Patents by Inventor Futoshi Hirose

Futoshi Hirose 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: 7954947
    Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus that uses optical coherence tomography includes a scanning unit provided within a light path that guides signal light to be incident on an examination object towards the examination object and configured to scan the signal light in a main scanning direction; and a control unit configured to control the scanning unit such that an integration time of an optical interference signal per pixel in at least one predetermined area other than opposite ends, in the main scanning direction, of an image acquisition region scanned by a plurality of main scan lines is increased relative to that of an area other than the predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuro Sugita, Shuichi Kobayashi, Koji Nozato, Akihiro Katayama, Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20110102741
    Abstract: A light irradiation apparatus includes an optical power acquiring unit configured to acquire an optical power of light emitted by a light source and with which an object is irradiated; an optical power adjusting unit configured to adjust the optical power of light emitted by the light source to a predetermined optical power in accordance with an acquisition result obtained by the optical power acquiring unit; and an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the object with the light that is adjusted by the optical power adjusting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20110102740
    Abstract: An adaptive optical apparatus includes a wavelength separation unit configured to separate a beam emitted from a light source into a plurality of wavelength band beams, a plurality of light modulation units configured to modulate the respective plurality of wavelength band beams, a wavelength combining unit configured to combine the beams modulated by the plurality of light modulation units into a beam, and an illumination unit configured to illuminate a measured object with the beam output from the wavelength combining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20110096337
    Abstract: An adaptive optics apparatus includes a light modulation unit configured to modulate each of two polarization components of light at a position that is optically conjugate to an object, the light being emitted by a light source; and an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the object with light that is modulated by the light modulation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Futoshi Hirose, Kenichi Saito
  • Publication number: 20110096293
    Abstract: An adaptive optics apparatus includes a first conversion unit configured to convert a polarization direction of one of two polarization components of light to a polarization direction of the other of the polarization components, the light being emitted by a light source; a light modulation unit configured to modulate the two polarization components of light converted by the first conversion unit in the polarization directions that have been converted; a second conversion unit configured to convert directions of polarization components of the light modulated by the light modulation unit to directions that intersect with each other; and an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the object with the light that is converted by the light modulation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Futoshi Hirose, Kenichi Saito
  • Patent number: 7933024
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus which has a light intensity varying portion provided on a first optical path for guiding a measuring beam to an object for varying an intensity of the measuring beam; an illumination condition varying portion for varying an illumination condition of the measuring beam that has passed through the light intensity varying portion for the object between a first illumination condition in which a center part of the measuring beam is not blocked and a second illumination condition in which the center part of the measuring beam is blocked; and an image forming portion for weighting a first tomographic image acquired in the first illumination condition and a second tomographic image acquired in the second illumination condition and composing the weighted first second tomographic images to form a third tomographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20100321700
    Abstract: A beam diameter varying portion varies a first beam diameter of a measuring beam incident on an optical portion to a second beam diameter larger than the first beam diameter. An adjustment portion adjusts a condensing position of the measuring beam on the optical portion based on intensity information of a return beam from a position of an inspection object with the first beam diameter. The beam diameter is varied from the first to the second beam diameter by the beam diameter varying portion at the position adjusted by the adjustment portion to cause the measuring beam having the second beam diameter to be incident. A condensing position can be adjusted in a relatively short time because the measuring beam small in beam diameter is used, and a combined beam can be acquired with high transverse resolution because the measuring beam large in beam diameter is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Futoshi Hirose, Kazuro Yamada, Kazuhide Miyata, Kenji Muto, Nobuhiro Tomatsu
  • Publication number: 20100165291
    Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus that uses optical coherence tomography includes a scanning unit provided within a light path that guides signal light to be incident on an examination object towards the examination object and configured to scan the signal light in a main scanning direction; and a control unit configured to control the scanning unit such that an integration time of an optical interference signal per pixel in at least one predetermined area other than opposite ends, in the main scanning direction, of an image acquisition region scanned by a plurality of main scan lines is increased relative to that of an area other than the predetermined area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuro Sugita, Shuichi Kobayashi, Koji Nozato, Akihiro Katayama, Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20100165289
    Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging method is provided in which light from a light source is split into a measuring beam and a reference beam, the measuring beam being moved by a scanning optical system and guided to an object to be examined, the reference beam being guided to a reference mirror, and in which a tomogram of the object is generated from a return beam of the measuring beam reflected or scattered by the object and the reference beam reflected by the reference mirror. The method includes acquiring longitudinal sectional information on the object, calculating depth-position information on the object from the longitudinal sectional information, and acquiring a three-dimensional surface image of the object by controlling a reference-path length defined by the reference mirror and a scanning operation of the scanning optical system in accordance with the depth-position information on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Nozato, Mitsuro Sugita, Futoshi Hirose, Akihiro Katayama
  • Patent number: 7710129
    Abstract: A potential measurement apparatus is provided which can suitably maintain the oscillation state of an oscillator including a detection electrode and stably measure the potential of a measurement object. The potential measurement apparatus includes a bearing part, an elastic supporting part supported by the bearing part, an oscillator movably supported by the elastic supporting part, detection electrodes installed in the oscillator, a drive mechanism driving the oscillator and a signal detection unit. The signal detection unit is connected to the detection electrodes to detect electrical signals appearing in the detected electrodes. A stress detecting element for generating an electric signal according to the stress of the elastic suspension part 142 is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ogawa, Yoshitaka Zaitsu, Takashi Ushijima, Atsushi Kandori, Kaoru Noguchi, Kazuhiko Kato, Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20100103374
    Abstract: Provided is a connection adapter that is capable of constituting an optical tomographic imaging apparatus having a small installation space and high use efficiency. A connection adapter is disposed between the fundus camera main body portion and a camera portion to be attached to the fundus camera main body portion for imaging a surface image of a fundus as an object in an optical tomographic imaging apparatus, and connects them in a detachable manner. The connection adapter includes: a first light guide unit for guiding tomographic image measuring beams guided from the fundus camera main body portion for imaging the tomographic image to a tomographic imaging portion; and a second light guide unit for guiding fundus image measuring beams guided from the fundus camera main body portion for imaging the surface image of the fundus to the camera portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Futoshi Hirose, Yasuyuki Numajiri, Shuichi Kobayashi, Kenji Muto, Hirofumi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20100019779
    Abstract: A potential measurement apparatus for measuring a surface potential of an object of measurement detects a change in electric charge induced at a detection electrode due to electrostatic induction by changing a distance between the detection electrode and the object of measurement in accordance with a predetermined period, using a neutral distance as reference, as a signal representing a change in electric current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kato, Toshiyuki Ogawa, Yoshitaka Zaitsu, Takashi Ushijima, Kaoru Noguchi, Atsushi Kandori, Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20100002241
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus which has a light intensity varying portion provided on a first optical path for guiding a measuring beam to an object for varying an intensity of the measuring beam; an illumination condition varying portion for varying an illumination condition of the measuring beam that has passed through the light intensity varying portion for the object between a first illumination condition in which a center part of the measuring beam is not blocked and a second illumination condition in which the center part of the measuring beam is blocked; and an image forming portion for weighting a first tomographic image acquired in the first illumination condition and a second tomographic image acquired in the second illumination condition and composing the weighted first second tomographic images to form a third tomographic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Futoshi Hirose
  • Patent number: 7639020
    Abstract: A potential sensor is provided in which the adhesion of toner particles to the potential sensor is reduced or prevented from occurring, reducing or preventing the occurrence of a situation that accurate detection cannot be performed. The potential sensor has a movable member, detecting electrodes formed on the movable member, a support which movably supports the movable member, a driving mechanism which drives the movable member, and a stationary member which supports the support. Between the movable member and the stationary member, a first gap is so formed as to make the movable member 101 movable. The first gap has a part that is not larger in width than the maximum size of toner particles when the movable member is not elastically deformed and is at a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Ushijima, Kaoru Noguchi, Atsushi Kandori, Yoshitaka Zaitsu, Kazuhiko Kato, Toshiyuki Ogawa, Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20090285354
    Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging device and the like which suppress influence in the case of a measuring beam being truncated by an iris, and can ensure reliability of a tomographic image which is acquired, when imaging the tomographic image of a retina in an eyeground of an examined eye. An optical tomographic imaging device is configured to have an observation unit observing a state of irradiating an examined object with the measuring beam, and imaging a state of the measuring beam being incident on the examined object as an observation image, a recording unit recording the observation image by linking the observation image with a tomographic image by the optical tomographic imaging device, and an evaluating unit evaluating reliability of the tomographic image which is linked with the observation image based on the observation image imaged in the observation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Futoshi Hirose, Kazuhide Miyata, Kazuro Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090091766
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomographic apparatus wherein a reference light path includes at least a first reference light path and a second reference light path having an optical path length shorter than that of the first reference light path, wherein first tomographic information of the object at a first inspection position based on the optical interference using the first reference light path and second tomographic information of the object at a second inspection position based on the optical interference using the second reference light path, are acquired, the second inspection position being shallower than the first inspection position with respect to a depth direction of the object, and wherein a positional deviation a tomographic image at the first inspection position obtained based on the first tomographic information is corrected using the second tomographic information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20080284445
    Abstract: A potential measurement apparatus is provided which can suitably maintain the oscillation state of an oscillator including a detection electrode and stably measure the potential of a measurement object. The potential measurement apparatus includes a bearing part, an elastic supporting part supported by the bearing part, an oscillator movably supported by the elastic supporting part, detection electrodes installed in the oscillator, a drive mechanism driving the oscillator and a signal detection unit. The signal detection unit is connected to the detection electrodes to detect electrical signals appearing in the detected electrodes. A stress detecting element for generating an electric signal according to the stress of the elastic suspension part 142 is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ogawa, Yoshitaka Zaitsu, Takashi Ushijima, Atsushi Kandori, Kaoru Noguchi, Kazuhiko Kato, Futoshi Hirose
  • Publication number: 20080116897
    Abstract: A potential sensor is provided in which the adhesion of toner particles to the potential sensor is reduced or prevented from occurring, reducing or preventing the occurrence of a situation that accurate detection cannot be performed. The potential sensor has a movable member, detecting electrodes formed on the movable member, a support which movably supports the movable member, a driving mechanism which drives the movable member, and a stationary member which supports the support. Between the movable member and the stationary member, a first gap is so formed as to make the movable member 101 movable. The first gap has a part that is not larger in width than the maximum size of toner particles when the movable member is not elastically deformed and is at a neutral position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ushijima, Kaoru Noguchi, Atsushi Kandori, Yoshitaka Zaitsu, Kazuhiko Kato, Toshiyuki Ogawa, Futoshi Hirose
  • Patent number: 7362488
    Abstract: The tiltable-body apparatus including a frame member, a tiltable body, and a pair of torsion springs having a twisting longitudinal axis. The torsion springs are disposed along the twisting longitudinal axis opposingly with the tiltable body being interposed, support the tiltable body flexibly and rotatably about the twisting longitudinal axis relative to the frame member, and include a plurality of planar portions, compliant directions of which intersect each other when viewed along a direction of the twisting longitudinal axis. A center of gravity of the tiltable body is positioned on the twisting longitudinal axis of the torsion springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Yasuda, Hidemasa Mizutani, Takayuki Yagi, Yasuhiro Shimada, Futoshi Hirose, Takahisa Kato
  • Publication number: 20070242328
    Abstract: The tiltable-body apparatus including a frame member, a tiltable body, and a pair of torsion springs having a twisting longitudinal axis. The torsion springs are disposed along the twisting longitudinal axis opposingly with the tiltable body being interposed, support the tiltable body flexibly and rotatably about the twisting longitudinal axis relative to the frame member, and include a plurality of planar portions, compliant directions of which intersect each other when viewed along a direction of the twisting longitudinal axis. A center of gravity of the tiltable body is positioned on the twisting longitudinal axis of the torsion springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Yasuda, Hidemasa Mizutani, Takayuki Yagi, Yasuhiro Shimada, Futoshi Hirose, Takahisa Kato