Patents by Inventor Akihiro Noda

Akihiro Noda 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: 11920913
    Abstract: A conversion parameter calculation method includes: obtaining, from an image capturing device, image data obtained by the image capturing device capturing an image of an object having attached thereto a marker with which specific coordinates are detectable; obtaining displacement direction information indicating a direction of a displacement of the object, the direction crossing an image capturing surface of the image capturing device; detecting specific coordinates, based on the marker included in the image data; estimating a position of the image capturing device, based on a result of the detection; calculating distance data indicating a distance from the image capturing device to the object, based on the position of the image capturing device; and calculating, using the distance data and the displacement direction information, a conversion parameter for converting a pixel displacement amount of the object into an actual displacement amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Noda, Taro Imagawa, Yuki Maruyama, Hiroya Kusaka
  • Patent number: 11913889
    Abstract: A prediction device for predicting the growth direction of a crack that occurs in a subject includes: an obtainer that obtains video of the subject; a derivation unit that derives displacement of each of a plurality of regions in the obtained video; a selector that selects, from among the plurality of regions, two or more regions each having displacement similar to displacement of a reference region included in the plurality of regions; and an identification unit that identifies, as the growth direction, the longitudinal direction of a collective region made up of the two or more selected regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Maruyama, Hiroya Kusaka, Taro Imagawa, Akihiro Noda
  • Patent number: 11843136
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fuel cell separator 1 included in a fuel cell, and the fuel cell separator 1 includes: a substrate 11 made of stainless steel; a middle portion 30 including a power generating portion; and an outer peripheral portion 20 including a non-power generating portion. The middle portion 30 includes a dissimilar metal layer 12 different from the stainless steel included in the substrate on the substrate, and a carbon layer 13 provided on the dissimilar metal layer 12, and the outer peripheral portion 20 includes a portion including the dissimilar metal layer 12, the carbon layer 13, and a resin layer 14 on the carbon layer, and a portion not including the dissimilar metal layer 12 or the carbon layer 13, and including the resin layer 14 on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Noda, Katsunori Saiki
  • Patent number: 11796481
    Abstract: An inspection device that inspects a structure with a crack, including: an obtainer that obtains images of the structure captured at mutually different times while the structure is subjected to varying loads; a crack detector that detects a crack on a surface of the structure in each image; a motion estimator that divides each image into blocks having a predetermined size, and derives motion vectors of the blocks based on a positional relation between a position of each block relative to a reference in a first image and a position of each block relative to the reference in a second image, the reference being a tip of the crack detected, the first and second images being included in the images; and an inspector that determines safety of the structure based on a difference between ones of the motion vectors of symmetric positions with respect to the crack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Imagawa, Hiroya Kusaka, Akihiro Noda
  • Patent number: 11670782
    Abstract: A fluid flow field of a separator of a fuel cell stack allows a fluid to flow in a separator surface direction. A rubber seal member provides a seal between the fluid passage and the fluid flow field. The tunnel portion intersects the rubber seal member at an intersection. The tunnel portion allows the fluid flow field and the fluid passage to connect to each other. In the rubber seal member, a first portion protrudes from a flat portion in a stacking direction, and a second portion protrudes from a protruding end surface of a tunnel portion in the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Kokoku Intech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Morikawa, Keisuke Ando, Akihiro Noda, Koji Hirayama, Keisuke Mori, Hirotoshi Honma
  • Publication number: 20230132540
    Abstract: An inverter is disposed adjacent to one end of a motor in a rotational axis direction. The inverter includes a plurality of power modules each including a switching element, a smoothing capacitor, busbars that connect the power modules to the smoothing capacitor, and a thin case that accommodates these components. The switching element is constituted by a silicon carbide metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (SiC MOSFET). The smoothing capacitor and each of the power modules are disposed in an inner portion of the thin case and arranged on the same plane orthogonal to the rotational axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Takayuki Sato, Akihiro Noda, Masashi Hayashiguchi
  • Publication number: 20230137055
    Abstract: An inverter is disposed adjacent to a motor. The inverter includes a plurality of power modules, a smoothing capacitor, and busbars connecting the power modules and the smoothing capacitor. The plurality of power modules are disposed to be arranged along the periphery of the smoothing capacitor. The smoothing capacitor is disposed at a central portion of the inverter and also disposed in the inner portion of the inverter such that the smoothing capacitor and each of the power modules are arranged on the same plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Takayuki Sato, Akihiro Noda, Hiroaki Kashihara, Hideki Yamada, Hideki Hosoya, Masashi Hayashiguchi
  • Publication number: 20230140022
    Abstract: In a vehicle drive unit, a motor and an inverter are disposed adjacent in an axial direction of the motor. A smoothing capacitor and each power module are connected by a busbar. Each power module has a flat shape having a wide width, and has a first cooling surface facing the motor. The first cooling surface of each power module is placed on a placement surface orthogonal to the axial direction. The plate-shaped busbar has a second cooling surface facing the motor. The busbar is connected to the smoothing capacitor and each power module, and is formed with a wide width so as to extend along a direction in which each power module is disposed side by side. The second cooling surface is placed on the placement surface. A cooling portion facing the first and second cooling surfaces is provided closer to the motor than the placement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Takayuki Sato, Akihiro Noda, Masashi Hayashiguchi
  • Publication number: 20230033844
    Abstract: A production management device, which manages a production schedule of a component mounting line, executes a remote operation mode for remotely operating a component mounter to perform a test operation according to an input operation of an operator, in addition to an automatic production mode in which an automated replacement operation of an automated replacement robot is managed according to the production schedule to produce a component mounting board. The production management device determines, when in the remote operation mode, whether a feeder configured to supply components necessary for the test operation is set in the component mounter, and when the feeder that supplies the necessary components is not set in the component mounter, moves the automated replacement robot to the component mounter and sets the feeder configured to supply the necessary components in the component mounter to cause the component mounter to perform the test operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro NODA
  • Patent number: 11536602
    Abstract: A load meter includes a detector, a storage unit, and a load calculator. The detector detects, by using a captured image obtained by capturing a road and a vehicle present on the road, a displacement amount in the captured image, the displacement amount corresponding to displacement caused on the road by application of a load of the vehicle. The storage unit stores information indicating a relation between the load and the displacement amount. The load calculator calculates the load based on the displacement amount and the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Imagawa, Akihiro Noda, Hiroya Kusaka
  • Publication number: 20220370027
    Abstract: There is provided an X-ray inspection apparatus that inspects an inspection object by irradiating the inspection object with X-rays and detecting transmitted X-rays, the apparatus includes a module group (X-ray detection portion) which is disposed inside a housing and in which an electric component that is vulnerable to dew condensation caused by cooling of cooling means is mounted, a humidity sensor that monitors a humidity inside the housing, dehumidifying means (air conditioner) for dehumidifying an inside of the housing, and a control portion that performs supplying of power to the module group when the humidity monitored by the humidity sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Naoya SAITO, Akihiro NODA, Keishi OKANO
  • Publication number: 20220375066
    Abstract: A measurement method, which is performed by a measurement device that measures a displacement of a target object, includes: receiving designation of a designation point on a first image that includes the target object; setting a plurality of set points, based on the designation point; identifying a direction of a line that connects two of the plurality of set points; generating a second image by rotating the first image, the second image being an image in which the identified direction of the line is horizontal or vertical; setting, in the second image, a measurement region that partially includes the line; and measuring the displacement of the target object in the measurement region, the displacement being a displacement in a direction orthogonal to the line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Yuki MARUYAMA, Taro IMAGAWA, Hiroya KUSAKA, Akihiro NODA
  • Patent number: 11461875
    Abstract: A displacement measurement device includes: an obtainer that obtains a first image which contains a subject and a second image which contains the subject; a generator that generates M template images which contain the subject and which have noise from the first image and generates M target images which contain the subject and which have noise from the second image, M being an integer of 2 or higher; a hypothetical displacement calculator that calculates M hypothetical displacements of the subject from the M template images and the M target images; and a displacement calculator that calculates a displacement of the subject by performing statistical processing on the M hypothetical displacements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Noda, Taro Imagawa, Yuki Maruyama, Hiroya Kusaka
  • Publication number: 20220216486
    Abstract: A fluid flow field of a separator of a fuel cell stack allows a fluid to flow in a separator surface direction. A rubber seal member provides a seal between the fluid passage and the fluid flow field. The tunnel portion intersects the rubber seal member at an intersection. The tunnel portion allows the fluid flow field and the fluid passage to connect to each other. In the rubber seal member, a first portion protrudes from a flat portion in a stacking direction, and a second portion protrudes from a protruding end surface of a tunnel portion in the stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroshi MORIKAWA, Keisuke ANDO, Akihiro NODA, Koji HIRAYAMA, Keisuke MORI, Hirotoshi HONMA
  • Publication number: 20220215582
    Abstract: A conversion parameter calculation method includes: obtaining, from a first image capturing device, first image data obtained by the first image capturing device capturing an image of an object; obtaining, from a second image capturing device, second distance data indicating a distance to the object, and second image data obtained by the second image capturing device capturing an image of the object; obtaining displacement direction information indicating a direction of a displacement of the object in three dimensions; associating positions on the object in the first image data and the second image data; estimating a position of the first image capturing device; calculating first distance data indicating a distance from the first image capturing device to the object; and calculating a conversion parameter for converting a pixel displacement amount of the object into the actual displacement amount, using the first distance data and the displacement direction information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Taro IMAGAWA, Akihiro NODA, Yuki MARUYAMA, Hiroya KUSAKA
  • Publication number: 20220205776
    Abstract: A conversion parameter calculation method includes: obtaining, from an image capturing device, image data obtained by the image capturing device capturing an image of an object having attached thereto a marker with which specific coordinates are detectable; obtaining displacement direction information indicating a direction of a displacement of the object, the direction crossing an image capturing surface of the image capturing device; detecting specific coordinates, based on the marker included in the image data; estimating a position of the image capturing device, based on a result of the detection; calculating distance data indicating a distance from the image capturing device to the object, based on the position of the image capturing device; and calculating, using the distance data and the displacement direction information, a conversion parameter for converting a pixel displacement amount of the object into an actual displacement amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Akihiro NODA, Taro IMAGAWA, Yuki MARUYAMA, Hiroya KUSAKA
  • Publication number: 20220205431
    Abstract: The present disclosure is intended to provide an electrochemical compressor capable of preventing a liquid, such as water, from accumulating inside a piston. An electrochemical compressor according to an embodiment includes a housing chamber and a drain path. The housing chamber houses an elastic body that presses an electrochemical cell with its elastic force, and is configured to receive part of a gas compressed by the electrochemical cell, the part of the gas flowing into the housing chamber. In the electrochemical cell, the gas is supplied to an anode side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane as a partition wall, and is compressed by being moved by electricity to a cathode side opposite to the anode side. The drain path allows a liquid in the housing chamber to be drained out of the housing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Naoki MITSUTA, Akihiro NODA
  • Patent number: 11373295
    Abstract: A displacement measurement device includes: a first machine learning model trained to generate, from one image which contains a subject and has noise, at least one image which contains the subject and which has noise or has had noise removed; a first obtainer that obtains a first image which contains the subject and has noise and a second image which contains the subject and has noise; a first generator that, using the first machine learning model, generates M template images containing the subject from the first image and generates M target images containing the subject from the second image, M being an integer of 2 or higher; a hypothetical displacement calculator that calculates M hypothetical displacements of the subject from the M template images and the M target images; and a displacement calculator that calculates a displacement of the subject by performing statistical processing on the M hypothetical displacements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Noda, Taro Imagawa, Hiroya Kusaka, Yuki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20220178356
    Abstract: The present disclosure is intended to prevent blockage of a path that allows a fluid to flow to a predetermined position where a pressure of the fluid is applied to a cell unit. An electrochemical compressor according to an embodiment includes first and second members, an elastic body, a fluid chamber, and a fluid path. The elastic body exerts an elastic force in a direction in which the first member and the second member are pushed apart from each other, and thereby presses a stack of electrochemical cells. The fluid chamber has the elastic body disposed therein and receives boosted gas flowing thereinto, the fluid chamber allowing the boosted gas to apply a pressure to push the first member and the second member apart from each other. The fluid path connects the fluid chamber to a flow path into which the boosted gas is discharged from the electrochemical cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Naoki MITSUTA, Akihiro NODA
  • Patent number: 11348225
    Abstract: An information presentation method according to the present disclosure includes: acquiring two or more monochrome images obtained by image-capturing a structure using a monochrome camera and one or more first color images obtained by image-capturing the structure using a color camera, the one or more first color images having a less amount of information than an amount of information of the two or more monochrome images; detecting a displacement that indicates a movement of the structure based on the two or more monochrome images; generating presentation information that includes one or more second color images that present information that indicates the displacement based on the two or more monochrome images and the one or more first color images; and outputting the presentation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Imagawa, Akihiro Noda, Yuki Maruyama, Hiroya Kusaka