Patents by Inventor Akira Hiraiwa

Akira Hiraiwa 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: 7680666
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to keep a high success rate in recognition with a low-volume of sound signal, without being affected by noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7627470
    Abstract: A speaking period required for a voice recognition processing is detected with a simple and robust approach. A speaking period is detected based on an EMG generated when a speaker speaks. A large amplitude is observed in an EMG as muscular activity is caused when a speaker speaks. By observing this, a speaking period can be detected. The EMG can be measured from the speaker's skin via electrodes provided on a mobile-type terminal. Since a mobile-type terminal is usually pressed to the skin for use, affinity between this use form and the present invention is very high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Yumiko Hiraiwa, legal representative, Kouki Hayashi, Toshiaki Sugimura, Toshio Miki
  • Patent number: 7480616
    Abstract: Information relating to an amount of muscle activity is extracted from a myo-electrical signal by activity amount information extraction means, and information recognition is performed by activity amount information recognition means using the information relating to the amount of muscle activity of a speaker. There is a prescribed correspondence relationship between the amount of muscle activity of a speaker and a phoneme uttered by a speaker, so the content of an utterance can be recognized with a high recognition rate by information recognition using information relating to an amount of muscle activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7433718
    Abstract: A mobile terminal capable of measuring a biological signal is provided. The terminal comprises a terminal body; an electrode for human body earth or system reference, placed on an outer surface of the terminal body so as to be contactable with the skin of a user of the mobile terminal; and differential electrodes. The measured biological signals include an electromyography signal and an electroencephalogram signal. The differential electrodes can be external to the terminal body and be connected via lead lines to the terminal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Hirotaka Nakano, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 7418385
    Abstract: This voice detection device is composed of a myoelectric signal acquisition part for acquiring, from a plurality of regions, myoelectric signals generated at the time of a vocalization operation, a parameter calculation part for calculating, as parameters, the fluctuations of the acquired myoelectric signals relative to a predetermined value in every channel corresponding to one of the plurality of regions, a vowel vocalization recognition part for specifying the vowel vocalization operation timing at the time of the vocalization operation, based on the fluctuations of the calculated parameters, and a vowel specification part for specifying a vowel corresponding to the vocalization operation, based on the fluctuation condition of the parameters before and after the specified vocalization operation timing in every channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Yumiko Hiraiwa, legal representative, Kouki Hayashi, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 7369991
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to keep a high success rate in recognition with a low-volume of sound signal, without being affected by noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7216078
    Abstract: The myo-electric information of the user is transmitted to the data center, learning with a high computation load for generating recognition parameters required for recognizing the utterance content based on the myo-electric information is performed, not by the mobile communication terminal, but by the data center. By this, compared with the case when learning is performed in the mobile communication terminal which has stricter limitations on processing speed and memory than a stationary type computer, efficient learning in a shorter time becomes possible. Since the recognition parameters acquired at the data center are transmitted to the mobile communication terminal, hereafter utterance content recognition can be appropriately performed by the recognition parameters matching the user only by the mobile communication terminal, without the mobile communication terminal transmitting/receiving information with a learning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20070100630
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to keep a high success rate in recognition with a low-volume of sound signal, without being affected by noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc
    Inventors: Hiroyuki MANABE, Akira HIRAIWA, Toshiaki SUGIMURA
  • Patent number: 7181763
    Abstract: An object is to provide an authentication apparatus with improved effect of preventing unauthorized use, which is applied to personal equipment carrying out a predetermined function. This authentication apparatus includes a functional part carrying out a predetermined function to be used by a user, an electromyogram acquiring part for measuring a change of an electromyogram caused by a motion of a muscle of the user, and a state transition part for implementing a transition into a state in which the user can use the predetermined function of the functional part, according to authentication of the user based on the result of the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Yumiko Hiraiwa, legal representative, Hiroyuki Manabe, Kouki Hayashi, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa, deceased
  • Patent number: 7092792
    Abstract: A robot remote manipulation system is provided, including a bipedal walking robot and a remote manipulation device for remotely manipulating the bipedal walking robot. The robot is connected to the remote manipulation device via a communication network and controlled by controlling data from the remote manipulation device. In the system, the remote manipulation device comprises a pair of bilateral mechanical rotating elements providing a quantity of motion for each bilateral leg of the bipedal walking robot; and a controlling data transmitter for transmitting controlling data corresponding to the quantities of motion to the bipedal walking robot. The bipedal walking robot comprises a controlling data receiver for receiving the controlling data transmitted from the remote manipulation device; and a leg motion controller for processing the received controlling data and causing the bilateral legs to move forward or backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouki Hayashi, Yumiko Hiraiwa, legal representative, Hiroyuki Manabe, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa, deceased
  • Publication number: 20050277822
    Abstract: The object is to provide an electrode device which can flexibly follow up the movement of the skin in an active electrode device. In an active electrode device, a flexible section, made of a material which is non-conductive and can be transformed flexibly, is disposed between a preamplifier section which is comprised of a hard preamplifier board and a case for protection thereof, and electrode sections made of silver, silver chloride, or the like. By this, the electrode section can move flexibly and can flexibly follow up the movement of the skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Yumiko Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20050102134
    Abstract: A speaking period required for a voice recognition processing is detected with a simple and robust approach. A speaking period is detected based on an EMG generated when a speaker speaks. A large amplitude is observed in an EMG as muscular activity is caused when a speaker speaks. By observing this, a speaking period can be detected. The EMG can be measured from the speaker's skin via electrodes provided on a mobile-type terminal. Since a mobile-type terminal is usually pressed to the skin for use, affinity between this use form and the present invention is very high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Yumiko Hiraiwa, Kouki Hayashi, Toshiaki Sugimura, Toshio Miki
  • Publication number: 20050052428
    Abstract: A display apparatus comprises a display, a transparent conductive film having a plurality of stimulation electrodes, an insensitive electrode electrically isolated from the stimulation electrodes and maintained at a constant potential, and a voltage applying device for establishing a potential difference between each stimulant electrode and the insensitive electrode. When the transparent conductive film is given a touch, the voltage applying device causes a state in which the potential of the stimulation electrodes is higher than that of the insensitive electrode, plural times intermittently or once in a predetermined period immediately after the touch, and varies the potential of the stimulation electrodes with time so as to intermittently cause a state in which the potential of the insensitive electrode is higher than that of the stimulation electrodes, in a predetermined pulse width and at a predetermined frequency during a continuing period of the touch thereafter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouki Hayashi, Akira Hiraiwa, Yumiko Hiraiwa, Hiroyuki Manabe, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20050027529
    Abstract: This voice detection device is composed of a myoelectric signal acquisition part for acquiring, from a plurality of regions, myoelectric signals generated at the time of a vocalization operation, a parameter calculation part for calculating, as parameters, the fluctuations of the acquired myoelectric signals relative to a predetermined value in every channel corresponding to one of the plurality of regions, a vowel vocalization recognition part for specifying the vowel vocalization operation timing at the time of the vocalization operation, based on the fluctuations of the calculated parameters, and a vowel specification part for specifying a vowel corresponding to the vocalization operation, based on the fluctuation condition of the parameters before and after the specified vocalization operation timing in every channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Yumiko Hiraiwa, Kouki Hayashi, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20040137843
    Abstract: A robot remote manipulation system is provided, including a bipedal walking robot and a remote manipulation device for remotely manipulating the bipedal walking robot. The robot is connected to the remote manipulation device via a communication network and controlled by controlling data from the remote manipulation device. In the system, the remote manipulation device comprises a pair of bilateral mechanical rotating elements providing a quantity of motion for each bilateral leg of the bipedal walking robot; and a controlling data transmitter for transmitting controlling data corresponding to the quantities of motion to the bipedal walking robot. The bipedal walking robot comprises a controlling data receiver for receiving the controlling data transmitted from the remote manipulation device; and a leg motion controller for processing the received controlling data and causing the bilateral legs to move forward or backward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouki Hayashi, Akira Hiraiwa, Hiroyuki Manabe, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura, Yumiko Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20040133811
    Abstract: An object is to provide an authentication apparatus with improved effect of preventing unauthorized use, which is applied to personal equipment carrying out a predetermined function. This authentication apparatus includes a functional part carrying out a predetermined function to be used by a user, an electromyogram acquiring part for measuring a change of an electromyogram caused by a motion of a muscle of the user, and a state transition part for implementing a transition into a state in which the user can use the predetermined function of the functional part, according to authentication of the user based on the result of the measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Hiraiwa, Yumiko Hiraiwa, Hiroyuki Manabe, Kouki Hayashi, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20040034645
    Abstract: A mobile terminal capable of measuring a biological signal is provided. The terminal comprises a terminal body; an electrode for human body earth or system reference, placed on an outer surface of the terminal body so as to be contactable with the skin of a user of the mobile terminal; and differential electrodes. The measured biological signals include an electromyography signal and an electroencephalogram signal. The differential electrodes can be external to the terminal body and be connected via lead lines to the terminal body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Hirotaka Nakano, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20040015094
    Abstract: A measuring device comprising a fixing member configured to fix to a fixation object, the fixing member having a nonconductive contact surface with the fixation object, an electrode mounted on an opposite side of the fixing member to the contact surface with the fixation object, the electrode configured to measure voltage on a measurement object, and a transmitter configured to transmit the measured voltage externally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20030182112
    Abstract: The myo-electric information of the user is transmitted to the data center, learning with a high computation load for generating recognition parameters required for recognizing the utterance content based on the myo-electric information is performed, not by the mobile communication terminal, but by the data center. By this, compared with the case when learning is performed in the mobile communication terminal which has stricter limitations on processing speed and memory than a stationary type computer, efficient learning in a shorter time becomes possible. Since the recognition parameters acquired at the data center are transmitted to the mobile communication terminal, hereafter utterance content recognition can be appropriately performed by the recognition parameters matching the user only by the mobile communication terminal, without the mobile communication terminal transmitting/receiving information with a learning device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Manabe, Akira Hiraiwa, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: D489076
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hiraiwa, Kenta Saitou, Atsushi Yoshimura