Patents by Inventor Akihiro Kawabata

Akihiro Kawabata 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: 20120296214
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that enables even an unskilled person to get accurate detection done is provided. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a controller, to which a probe and a monitor are connected, the probe having an array of transducers, in which a number of transducers are arranged in a first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makiko Urabe, Koetsu Saito, Akihiro Kawabata, Manabu Migita, Morio Nishigaki, Ryuichi Kato
  • Publication number: 20120179042
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes: an ultrasonic signal processing section, which performs transmission processing for transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a subject's blood vessel by driving a probe and reception processing for generating a received signal based on the ultrasonic wave reflected from the subject's blood vessel and received at the probe; a tomographic image processing section, which generates a tomographic image based on the received signal; a boundary detecting section, which detects the lumen-intima and media-adventitia boundaries of the blood vessel based on the received signal or the tomographic image; a vascular wall thickness calculating section, which calculates, as a vascular wall thickness value, the interval between the lumen-intima and media-adventitia boundaries detected by the boundary detecting section; a reliability determining section, which determines the reliability of the vascular wall thickness value by a signal feature of the
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takenori Fukumoto, Akihiro. Kawabata, Makiko Urabe, Takao Suzuki, Yushi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20120177276
    Abstract: An ultrasonograph of the present invention comprises a probe (1), a controller (3) connected to the probe (1), and a display (4) connected to the controller (3). The controller (4) causes the display (4) to display a detected image of a target object detected by the probe (1) and an angular position relationship image showing a relative angular position of the probe to the detected image of the target object. This enables even a non-expert to take accurate measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Manabu Migita, Yoshihiko Itoh, Akihiro Kawabata, Takehiko Suginouchi, Makiko Urabe, Yushi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20110184288
    Abstract: A two-dimensional drawing module (25) (i) periodically reads acoustic line data (S401), (ii) checks a scanning method of a physical structure of a probe and acoustic line data, and (iii) selects the optimum coordinate conversion algorithm (S402). After that, the two-dimensional drawing module (25) (i) selects an interpolation algorithm, based on a display rate (S403), (ii) generates display data by performing a two-dimensional DSC process using the selected coordinate conversion algorithm and the like (S404a, 404b or 404c), (iii) performs a persistence process for the display data (S405), a frame interpolating process for a “B mode” image data (S406) and a display color conversion process (S407), and (iv) transmits the display data after such processes as described above to the display unit (14) (S408).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawabata, Manabu Migita
  • Patent number: 7951082
    Abstract: A two-dimensional drawing module (25) (i) periodically reads acoustic line data (S401), (ii) checks a scanning method of a physical structure of a probe and acoustic line data, and (iii) selects the optimum coordinate conversion algorithm (S402). After that, the two-dimensional drawing module (25) (i) selects an interpolation algorithm, based on a display rate (S403), (ii) generates display data by performing a two-dimensional DSC process using the selected coordinate conversion algorithm and the like (S404a, 404b or 404c), (iii) performs a persistence process for the display data (S405), a frame interpolating process for a “B mode” image data (S406) and a display color conversion process (S407), and (iv) transmits the display data after such processes as described above to the display unit (14) (S408).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawabata, Manabu Migita
  • Publication number: 20100195874
    Abstract: An image analysis apparatus comprising: an identification unit operable to, in each of a plurality of scenes, identify one or more persons who appear in the scene; a scene evaluation value calculation unit operable to calculate a scene evaluation value for, among the plurality of scenes, each scene in which at least one person has been identified, the one person being included as one of persons identified by the identification unit; a scene selection unit operable to select, from among the plurality of scenes, one or more scenes that include the one person; and a person evaluation value calculation unit operable to calculate a person evaluation value for the one person by summating scene evaluation values of the scenes selected by the scene selection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Kuniaki Isogai, Takashi Kawamura, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20100128058
    Abstract: Image browsing device and method for displaying a list so that the viewers can efficiently grasp the contents of a lot of images. The image browsing device includes an image classifying unit, a representative color extracting unit, and a representative color layout unit, and further includes a shooting date/time obtaining unit, an ordinary/extraordinary setting unit, a display mode managing unit, a representative color switching unit and the like. The image browsing device, with this structure, extracts a representative color for each image group which has been obtained by classifying images in accordance with a predetermined criterion, so that the representative color represents the image group. This enables viewers to grasp efficiently and panoramically the contents of a large number of images which are displayed in a display area of a limited size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawabata, Meiko Maeda, Takashi Kawamura, Kuniaki Isogai, Ryouichi Kawanishi, Katsunao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7711241
    Abstract: A short film generation/reproduction apparatus for generating video of a short film using at least one still picture and reproducing such video is comprised of: a picture feature extraction unit 1107 for extracting picture features from an input picture; a picture-to-style feature conversion unit 1115 for converting the picture features into style features; a picture-to-musical feature conversion unit 1118 for converting the picture features into musical features; a style determination unit 1116 for determining a style based on the style features; a music determination unit 1119 for determining a piece of music based on the musical features; and a scenario generation unit 1117 for generating a scenario by using the still picture, music and style.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Mori, Ichiro Okabayashi, Masaki Yamauchi, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20090225213
    Abstract: It is possible for a user to perceive an atmosphere of an image in response to a luminescent pattern of light emitting diodes. An attention area containing a predetermined image pattern is extracted by an attention area analyzing section 12 from an image picked up by a capturing section 11, a color distribution is analyzed by a color distribution analyzing section 13 based on numerical values of respective images in the extracted attention area, a representative color is selected from the analyzed color distribution by a representative color selecting section, and light emitting diodes 16 are turned on in a pattern corresponding to the selected representative color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Matsuyama, Hideaki Matsuo, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Patent number: 7469064
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: a display displaying an image with a predetermined number of pixels; an image holding unit holding an original image composed of a number of pixels larger than a number of pixels that is displayable on the display; and an object judgment unit judging whether or not an object is included in the original image held in the image holding unit, and generating object information related to the object in a case where the object is included in the original image. The image display apparatus also includes a display image generation unit extracting at least a part of an object area from the original image based on the original image specified by the user as well as on the object information corresponding to the original image, and generating a display image composed of a number of pixels corresponding to the number of pixels that is displayable on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Furuya, Ichiro Okabayashi, Yasuhiro Mori, Masaki Yamauchi, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20070190092
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a sustained release pheromone formulation, which is not affected by the air temperature, is able to release a sex pheromone at a constant rate, does not require troublesome recovery after use, and does not pollute the environment. The present invention provides a sustained release pheromone formulation characterized by comprising a pheromone contained in a crystalline mineral.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Masaaki Ino, Tomoaka Hongo, Kaoru Takemura, Akihiro Kawabata, Tadashi Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20050220349
    Abstract: The image display apparatus 1 includes the following: the display 50 for displaying an image with a predetermined number of pixels; an image holding unit 210 for holding an original image composed of a number of pixels larger than a number of pixels that is displayable on the display 50; an object judgment unit 30 for judging whether or not an object is included in the original image held in the image holding unit 210, and generating object information related to the object in the case where the object is included in the original image; a display image generation unit 40 for extracting at least a part of an object area from the original image based on the original image specified by the user as well as on the object information corresponding to the original image, and generating a display image composed of a number of pixels corresponding to the number of pixels that is displayable on the display 50.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Shinji Furuya, Ichiro Okabayashi, Yasuhiro Mori, Masaki Yamauchi, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20050033176
    Abstract: By changing the quality of a display image, according to (a) the generation amount of the acoustic line data per unit time or (b) the number of display frames of an image, a resource control including the selection of the optimum drawing process algorithm is realized. Specifically, the two-dimensional drawing module (25) (i) periodically reads acoustic line data (S401), (ii) checks a scanning method of a physical structure of a probe and acoustic line data, and (iii) selects the optimum coordinate conversion algorithm (S402).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawabata, Manabu Migita
  • Publication number: 20040100487
    Abstract: A short film generation/reproduction apparatus for generating video of a short film using at least one still picture and reproducing such video is comprised of: a picture feature extraction unit 1107 for extracting picture features from an input picture; a picture-to-style feature conversion unit 1115 for converting the picture features into style features; a picture-to-musical feature conversion unit 1118 for converting the picture features into musical features; a style determination unit 1116 for determining a style based on the style features; a music determination unit 1119 for determining a piece of music based on the musical features; and a scenario generation unit 1117 for generating a scenario by using the still picture, music and style.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Mori, Ichiro Okabayashi, Masaki Yamauchi, Akihiro Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20040022422
    Abstract: Information necessary for authenticating a target (target information) is obtained by a target information obtainment unit 11 and a user input unit 12. Obtained target information is inputted in an authentication target information processing unit 40 via an operation control unit 30, and a person, an item and the like are authenticated by a target information authentication unit 41. Also, location information necessary for identifying a present location by a GPS data receiving unit 51 or a location information receiving unit 52. This location information is obtained from a base station and the like of a GPS satellite, a cellular phone and a PHS. Location information authentication unit 71 authenticates a location based on the obtained location information and information stored in a storage unit 90 in advance. Location information DB 72 is used at the time of this authentication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Yamauchi, Ichiro Okabayashi, Yasuhiro Mori, Akihiro Kawabata, Sadato Yoden
  • Patent number: 5974650
    Abstract: In a workpiece assembling apparatus for assembling a torque converter to a transmission, a moving table and an inserting table are supported so as to approach and leave the transmission positioned. A suction pad for holding the torque converter is provided rotatably by a rotating shaft on the inserting table. The rotating shaft is rotated by a driving rotary unit to rotate the torque converter attracted and held by the suction pad to center it. Then, the torque converter is brought together with the inserting table close to the transmission, and pressed against it. Simultaneously, the torque converter is rotated about the axis of fitting. If the torque converter and the transmission are not fitted together, the torque converter is caused to reciprocate back and forth by the pusher cylinder 57 so that they will be fitted together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawabata, Hirohisa Shintoku, Takahiro Kikukawa