Patents by Inventor Fujio Tonokawa

Fujio Tonokawa 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: 9019377
    Abstract: A drive recorder and a drive recorder system that can check the content of the image captured by an image capturing unit that outputs a video signal at a frequency not affected by LED traffic light flashing. The drive recorder includes an image converting unit for converting a received video signal into image information, and for outputting the image information in the form of a video signal, a storage unit for storing the converted image information, and a control unit for performing control so that the video signal is converted into the image information by using a first frequency not affected by LED traffic light flashing, and so that the image information stored in the storage unit is output in the form of a video signal by using a second frequency corresponding to a standard video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Munenori Maeda, Fujio Tonokawa, Katsutoshi Okada, Takashi Sasa
  • Patent number: 8421862
    Abstract: A drive recorder for recording video information received from an image capturing unit on a recording medium includes an acceleration sensor which outputs acceleration information representing an acceleration applied to a vehicle, and a control unit which, determines that a recording condition holds and records video information captured for a first predetermined period of time before the occurrence of the recording condition and video information captured for a second predetermined period of time after the occurrence of the recording condition on the recording medium when the acceleration information equals or exceeds a threshold, wherein after the recording condition holds, the control unit does not record newly captured video information on the recording medium when the acceleration information again becomes equal to or exceeds the threshold in less than a third predetermined period of time which is shorter than the second predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Mariko Yago, Atsushi Ishimizu, Fujio Tonokawa, Ryuichi Morimoto, Munenori Maeda, Tetsuya Uetani, Masahiro Motojima
  • Patent number: 8396623
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a drive recorder that can detect acceleration so that the acceleration exerted on a vehicle traveling around a curve will not be erroneously detected as excessive acceleration, as long as the steering wheel is operated in a usual manner. More particularly, the invention provides a drive recorder that includes an acceleration sensor for detecting a first acceleration along a traveling direction of a vehicle and a second acceleration along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and a control unit which obtains a combined acceleration based on the first acceleration and on a value obtained by subtracting a correction value from the absolute value of the second acceleration, and when the combined acceleration exceeds a threshold value, records video information received from an image capturing unit onto a recording device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Munenori Maeda, Fujio Tonokawa, Mariko Yago, Tetsuya Uetani, Takashi Sasa
  • Publication number: 20100256858
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a drive recorder that can check whether the essential components of the drive recorder are functioning properly for recording of video information. More specifically, the invention provides a drive recorder which is connected to an image capturing unit that outputs data, includes an image processing circuit which receives the data and converts the received data into video information, an acceleration sensor which outputs acceleration information representing an acceleration exerted on a vehicle, and a control unit which determines that a recording condition holds when the acceleration information equals or exceeds a threshold, and records the video information onto a recording device, wherein the control unit diagnoses connections to the image processing circuit, the acceleration sensor or the image capturing unit during power-up of the drive recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Mariko Yago, Akira Tsukamoto, Atsushi Ishimizu, Fujio Tonokawa
  • Publication number: 20100250060
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a drive recorder that can detect acceleration so that the acceleration exerted on a vehicle traveling around a curve will not be erroneously detected as excessive acceleration, as long as the steering wheel is operated in a usual manner. More particularly, the invention provides a drive recorder that includes an acceleration sensor for detecting a first acceleration along a traveling direction of a vehicle and a second acceleration along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and a control unit which obtains a combined acceleration based on the first acceleration and on a value obtained by subtracting a correction value from the absolute value of the second acceleration, and when the combined acceleration exceeds a threshold value, records video information received from an image capturing unit onto a recording device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Munenori Maeda, Fujio Tonokawa, Mariko Yago, Tetsuya Uetani, Takashi Sasa
  • Publication number: 20100194549
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a drive recorder that can properly protect the video information being recorded in such cases as when a vehicle-mounted battery is damaged or the connection between the battery and the drive recorder is broken due to a vehicle accident or the like. More particularly, the invention provides a drive recorder includes a first detector which outputs a first voltage drop signal when an input voltage to the drive recorder drops to or below a first voltage, and a control unit which stops recording on a recording device at a normal recording rate, and records the video information on the recording device by reducing the recording rate when the first voltage drop signal is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Fujio Tonokawa, Ryuichi Morimoto, Tetsuya Uetani, Atsushi Ishimizu, Akira Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20100171829
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a drive recorder that can record all video information required and only what is required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: Mariko Yago, Atsushi Ishimizu, Fujio Tonokawa, Ryuichi Morimoto, Munenori Maeda, Tetsuya Uetani, Masahiro Motojima
  • Publication number: 20100129064
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a drive recorder capable of recording video information at the time of an accident or the like and constant recording. The drive recorder according to the present invention has a controller that constantly records information captured by the imaging unit onto a nonvolatile recording medium, and records information captured by the imaging unit onto a nonvolatile recording medium when a predetermined recording condition is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Munenori Maeda, Fujio Tonokawa
  • Publication number: 20090309972
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a drive recorder and a system that that can reduce operations for adjusting an attachment position of a camera. The drive recorder for recording images captured by a camera in a recording medium includes, mode selection means for selecting an angle adjustment mode of the camera, and a control unit for outputting image data based on the images to a display unit (120) when the mode selection means selects the angle selection mode. The system includes such a drive recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Fujio Tonokawa, Minoru Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090278933
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a drive recorder and a drive recorder system that can check the content of the image captured by an image capturing unit that outputs a video signal at a frequency not affected by LED traffic light flashing. More specifically, the invention provides a drive recorder includes an image converting unit for converting a received video signal into image information, and for outputting the image information in the form of a video signal, a storage unit for storing the converted image information, and a control unit for performing control so that the video signal is converted into the image information by using a first frequency not affected by LED traffic light flashing, and so that the image information stored in the storage unit is output in the form of a video signal by using a second frequency corresponding to a standard video signal; the invention also provides a drive recorder system comprising such a drive recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Munenori Maeda, Fujio Tonokawa, Katsutoshi Okada, Takashi Sasa