Patents by Inventor Katsunari Sato
Katsunari Sato 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).
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Publication number: 20240042163Abstract: A hot-cold tactile presentation device includes a plurality of thermoelectric elements which are arranged in a matrix by placing the thermoelectric elements side by side along x and y directions respectively, a plurality of row_heat lines each extending in the x direction, and a plurality of column lines each extending in the y direction. The plurality of row_heat lines are each connected to one end of each of the plurality of thermoelectric elements that align in the x direction, and the plurality of column lines are each connected to the other end of each of the plurality of thermoelectric elements that align in the y direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2021Publication date: February 8, 2024Applicant: Osaka Heat Cool Inc.Inventors: Kenzo IBANO, Tohru SUGAHARA, Yuichi ITOH, Katsunari SATO, Shintaro IZUMI
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Patent number: 11281296Abstract: The purpose is to provide a tactile information conversion device, a tactile information conversion method, and a tactile information conversion program, which are usable for general purposes by presenting or sensing an arbitrary tactile feeling. In order to provide tactile information to an output unit capable of outputting physical quantities including electricity, force, temperature, vibration, and/or time and space, at least two or more of the physical quantities are selected according to a tactile feeling to be presented, tactile information for presenting the predetermined tactile feeling is generated based on the physical quantities that have been selected, and the tactile information that has been generated is output to the output unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Japan Science and Technology AgencyInventors: Susumu Tachi, Masashi Nakatani, Katsunari Sato, Kouta Minamizawa, Hiroyuki Kajimoto
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Patent number: 11234639Abstract: A controller controls a temperature sensation provider that provides temperature sensations to an object contacting a contact surface of the temperature sensation provider. The controller includes a database including control information that associates values of a temperature of the contact surface with values of a controlled variable of the temperature sensation provider for each of the temperature sensations, and a temperature controller that controls the temperature sensation provider based on a measured temperature of the contact surface, a temperature sensation to be provided, and the control information.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Kunio Sato, Toshihiko Saito, Hajime Shikata, Katsunari Sato
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Patent number: 10884440Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a thermal sensation providing device that provides a thermal sensation to an object coming in contact with a virtual material includes a database configured to store first information indicative of a relationship between a type of virtual material and a speed of a temperature change during a first period that starts at a commencement of providing the thermal sensation and that ends at a lapse of a first time length from the commencement, and a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the first period based on the first information.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Kunio Sato, Toshihiko Saito, Hajime Shikata, Katsunari Sato
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Publication number: 20200356176Abstract: The purpose is to provide a tactile information conversion device, a tactile information conversion method, and a tactile information conversion program, which are usable for general purposes by presenting or sensing an arbitrary tactile feeling. In order to provide tactile information to an output unit capable of outputting physical quantities including electricity, force, temperature, vibration, and/or time and space, at least two or more of the physical quantities are selected according to a tactile feeling to be presented, tactile information for presenting the predetermined tactile feeling is generated based on the physical quantities that have been selected, and the tactile information that has been generated is output to the output unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: Susumu TACHI, Masashi NAKATANI, Katsunari SATO, Kouta MINAMIZAWA, Hiroyuki KAJIMOTO
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Patent number: 10748392Abstract: A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes a contact region to be touched by an operating body, a thermal sensation providing element that is disposed in the contact region and provides at least cold sensation information, and a warm sensation providing element that is disposed in the contact region and provides warm sensation information. The warm sensation providing element is disposed at least in regions that sandwich the thermal sensation providing element.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Kunio Sato, Daisuke Takai, Yuzuru Kawana, Katsunari Sato
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Patent number: 10739858Abstract: The purpose is to provide a tactile information conversion device, a tactile information conversion method, and a tactile information conversion program, which are usable for general purposes by presenting or sensing an arbitrary tactile feeling. In order to provide tactile information to an output unit capable of outputting physical quantities including electricity, force, temperature, vibration, and/or time and space, at least two or more of the physical quantities are selected according to a tactile feeling to be presented, tactile information for presenting the predetermined tactile feeling is generated based on the physical quantities that have been selected, and the tactile information that has been generated is output to the output unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCYInventors: Susumu Tachi, Masashi Nakatani, Katsunari Sato, Kouta Minamizawa, Hiroyuki Kajimoto
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Patent number: 10732717Abstract: A tactile sensation presenting device includes a vibrating element configured to present vibration information, a heater configured to present heat information, and a first heat insulating member disposed between the vibrating element and the heater. The heater is provided above the vibrating element and is provided at a contacting region which can be touched by an operating body.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Kunio Sato, Daisuke Takai, Yuzuru Kawana, Katsunari Sato
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Patent number: 10621837Abstract: The purpose is to provide a device, method and program for tactile information conversion, and an element arrangement structure for presenting a plurality of types of stimuli that are capable of presenting a plurality of types of stimuli at one point in a concentrated manner from different points. One of the features is to determine a first stimulation point at which a first type of tactile stimulus is generated or generate the first type of tactile stimulus at the first stimulation point via the output unit and output tactile information for generating a second type of tactile stimulus via the output unit to the output unit at a second stimulation point separated within a temporally and/or spatially predetermined threshold value from the first stimulation point of the first type of tactile stimulus that has been determined or generated by a first stimulation unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCYInventors: Susumu Tachi, Masashi Nakatani, Katsunari Sato, Kouta Minamizawa, Hiroyuki Kajimoto
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Publication number: 20190336064Abstract: A controller controls a temperature sensation provider that provides temperature sensations to an object contacting a contact surface of the temperature sensation provider. The controller includes a database including control information that associates values of a temperature of the contact surface with values of a controlled variable of the temperature sensation provider for each of the temperature sensations, and a temperature controller that controls the temperature sensation provider based on a measured temperature of the contact surface, a temperature sensation to be provided, and the control information.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Inventors: Kunio SATO, Toshihiko SAITO, Hajime SHIKATA, Katsunari SATO
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Publication number: 20190317535Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a thermal sensation providing device that provides a thermal sensation to an object coming in contact with a virtual material includes a database configured to store first information indicative of a relationship between a type of virtual material and a speed of a temperature change during a first period that starts at a commencement of providing the thermal sensation and that ends at a lapse of a first time length from the commencement, and a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature provided by the thermal sensation providing device during the first period based on the first information.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2019Publication date: October 17, 2019Inventors: Kunio SATO, Toshihiko SAITO, Hajime SHIKATA, Katsunari SATO
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Publication number: 20190278374Abstract: A tactile sensation presenting device includes a vibrating element configured to present vibration information, a heater configured to present heat information, and a first heat insulating member disposed between the vibrating element and the heater. The heater is provided above the vibrating element and is provided at a contacting region which can be touched by an operating body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Kunio SATO, Daisuke TAKAI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Katsunari SATO
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Publication number: 20190279473Abstract: A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes a contact region to be touched by an operating body, a thermal sensation providing element that is disposed in the contact region and provides at least cold sensation information, and a warm sensation providing element that is disposed in the contact region and provides warm sensation information. The warm sensation providing element is disposed at least in regions that sandwich the thermal sensation providing element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Kunio SATO, Daisuke TAKAI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Katsunari SATO
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Publication number: 20190265829Abstract: A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes at least one thermal sensation providing element configured to provide a thermal sensation, a vibrating element configured to provide a vibration sensation by causing the at least one thermal sensation providing element to vibrate, a tactile sensation providing region that includes the at least one thermal sensation providing element and in which the thermal sensation is provided to a body part together with the vibration sensation, and a first temperature detector disposed in the tactile sensation providing region and configured to detect a temperature of the body part.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Kunio SATO, Daisuke TAKAI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Katsunari SATO
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Publication number: 20190064927Abstract: The purpose is to provide a tactile information conversion device, a tactile information conversion method, and a tactile information conversion program, which are usable for general purposes by presenting or sensing an arbitrary tactile feeling. In order to provide tactile information to an output unit capable of outputting physical quantities including electricity, force, temperature, vibration, and/or time and space, at least two or more of the physical quantities are selected according to a tactile feeling to be presented, tactile information for presenting the predetermined tactile feeling is generated based on the physical quantities that have been selected, and the tactile information that has been generated is output to the output unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Susumu TACHI, Masashi NAKATANI, Katsunari SATO, Kouta MINAMIZAWA, Hiroyuki KAJIMOTO
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Publication number: 20190043322Abstract: The purpose is to provide a device, method and program for tactile information conversion, and an element arrangement structure for presenting a plurality of types of stimuli that are capable of presenting a plurality of types of stimuli at one point in a concentrated manner from different points. One of the features is to determine a first stimulation point at which a first type of tactile stimulus is generated or generate the first type of tactile stimulus at the first stimulation point via the output unit and output tactile information for generating a second type of tactile stimulus via the output unit to the output unit at a second stimulation point separated within a temporally and/or spatially predetermined threshold value from the first stimulation point of the first type of tactile stimulus that has been determined or generated by a first stimulation unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Susumu TACHI, Masashi NAKATANI, Katsunari SATO, Kouta MINAMIZAWA, Hiroyuki KAJIMOTO
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Patent number: 9483923Abstract: A tactile sense presentation device is provided which is simple in structure, and is able to give a real tactile sense to a human body by causing electrical stimulation to effectively act thereon, while holding original human tactile sense. The electric tactile sense presentation device includes an electrode substrate adapted to be worn on a human body so as to be in contact with a skin, and a multitude of electrodes formed on a contact surface of the electrode substrate for contact with the skin to present a tactile sense by means of electrical stimulation, wherein the electrode substrate is composed of a flexible circuit body which is flexible to enable a portion thereof in contact with a real object to flexibly deform so as to conform to deformation of the skin, and it is configured such that electrical stimulation by the electrodes is superimposed on the tactile sense of a human being, while maintaining the human tactile sense.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2015Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: Nippon Mektron, Ltd.Inventors: Kazuyuki Ozaki, Shingo Muromoto, Taisuke Kimura, Susumu Tachi, Kouta Minamizawa, Katsunari Sato
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Publication number: 20150339899Abstract: A tactile sense presentation device is provided which is simple in structure, and is able to give a real tactile sense to a human body by causing electrical stimulation to effectively act thereon, while holding original human tactile sense. The electric tactile sense presentation device includes an electrode substrate adapted to be worn on a human body so as to be in contact with a skin, and a multitude of electrodes formed on a contact surface of the electrode substrate for contact with the skin to present a tactile sense by means of electrical stimulation, wherein the electrode substrate is composed of a flexible circuit body which is flexible to enable a portion thereof in contact with a real object to flexibly deform so as to conform to deformation of the skin, and it is configured such that electrical stimulation by the electrodes is superimposed on the tactile sense of a human being, while maintaining the human tactile sense.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Kazuyuki OZAKI, Shingo MUROMOTO, Taisuke KIMURA, Susumu TACHI, Kouta MINAMIZAWA, Katsunari SATO
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Patent number: 8411222Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device and a video display device using the same, for suppressing light unevenness at the end of a display region, the video display device is provided with a liquid crystal display device and a housing configured to support the liquid crystal display device, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a first frame and a liquid crystal support member which interpose the liquid crystal panel therebetween, a light guide plate which is disposed at the liquid crystal support member on a side opposite to a side where the liquid crystal panel is disposed, and a light source which is disposed at a side surface of the light guide plate, and wherein a cushion member is disposed between the liquid crystal support member and the light guide plate.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2009Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akitoyo Konno, Hiroshi Sasaki, Katsunari Sato
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Patent number: 8350989Abstract: Each of plural light source units is formed by combining a light source formed of plural light emitting elements mounted on a wiring substrate with a light guide plate having a side surface serving as a light incident surface. The wiring substrate is attached to the chassis such that the light output surface of the light emitting element is perpendicular to the light emitting element mount surface of the wiring substrate. The wiring patterns each with the larger width than that of the electrode are formed on both upper and back surfaces of the substrate at the portion to which the power feeding electrode of the light emitting element is soldered. They are connected via the through holes which are arranged in plural rows around the electrode.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeo Ohashi, Yoshiharu Yamashita, Katsunari Sato