Patents by Inventor Ken Hanazawa

Ken Hanazawa 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: 20240104587
    Abstract: In a familiarity degree estimation apparatus, a first video process unit calculates a time while a hand being viewed, which is a time when a customer is viewing the hand. A second video process unit calculates a time while an item being held, which is a time when the customer is holding an item. A familiarity degree estimation unit calculates a time while the item being viewed based on the time while a hand being viewed and the time while the item being held, and estimates that the longer the time while the item being viewed, the lower the degree of familiarity of the customer with respect to the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Azusa FURUKAWA, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA, Makiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240095671
    Abstract: An item management apparatus manages the number of items displayed on an item shelf. An acquisition unit acquires an ideal quantity indicating an ideal number of items to be displayed, and a current quantity indicating the number of items being actually displayed on the item shelf. A detection unit detects the number of times of taking out and placing back an item with respect to the item shelf. An ideal quantity correction unit corrects the ideal quantity based on the current quantity and the number of times of taking out and placing back the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Azusa FURUKAWA, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA, Makiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240086946
    Abstract: In a familiarity degree estimation apparatus, a first video process unit calculates a time while a hand being viewed, which is a time when a customer is viewing the hand. A second video process unit calculates a time while an item being held, which is a time when the customer is holding an item. A familiarity degree estimation unit calculates a time while the item being viewed based on the time while a hand being viewed and the time while the item being held, and estimates that the longer the time while the item being viewed, the lower the degree of familiarity of the customer with respect to the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Azusa FURUKAWA, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA, Makiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240087359
    Abstract: A customer analysis apparatus (10) includes an image acquisition unit (110) and an image processing unit (120). The image acquisition unit (110) acquires a first image generated by a first image capture unit (22) and a second image generated by a second image capture unit (24). The image processing unit (120) processes the first image and the second image. More specifically, the image processing unit (120) generates product information indicating a product (50) taken out from a product shelf (40), by processing the first image and the second image. Further, the image processing unit (120) generates customer attribute information of a customer taking out the product (50), by processing the first image. Then, the image processing unit (120) causes a result storage unit (130) to store the product information and the customer attribute information in association with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Makiko AKIGUCHI, Azusa FURUKAWA, Kei SHIBUYA, Kan ARAI, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20230154039
    Abstract: The present invention provides a processing apparatus (10) including: an acquisition unit (11) that acquires an image of a product held in a hand of a customer; an image analysis unit (12) that generates time-series information on a position of the product, based on the image; a determination unit (13) that determines whether the customer has performed a specific action for the product, based on a movement status of the product indicated by the generated time-series information; and a registration unit (14) that registers that the customer has performed the specific action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Soma SHIRAISHI, Takami SATO, Yu NABETO, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Azusa FURUKAWA, Ken HANAZAWA, Makiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230140512
    Abstract: The present invention provides a processing apparatus (10) including: a classification execution unit (12) that executes class classification, based on an inference device; a computation unit (13) that computes a precision of a class determined by the class classification; a processing unit (14) that outputs a class determined by the class classification and accepts a correct/incorrect input from an operator when the precision is less than a reference value; and a registration unit (15) that registers a product determined by the class classification as a purchase target when the precision is equal to or more than the reference value, and registers a product determined by a correct/incorrect input from the operator as a purchase target when the precision is less than the reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Ken HANAZAWA, Azusa FURUKAWA, Mekiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230099665
    Abstract: In a familiarity degree estimation apparatus, a first video process unit calculates a time while a hand being viewed, which is a time when a customer is viewing the hand. A second video process unit calculates a time while an item being held, which is a time when the customer is holding an item. A familiarity degree estimation unit calculates a time while the item being viewed based on the time while a hand being viewed and the time while the item being held, and estimates that the longer the time while the item being viewed, the lower the degree of familiarity of the customer with respect to the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Azusa FURUKAWA, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA, Makiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230092638
    Abstract: Provided is a delivery management device for determining the delivery skill of a worker who delivers products in a specific store such as a labor-saving store. A delivery management device 30 equipped with an authentication unit 31 for authenticating a deliverer of a product on the basis of a captured image, and a skill determination unit 32 for determining the skill of the deliverer by using skill information which includes one or more elements among the number of products displayed, the time required by displaying and the product display state level on the product shelf, which are calculated on the basis of an image in which the authenticated deliverer displays one or more products on a product shelf.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Shibuya, Kan Arai, Azusa Furukawa, Makiko Akiguchi, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Ken Hanazawa
  • Publication number: 20230080815
    Abstract: A customer analysis apparatus (10) includes an image acquisition unit (110) and an image processing unit (120). The image acquisition unit (110) acquires a first image generated by a first image capture unit (22) and a second image generated by a second image capture unit (24). The image processing unit (120) processes the first image and the second image. More specifically, the image processing unit (120) generates product information indicating a product (50) taken out from a product shelf (40), by processing the first image and the second image. Further, the image processing unit (120) generates customer attribute information of a customer taking out the product (50), by processing the first image. Then, the image processing unit (120) causes a result storage unit (130) to store the product information and the customer attribute information in association with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Makiko AKIGUCHI, Azusa FURUKAWA, Kei SHIBUYA, Kan ARAI, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20230063863
    Abstract: An item management apparatus manages the number of items displayed on an item shelf. An acquisition unit acquires an ideal quantity indicating an ideal number of items to be displayed, and a current quantity indicating the number of items being actually displayed on the item shelf. A detection unit detects the number of times of taking out and placing back an item with respect to the item shelf. An ideal quantity correction unit corrects the ideal quantity based on the current quantity and the number of times of taking out and placing back the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Azusa FURUKAWA, Kan ARAI, Kei SHIBUYA, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Ken HANAZAWA, Makiko AKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230069523
    Abstract: The present invention provides a processing apparatus (10) including: a registration unit (12) that recognizes, based on image processing, product discrimination information of a product picked up from a product placing space, and registers the recognized product discrimination information in association with customer discrimination information; and a settlement unit (13) that executes, when it is detected, based on image processing, that a customer having picked up the product performs a predetermined action, a settlement based on a registration content resulting from the registration unit (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kan Arai, Azusa Furukawa, Kei Shibuya, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Makiko Akiguchi, Ken Hanazawa
  • Publication number: 20230027388
    Abstract: A price information determination apparatus (10) includes an information acquisition unit (110), a price information determination unit (120), and an output unit (130). The information acquisition unit (110) acquires customer information of a customer when the customer selects a specific product (50) out of products (50) placed in a product shelving unit (40). The price information determination unit (120) generates price information of the selected product (50) by using the customer information acquired by the information acquisition unit (110). The output unit (130) outputs the customer information generated by the price information determination unit (120) to, for example, a display apparatus (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kan Arai, Kei Shibuya, Azusa Furukawa, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Makiko Akiguchi, Ken Hanazawa
  • Patent number: 9972336
    Abstract: An apparatus of this invention is directed to a speech input apparatus for obtaining a piece of high-quality speech with included noise reduced. The speech input apparatus includes a sound insulating block attached to a ceiling member in a vehicle, a first microphone that is attached to a side surface of the sound insulating block or the ceiling member in the vicinity of the sound insulating block on a side close to a passenger of the vehicle, inputs a sound mixture including the voice of the passenger and noise in the vehicle, and outputs a first signal to a noise suppressor configured to output an enhanced speech signal, and a second microphone that is attached to a side surface of the sound insulating block or the ceiling member in the vicinity of the sound insulating block on a side far from the passenger, inputs the noise in the vehicle, and outputs a second signal to the noise suppressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Tsujikawa, Ken Hanazawa, Akihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9905243
    Abstract: A system of this invention is directed to a speech processing system that efficiently performs noise suppression processing for a plurality of noise sources spreading in a lateral direction with respect to a speaker of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Tsujikawa, Ken Hanazawa, Akihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9847091
    Abstract: To input the voice of the passenger of a vehicle and output a piece of high-quality enhanced speech independently of the direction of a piece of speech or noise, a speech processing apparatus includes a first microphone that is provided on one of a ceiling member in a vehicle and an accessory thereof, inputs a sound mixture including a voice of a passenger of the vehicle and noise in the vehicle, and outputs a first signal, a second microphone that is provided on one of the ceiling member in the vehicle and the accessory thereof at a position farther than the first microphone when viewed from the passenger of the vehicle, inputs the noise in the vehicle while insulating the voice of the passenger of the vehicle using one of the ceiling member of the vehicle and the accessory thereof, and outputs a second signal, and a noise suppressor that outputs an enhanced speech signal based on the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Tsujikawa, Ken Hanazawa, Akihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9583095
    Abstract: A speech recognition unit (102) includes a phrase determination unit (103) which determines a phrase boundary based on the comparison between the hypothetical word group generated by speech recognition and set words representing phrase boundaries. In this speech processing device, the speech recognition unit (102) outputs recognition results for each phrase based on a phrase boundary determined by the phrase determination unit (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ken Hanazawa, Seiya Osada, Takayuki Arakawa, Koji Okabe, Daisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9449616
    Abstract: Provided are a noise reduction system that highly precisely estimates noise contained in an input signal and highly precisely reduces the noise contained in the input signal using the estimated noise, a speech detection system, a speech recognition system, a noise reduction method, and a noise reduction program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Tsujikawa, Ken Hanazawa, Shuji Komeiji
  • Publication number: 20160111109
    Abstract: A system of this invention is directed to a speech processing system that efficiently performs noise suppression processing for a plurality of noise sources spreading in a lateral direction with respect to a speaker of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Masanori TSUJIKAWA, Ken HANAZAWA, Akihiko SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160049161
    Abstract: To input the voice of the passenger of a vehicle and output a piece of high-quality enhanced speech independently of the direction of a piece of speech or noise, a speech processing apparatus includes a first microphone that is provided on one of a ceiling member in a vehicle and an accessary thereof, inputs a sound mixture including a voice of a passenger of the vehicle and noise in the vehicle, and outputs a first signal, a second microphone that is provided on one of the ceiling member in the vehicle and the accessary thereof at a position farther than the first microphone when viewed from the passenger of the vehicle, inputs the noise in the vehicle while insulating the voice of the passenger of the vehicle using one of the ceiling member of the vehicle and the accessory thereof, and outputs a second signal, and a noise suppressor that outputs an enhanced speech signal based on the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori TSUJIKAWA, Ken HANAZAWA, Akihiko SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150380011
    Abstract: An apparatus of this invention is directed to a speech input apparatus for obtaining a piece of high-quality speech with included noise reduced. The speech input apparatus includes a sound insulating block attached to a ceiling member in a vehicle, a first microphone that is attached to a side surface of the sound insulating block or the ceiling member in the vicinity of the sound insulating block on a side close to a passenger of the vehicle, inputs a sound mixture including the voice of the passenger and noise in the vehicle, and outputs a first signal to a noise suppressor configured to output an enhanced speech signal, and a second microphone that is attached to a side surface of the sound insulating block or the ceiling member in the vicinity of the sound insulating block on a side far from the passenger, inputs the noise in the vehicle, and outputs a second signal to the noise suppressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Masanori TSUJIKAWA, Ken HANAZAWA, Akihiko SUGIYAMA