Patents by Inventor Kentaro Yamauchi

Kentaro Yamauchi 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: 10264655
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a light source; a storage for storing sound wave data which is predetermined; a microphone that detects sound; a communication circuit that communicates with a master controller; and a controller that performs pairing of the luminaire with the master controller via the communication circuit. The controller obtains sound wave data from the sound detected by the microphone, and performs the pairing when the sound wave data obtained matches the sound wave data stored in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsumi Setomoto, Kentaro Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10236976
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless device provided externally; a command receiver that receives a command from outside; a light emitter including a light source; and a controller connected to the communication unit, the command receiver, and the light emitter. The command receiver receives a wireless device specifying command that specifies the wireless device with which the communication unit is to wirelessly communicate. The controller tests wireless communication with the wireless device via the communication unit based on the wireless device specifying command received, obtains communication reliability information regarding the reliability of the wireless communication, and causes the light emitter to perform at least one of flashing, dimming, and toning based on the communication reliability information obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Yamamoto, Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando, Kohji Hiramatsu, Hajime Ozaki, Kentaro Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20190053355
    Abstract: Lighting system includes luminaires and operating device that associates identification information held by each of the luminaires with layout information of the luminaires. The operating device includes a display that displays, based on the layout information, marks each corresponding to one of the luminaires and a mark group including, among the marks, at least two marks corresponding one-to-one to at least two luminaires among the luminaires. The mark group is displayed in a distinguishable manner from one or more marks not included in the mark group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Shigeo NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20190045347
    Abstract: Luminaires in a lighting system have mutually different addresses. A setting device includes a communication unit that transmits an address request signal at a first transmission power level and a control unit that determines whether a total number of the addresses transmitted from one or more of the luminaires in response to receiving the address request signal is within a target range. The control unit instructs the communication unit to transmit the address request signal at a transmission power level different from the first transmission power level when the total number of the addresses is outside the target range, and executes pairing of the one or more of the luminaires that responded to the address request signal with a wireless controller when the total number of the addresses is within the target range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Kohji HIRAMATSU, Hajime OZAKI, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Shigeo NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 10191640
    Abstract: Provided is a control parameter setting method for use in an illumination system including: luminaires; an illumination controller that controls lighting of the luminaires; and an operation terminal that communicates with the illumination controller. The control parameter setting method includes: capturing, by a camera of the operation terminal, at least one luminaire in an image, and displaying, by a touch panel of the operation terminal, the image including the at least one luminaire; obtaining identification information of the at least one luminaire based on the image; determining whether a control parameter of the at least one luminaire captured by the camera is settable by the operation terminal; displaying, by the touch panel, information relating to the identification information, in association with the at least one luminaire; displaying, by the touch panel, a control parameter of a luminaire; and setting, by the touch panel, the control parameter of the luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuka Nakauchi, Kentaro Yamauchi, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Yoshiaki Ueno
  • Patent number: 10182483
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes: a white light source; a blue light source; a reflector layer which reflects light; a light diffuser layer which is light transmissive and disposed on an anterior surface side of the reflector layer; and a scatter panel which is light transmissive and disposed on an anterior surface side of the light diffuser layer to face the light diffuser layer. At least a portion of a gap between the scatter panel and the reflector layer and at least a portion of a gap between the scatter panel and the light diffuser layer change from a first end side to a second end side of the lighting apparatus. The white light source and the blue light source are disposed on the first end side of the lighting apparatus to emit light toward the light diffuser layer and the scatter panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironori Takeshita, Kentaro Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20180375595
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a wireless communication device that transmits a test signal; luminaires that measure a signal strength of the test signal upon receipt and transmit signal strength information on the signal strength to the wireless communication device; and a determining unit that determines a condition of the lighting system based on the signal strength or the signal strength information. The determining unit: determines the condition of the lighting system to be acceptable upon confirming transmission of the signal strength information by all luminaires and unacceptable upon failing to confirm transmission of the signal strength information by at least one luminaire; or determines the condition of the lighting system to be acceptable when each signal strength measured by all luminaires exceeds a reference value and unacceptable when the signal strength measured by at least one luminaire is less than or equal to the reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Shigeo NAKAMURA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10129963
    Abstract: A lighting system includes lighting devices and a terminal. The terminal includes a display screen, an input unit, a wireless transmitter which transmits a radio signal, a communication unit which wirelessly transmits a control command to one of a communication address and a logical address for at least one of the lighting devices, specifying the one of the communication address and the logical address, and a controller which displays, on the display screen, icons respectively corresponding the lighting devices, and when an instruction for selecting any one of the icons has been received by the input unit, causes the wireless transmitter to transmit a radio signal indicating predetermined information. When one of the lighting devices which corresponds to the selected icon has received the radio signal, the lighting device transmits the communication address assigned to the lighting device itself to be used for communication with the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamauchi, Saori Ueno, Sana Yagi, Shinsuke Nishioka, Natsuka Nakauchi
  • Publication number: 20180317302
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a light source; a storage for storing sound wave data which is predetermined; a microphone that detects sound; a communication circuit that communicates with a master controller; and a controller that performs pairing of the luminaire with the master controller via the communication circuit. The controller obtains sound wave data from the sound detected by the microphone, and performs the pairing when the sound wave data obtained matches the sound wave data stored in the storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Kentaro YAMAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180314412
    Abstract: Provided is a control parameter setting method for use in an illumination system including: luminaires; an illumination controller that controls lighting of the luminaires; and an operation terminal that communicates with the illumination controller. The control parameter setting method includes: capturing, by a camera of the operation terminal, at least one luminaire in an image, and displaying, by a touch panel of the operation terminal, the image including the at least one luminaire; obtaining identification information of the at least one luminaire based on the image; determining whether a control parameter of the at least one luminaire captured by the camera is settable by the operation terminal; displaying, by the touch panel, information relating to the identification information, in association with the at least one luminaire; displaying, by the touch panel, a control parameter of a luminaire; and setting, by the touch panel, the control parameter of the luminaire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Natsuka NAKAUCHI, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Yoshiaki UENO
  • Patent number: 10110865
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a receiving circuit which obtains a first image including a subject; a memory which obtains depth information indicating a depth of the subject in the first image; an image processor which converts the first image obtained, into a second image in which the subject in the first image is represented by gradation of a single color, the gradation being different according to the depth indicated by the depth information; a light source; a light modulator which modulates light emitted from the light source, according to the second image; and a light emitter which emits the modulated light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsumi Setomoto, Kentaro Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20180283627
    Abstract: A light environment rendering system includes: one lighting apparatus disposed on a part of a structure to form an illumination space; another lighting apparatus disposed on the part of a structure, at a position different from a position at which the one lighting apparatus is located, to form the illumination space; and a system controller which controls an operation of each of the lighting apparatuses. The system controller determines an illumination mode based on sky information that indicates at least one of a brightness and a color tone of a sky which are determined at least based on an azimuth direction and a height of the sun, and causes each of the lighting apparatuses to perform lighting simulating a sky according to the illumination mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Hironori TAKESHITA, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180283655
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes: a case having an opening portion; a light emission panel in the case, the light emission panel having a light emission surface which emits light having a light distribution which dynamically changes; and a light distribution modification panel in the opening portion and having a distribution-modified light emission surface which modifies the light distribution of the light to emit light having a modified light distribution. The light emission panel emits, as the light having the light distribution, light having at least one of a luminance distribution and a chromaticity distribution of a first image to be presented on the light emission surface. The light distribution modification panel diffuses and transmits the light emitted from the light emission surface to emit light such that the at least one distribution of a second image to be presented on the distribution-modified light emission surface is changed to a blurred state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Hironori TAKESHITA, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180274752
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus that is to be disposed in a recess formed in a part of a building includes: a light-emitting module that includes a board and a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the board; a light diffuser that has translucency and covers the light-emitting module; and a light reflector that includes a wall having light-reflecting properties and surrounding the plurality of light-emitting elements. Among the plurality of light-emitting elements, every two adjacent light-emitting elements are disposed on the board at a first interval. Among the plurality of light-emitting elements, a light-emitting element closest to the wall is disposed on the board with a second interval to the wall, the second interval being larger than ΒΌ of the first interval and smaller than the first interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hironori TAKESHITA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Satoru YAMAUCHI, Shumpei FUJII, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180275501
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus that is to be disposed in a recess formed in a part of a building includes: a light-emitting module that includes a board and a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the board; a light diffuser that has translucency and covers the light-emitting module; and a specular reflector that is disposed between the light-emitting module and the light diffuser. The light-emitting module emits light toward the light diffuser, and the specular reflector reflects light from the light diffuser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hironori TAKESHITA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Satoru YAMAUCHI, Shumpei FUJII, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180279454
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a case having an opening portion; a light source disposed in the case and including a plurality of light-emitting elements; a light diffuser which is disposed in the opening portion, and diffuses and transmits light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting elements; and a controller that controls light emission from the light source. The controller: controls light emission from the plurality of light-emitting elements to project an image on the light diffuser, the image changing with time; and when changing the light emission from the plurality of light-emitting elements changing the image, controls the light emission from the light source to keep a change in at least one of (i) a light amount, (ii) a color temperature, and (iii) a spectral distribution of light emitted from the illumination apparatus within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hironori TAKESHITA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Satoru YAMAUCHI, Shumpei FUJII, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180279439
    Abstract: An illumination system includes: a first luminaire that emits first illumination light having a color simulating a sky; a second luminaire that is disposed in a same space as the first luminaire, the second luminaire projecting, on an object, second illumination light simulating sunlight to create a sunny portion on the object; and a controller that causes the first luminaire to emit the first illumination light according to an environment reproduction condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hironori TAKESHITA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Satoru YAMAUCHI, Shumpei FUJII, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180275499
    Abstract: An illumination system includes: a first luminaire that is of an internal lighting type and includes a light emitter that emits first illumination light having a color simulating a sky; and a second luminaire that is of a projection type and includes a projector that projects, on an object, second illumination light having a color simulating sunlight. The first luminaire and the second luminaire are disposed in a same space, and the first luminaire is disposed higher with respect to a floor than a projection area created on the object by the second illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hironori TAKESHITA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Satoru YAMAUCHI, Shumpei FUJII, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180275498
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a case having an opening portion; a first light source disposed in the case and including a plurality of light-emitting elements; a light diffuser which is disposed in the opening portion, diffuses and transmits light emitted from the first light source, and from which the diffused light and the transmitted light exit; a light emission component disposed outside a light exit region of the light diffuser on a light exit surface side of the light diffuser; and a second light source that emits light to the light emission component to cause the light emission component to radiate light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hironori TAKESHITA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Satoru YAMAUCHI, Shumpei FUJII, Satoshi HYODO
  • Publication number: 20180248619
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless device provided externally; a command receiver that receives a command from outside; a light emitter including a light source; and a controller connected to the communication unit, the command receiver, and the light emitter. The command receiver receives a wireless device specifying command that specifies the wireless device with which the communication unit is to wirelessly communicate. The controller tests wireless communication with the wireless device via the communication unit based on the wireless device specifying command received, obtains communication reliability information regarding the reliability of the wireless communication, and causes the light emitter to perform at least one of flashing, dimming, and toning based on the communication reliability information obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Kohji HIRAMATSU, Hajime OZAKI, Kentaro YAMAUCHI