Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Yoshinobu

Hitoshi Yoshinobu 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: 11432470
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a vegetation management system each capable of managing vegetation in such a manner as to maintain a high quality state and achieve uniform growth. In a vegetation management system, an image acquiring apparatus acquires an image in which vegetation corresponding to a target of management is captured. An analysis unit analyzes the image as at least input information and outputs a predetermined analysis result. Then, a determination unit determines work contents to be performed for the vegetation, according to the analysis result. A work apparatus performs a process for executing work for the vegetation according to the work contents. For example, the present technology is applicable to a management system that manages natural grass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniaki Kurihara, Masahiko Enari, Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Publication number: 20210029890
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a vegetation management system each capable of managing vegetation in such a manner as to maintain a high quality state and achieve uniform growth. In a vegetation management system, an image acquiring apparatus acquires an image in which vegetation corresponding to a target of management is captured. An analysis unit analyzes the image as at least input information and outputs a predetermined analysis result. Then, a determination unit determines work contents to be performed for the vegetation, according to the analysis result. A work apparatus performs a process for executing work for the vegetation according to the work contents. For example, the present technology is applicable to a management system that manages natural grass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Kuniaki Kurihara, Masahiko Enari, Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 8065701
    Abstract: When advertising information is included in a received broadcasting wave, viewer attributes which have previously been registered in an IC card is collated with a target ID added to the advertising information, and the advertising information (icon) in which both of them coincide is selected and displayed (S3, S4). When there is a requesting operation of detailed information, the detailed information is obtained by link information. The detailed information can be obtained from the broadcasting wave (S11, S12) or can be obtained from a homepage via the internet (S17, S18). The detailed information is displayed in place of the picture plane of a program. When a viewer requires to finish the display, the display of the detailed information is finished (S14, S20). When the detailed information is displayed, the presence of the request for the detailed information is recorded as a history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Hattori, Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Teruyuki Shitara, Kei Amano, Masanori Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 7930217
    Abstract: A joint subscriber management system includes a joint subscriber management unit for acting as a surrogate in performing a registration activity for enabling a receiver to receive a broadcast and/or an electronic commerce transaction. A reception unit receives a reception-limiting identification number of the receiver for receiving a specific broadcast, a broadcaster identification number of at least one broadcaster of a plurality of broadcasters, and registrant information concerning registration of a user allocated to the reception-limiting identification number. A generation unit generates a joint management identification number corresponding to the received reception-limiting identification number. A recording unit records the reception-limiting identification number, the joint management identification number, and the registrant information in a registrant information table in correspondence with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Publication number: 20080262938
    Abstract: A joint subscriber management system includes a joint subscriber management unit for acting as a surrogate in performing a registration activity for enabling a receiver to receive a broadcast and/or an electronic commerce transaction. A reception unit receives a reception-limiting identification number of the receiver for receiving a specific broadcast, a broadcaster identification number of at least one broadcaster of a plurality of broadcasters, and registrant information concerning registration of a user allocated to the reception-limiting identification number. A generation unit generates a joint management identification number corresponding to the received reception-limiting identification number. A recording unit records the reception-limiting identification number, the joint management identification number, and the registrant information in a registrant information table in correspondence with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 7373331
    Abstract: A joint subscriber management system includes a joint subscriber management unit for acting as a surrogate in performing a registration activity for enabling a receiver to receive a broadcast and/or an electronic commerce transaction. A reception unit receives a reception-limiting identification number of the receiver for receiving a specific broadcast, a broadcaster identification number of at least one broadcaster of a plurality of broadcasters, and registrant information concerning registration of a user allocated to the reception-limiting identification number. A generation unit generates a joint management identification number corresponding to the received reception-limiting identification number. A recording unit records the reception-limiting identification number, the joint management identification number, and the registrant information in a registrant information table in correspondence with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Publication number: 20020188844
    Abstract: A joint subscriber management system includes a joint subscriber management unit for acting as a surrogate in performing a registration activity for enabling a receiver to receive a broadcast and/or an electronic commerce transaction. A reception unit receives a reception-limiting identification number of the receiver for receiving a specific broadcast, a broadcaster identification number of at least one broadcaster of a plurality of broadcasters, and registrant information concerning registration of a user allocated to the reception-limiting identification number. A generation unit generates a joint management identification number corresponding to the received reception-limiting identification number. A recording unit records the reception-limiting identification number, the joint management identification number, and the registrant information in a registrant information table in correspondence with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Publication number: 20020066097
    Abstract: When advertising information is included in a received broadcasting wave, viewer attributes which have previously been registered in an IC card is collated with a target ID added to the advertising information, and the advertising information (icon) in which both of them coincide is selected and displayed (S3, S4). When there is a requesting operation of detailed information, the detailed information is obtained by link information. The detailed information can be obtained from the broadcasting wave (S11, S12) or can be obtained from a homepage via the internet (S17, S18). The detailed information is displayed in place of the picture plane of a program. When a viewer requires to finish the display, the display of the detailed information is finished (S14, S20). When the detailed information is displayed, the presence of the request for the detailed information is recorded as a history.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Hattori, Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Teruyuki Shitara, Kei Amano, Masanori Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 5896555
    Abstract: A multiplex broadcasting system and a multiplex broadcast signal receiver for receiving multiplex broadcast signals. composes second broadcast information of multi-frequency signals each of a combination of one tone in a first frequency group of audio bands unrelated with each other in articulation and one tone in a second frequency group of audio bands unrelated with each other in articulation, and multiplexes the second broadcast information and main broadcast audio signals. The multiplex broadcast signal receiver includes a decoder for continuously monitoring the audio signal included in the received multiplex broadcast signal, detecting multi-frequency signals to identify the combination of the multi-frequency signals, a receiver for receiving the output of the decoder as second broadcast information, and a memory for storing the second broadcast information. The stored second broadcast information is used automatically for accessing a two-way program involving the viewers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 5808702
    Abstract: There is provided a television system wherein a plurality of VTRs are connected to a television set so that they are capable of the recording, display and the like of a channel which is not incorporated in a given VTR using one of tuners in the other VTRs and a or the television set. A table listing the tuners and channels incorporated in the television set and VTRs connected thereto is created, and the switching, recording and display of a channel of the television set is performed based on the table. By mapping channels which can be actually used, the usable channels can be quickly selected and picked up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Junya Saito, Kazuhiro Akaike
  • Patent number: 5794118
    Abstract: A two-way broadcasting system and method by which the amount of accesses from the reception side can be controlled with certainty by the broadcasting side and a receiving apparatus for use with the method wherein, information of a reply to a question from a broadcasting side is transmitted from a reception side to the broadcasting side by way of a telephone line. Each receiving apparatus on the reception side has individual identification information, and the broadcasting side broadcasts information regarding a reply destination and telephone call origination limiting information for limiting transmission of the information of a reply in a multiplexed condition with a broadcasting signal from the broadcasting side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 5777605
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for inputting coordinate information in which a relative coordinate mode and an absolute coordinate mode is automatically switched depending on a contact area. If a tablet is operated with a finger or a pen, a detection circuit detects the contact area. If the contact area is greater than a predefined threshold value, a signal corresponding to the relative coordinates of the point P at which the finger or the pen is contact with the tablet is output. If the contact area is equal to or smaller than the predefined threshold value, a signal corresponding to the absolute coordinates of the point P is output. The above output signal is supplied to a transmission module. The transmission module performs frequency modulation on the received signal and transmits the resultant signal via a transmission antenna. There are also provided buttons used for clicking operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Masahiro Nakano, Kazuhiro Akaike
  • Patent number: 5761372
    Abstract: A TV system includes at least one VTR and a TV set. The VTR is operated on the basis of a predetermined control signal fed from one TV set connected thereto. The TV set includes: a timer for counting a time; an S-RAM for storing information of a time basis operation of each VTR connected to the TV set; a CPU for generating the predetermined control signal on the basis of the time information from the timer and the information of the time basis operation; and cables for feeding the predetermined control signal to each designated VTR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Junya Saito, Kazuhiro Akaike
  • Patent number: 5734444
    Abstract: A broadcast receiving apparatus having a control signal generator for generating a channel selection control signal in response to a channel selection performed by a user. The broadcast receiving apparatus further includes a channel selector for selecting a desired program channel from broadcast waves in response to the channel selection control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 5721584
    Abstract: A two-way broadcasting system and a receiving system which can be realized at a low cost and is not required to newly connect the connecting cables and extended wiring layout. A multiplexed broadcast signal is transmitted from the broadcasting side under the condition that the two-way broadcast program information can be separated from the principal audio signal of the broadcast program and the two-way broadcast program information can be reproduced as the audible sound in the receiving side. In the receiving side, such broadcast signal is received and the reproduced voice signal including the two-way broadcast program information is reproduced from a loud speaker system. The two-way broadcast program information is extracted from the collected voice signal and is then decoded in a decoding means. Using this decoded information, the response information to the two-way broadcast program can be transmitted to the predetermined response sending destination through the communication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Yoshitsugu Hattori
  • Patent number: 5719619
    Abstract: A bidirectional broadcasting method and system allows, even when an existing telephone voting service is used to respond to a bidirectional broadcast, broadcasting wherein a plurality of questions are related to each other. A broadcasting station broadcasts questions, answer choices for a response to each question and responding destination telephone numbers for the individual answer choices, and successively broadcasts evaluation information for allowing receiver apparatus to perform evaluation of histories of responses to the questions and determine whether or not the responding persons of the individual receiver apparatus are response allowed persons. Each receiver apparatus stores the history of responses to the questions into a memory and, based on the evaluation data from the broadcasting station, evaluates the history of responses to the questions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Hattori, Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Kunio Nagai
  • Patent number: 5699104
    Abstract: A broadcasting channel lock system including a broadcasting device for transmitting a broadcasting signal via one or more of a plurality of channels, and a receiving device for receiving the broadcasting signal. The receiving device is provided with a locking device for limiting reception of video and/or audio via a specific one or more of the channels. A screen saver is incorporated as a part of the locking device for limiting the video reception so as to allow the user to partially view the video in the specific channel, thereby stimulating the interest of the user to the contents in the specific channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 5686954
    Abstract: A plurality of classification items each including a plurality of detailed items for recognizing broadcasting programs per se and program elements included in each of the broadcasting programs are provided wherein the contents of each of the broadcasting programs are represented by the classification items and the detailed items that are respectively represented by the identification data are used to form scheduled program information. The scheduled program information is broadcast together with the corresponding table data for the identification data and the data for character display of the classification items and the detailed items corresponding to the identification data. Program schedules for various kinds of broadcasting programs can be broadcast with a reduced amount of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshinobu, Tsukasa Yoshimura, Yoshitsugu Hattori
  • Patent number: 5684526
    Abstract: A system and method for two-way broadcast programs includes a response information transmitting apparatus, two-way broadcast receiving apparatus, and a response information receiving apparatus. The system also preferably includes a remote control transmitter for responding to requests made during the two-way broadcast programs. The difference between the time at which the response is made to a two-way broadcast program and the time at which information about the response is transmitted is added to the response information, thereby allowing the receiving side of the response information to correctly recognize the response time based on the time difference. Since the information associated with the responding operation includes the above-mentioned time difference, the responding side need not have precise time information, unlike the case in which information about the absolute response time is added. Therefore, the responding side need not manage time constantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu
  • Patent number: 5682599
    Abstract: A two-way broadcasting system and method by which the amount of accesses from the reception side can be controlled with certainty by the broadcasting side and a receiving apparatus for use with the method wherein, information of a reply to a question from a broadcasting side is transmitted from a reception side to the broadcasting side by way of a telephone line. Each receiving apparatus on the reception side has individual identification information, and the broadcasting side broadcasts information regarding a reply destination and telephone call origination limiting information for limiting transmission of the information of a reply in a multiplexed condition with a broadcasting signal from the broadcasting side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yoshinobu