Patents by Inventor Akira Sasaki

Akira Sasaki 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: 20190388713
    Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound therapy system for treating a joint by providing a focused ultrasound wave to a bone surface as an affected part, and which has a temperature monitoring function for controlling irradiation intensity. The ultrasound therapy system includes a focused ultrasound wave providing unit provided on skin and configured to radiate the focused ultrasound wave to the affected part, and a temperature detecting unit configured to measure a temperature of the affected part. The temperature detecting unit includes an electromagnetic wave measuring unit configured to measure intensity of an electromagnetic wave radiated from the bone surface, and an analyzing unit configured to analyze change of the electromagnetic wave of the electromagnetic wave measuring unit to provide the temperature of the affected part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Akira SASAKI, Kiyoshi YOSHINAKA
  • Patent number: 10508943
    Abstract: By supplying a pulse signal to sensor wires to make the sensor wires generate heat, instead of applying DC electric voltage to the sensor wires, an amount of energy supplied to the sensor wires is decreased while maintaining a signal intensity supplied to the sensor wires, or the signal intensity supplied to the sensor wires is increased while maintaining the amount of energy supplied to the sensor wires. Thereby, a method for measuring a mass flow rate by a thermal type mass flow meter, which can reduce heat generation from the sensor wires while suppressing decrease in measurement accuracy, or can improve measurement accuracy while suppressing increase in heat generation from the sensor wires, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10503724
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for information access and response for an occupant in a vehicle. The system includes a communication device connected to a network and coupled to the vehicle. The vehicle includes an internal database for storing multiple contacts in a contact list. The internal database is coupled to an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is coupled to the communication device and configured to obtain a new contact attribute from a communication, and determine that the new contact attribute belongs to a new contact. The electronic control unit is configured to obtain one or more other contact attributes for the new contact, and generate the new contact. The electronic control unit is configured to store the new contact in the contact list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ochiai, Katsumi Nagata, Akira Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20190356022
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a battery is provided. The method includes suctioning a part of a strip-shaped separator in a plurality of holes of a winding core in a peripheral surface of the winding core; preparing a wound body by winding strip-shaped positive and negative electrodes along with the strip-shaped separator around the winding core; and preparing an electrode body by releasing the suction in the holes and pulling out the winding core from the wound body, in which the battery includes a battery container configured to accommodate the electrode body, the holes are communicated inside with the winging core having a hollow structure, and the winding core has an outside diameter of 2 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Hironori SHIBATA, Akira SASAKI, Takeshi HONDA
  • Publication number: 20190285571
    Abstract: A sensor element includes an element main body having an oxygen ion-conducting solid electrolyte body, a detection electrode which is disposed on an outer surface of the element main body and contains Pt and Au, a reference electrode which is disposed in the element main body, a connecting terminal for detection electrode which is disposed on the outside of the element main body, a lead portion for detection electrode which contains Pt, is disposed on the outside of the element main body, and electrically connects between the detection electrode and the connecting terminal for detection electrode, a lower insulating layer which is disposed between the lead portion for detection electrode and the element main body and insulates the two from each other, and an upper insulating layer which covers a surface of the lead portion for detection electrode and has a porosity of 10% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Taku OKAMOTO, Akira SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20190285430
    Abstract: A driver assistance device mounted on a vehicle includes a communication unit; an output unit; an input unit configured to detect user input; and a control unit configured to perform driver assistance with use of a point on a map as a destination. The control unit is configured to i) execute a connection process to connect the driver assistance device to a terminal device wirelessly via the communication unit, ii) output identification information on the terminal device as an image or a voice via the output unit after the driver assistance device is wirelessly connected to the terminal device, and iii) execute a setting process to set the point determined by the terminal device as the destination for the driver assistance in a case where the control unit detects specified user input via the input unit after outputting the identification information on the terminal device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira SASAKI, Masashi NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20190283668
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a first communication unit configured to communicate with a first terminal device, a second communication unit configured to communicate with a second terminal device, and a controller configured to generate an abnormality detection signal when an abnormality is detected based on vehicle information on a vehicle, and determine a position of a user based on a communication state of the first terminal device and the second terminal device possessed by the user. The controller is configured to cause the first communication unit to transmit the abnormality detection signal to the first terminal device when the controller determines that the position of the user is included in a first region, and cause the second communication unit to transmit the abnormality detection signal to the second terminal device when the controller determines that the position of the user is included in a second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira SASAKI, Masashi NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20190279488
    Abstract: A forgetting-to-carry prevention assistance method assists, in a terminal device, a user in preventing forgetting to carry a personal item. The forgetting-to-carry prevention assistance method includes acquiring a destination for the user; detecting the personal item that exists around the user; and in a case where the personal item associated with a category of the destination is not detected, notifying information on the personal item that is not detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Masashi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10382605
    Abstract: Provided is a system in which a vehicle-mounted device and a mobile device are connected using a communication protocol. The vehicle-mounted device includes: a storage unit that stores information indicating whether or not an e-mail transmitting function specified in the communication protocol is incorporated; a control unit that determines, according to an instruction for transmitting an e-mail to the mobile device, whether or not the mobile device is equipped with the e-mail transmitting function, on the basis of the information in the storage unit; and a processing unit that transmits text, for e-mail, generated by the vehicle-mounted device, to the mobile device, and instructs the mobile device to generate an electronic mail according to the text for e-mail and transmit the electronic mail to an external network when the e-mail transmitting function is incorporated, and that instructs the mobile device to generate text for e-mail when the e-mail transmitting function is not incorporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20190241193
    Abstract: There is provided a passenger support device including (i) an informing portion that sets behavior items to be performed by a passenger by a time a vehicle arrives at a destination and sets an order of performing the behavior items, the informing portion informing the passenger of the behavior items to be performed based on the order, (ii) an action recognition portion that recognizes an action of the passenger performing the behavior items, and (iii) an action support portion that supports the action of the passenger performing the behavior items, based on each of the behavior items and the action of the passenger recognized by the action recognition portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20190232786
    Abstract: A vehicle display device that includes: a display part having a plurality of display faces that display information and that are provided at at least one location among a front face, a rear face, an upper face or a side face inside a vehicle cabin; a detection part that detects an orientation and a posture of an occupant; and a control part that selects a display face in accordance with the orientation and the posture of the occupant detected by the detection part, and controls display by the display part such that information is displayed at the selected display face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20190225239
    Abstract: A display device for a vehicle includes: a display unit; a section setting unit that divides a travel route into at least one automated driving recommended section where the vehicle travels in automated driving mode, and at least one manual driving recommended sections where traveling in manual driving mode is urged; and a display control unit that, when a vehicle is traveling in automated driving mode in the at least one automated driving recommended section, displays on the display unit at least one first video image that is able to relax a level of alertness of a vehicle occupant when viewed by the vehicle occupant, and before the vehicle reaches the at least one manual driving recommended section, displays on the display unit a second video image that promotes an increased level of alertness in the vehicle occupant when viewed by the vehicle occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20190225156
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided including an activation section, a shielding section, and a display section. An occupant uses the activation section to activate a make-up mode to assist the occupant in doing their make-up. The shielding section makes opaque at least one of a windshield glass, a side window glass, or a rear glass in a state in which the make-up mode has been activated. The display section is configured to display a mirror image of an entire face of the occupant in front of the occupant in a state in which the make-up mode has been activated, the mirror image being in an upright state relative to the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20190217872
    Abstract: A display device for a vehicle is provided, the device including personal information acquisition section, environment information acquisition section, information conversion section and display section. The personal information acquisition section acquires personal information about a driver of the vehicle from an identification tag in which the personal information of the driver is recorded. The environment information acquisition section acquires environment information about a vicinity of the vehicle. The information conversion section converts the environment information in accordance with the personal information of the driver. The display section displays the converted information to the interior of a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20190217773
    Abstract: A display device for a vehicle includes a display portion that displays, toward at least one of an exterior or an interior of the vehicle, driving control information, the driving control information including at least one of first information, expressing how driving of the vehicle is being controlled, or second information, originating at the vehicle and being able to affect a traveling state of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20190210462
    Abstract: A vehicle display device includes: a switch section configured to switch a vehicle between automated driving and manual driving; a display section capable of displaying information related to driving assistance and information unrelated to driving assistance on a display region; and a controller that, in a case in which manual driving has been switched to automated driving by the switch section, controls so as to change a display state of the related information on the display section such that the related information is less visible than the unrelated information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Eisuke Ando, Misako Hayashima, Saki Kitoh, Masahiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10293657
    Abstract: A system includes an external temperature sensor, an internal temperature sensor and an internal moisture sensor, along with an HVAC for blowing air into the vehicle. The system also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the sensors and the HVAC. The ECU determines a difference between the inside air temperature and the ambient air temperature and sets a condensation indicator when the ambient air temperature is less than a first temperature threshold, the difference between the inside air temperature and the ambient air temperature is greater than a second temperature threshold, and the inside moisture level is greater than a moisture threshold. The ECU determines a condensation temperature at which additional condensation will accumulate on the window, determines the desired temperature for the air blown by the HVAC and controls the HVAC to blow air at the desired temperature when the condensation indicator is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ochiai, Katsumi Nagata, Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10145170
    Abstract: A system for reducing sunlight shining into a vehicle includes a window having an array of liquid crystals switchable between a transparent state and a shaded state. The system also includes an eye position sensor for detecting a location of eyes of a driver and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for detecting a current heading of the vehicle. The system also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) that may determine a current location of the sun relative to the vehicle based on the current heading of the vehicle and a current time of day. The ECU may also select an area of the window to be shaded in order to reduce an amount of sunlight reaching the eyes of the driver and control liquid crystals within the selected area of the window to switch from the transparent state to the shaded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ochiai, Katsumi Nagata, Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10071929
    Abstract: This desalinization system, which obtains industrial-use water and drinking water from seawater and wastewater, is provided with: a purification device that purifies wastewater by removing activated sludge therefrom; a first RO membrane that removes salt from the output of the purification device by transferring said salt to first concentrated water, thereby producing industrial-use water; a UF membrane that seawater passes through and that removes particulates from said seawater; a second RO membrane that removes salt from the treated output of the UF membrane by transferring said salt to second concentrated water, producing drinking water; an agitation device to which the second concentrated water from the second RO membrane and the first concentrated water from the first RO membrane are sent to be agitated; and a third RO membrane removing salt from the liquid mixture agitated by the agitation device by transferring said salt to third concentrated water, producing industrial-use water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunori Sekine, Kazuhiko Noto, Akira Sasaki, Kotaro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10065504
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for training a plurality of users of a vehicle to use gestures as a short-cut for controlling vehicle functions. The methods monitor a plurality of tasks related to controlling vehicle functions completed by a unique user. For each task, the method may determine whether the task has been completed by the unique user either using a predefined gesture associated with the task, or manually, without using the predefined gesture associated with the task. For each task, the method designates the predefined gesture as being either a learned gesture or an un-learned gesture. After a predetermined time period, the method may include determining that a gesture usage history associated with the unique user includes at least one un-learned gesture. User-customized instructions that at least one un-learned gesture is available for use as a short-cut for controlling a vehicle function may be presented to the unique user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ochiai, Katsumi Nagata, Akira Sasaki