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).

  • Publication number: 20220017165
    Abstract: A robot leg structure includes: a link 500 extending downward from a leg joint; a ground contact portion 600 that comes in contact with a ground, a leaf spring 300 that couples the link 500 and the ground contact portion 600 to each other; and a damping member 400 arranged to be adjacent to the leaf spring 300 and configured to couple the link 500 and the ground contact portion 600 to each other. With this configuration, the damping member 400 damps the vibration attributed to the leaf spring 300, making it possible to reliably stabilize the motion of the legs of a robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, KAZUO HONGO, ATSUSHI SAKAMOTO, YOSHIKAZU FURUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20210401224
    Abstract: An information processing device 10 includes a determination unit 13 that determines a force to be applied to a food material during cooking by a pressing portion on the basis of food material information regarding elasticity of the food material before cooking, and an estimation unit 14 that estimates progress of cooking of the food material on the basis of information regarding deformation of the food material when the pressing portion has applied the force to the food material during the cooking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: TAKUYA KOMAMI, KAZUO HONGO, MASAYA KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20210394365
    Abstract: [Object] 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: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo HONGO, Toshimitsu TSUBOI, Shunsuke YAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20210394362
    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: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinao SODEYAMA, Tetsuya NARITA, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Kazuo HONGO, Toshimitsu TSUBOI
  • Publication number: 20210393350
    Abstract: Provided is a parallel link device that has an RCM structure and can drive translation and rotation independently. The parallel link device includes: an actuation unit that has a base portion, an end portion, and a plurality of link portions configured to couple the base portion and the end portion and drives the link portion using a first actuator mounted on the base portion to actuate the end portion with respect to the base portion; and a transmission unit that transmits drive of a second actuator mounted on the base portion to a mechanism portion mounted on the end portion along each of at least two of the plurality of link portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: KAZUO HONGO, KIYOKAZU MIYAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20210347384
    Abstract: A moving body (1) includes: a main body (2) having an opening (17); and a control unit that performs control so that the main body (2) moves in a moving space in a state where at least a part of an object existing in the moving space is inserted to the opening (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: KAZUO HONGO, YOSHINAO SODEYAMA, HIROKI SAIJO
  • Publication number: 20210339401
    Abstract: Not to give a noise to a subject to which it is not desired to give the noise. According to the present disclosure, a mobile unit control device including a noise estimation unit (434) that estimates, based on a position of a sound source and a sound volume generated by the sound source, a noise in a target region in which the noise is suppressed, and a control unit (436) that controls, based on the estimated noise, an operation of a mobile unit to reduce the noise in the target region is provided. With this configuration, it is possible not to give a noise to a subject to which it is not desired to give the noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo HONGO, Ryoichi TSUZAKI, William Alexandre CONUS
  • Publication number: 20210323148
    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: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Kenichiro NAGASAKA, Hiromasa MASUDA, Kazuo HONGO
  • Publication number: 20210298853
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus (50) includes a motion request verifying unit (57) 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: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: ATSUSHI MIYAMOTO, NAOKI KUSASHIMA, RYOTA KIMURA, KAZUO HONGO
  • Patent number: 11125307
    Abstract: Provided is a support apparatus including a drive motor, a link mechanism that, by transmitting motive power output from the drive motor, is extendable and contractable in response to the motive power, and a pair of rotating bodies that act as a variable speed mechanism that outputs the motive power to the link mechanism by a reduction ratio according to an attitude of the link mechanism. At least part of the link mechanism forms a trapezoidal link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Kawanami, Kenichiro Nagasaka, Kazuo Hongo
  • Publication number: 20210273847
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a communication path control device (300) that transmits path information for controlling a path for transmitting data to a plurality of communication devices (200, 210, 220, 230) which are connected by a wired path and through which data addressed to the plurality of communication devices is sequentially forwarded. This configuration enables communication to be performed through an optimal path when a problem has occurred in a communication path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: HIROKI MATSUDA, TAKASHI KITO, KAZUO HONGO, RYOTA KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20210268646
    Abstract: A robot includes a replacement determination unit (73) determining timing to replace a cover attachable to and detachable from part of a surface of a robot main member in accordance with a determination standard corresponding to usage of the robot, and a cover replacement unit (77, 78) controlling processing of replacing the cover with the robot main member on the basis of a result of the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: KAZUHITO WAKANA, KIYOKAZU MIYAZAWA, KAZUO HONGO, TETSUYA NARITA
  • Publication number: 20210268645
    Abstract: A control apparatus including: a control unit (110) configured to compare a weight related to a current operating environment calculated based on detected information that is detected at a current position of a control object with a predetermined threshold that is set to determination criteria of a known operating environment and, based on a comparison result, determine an operation of the control object in the current operating environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: KIYOKAZU MIYAZAWA, KAZUO HONGO, MASAYA KINOSHITA, YOHEI FUKUMA, YASUFUMI HAYASHIDA
  • Publication number: 20210260776
    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: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoko NAGAKARI, Tetsuya NARITA, Kazuhito WAKANA, Kazuo HONGO, Wataru KOKUBO, Yoshinao SODEYAMA
  • Publication number: 20210245647
    Abstract: A robot (1) includes: a main body (10) including a hollow portion (110) that is a hollow space penetrating the main body (10) in an up-down direction, the main body (10) being configured to lift and support a support object (30) inserted in the hollow portion (110) by moving in the up-down direction; and a movable member (200) configured to move the main body (10) at least in the up-down direction by operating a leg (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: TAKASHI KITO, YUKI ITOTANI, KOJI NAKANISHI, TAKARA KASAI, KAZUO HONGO, YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, ATSUSHI SAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210247763
    Abstract: [Problem] It becomes possible to switch the operation controlling entity while maintaining continuity in the tasks. [Solution] A control device includes a driving control unit that drives a robot device based on one of a first-type driving instruction and a second-type driving instruction, at least one of which is sent from a distant location from the robot device; and a transition control unit that switches a driving instruction for driving the robot device from the first-type driving instruction to the second-type driving instruction. The transition control unit switches the driving instruction from the first-type driving instruction to the second-type driving instruction via a transition driving instruction generated based on the first-type driving instruction and the second-type driving instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: TAKARA KASAI, TAKASHI KITO, KAZUO HONGO, RYOTA KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20210232949
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing device to derive a reliable answer from answers to the question received from a plurality of robot devices. The information processing device includes a weight management unit that determines, with respect to an answer to a question obtained from each of a plurality of respondent robots that have received the question and meta information of the answer, weighting of the answer based on the meta information of the answer, and a final answer determination unit that derives, based on the weighting of the answer, a final answer to the question from the respective answers from the plurality of respondent robots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo HONGO, Takara KASAI, Ryota KIMURA, Hiroki MATSUDA
  • Publication number: 20210213609
    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: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: MASAYA KINOSHITA, KAZUO HONGO, HIROKI SAIJO
  • Patent number: 11058502
    Abstract: A support arm device includes a first drive part that is fixed to a base part and cause a first drive shaft to perform shaft rotation, a second drive part that is fixed to the base part and cause a second drive shaft to perform shaft rotation, and an arm part including at least one parallel link and that supports a predetermined tool. The arm part is caused to change an attitude to cause the predetermined tool to perform a predetermined rotational motion by the first drive part and the second drive part being driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Hongo, Kenichiro Nagasaka
  • Publication number: 20210190264
    Abstract: A parallel wire device capable of translating a target object and rotating the target object in a wide movable range is provided. The parallel wire device includes a movement unit, a rotational movement unit attached to the movement unit so as to be rotatable about at least one axis, a first parallel wire configured to translationally drive the movement unit, and a second parallel wire configured to rotationally drive the rotational movement unit. The rotational movement unit includes a parallel link, and the second parallel wire includes parallel wires configured to drive respective links constituting the parallel link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo HONGO, William Alexandre CONUS