Patents by Inventor Atsuo Fujikawa

Atsuo Fujikawa 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).

  • Optical distance measuring sensor and self-propelled cleaner
    Patent number: 7119887
    Abstract: An optical distance measuring sensor has a plurality of light-emitting elements, a light-emitting lens, a photodetector having a light-receiving surface, a light emission driving part to sequentially drive the light-emitting elements, and a distance signal outputting part. Light emitted from each light-emitting element passes through the light-emitting lens, then is reflected by an object to be detected, and then gets incident on the light-receiving surface of the photodetector, which outputs a signal corresponding to a position of the incident light in the light-receiving surface. Upon receipt of the signal, the distance signal outputting part outputs a distance signal representing a distance to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Mizuo, Akifumi Yamaguchi, Shinya Kawanishi, Atsuo Fujikawa
  • Optical distance measuring sensor and self-propelled cleaner
    Publication number: 20060050263
    Abstract: An optical distance measuring sensor has a plurality of light-emitting elements (51-55), a light-emitting lens (1), a photodetector (4) having a light-receiving surface, a light emission driving part (31) to sequentially drive the light-emitting elements, and a distance signal outputting part (31). Light emitted from each light-emitting element passes through the light-emitting lens, then is reflected by an object (32) to be detected, and then gets incident on the light-receiving surface of the photodetector, which outputs a signal corresponding to a position of the incident light in the light-receiving surface. Upon receipt of the signal, the distance signal outputting part outputs a distance signal representing a distance to the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Mizuo, Akifumi Yamaguchi, Shinya Kawanishi, Atsuo Fujikawa