Patents by Inventor Ko Mizuno

Ko Mizuno 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: 20190106204
    Abstract: An unmanned flying object, capable of suppressing an increase in overall size while having a configuration to reduce noise, is provided. The unmanned flying object includes a duct that corresponds to: at least one generator that generates airflow; at least one microphone; and at least one speaker. The duct covers the at least one generator in a direction perpendicular to an airflow direction, passes the airflow in the airflow direction, includes a space between inner and outer peripheral surfaces, and defines an opening at the end of the space in the airflow direction. A shape of the inner peripheral surface is tapered in the airflow direction. The at least one microphone is positioned in the space. The at least one speaker is positioned closer to the at least one generator than the at least one microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: KAZUNOBU KONISHI, STEPHEN WILLIAM JOHN, KATSUHIKO ASAI, KO MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20190106205
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle capable of employing active noise cancelling without being influenced by wind from a rotor is provided. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a processor and at least one speaker. The processor acquires operational information regarding each of at least one generator and generates an opposite phase signal having an opposite phase relative to a signal corresponding to the operational information. The at least one generator generates a force to fly the unmanned aerial vehicle. The operational information correlates with noise generated by each of the at least one generator. The at least one speaker outputs sound based on the opposite phase signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: KAZUNOBU KONISHI, STEPHEN WILLIAM JOHN, KATSUHIKO ASAI, KO MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20190039725
    Abstract: An unmanned air vehicle includes a generator that generates a flying force and also generates an air flow, a structural component, a microphone that outputs a first signal, a speaker, and a processor. The processor generates a second signal according to the first signal. The structural component surrounds a noise source of the generator, and includes a through-hole extending in a direction of the air flow. The through-hole is in a direction opposite to the direction of the air flow. An end, in the opposite direction, of the structural component corresponds to an end, in the opposite direction, of the noise source of the generator. An end, in the direction of the air flow, of the structural component extends, in the direction of the air flow, beyond an end, in the direction of the air flow, of the noise source of the generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: KAZUNOBU KONISHI, STEPHEN JOHN, KO MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20190039724
    Abstract: An unmanned air vehicle is provided. The unmanned air vehicle includes one or more generators, each of which generates a force that drives the unmanned air vehicle to fly and also generates an airflow. Each of one or more first microphones is located in an external region that is not included in any of one or more first airflow regions. Each of the one or more first airflow regions corresponds to the airflow generated by one of the one or more generators. Each of one or more second microphones is located in the external region between at least one of the one or more generators and the one or more first microphones. A processor performs processing on one or more first signals output from the one or more first microphones and one or more second signals output from the one or more second microphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: KAZUNOBU KONISHI, STEPHEN JOHN, KO MIZUNO, TAKEO KANAMORI
  • Patent number: 9668046
    Abstract: A noise reduction control apparatus and method for detecting a noise signal with a microphone and generating a first control sound for attenuating the noise signal based on control characteristics of a control filter. Further, the first control sound is emitted and measured during a first period. By measuring a sound reflected from an object, a position of the object is estimated. Using the estimated position of the object, the noise is attenuated at the estimated position. Accordingly, it is possible to continuously reduce noise at an estimated position of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9247370
    Abstract: An audio signal high frequency component controlled in terms of directivity is reproduced, or an audio signal high frequency component compensated in terms of frequency characteristic or controlled in terms of directivity is reproduced, such that the reflected sound comes from a direction in which the high frequency component is intended to be localized. The sound pressure in a seat where a desired localization effect is not provided due to the arrangement of speakers is compensated such that the interaural amplitude level in the seat is equal to that of another seat. Thus, an equivalent level of localization effect is provided in a plurality of seats, especially for an audio signal high frequency component, without significantly increasing the number of the speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ko Mizuno, Hiroyuki Kano
  • Publication number: 20150256928
    Abstract: A distance measurement control portion (12) determines the control characteristics of the control filter (8) so as to attenuate the noise at the estimated position during the time other than the certain period of time. Accordingly, it is possible to continuously reduce the noise at the estimated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9076424
    Abstract: The active noise control device for canceling out a target sound to be controlled in a target area for sound control includes: control sound output units each of which produces a control sound based on a wavefront control signal; and a wavefront control unit which provides the wavefront control signal to the corresponding one of the control sound output units, and the wavefront control unit generates the wavefront control signal to emit a synthesized sound from a virtual sound source toward the target area for sound control and cancel out the target sound in the target area for sound control, the synthesized sound being a sound synthesized from control sounds produced by the respective control sound output units, and the virtual sound source being located at a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8705760
    Abstract: The active noise control device includes: a signal obtaining section that obtains an electric signal relating to the predetermined sound; a control section that adjusts an amplitude and a phase of the electric signal obtained by the signal obtaining section; a vibrating section having a diaphragm and a vibrator, the vibrator vibrating in accordance with an output from the control section. Because a sound radiated from the diaphragm toward the first region is substantially in opposite phase to that toward the second region, the control section controls the vibrator so that the diaphragm generates a sound that attenuates the predetermined sound in the first region, and causes the predetermined sound to have a desired frequency characteristic in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8433085
    Abstract: An acoustic signal output control section extracts, from an acoustic signal, a low-frequency-component acoustic signal and a high-frequency-component acoustic signal. A sound image localization processing filter section performs a sound image localization process on the low-frequency-component acoustic signal. The low-frequency-component acoustic signal having been subjected to the sound image localization process is outputted from loudspeakers in an AV rack loudspeaker apparatus. A television sound image localization processing filter section performs a sound image localization process on the high-frequency-component acoustic signal. The high-frequency-component acoustic signal having been subjected to the sound image localization process is outputted from loudspeakers in a television via HDMI communication sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ko Mizuno, Toshihiko Date
  • Publication number: 20130089211
    Abstract: The active noise control device for canceling out a target sound to be controlled in a target area for sound control includes: control sound output units each of which produces a control sound based on a wavefront control signal; and a wavefront control unit which provides the wavefront control signal to the corresponding one of the control sound output units, and the wavefront control unit generates the wavefront control signal to emit a synthesized sound from a virtual sound source toward the target area for sound control and cancel out the target sound in the target area for sound control, the synthesized sound being a sound synthesized from control sounds produced by the respective control sound output units, and the virtual sound source being located at a predetermined position
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20120314889
    Abstract: An audio signal high frequency component controlled in terms of directivity is reproduced, or an audio signal high frequency component compensated in terms of frequency characteristic or controlled in terms of directivity is reproduced, such that the reflected sound comes from a direction in which the high frequency component is intended to be localized. The sound pressure in a seat where a desired localization effect is not provided due to the arrangement of speakers is compensated such that the interaural amplitude level in the seat is equal to that of another seat. Thus, an equivalent level of localization effect is provided in a plurality of seats, especially for an audio signal high frequency component, without significantly increasing the number of the speakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Ko MIZUNO, Hiroyuki KANO
  • Patent number: 8243935
    Abstract: Provided is a sound image localization control apparatus allowing, when sound is reproduced so as to perform sound image localization for a plurality of users, each of the plurality of users to variably adjust an acoustical effect individually without diminishing a sound image localization effect. The sound image localization control apparatus includes a processing characteristic setting means (13; 14) setting a processing characteristic in a controlling means (12), such that each of acoustic transfer functions, for at least two predetermined positions, represents a desired characteristic. Further, the controlling means (12) of sound image localization control apparatus receives an acoustic signal and the processing characteristic which is set by the processing characteristic setting means and performs signal processing. Additionally, the sound image localization control apparatus includes a sound reproducing means (3) receiving an output from the controlling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20120045070
    Abstract: The active noise control device includes: a signal obtaining section that obtains an electric signal relating to the predetermined sound; a control section that adjusts an amplitude and a phase of the electric signal obtained by the signal obtaining section; a vibrating section having a diaphragm and a vibrator, the vibrator vibrating in accordance with an output from the control section. Because a sound radiated from the diaphragm toward the first region is substantially in opposite phase to that toward the second region, the control section controls the vibrator so that the diaphragm generates a sound that attenuates the predetermined sound in the first region, and causes the predetermined sound to have a desired frequency characteristic in the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8116472
    Abstract: A noise control device reduces noises respectively arriving in a plurality of spaces which are acoustically independent from each other. The noise control device includes sound output devices, which are respectively provided in the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces, each for outputting a sound to a corresponding space. The noise control device also includes a noise detection device, which is provided in at least one of the plurality of spaces, for detecting a noise arriving in the at least one of the plurality of spaces. Further, the noise control device includes a signal generation device which is a single device for generating, based on the noise detected by one noise detection device, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to each of the plurality of sound output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8116458
    Abstract: An acoustic image localization apparatus according to the present invention that outputs sound from a plurality of speakers so as to localize an acoustic image at a predetermined position on a space as viewed from a listener, the acoustic image localization apparatus comprising: amplitude characteristic adjusting means for adjusting an amplitude frequency characteristic of an inputted acoustic signal such that the acoustic image is localized at a position rotated by a first angle about a position of a listener toward an upper direction from a facing position of the listener; and a plurality of level adjusting means, provided so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of speakers, for adjusting a level of the acoustic signal outputted from the amplitude characteristic adjusting means and for outputting, to a corresponding speaker, the acoustic signal whose level has been adjusted, wherein each of the level adjusting means adjusts the level of the acoustic signal, which is outputted from the amplitude ch
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ko Mizuno, Kazuhiro Iida, Gempo Ito
  • Patent number: 8108408
    Abstract: An image recognition device includes: an image input unit obtaining an input image corresponding to a target image to be recognized; a similar image search unit searching out at least one similar image similar to the target image obtained by the image input unit from among images generated independently of the image recognition device, and unintentionally obtained; a keyword extraction unit extracting a plurality of keywords corresponding to candidates for a recognition result of the target image; a keyword analysis unit determining at least one likely keyword likely to be the recognition result of the target image from among the plurality of keywords extracted by the keyword extraction unit by analyzing the plurality of keywords; and a presentation unit outputting at least one likely keyword determined by the keyword analysis unit, as the recognition result of the target image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kondo, Aki Yoneda, Ko Mizuno, Takashi Ogura
  • Publication number: 20100150367
    Abstract: A noise control device according to the present invention is capable of reducing noises respectively arriving in a plurality of spaces which are acoustically independent from each other. The noise control device comprises: sound output means, which are respectively provided in the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces, each for outputting a sound to a corresponding space; noise detection means, which is provided in at least one of the plurality of spaces, for detecting a noise arriving in the at least one of the plurality of spaces; and signal generation means which is a single means for generating, based on the noise detected by one of the noise detection means, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to each of the plurality of sound output means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventor: Ko Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20100077003
    Abstract: To provide an image recognition device which eliminates the necessity of managing a database for recognition even in the case of a number of objects to be recognized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Satoshi Kondo, Aki Yoneda, Ko Mizuno, Takashi Ogura
  • Publication number: 20100054483
    Abstract: An acoustic image localization apparatus according to the present invention that outputs sound from a plurality of speakers so as to localize an acoustic image at a predetermined position on a space as viewed from a listener, the acoustic image localization apparatus comprising: amplitude characteristic adjusting means for adjusting an amplitude frequency characteristic of an inputted acoustic signal such that the acoustic image is localized at a position rotated by a first angle about a position of a listener toward an upper direction from a facing position of the listener; and a plurality of level adjusting means, provided so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of speakers, for adjusting a level of the acoustic signal outputted from the amplitude characteristic adjusting means and for outputting, to a corresponding speaker, the acoustic signal whose level has been adjusted, wherein each of the level adjusting means adjusts the level of the acoustic signal, which is outputted from the amplitude ch
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Ko Mizuno, Kazuhiro Iida, Gempo Ito