Patents by Inventor Harumi KATO

Harumi KATO 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: 20230314035
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a setting receiver and an air-conditioning controller. The setting receiver receives from a user a setting of setting information including ceiling height information relating to a ceiling height for each section of predetermined sections in an air-conditioning target area and saves the received setting information in a setting information file. The air-conditioning controller controls air conditioning of the air-conditioning target area based on the ceiling height information of each section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Harumi KATO, Reiji MORIOKA
  • Publication number: 20230243540
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system according to the present disclosure comprises an indoor unit; a temperature measurement device; and a controller. The controller is configured to detect, in a case where a room has a plurality of ceilings having different heights, a high ceiling space being disposed at a position higher than a ceiling having a lowest height of the plurality of ceilings; detect the floor; calculate a temperature difference between the temperature of the high ceiling space detected by the temperature measurement device and the surface temperature of the floor detected by the temperature measurement device; and generate a first air flow according to a predetermined operating condition in a case where the temperature difference calculated is less than a first threshold, and generate a second air flow in a case where the temperature difference is equal to or more than the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Harumi KATO, Reiji MORIOKA
  • Patent number: 9416473
    Abstract: An upper feed device includes a mounting portion, a feed mechanism, a drive portion, and a connecting portion. The mounting portion is configured to mount the upper feed device to a presser bar of a sewing machine. The feed mechanism is configured to feed a work cloth. The drive portion is configured to drive the feed mechanism. The connecting portion is configured to electrically connect the drive portion to a control portion of the sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Midori Magara, Harumi Kato
  • Patent number: 9303345
    Abstract: A cutting needle rotation device includes a mounting portion, a first member, a moving member, and a rotation mechanism. The mounting portion is removably mounted on a needle bar of a sewing machine. The first member is a member to which a cutting needle is affixed. The moving member is positioned in a first position when the moving member does not receive an external force and moves to a second position when the moving member receives an external force. The rotation mechanism, when the moving member is in the first position, holds the first member such that the cutting needle does not rotate, and when the moving member moves from the first position to the second position and returns from the second position to the first position, rotates the first member such that the cutting needle rotates by a specified angle of rotation in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Hasegawa, Midori Magara, Kiyokazu Sekine, Harumi Kato
  • Patent number: 9212438
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a first drive portion, a switching portion, a second drive portion, a control portion, and a memory. The first drive portion is configured to drive to feed, in a first direction, a work cloth. The switching portion is configured to switch a position of the first drive portion. The second drive portion is configured to drive to feed the work cloth. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to execute steps of driving the first drive portion in the first position in a case where the second drive portion drives to feed the work cloth in the first direction and switching the position of the first drive portion to the second position in a case where the second drive portion drives to feed the work cloth in a second direction, based on the sewing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Harumi Kato, Midori Magara
  • Patent number: 9068287
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a memory configured to store a plurality of cut length data items and a computer-readable instructions that instruct the apparatus to execute steps comprising acquiring pattern data, setting, as a plurality of first needle drop points, a plurality of points on the pattern line at predetermined intervals, setting a cut angle corresponding to each of the plurality of first needle drop points, determining a plurality of second needle drop points among the plurality of first needle drop points, consolidating, based on the plurality of cut length data items, at least some of the plurality of second needle drop points into at least one third needle drop point, identifying a cutting blade corresponding to each of a plurality of fourth needle drop points among the plurality of cutting blades based on the plurality of cut length data items, and generating cut data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Harumi Kato
  • Patent number: 9027489
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a presser bar, a threading device, a processor, and a memory. The needle bar is configured such that a sewing needle is attached thereto. The presser bar is configured such that an accessory device is mounted thereon. The threading device is configured to perform a threading operation in which an upper thread is passed through an eye of the sewing needle attached to the needle bar. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions. The computer-readable instructions cause the processor to perform processes that include determining whether a mounted device is a specific accessory device and causing the threading device to perform the threading operation in a case where it is determined that the mounted device is the specific accessory device and a specific condition is satisfied. The mounted device is an accessory device mounted on the presser bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Harumi Kato, Midori Magara
  • Publication number: 20140290547
    Abstract: A cutting needle rotation device includes a mounting portion, a first member, a moving member, and a rotation mechanism. The mounting portion is removably mounted on a needle bar of a sewing machine. The first member is a member to which a cutting needle is affixed. The moving member is positioned in a first position when the moving member does not receive an external force and moves to a second position when the moving member receives an external force. The rotation mechanism, when the moving member is in the first position, holds the first member such that the cutting needle does not rotate, and when the moving member moves from the first position to the second position and returns from the second position to the first position, rotates the first member such that the cutting needle rotates by a specified angle of rotation in one direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhisa HASEGAWA, Midori MAGARA, Kiyokazu SEKINE, Harumi KATO
  • Publication number: 20140290549
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a presser bar, a threading device, a processor, and a memory. The needle bar is configured such that a sewing needle is attached thereto. The presser bar is configured such that an accessory device is mounted thereon. The threading device is configured to perform a threading operation in which an upper thread is passed through an eye of the sewing needle attached to the needle bar. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions. The computer-readable instructions cause the processor to perform processes that include determining whether a mounted device is a specific accessory device and causing the threading device to perform the threading operation in a case where it is determined that the mounted device is the specific accessory device and a specific condition is satisfied. The mounted device is an accessory device mounted on the presser bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Harumi KATO, Midori MAGARA
  • Patent number: 8820252
    Abstract: A embroidery data processing device includes an area defining portion that defines a sewable area on the work cloth, a computation portion that computes a first characteristic quantity that specifies a size of the sewable area, a comparison portion that compares the first characteristic quantity to at least one characteristic quantity for at least one embroidery pattern that can be sewn based on the embroidery data, the at least one characteristic quantity being stored in a storage portion and specifying a size of the at least one embroidery pattern, an extraction portion that, in a case where a comparison indicates that at least one sewable pattern exists, extracts the at least one sewable pattern, the at least one sewable pattern being at least one embroidery pattern that fits within the sewable area, a notification portion that notifies a user about the at least one sewable pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Takahata, Harumi Kato, Noriharu Tashiro, Tsuneo Okuyama
  • Patent number: 8818546
    Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine includes an assigning unit that assigns thread color data to each pattern-by-color portion. The assigning unit is configured to determine, for each pattern-by-color portion, whether or not the user's designation of the pattern-by-color portion has been received. When the user's designation for the pattern-by-color portion has been received, the assigning unit is configured to assign the user's designation as thread color data for the pattern-by-color portion. When the user's designation for the pattern-by-color portion has not been received, the assigning unit is configured to randomly extract and assign a non-overlapping color as thread color data for the pattern-by-color portion from the data of a plurality of thread colors stored in the spool color storage unit. The machine is configured to execute sewing of the embroidery pattern for the pattern-by-color portion based on the thread color data assigned by the assigning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Harumi Kato
  • Patent number: 8763544
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a transfer device that is adapted to move a work cloth, a sewing device that moves a needle bar up and down, an operation device that includes an operation member and that outputs an output signal in accordance with a tilting operation of the operation member, the output signal specifying a position where a unit stitch formed, a unit data generation device that generates unit data being data for forming the unit stitch, a sewing data generation device that generates sewing data in accordance with the output signal and the unit data, a transfer control device that causes the work cloth to be moved by driving the transfer device in accordance with the sewing data, and a sewing control device that causes the unit stitch to be sewn on the work cloth by driving the sewing device in accordance with the sewing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuneo Okuyama, Noriharu Tashiro, Hirotsugu Takahata, Harumi Kato
  • Patent number: 8746161
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a transfer device that is adapted to move a work cloth, a sewing device that moves a needle bar up and down, a first operation device that outputs a first output signal in accordance with an operation state of the first operation device, a second operation device that outputs a second output signal in accordance with an operation state of the second operation device, a sewing data generation device that generates sewing data in accordance with the first output signal and the second output signal, a transfer control device that causes the work cloth to be moved by driving the transfer device in accordance with the sewing data, and a sewing control device that causes the unit stitch to be sewn on the work cloth by driving the sewing device in accordance with the sewing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriharu Tashiro, Tsuneo Okuyama, Hirotsugu Takahata, Harumi Kato
  • Patent number: 8738170
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a mounting adaptor, a memory, an imager, and a processor. The mounting adaptor may be mounted with an embroidery frame. The memory may store frame rotation data. The frame rotation data indicate a setting angle which is a predetermined rotation angle of the frame with respect to the outer frame. The imager may image an area including the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting adaptor. The processor may control the sewing machine to detect a marker provided on at least one of the embroidery frame and the work cloth based on the image, determine a rotation angle of the frame with respect to the outer frame based on the detected marker, and control the driver to adjust a rotation of the frame based on the determined rotation angle and the frame rotation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Harumi Kato, Katsuhisa Hasegawa, Midori Magara
  • Patent number: 8738171
    Abstract: A sewing machine may comprise a mounting portion configured to be mounted with an embroidery frame comprising a frame and an outer frame. The sewing machine may also comprise an image capturing device configured to capture an image including the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting portion. The sewing machine may further comprise a processor configured to execute instructions, and a memory. The memory may be configured to store computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to execute steps comprising identifying a mark from the captured image, wherein the mark is provided on the embroidery frame or on a work cloth held by the embroidery frame, determining a rotation angle of the frame with respect to the outer frame based on the identified mark, and notifying rotation information based on the determined rotation angle. The rotation information may be information for adjusting the rotation angle to a specified rotation angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Harumi Kato, Midori Magara, Katsuhisa Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8733260
    Abstract: An embroidery data processing apparatus that processes embroidery data includes a reference point setting unit that sets, within a sewing area, positions of at least three reference points, a reference line setting unit that sets two reference lines being straight lines that intersect each other and each pass through at least two reference points of the at least three reference points, a plane setting unit that sets a reference plane by setting two sets of a plurality of virtual lines arranged in a matrix, a position determination unit that determines the plurality of arrangement positions based on the reference plane, a pattern selection unit that selects a type for the plurality of unit patterns from at least one type of unit pattern, and an arrangement unit that arranges the plurality of unit patterns of the type in the plurality of arrangement positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Takahata, Harumi Kato, Noriharu Tashiro, Tsuneo Okuyama
  • Patent number: 8656849
    Abstract: An embroidery frame comprises an inner frame, wherein the inner frame is a circular form. The embroidery frame comprises a middle frame which is configured to be detachably attachable to a radial outside of the inner frame. The middle frame is a circular form. The embroidery frame comprises an outer frame which is configured to rotatably hold the middle frame, wherein the outer frame is a circular form, and the outer frame is configured to be detachably attachable to a radial outside of the middle frame. The embroidery frame comprises a grip portion which is provided to the middle frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Midori Magara, Katsuhisa Hasegawa, Harumi Kato
  • Publication number: 20140000499
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a first drive portion, a switching portion, a second drive portion, a control portion, and a memory. The first drive portion is configured to drive to feed, in a first direction, a work cloth. The switching portion is configured to switch a position of the first drive portion. The second drive portion is configured to drive to feed the work cloth. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to execute steps of driving the first drive portion in the first position in a case where the second drive portion drives to feed the work cloth in the first direction and switching the position of the first drive portion to the second position in a case where the second drive portion drives to feed the work cloth in a second direction, based on the sewing data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Harumi KATO, Midori MAGARA
  • Publication number: 20130247805
    Abstract: An upper feed device includes a mounting portion, a feed mechanism, a drive portion, and a connecting portion. The mounting portion is configured to mount the upper feed device to a presser bar of a sewing machine. The feed mechanism is configured to feed a work cloth. The drive portion is configured to drive the feed mechanism. The connecting portion is configured to electrically connect the drive portion to a control portion of the sewing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Midori MAGARA, Harumi KATO
  • Publication number: 20130199430
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a memory configured to store a plurality of cut length data items and a computer-readable instructions that instruct the apparatus to execute steps comprising acquiring pattern data, setting, as a plurality of first needle drop points, a plurality of points on the pattern line at predetermined intervals, setting a cut angle corresponding to each of the plurality of first needle drop points, determining a plurality of second needle drop points among the plurality of first needle drop points, consolidating, based on the plurality of cut length data items, at least some of the plurality of second needle drop points into at least one third needle drop point, identifying a cutting blade corresponding to each of a plurality of fourth needle drop points among the plurality of cutting blades based on the plurality of cut length data items, and generating cut data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventor: Harumi KATO