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: 12134431
    Abstract: Provided is a robot leg structure that includes a link extending downward from a leg joint, a ground contact portion that comes in contact with a ground, a leaf spring that couples the link and the ground contact portion to each other, and a damping member adjacent to the leaf spring and couples the link and the ground contact portion to each other. With this configuration, the damping member damps the vibration attributed to the leaf spring, making it possible to reliably stabilize the motion of the legs of a robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Kazuo Hongo, Atsushi Sakamoto, Yoshikazu Furuyama
  • Patent number: 12128560
    Abstract: It is possible to transfer an object smoothly. An information processing device includes a control unit (12, 11) that controls a manipulator so that a moving speed of an object gripped by the manipulator maintains continuity when the object is transferred to a transfer target person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinao Sodeyama, Tetsuya Narita, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Kazuo Hongo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 12109684
    Abstract: A controller according to the present disclosure includes a whole-slip detecting unit (210) that detects, based on pressure information sent from a plurality of regions having different slipping characteristics when an object in contact with the plurality of regions is slipping, a state of a whole slip in which the object is slipping on each of the plurality of regions. An occurrence timing of the whole slip is different for each of the plurality of regions, and thus a state of a partial slip in which a part of the object is slipping is able to be detected, so that it is possible to detect a slip of the object with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoko Nagakari, Tetsuya Narita, Kazuhito Wakana, Kazuo Hongo, Wataru Kokubo, Yoshinao Sodeyama
  • Patent number: 12103163
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kai, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 12083688
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for arranging objects in such a manner as to permit the user to handle the objects more easily. The information includes a robotic arm device configured to arrange one or more objects, and circuitry configured to determine one or more characteristics of a user, determine an arrangement position of each object of the one or more objects to be arranged based on the one or more determined characteristics of the user, and initiate control of the robotic arm device to arrange each object according to the determined arrangement position of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Hongo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Shunsuke Yajima
  • Patent number: 12053254
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus that includes a motion request verifying unit controlling execution of a motion request for a device, on the basis of the motion request based on device side information including device state information indicating a state of the device at a first point in time and target state information indicating a state of an operated target, and device side information updated during time after the first point in time and before a second point in time at which the motion request is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Miyamoto, Naoki Kusashima, Ryota Kimura, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 12038750
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a control device, a control method, and a program that enable the action of a movable body to be planned in accordance with the value of a peripheral object. The control device according to an embodiment of the present technology estimates a value of an object at the periphery of a movable body on the basis of sensor data detected by the movable body, and plans an action of the movable body on the basis of the value of the object estimated. The present technology is applicable to robots capable of acting autonomously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Mihara, Andrew Shin, Tetsuya Narita, Kazuo Hongo, Masanobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 12030186
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinao Sodeyama, Kazuo Hongo, Kazuhito Wakana, Yoshikazu Furiyama
  • Publication number: 20240183728
    Abstract: There is provided a sensor device to detect a force sense with a smaller and simpler mechanism. The sensor device includes: a force acting portion exposed from an opening provided on an exterior portion and attached to an inside of the exterior portion via a flexible body; a reflection space of which at least two surfaces are surrounded by a first mirror provided on an inner bottom surface of the exterior portion and a second mirror provided on a surface of the force acting portion or flexible body, the surface facing the first mirror; and a light source unit configured to emit light to the reflection space; and an imaging unit provided on the inner bottom surface of the exterior portion and configured to capture an image including a force sense detection region in which reflection light of the light emitted from the light source unit is seen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo HONGO
  • Patent number: 11981026
    Abstract: A slip detecting device according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of contact parts having different slipping characteristics when an object (600) in contact with the plurality of regions is slipping; and a sensor that detects a pressure distribution of each of the plurality of contact parts. By employing the plurality of contact parts having different slipping characteristics when the object (600) in contact with the plurality of regions, a timing at which a whole slip occurs is different between the plurality of contact parts, and thus a state of a partial slip in which a part of the object (600) is slipping is able to be detected, so that it is possible to detect a slip of the object (600) with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoko Nagakari, Tetsuya Narita, Kazuhito Wakana, Kazuo Hongo, Wataru Kokubo, Yoshinao Sodeyama
  • 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: 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: 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: 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