Patents by Inventor Atsushi Taniguchi

Atsushi Taniguchi 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: 20200166327
    Abstract: Provided is a shape measurement system in order to perform three-dimensional measurement corresponding to a measurement object having various shapes, which includes a measurement probe, a probe tip unit, and a calculation unit. The probe tip unit includes an optical element that is configured to irradiate an object with measurement light, a fixing mechanism that is configured to fix to the measurement probe so as to be detachable and replaceable, and a cylindrical unit that is configured to lock the optical element and is provided with the fixing mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuo HARIYAMA, Masahiro WATANABE, Atsushi TANIGUCHI, Kenji MARUNO
  • Publication number: 20200041259
    Abstract: An object is to provide a technology capable of realizing miniaturizing of a measurement unit in a distance measuring device. The distance measuring device including a light emitting unit that outputs measurement light, a polarization state control unit that controls polarization of the measurement light output from the light emitting unit, and an optical path switching element that selectively emits the measurement light controlled by the polarization state control unit, in which the polarization state control unit controls the polarization so as to emit the measurement light in a plurality of directions from the optical path switching element, and the optical path switching element receives reflected light with respect to an object of the measurement light emitted from the optical path switching element, the reflected light being used to measure a distance to the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Masahiro WATANABE, Tatsuo HARIYAMA, Atsushi TANIGUCHI, Kenji MARUNO
  • Publication number: 20200018823
    Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a light emitting unit that outputs a measurement light, a first polarization state control unit that controls a polarization state of the measurement light output from the light emitting unit, a second polarization state control unit that controls the polarization state of the measurement light of which a polarization state is controlled by the first polarization state control unit, and an optical path switching element that selects an emission direction of the measurement light of which a polarization state is controlled by the second polarization state control unit, in which the second polarization state control unit controls the polarization state of the measurement light so that the measurement lights are emitted from the optical path switching element in a plurality of the emission directions, and the optical path switching element receives a reflected light obtained by reflecting the emitted measurement light by an object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji MARUNO, Masahiro WATANABE, Yuta URANO, Tatsuo HARIYAMA, Atsushi TANIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180306573
    Abstract: Provided are a system and a method capable of accurately measuring consecutive shapes of a measurement target even when an imaging means, which captures images of the shape of the measurement target, is moved along the measurement target while irradiating the measurement target with light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Atsushi TANIGUCHI, Masahiro WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9780750
    Abstract: An audio signal output device (1) includes an audio signal output portion (15), a volume setting information acquisition portion (15), and a control portion (10). The control portion is configured to calculate the output volume of an external device on the basis of volume information of content and volume setting information of the external device and perform control of lowering the output volume of the external device in the case where the output volume is higher than a prescribed volume threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ito, Atsushi Taniguchi, Shigeki Otsuka, Kota Hirai, Takashi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20170205224
    Abstract: Conventionally, the volume of a product has been measured by using a method called a light section method only from a single direction. When the inclination of its surface is steep with respect to an incident light ray, the precision is low. The present invention includes a processing step that processes a component, an examination step that measures and calculates the volume of the component discharged from the processing step by using an optical method, an evaluation step that compares the volume value of the component obtained at the examination step with a previously set reference value to determine the quality of the component, a branching step that sorts and branches the component based on the evaluation result of the evaluation step, and a conveyance step that conveys the component branched at the branching step. This provides a method for manufacturing a high-precision component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi TANIGUCHI, Kazushi MIYATA
  • Patent number: 9535013
    Abstract: In inspecting a substrate having a transparent oxide film or a metal film formed on a surface thereof by using a dark field type inspection apparatus installing a laser light source, an illuminating beam having a high coherence causes variations in reflection strength due to multiple interferences within the transparent oxide film or an interference of scattered beams due to the surface roughness of the metal film occurs and which leads to degradation in the sensitivity of defect detection. The present invention solves the problem by providing a low-coherence but high-brightness illumination using a highly directive broadband light source, and a system in which the conventional laser light source is simultaneously employed to selectively use the light sources, thereby enabling a highly sensitive inspection according to the condition of a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Matsumoto, Taketo Ueno, Atsushi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9490763
    Abstract: This audio signal output device includes an audio signal output portion, a volume setting information acquisition portion, and a control portion acquiring maximum volume information of volume information of an audio signal of content. The control portion is configured to calculate the maximum output volume of an external device on the basis of the maximum volume information of the content and volume setting information of the external device and perform control of lowering the output volume of the external device when the maximum output volume is higher than a prescribed volume threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Taniguchi, Shigeki Otsuka, Kota Hirai, Yuichi Ito, Takashi Fujii
  • Patent number: 9470640
    Abstract: A defect inspection method and device for irradiating a linear region on a surface-patterned sample mounted on a table, with illumination light from an inclined direction to the sample, next detecting in each of a plurality of directions an image of the light scattered from the sample irradiated with the illumination light, then processing signals obtained by the detection of the images of the scattered light, and thereby detecting a defect present on the sample; wherein the step of detecting the scattered light image in the plural directions is performed through oval shaped lenses in which elevation angles of the optical axes thereof are different from each other, within one plane perpendicular to a plane formed by the normal to the surface of the table on which to mount the sample and the longitudinal direction of the linear region irradiated with the irradiation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Matsumoto, Atsushi Taniguchi, Toshifumi Honda, Yukihiro Shibata, Yuta Urano
  • Publication number: 20160161422
    Abstract: A defect inspection method and device for irradiating a linear region on a surface-patterned sample mounted on a table, with illumination light from an inclined direction to the sample, next detecting in each of a plurality of directions an image of the light scattered from the sample irradiated with the illumination light, then processing signals obtained by the detection of the images of the scattered light, and thereby detecting a defect present on the sample; wherein the step of detecting the scattered light image in the plural directions is performed through oval shaped lenses in which elevation angles of the optical axes thereof are different from each other, within one plane perpendicular to a plane formed by the normal to the surface of the table on which to mount the sample and the longitudinal direction of the linear region irradiated with the irradiation light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Shunichi MATSUMOTO, Atsushi TANIGUCHI, Toshifumi HONDA, Yukihiro SHIBATA, Yuta URANO
  • Patent number: 9291574
    Abstract: A defect inspection method and device for irradiating a linear region on a surface-patterned sample mounted on a table, with illumination light from an inclined direction to the sample, next detecting in each of a plurality of directions an image of the light scattered from the sample irradiated with the illumination light, then processing signals obtained by the detection of the images of the scattered light, and thereby detecting a defect present on the sample; wherein the step of detecting the scattered light image in the plural directions is performed through oval shaped lenses in which elevation angles of the optical axes thereof are different from each other, within one plane perpendicular to a plane formed by the normal to the surface of the table on which to mount the sample and the longitudinal direction of the linear region irradiated with the irradiation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Matsumoto, Atsushi Taniguchi, Toshifumi Honda, Yukihiro Shibata, Yuta Urano
  • Patent number: 9255793
    Abstract: A defect inspection device includes an irradiation unit for simultaneously irradiating different regions on a sample with illumination light under different optical conditions, the sample being predesigned to include patterns repeatedly formed thereupon, wherein the patterns are to be formed in the same shape; a detection unit for detecting, for each of the different regions, a beam of light reflected from each region irradiated with the illumination light; a defect candidate extraction unit for extracting defect candidates under the different optical conditions for each of the different regions, by processing detection signals corresponding to the reflected light which is detected; a defect extraction unit for extracting defects by integrating the defect candidates extracted under the different optical conditions; and a defect classifying unit for calculating feature quantities of the extracted defects and classifies the defects according to the calculated feature quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Shibata, Toshifumi Honda, Taketo Ueno, Atsushi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9239283
    Abstract: To process a signal from a plurality of detectors without being affected by a variation in the height of a substrate, and to detect more minute defects on the substrate, a defect inspection device is provided with a photoelectric converter having a plurality of rows of optical sensor arrays in each of first and second light-collecting/detecting unit and a processing unit for processing a detection signal from the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit to determine the extent to which the positions of the focal points of the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit are misaligned with respect to the surface of a test specimen, and processing the detection signal to correct a misalignment between the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit, and the corrected detection signal outputted from the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit are combined together to detect the defects on the test specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshifumi Honda, Yukihiro Shibata, Atsushi Taniguchi
  • Publication number: 20150362310
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a shape examination method and device that are capable of measuring, stably and with high precision, complicated three-dimensional shapes. In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a shape examination device comprising: a three-dimensional shape sensor that obtains shape data for an examination target, a path setting unit that uses reference data indicating the examination target shape data, and sets a path which passes through the relative position of the three-dimensional shape sensor relative to the examination target during examination; and a drive unit that controls the relative position of the three-dimensional shape sensor relative to the examination target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi TANIGUCHI, Kaoru SAKAI
  • Patent number: 9182592
    Abstract: An optical filtering device and an optical inspection apparatus for detecting a defect in a high sensitivity using an optical filtering device which includes a shutter array formed in a two-dimensionally on an optically opaque thin film produced on a SOI wafer and the SOI wafer is removed at portions thereof on the lower side of the shutter patterns to form perforation portions while working electrodes are formed at the remaining portion of the SOI wafer, a glass substrate having electrode patterns formed on the surface thereof and having the shutter array mounted thereon, and a power supply section for supplying electric power to the electrode patterns formed on the glass substrate and the working electrodes of the SOI wafer. And the working electrodes is controlled to cause the shutter patterns to carry out opening and closing movements with respect to the perforation portions to carry out optical filtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: HITACHI, LTD., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Taketo Ueno, Toshihiko Nakata, Yukihiro Shibata, Shun'ichi Matsumoto, Atsushi Taniguchi, Hiroshi Toshiyoshi, Takuya Takahashi, Kentaro Motohara
  • Patent number: 9019492
    Abstract: To prevent overlooking of a defect due to reduction in a defect signal, a defect inspection device is configured such that: light is irradiated onto an object to be inspected on which a pattern is formed; reflected, diffracted, and scattered light generated from the object by the irradiation of the light is collected, such that a first optical image resulting from the light passed through a first spatial filter having a first shading pattern is received by a first detector, whereby a first image is obtained; the reflected, diffracted, and scattered light generated from the object is collected, such that a second optical image resulting from the light passed through a second spatial filter having a second shading pattern is received by a second detector, whereby a second image is obtained; and the first and second images thus obtained are processed integrally to detect a defect candidate(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Taniguchi, Taketo Ueno, Shunichi Matsumoto, Toshifumi Honda
  • Patent number: 8970836
    Abstract: An invention being applied is a defect detecting apparatus that has: an illuminating optical system with a laser light source for irradiating a sample on whose surface a pattern is formed with light; a detecting optical system with a sensor for detecting light generated from the sample illuminated by the illuminating optical system; and a signal processing unit that extracts a defect from an image based on the light detected by the detecting optical system, in which an amplification rate of the sensor is dynamically changed during a time when the light is detected by the detecting optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Taniguchi, Taketo Ueno, Shunichi Matsumoto, Yukihiro Shibata, Toshifumi Honda
  • Publication number: 20150043752
    Abstract: An audio signal output device (1) includes an audio signal output portion (15), a volume setting information acquisition portion (15), and a control portion (10). The control portion is configured to calculate the output volume of an external device on the basis of volume information of content and volume setting information of the external device and perform control of lowering the output volume of the external device in the case where the output volume is higher than a prescribed volume threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Yuichi Ito, Atsushi Taniguchi, Shigeki Otsuka, Kota Hirai, Takashi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8885037
    Abstract: To effectively utilize the polarization property of an inspection subject for obtaining higher inspection sensitivity, for the polarization of lighting, it is necessary to observe differences in the reflection, diffraction, and scattered light from the inspection subject because of polarization by applying light having the same elevation angle and wavelength in the same direction but different polarization. According to conventional techniques, a plurality of measurements by changing polarizations is required to cause a prolonged inspection time period that is an important specification of inspection apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Taniguchi, Yukihiro Shibata, Taketo Ueno, Toshihiko Nakata
  • Publication number: 20140268122
    Abstract: A defect inspection method and device for irradiating a linear region on a surface-patterned sample mounted on a planarly movable table, with illumination light from an inclined direction relative to a direction of a line normal to the sample, next detecting in each of a plurality of directions an image of the light scattered from the sample irradiated with the illumination light, then processing signals obtained by the detection of the images of the scattered light, and thereby detecting a defect present on the sample; wherein the step of detecting the scattered light image in the plural directions is performed through elliptical lenses in which elevation angles of the optical axes thereof are different from each other, within one plane perpendicular to a plane formed by the normal to the surface of the table on which to mount the sample and the longitudinal direction of the linear region irradiated with the irradiation light, the elliptical lenses being formed of circular lenses having left and right portio
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Matsumoto, Atsushi Taniguchi, Toshifumi Honda, Yukihiro Shibata, Yuta Urano