Patents by Inventor KAZUO HONGO

KAZUO HONGO 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: 11926036
    Abstract: Execution restrictions on tasks based on a state of a multifunction robot or the like are satisfied, and furthermore, the execution efficiency of the entirety of an operation is also enhanced. An information processing device includes a determination unit that determines an execution order of a plurality of tasks including an operation for a target object, based on a transition of a state of an operation tool used in each of the tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Sato, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 11897360
    Abstract: An information processing device, an information processing method, and a program are proposed that make it possible to allow an autonomous moving body to make battery replacement more easily. The information processing device includes a controller. The controller couples, in a first region, a connection terminal to the autonomous moving body. The first region is provided for ejection of a first battery included in the autonomous moving body. The connection terminal is provided for power supply and included in a power supply apparatus disposed in the first region. The controller moves the autonomous moving body with the connection terminal coupled, from the first region to a second region in which a charged second battery is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Aneesh Chand, Wataru Kokubo, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 11850751
    Abstract: Provided is a control device capable of controlling the operation of a control target according to a detected external force. A control device (200) includes a control unit (210-1) that compares a first external force detected by a force sensor provided in a control target and a second external force estimated on the basis of a torque detected by a torque sensor provided in an a movable portion of the control target, the movable portion enabling the force sensor to be movable, and controls the operation of the control target by correcting a torque command value on the basis of a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Matsuda, Kenichiro Nagasaka, Hiromasa Masuda, Kazuo Hongo
  • Publication number: 20230218365
    Abstract: Provided is a medical arm device that avoids interference with a surgeon. A medical arm device includes a first arm part including a tip part that supports a medical instrument such as an endoscope, and a second arm part that supports the first arm part, and includes at least two horizontal rotation axes and an inter-axis distance changing unit that changes a distance between the two horizontal rotation axes. The tip part includes a structure in which joint members corresponding to rotation axes of three degrees of freedom that determine an attitude of the medical instrument are directly connected, and a rotation axis around a longitudinal axis of the medical instrument, a yaw axis in a case where the rotation axis around the longitudinal axis is a roll axis, and a pitch axis are disposed in order from a most tip part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Jun ARAI, Kei TOMATSU, Kazuo HONGO
  • Publication number: 20230210630
    Abstract: A medical arm device to support a medical instrument has a tip part with a structure in which three rotation axes are disposed in order of a rotation axis around a longitudinal axis of the medical instrument, a yaw axis that rotates the medical instrument left and right with respect to a tip of a link, and a pitch axis that rotates the medical instrument up and down with respect to the tip of the link, and a first wire for rotation transmission of the yaw axis, a second wire for rotation transmission of the roll axis, a first rerouting pulley that reroutes the first wire between the pitch axis and the yaw axis, a second rerouting pulley that reroutes the second wire between the pitch axis and the yaw axis, and a third rerouting pulley that reroutes the second wire between the yaw axis and the roll axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo HONGO, Jun ARAI
  • Publication number: 20230211494
    Abstract: To prevent scattering of scattered objects such as of water, sand, mud, or snow accompanied by movement. Scattering prevention constraint information is acquired based on road surface information. Movement is controlled based on the scattering prevention constraint information. For example, vibration information is detected by a vibration sensor or the like, and road surface information (information such as a road surface depth and a road surface type) is acquired based on the vibration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: ATSUSHI SUZUKI, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, JUN ARAI, WILLIAM CONUS, YOSHIKAZU FURUYAMA, KAZUO HONGO
  • Publication number: 20230202051
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a transport device, a transport method, a program, and an information processing device that can prevent damage to the content of luggage during transportation. The transport device includes a luggage characteristic estimation unit that estimates luggage characteristics including at least one of fragility of a content of luggage and packaging quality of the luggage based on at least one of change in center of gravity due to movement of the luggage, vibration characteristics of the luggage, and characteristics of the sound generated from the luggage due to the movement of the luggage. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a robot that transports luggage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: WILLIAM ALEXANDRE CONUS, KAZUO HONGO, YOSHIKAZU FURUYAMA, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, JUN ARAI, ATSUSHI SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11601328
    Abstract: Provided is a communication path control device that transmits path information for controlling a path for transmitting data to a plurality of communication devices which are connected by a wired path and through which data addressed to the plurality of communication devices is sequentially forwarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsuda, Takashi Kito, Kazuo Hongo, Ryota Kimura
  • Patent number: 11577390
    Abstract: A center of gravity of a robot device is estimated without utilization of a force sensor or the like. An information processing device including a center-of-gravity estimation unit that calculates, on the basis of torque applied to one or more joints included in each of a plurality of leg portions, reaction force applied from a ground contact surface to each of the plurality of leg portions, and that estimates a center of gravity of a robot device including the plurality of leg portions on the basis of the calculated reaction force on the plurality of leg portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Kinoshita, Kazuo Hongo, Hiroki Saijo
  • Publication number: 20230004074
    Abstract: A parallel link apparatus includes: a base section; three or more deployment sections that extend radially from the base section and that are pivotable with end parts coupled to the base section being pivot axes; arm sections that are coupled to end parts, of the respective deployment sections, that are on opposite sides of the end parts coupled to the base section, and are pivotable with respect to the deployment sections and expandable and contractible in one direction independently of each other; and a movable section coupled to each of second ends, of the arm sections, that are on opposite sides of first ends, of the arm sections, coupled to the deployment sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventor: KAZUO HONGO
  • Publication number: 20220364941
    Abstract: A sensor device includes: a light-emitting section that outputs light to a first mirror or a second mirror, the second mirror facing the first mirror and being configured to change an orientation with respect to the first mirror; and a light-receiving section that receives reflection light, reflected from the first mirror and the second mirror, of the light outputted from the light-emitting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventor: KAZUO HONGO
  • Publication number: 20220331960
    Abstract: A robot control device (10) includes an attribute determination unit (71) that determines an attribute of an object person (T) around a robot (1); and a decision unit (74) that decides a notification action of notifying, by the robot (1), the object person (T) of presence of the robot (1), on the basis of the attribute determined by the attribute determination unit (71) and a risk of harm that may be caused to the object person (T) by the robot (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: RYUICHI SUZUKI, HIROTAKA SUZUKI, SEUNGHA YANG, KAZUO HONGO, YUDAI YUGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220330965
    Abstract: A surgical tool having an open-close end effector is to be provided. The surgical tool includes: a shaft; a wrist that is connected to the shaft rotatably about a first axis; a first jaw member and a second jaw member, each of which is supported rotatably about a second axis; and an elastic member that applies a repulsive force between the first jaw member and the second jaw member. The surgical tool further includes: a first jaw capstan provided for the first jaw member; a first cable that pulls the first jaw member; a second jaw capstan provided for the second jaw member; and a second cable that pulls the second jaw member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: KAZUHITO WAKANA, KAZUO HONGO
  • Patent number: 11472043
    Abstract: [Problem] Provided is a link mechanism capable of moving a tip end part substantially straight by using a simpler structure. [Solution] A link mechanism including a first parallel link mechanism having a fixed link and an intermediate link parallel to each other, and a pair of side links parallel to each other, a second parallel link mechanism having a fixed link and an intermediate link parallel to each other, and a pair of side links parallel to each other, in which the fixed link is connected to the intermediate link of the first parallel link mechanism, a fixed structure that is formed including the intermediate link of the first parallel link mechanism and the fixed link of the second parallel link mechanism, and a coupling link that couples one of the side links of the first parallel link mechanism and one of the side links of the second parallel link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Hongo, Hiromasa Masuda
  • Patent number: 11420335
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus to estimate a position of a distal end of a movable unit with a reduced processing load, the information processing including a position computer that computes, on the basis of first positional information obtained from reading of a projected marker by a first visual sensor and second positional information including positional information obtained from reading of the marker by a second visual sensor that moves relative to the first visual sensor, a position of a movable unit in which the second visual sensor is disposed. This makes it possible to estimate the position of the distal end of the movable unit with a reduced processing load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Terasawa, Masaya Kinoshita, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 11345024
    Abstract: Provided is a drive device that can remove the influence of static friction by driving two drive axes with three drive units. A drive device includes: a first drive unit; a second drive unit; a third drive unit; a first differential unit connected to the first drive unit and the second drive unit; a second differential unit connected to the second drive unit and the third drive unit; and a control unit that controls the first to third drive units. The control unit controls the second drive unit at a constant speed, and controls a speed of each of the first drive unit and the third drive unit relative to that of the second drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke Yajima, Kazuo Hongo, Masaya Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20220088794
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a determining section that determines freshness of a target object on the basis of odor data of the target object sensed by an odor sensor, and an operation control section that performs control such that operation predefined for the target object is executed on the basis of the freshness is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: TOSHIMITSU KAI, KAZUO HONGO
  • Publication number: 20220048196
    Abstract: Execution restrictions on tasks based on a state of a multifunction robot or the like are satisfied, and furthermore, the execution efficiency of the entirety of an operation is also enhanced. An information processing device includes a determination unit (35) configured to determine an execution order of a plurality of tasks including an operation for a target object, based on a transition of a state of an operation tool used in each of the tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: YOSHIAKI SATO, KAZUO HONGO
  • Publication number: 20220040858
    Abstract: A control device (120) according to the present application includes a limitation portion that is provided in a joint portion, which joins two or more links, of a robot and that physically limits motion of the links, and a control unit (122f) that limits movable ranges of the links by controlling the limitation portion corresponding to a predetermined joint portion on the basis of a task executed by the robot. With this configuration, it becomes possible to secure safety of when the robot executes a task.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: YOSHINAO SODEYAMA, KAZUO HONGO, KAZUHITO WAKANA, YOSHIKAZU FURIYAMA
  • Patent number: 11230018
    Abstract: There is provided a parallel link device including a base, a plurality of arms each having at least four degrees of freedom and each including a first arm link, a second arm link, and a rotating joint, and a support which is coupled to an end of the second arm link of each of the plurality of the arms, and a position and a posture of which changes along with changes of posture of the plurality of the arms, where an axis of rotation (O7) of the rotating joint, which is coupled to the support and the second arm link, intersects or is adjacent to a rotational central point (Q) of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Hongo