the inserter device immediately prior to a sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ando, Toshiyuki Miyake, Akihiro Arai, Riki Fukuhara, Yuichiro Oda
  • Publication number: 20210048566
    Abstract: An object detection device for detecting an object using light includes: a light source configured to emit light; a splitting element configured to split the light emitted from the light source into a plurality of light beams; a mirror configured to reflect the light beams obtained through the splitting by the splitting element; a holder integrally holding the splitting element and the mirror; a drive unit configured to rotate the holder; a photodetector configured to receive reflected light beams, of the respective light beams, reflected from an object; and a condensing lens configured to condense the reflected light beams of the respective light beams onto the photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kano, Kenichiro KAWABUCHI, Akihiro ARAI
  • Patent number: 10871739
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; a feeding unit on which the recording medium is placed and configured to convey the recording medium toward the image forming unit on a conveyance path; an insert unit on which an insert sheet is placed and configured to convey the insert sheet so as to insert the insert sheet between a plurality of recording mediums conveyed from the image forming unit; a storage unit configured to store information concerning feeding of the recording medium; and a control unit configured to control a feeding timing of the insert sheet by the insert unit based on the information stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Akinobu Nishikata, Yutaka Ando, Akihiro Arai
  • Patent number: 10838343
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit to store recording sheets, an image forming unit, an insertion unit, including an interleaving sheet tray on which an interleaving sheet is to be stacked, and to insert the interleaving sheet fed from the interleaving sheet tray between recording sheets conveyed from the image forming unit. The control unit selects between a first mode and a second mode to execute based on a detected remaining amount of recording sheets in the storage unit. The first mode is a mode for feeding the interleaving sheet, which is to be inserted, from the interleaving sheet tray regardless of whether a presence of the recording sheet in the storage unit is detected. The second mode is a mode for feeding the interleaving sheet from the interleaving sheet tray based on that presence of the recording sheet in the storage unit is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Yumoto, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita, Yutaka Ando, Akihiro Arai, Yuichiro Oda
  • Publication number: 20200256830
    Abstract: A microchip electrophoresis apparatus includes a microchip, a dispensing part, a suction part, and a control part. The control part is configured to perform a buffer solution filling step and a liquid surface aligning step. In the buffer solution filling step, a buffer solution is filled in a channel of the microchip, and also a liquid surface level of the buffer solution in a first reservoir and a liquid surface level of the buffer solution in a second reservoir provided on the other end of the channel are set to a predetermined level or more. The liquid surface aligning step is performed after the buffer solution filling step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro ARAI
  • Patent number: 10691055
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to change an interleaf control mode from a not confirmed sheet-feeding mode to a sheet-presence confirmed sheet-feeding mode when a remaining amount of recording sheets is less than a first threshold, wherein the image forming apparatus has a first mode of changing a feeding origin of a recording sheet, according to detection of absence of a recording sheet in a storage unit by a sheet presence/absence detection unit during execution of an image forming job, and a second mode of changing a feeding origin of a recording sheet, according to detection of a recording-sheet remaining amount of the storage unit less than a second threshold during execution of an image forming job, and wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold for changing an interleaf control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Arai, Yutaka Ando, Toshiyuki Miyake, Riki Fukuhara, Yuichiro Oda
  • Publication number: 20200088680
    Abstract: It is an object to repeatedly use a microchip without complicating the structure of the microchip, as well as not impairing cost and operability. A seal-attached member 26 is disposed facing a microchip 5 held by a chip holding unit 7, and has through holes 64-3 and 64-4 provided at positions corresponding to reservoirs 53-3 and 53-4, respectively, and elastic members 67 that are pressed against the microchip 5 so as to maintain airtightness between the through holes 64-3 and 64-4 and the corresponding reservoirs 53-3 and 53-4. When the inside of a flow path 55 of the microchip 5 is cleaned, a dispensing probe 8 is inserted into the through hole 64-4 while airtightness between the through hole 64-4 and the dispensing probe 8 is maintained. Then, a suction nozzle 22-3 is inserted into the through hole 64-3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro ARAI
  • Patent number: 10556768
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus connectable to an image forming apparatus which performs a post-processing on a sheet of a first type in a first post-processing mode, and performs the post-processing on a sheet of a second type having a light transmittance higher than the first type in a second post-processing mode, wherein, in a case where a job for performing the post-processing on a sheet of a third type is executed, the post-processing apparatus determines whether the sheet of the third type is detectable by the sheet detecting unit, operates in the first post-processing mode when the sheet of the third type is determined to be detectable by the sheet detecting unit, and operates in the second post-processing mode when the sheet of the third type is determined to be undetectable by the sheet detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Arai, Akinobu Nishikata, Takashi Yokoya, Yutaka Ando