Patents by Inventor Atsuyuki Hirono

Atsuyuki Hirono 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: 20150125032
    Abstract: The object detection device according to the present invention includes: an image obtainer configured to obtain, from a camera for taking images of a predetermined image sensed area, the images of the predetermined image sensed area at a predetermined time interval sequentially; a difference image creator configured to calculate a difference image between images obtained sequentially by the image obtainer; and a determiner configured to determine whether each of a plurality of blocks obtained by dividing the difference image in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction is a motion region in which a detection target in motion is present or a rest region in which an object at rest is present. The determiner is configured to determine, with regard to each of the plurality of blocks, whether a block is the motion region or the rest region, based on pixel values of a plurality of pixels constituting this block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Mutsuhiro Yamanaka, Atsuyuki Hirono, Toshiharu Takenouchi, Hiroshi Matsuda, Yuichi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7403641
    Abstract: An object recognition system utilizes a mask locator for extracting a mask area (M) from within a subject image in order to recognize the mask area (M) with a subject image. The mask locator (40) refers to density gradient directional images respectively converted from an image size template and the subject image, and analyzes these density gradient directional images particularly with respect to the density gradient directional values (?T, ?S) assigned to each pixel in each directional images to obtain parameters linking the image size template to the mask area (M) to be registered with the image size template. The mask locator has a vote module (60) which gives candidates for the center of the mask by varying the parameters and votes on the candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Nakamoto, Kenichi Hagio, Atsuyuki Hirono, Satoshi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20050265605
    Abstract: An object recognition system utilizes a mask locator for extracting a mask area (M) from within a subject image in order to recognize the mask area (M) with a subject image. The mask locator (40) refers to density gradient directional images respectively converted from an image size template and the subject image, and analyzes these density gradient directional images particularly with respect to the density gradient directional values (?T, ?S) assigned to each pixel in each directional images to obtain parameters linking the image size template to the mask area (M) to be registered with the image size template. The mask locator has a vote module (60) which gives candidates for the center of the mask by varying the parameters and votes on the candidates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Eiji Nakamoto, Kenichi Hagio, Atsuyuki Hirono, Satoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 6756793
    Abstract: A capacitance type moisture sensor having the capability of accurately detecting amounts of water is provided. This sensor has a sensor housing having an electrically-insulating wall, a pair of electrodes disposed on the sensor housing, and a circuit unit. An outer surface of the electrically-insulating wall faces a space where the amounts of water should be detected. On an inner surface of the electrically-insulating wall, at least one of the electrodes is formed. An electric field developed between the electrodes is defined as a moisture detecting region. The circuit unit includes a capacitance detecting circuit for detecting a capacitance value between the electrodes, which changes in response to the amounts of water in the moisture detecting region, and an output circuit for providing an electrical signal corresponding toe the amounts of water according the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detecting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Hirono, Hideo Mori, Yuji Takada, Keisuke Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6639656
    Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring apparatus for measuring a distance to a target object also its shape precisely without influence of noise, which is applied to a invader monitoring system. This apparatus comprises a clock signal generator unit, a modulated light projector unit, a light receiver unit, and a demodulator unit, and obtains a range image presenting signal levels changing according to the distances to the objects including the target object by irradiating light onto the objects and receiving reflected light. In the demodulator unit, the range image is processed for evaluating and removing noise components, for interpolating and averaging noise removed region, and for selecting the target object region. Those processes are carried out from the following point of view, the variation of the distance signal levels, the received quantity of light, and the variation of the received quantity of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Takada, Satoshi Furukawa, Atsuyuki Hirono, Motoo Ikari
  • Patent number: 6552552
    Abstract: A capacitance type moisture sensor having the capability of accurately detecting amounts of water is provided. This sensor has a sensor housing having an electrically-insulating wall, a pair of electrodes disposed on the sensor housing, and a circuit unit. An outer surface of the electrically-insulating wall faces a space where the amounts of water should be detected. On an inner surface of the electrically-insulating wall, at least one of the electrodes is formed. An electric field developed between the electrodes is defined as a moisture detecting region. The circuit unit includes a capacitance detecting circuit for detecting a capacitance value between the electrodes, which changes in response to the amounts of water in the moisture detecting region, and an output circuit for providing an electrical signal corresponding toe the amounts of water according the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detecting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Hirono, Hideo Mori, Yuji Takada, Keisuke Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20020131033
    Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring apparatus for measuring a distance to a target object also its shape precisely without influence of noise, which is applied to a invader monitoring system. This apparatus comprises a clock signal generator unit, a modulated light projector unit, a light receiver unit, and a demodulator unit, and obtains a range image presenting signal levels changing according to the distances to the objects including the target object by irradiating light onto the objects and receiving reflected light. In the demodulator unit, the range image is processed for evaluating and removing noise components, for interpolating and averaging noise removed region, and for selecting the target object region. Those processes are carried out from the following point of view, the variation of the distance signal levels, the received quantity of light, and the variation of the received quantity of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Takada, Satoshi Furukawa, Atsuyuki Hirono, Motoo Ikari
  • Publication number: 20020000813
    Abstract: A capacitance type moisture sensor having the capability of accurately detecting amounts of water is provided. This sensor comprises a sensor housing having an electrically-insulating wall, a pair of electrodes disposed on the sensor housing, and a circuit unit. An outer surface of the electrically-insulating wall faces a space where the amounts of water should be detected. On an inner surface of the electrically-insulating wall, at least one of the electrodes is formed. An electric field developed between the electrodes is defined as a moisture detecting region. The circuit unit includes a capacitance detecting circuit for detecting a capacitance value between the electrodes, which changes in response to the amounts of water in the moisture detecting region, and an output circuit for providing an electrical signal corresponding to the amounts of water according to the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detecting circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Hirono, Hideo Mori, Yuji Takada, Keisuke Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 5608211
    Abstract: In an optically scanning displacement detector for determination of an object's profile, the detector comprises a light projecting unit for radiating a light beam on the object, a light receiving unit for receiving a reflected light beam from the object to output an object position signal, and a distance determining unit for determining a distance between the projecting unit and the object in accordance with the object position signal. The light projecting and receiving units are mounted in a carrier which is movably supported to a frame. The carrier can be moved in a scanning direction to scan the light beam across the object by the use of an electric motor such as a voice-coil linear motor. Since the present detector does not use a scanning mirror for deviating the light beam, the object's profile can be determined with improved accuracy of measurement, while preventing a formation of dead space in which the light beam can not be radiated during the scanning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Hirono, Takayasu Ito, Takeshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 4970384
    Abstract: An optical sensor discriminating the presence of an object or detecting distance to an object which includes a light projecting element for projecting light to a detection area, a light receiving element for receiving light reflected from an object present in the detection area and an anamorphic light receiving lens for expanding a condensed light spot received on the light receiving element in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the light spot on the light receiving element. The light receiving element outputs a detection signal which discriminates the presence of the object in the detection area. The light receiving element can be rectangular in shape and comprise two or more triangular shaped photodiodes which output detection signals that can be processed to determine a distance between the object and the light receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kambe, Yoshihiko Okuda, Atsuyuki Hirono, Akira Nagaoka, Takayasu Ito
  • Patent number: 4876446
    Abstract: An optical sensor comprises a sensor circuit having parts which are optically interconnected with each other through an optical interconnection board interposed therebetween. The interconnection between the sensor circuit parts is thereby simplified remarkably, so that the mass-producibility of the sensor can be increased to lower its manufacturing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kambe, Yoshihiko Okuda, Atsuyuki Hirono, Akira Nagaoka, Takayasu Ito