Patents by Inventor Kouji Amano

Kouji Amano 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: 20050131631
    Abstract: A route processor searches for a travel route based on current-position information, destination information and traffic information with use of map information. Predicted required time to arrive at a destination from a current-position of a vehicle is calculated based on the set travel route. Predicted departure time for the vehicle to leave is calculated based on scheduled time to arrive at the destination and the predicted required time. According to departure waiting state of the vehicle, time to notify departure guidance for encouraging the departure of the vehicle is set, and the departure guidance is notified at the set time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nakano, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20050096839
    Abstract: A navigation device (100) includes: a congestion-status recognizer for acquiring map information, traffic information about a traffic condition for a mobile body, and accuracy-level information about reliability of a traffic condition of the traffic information relative to an actual traffic condition; and a display controller for making a terminal display (140) display the map information with the accuracy-level information acquired by the congestion-status recognizer superimposed thereon. Therefore, since the navigation device (100) notifies not only the traffic conditions but also the accuracy-level information containing the reliability of the traffic condition, users can be informed of appropriate traffic conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nakano, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20050027437
    Abstract: A processor acquires VICS data including map information and traffic jam information as well as a traffic jam prediction table prepared by processing past traffic conditions based on temporal elements. As it recognizes a request for displaying the transition of a traffic jam, it computes a traffic jam prediction after the elapse of a predetermined time, e.g., every 30 minutes, using the traffic jam prediction table and a calendar table so as to generate traffic jam prediction information. Then, it superimposes an additional indicators (Jm) near a current traffic jam mark (Jg) produced on the basis of the VICS data. With a simple arrangement of superimposing such additional indicators (Jm), a user can easily recognize the predicted transition of the traffic jam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION,, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Takenaga, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20050027448
    Abstract: A processor acquires VICS data that provide map information and traffic jam information of a vehicle. As it recognizes a request for displaying the transition of a traffic jam, if any, it computationally generates traffic jam prediction information after the elapse of a predetermined time, e.g., every 30 minutes, using a traffic jam prediction table and calendar template obtained by statistically processing past data with temporal elements on the basis of the current time and day. Then, it causes a terminal display (140) to display a map corresponding to the map information and superimposed by an icon reflecting the traffic jam prediction information at predetermined time intervals of 0.5 seconds or 1 second for instance, in a switched manner to make the map being displayed appear as if it is animated so that a user can easily recognize the transition of the traffic jam condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi TAKENAGA, Kouji AMANO
  • Publication number: 20040236502
    Abstract: A vehicle allocation processing apparatus with a rationalized vehicle allocation processing is provided. A server communication section (53) acquires driving status information concerning driving states of vehicles from vehicle communication terminals mounted on the vehicles. A vehicle information storage (552) stores the acquired driving status information and vehicle information concerning the vehicles, linked to each other. The server communication section (53) acquires customer delivery position information concerning a delivery position requested by a customer, and vehicle allocation request information concerning a vehicle requested by the customer and including customer destination information concerning a destination of the customer. An allocable vehicle searching section (543) searches for allocable vehicles, based on the acquired vehicle allocation request information and the stored vehicle information and driving status information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Takashi Nozaki, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20040228788
    Abstract: The present invention provides a low-cost carbon dioxide fixation method that allows effective usage of a large amount of generated coal ashes, and effective fixation of carbon dioxide included in flue gas generated from coal, refuse, or waste product, as well as improvement in the applicability of coal ashes to various applications and effective usage of by-product carbonate. Carbon dioxide is absorbed and fixated by subjecting the flue gas to gas-liquid contact with coal ash water slurry or coal ash eluate so as to make the carbon dioxide in the flue gas react and be absorbed thereinto, thereby fixating the carbon dioxide as carbonate. This method can be favorably used for disposal of flue gas from a boiler at a coal thermal power plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Teruo Nagai, Takashi Kuwabara, Yoshihiro Koshiba, Kouji Amano
  • Patent number: 6810325
    Abstract: A server includes a position estimation section for estimating the current position of a client apparatus based on the already acquired position information when the server cannot acquire position information from the client apparatus and the server requests the client apparatus to transmit position information in response to a search instruction from an information terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Increment P Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Amano, Takashi Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20040196163
    Abstract: When searching for a route, a version information of a map information stored in a memory of terminal unit (300) is sent to a server unit (400). The server unit (400) searches for a travel route according to a map information stored in a storage thereof. The server unit (400) compares its version information with the version information in the terminal unit (300), and sends the map information when the version information are different. Since the server unit (400) previously updated a display data that can be easily created, the server unit (400) sends a travel route together with at least the display data so that the terminal unit (300) displays roads reflecting most current information. When recognizing that a matching data is updated by comparing the version information at a later date, the matching data is also updated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi TAKENAGA, Kouji AMANO
  • Publication number: 20040059631
    Abstract: The invention provides an advertisement-data processing system that can easily give advertisement data a customer wants. The system comprises a network (200), a customer terminal (300), a shop terminal (400), and a server apparatus (500). The server apparatus (500) has a customer data storage section that stores customer data representing the size of the customer' family, the ages of family members, customer's address, the place to which the advertisement data should be sent. The shop terminal (400) has a POS register, which generates transaction content data in accordance with transaction data representing the items transacted (goods and service) and charges for the items transacted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20040059671
    Abstract: A settlement processing apparatus which easily executes a settlement processing is provided. From a customer who desires registration, a database (53) stores in advance customer specific data, which includes device identification data for identifying the customer and specifies the customer. A server communicator (51), which corresponds to a customer identification data attaining section and a purchase data attaining section, attains the device identification data and purchase data concerning the contents of a debt. An authentication section (522) compares the device identification data attained by the server communicator (51) with the customer-specific data stored in the database (53), to authenticate the device identification data. If the authentication section (522) authenticates the device identification data, a settlement processing section (523) performs a processing for settling a debt, based on the customer-specific data corresponding to the device identification data and the attained purchase data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicants: PIONEER CORPORATION, INCREMENT P CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Nozaki, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20030182056
    Abstract: A system member of a data processing system 1 operates a terminal 3 to connect a registration-site server 6, and inputs requirements including personal data. The registration-site server 6 creates customer data from the requirements and point data concerning points given, and registers the system member as a point member. The system member clicks an icon of “Side trip” on a point card registration-site at the terminal 3, to transfer the point data and shop code data from the registration-site server 6 to a server 5, so that shop data is automatically made. The terminal 3 is operated to connect the sever 5. Upon a request for shop search, the position of the shop for which the point member is registered is displayed with higher visibility corresponding to use frequency than other shops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Takashi Nozaki, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20030177399
    Abstract: A system member of a data processing system 1 operates a terminal 3 to connect a server 5, and further to a site for creating a new group from a main site. A group name is registered, and a group ID and group password are then attained. Based on articles written on a point system registration card obtained in a shop, the member connects the terminal 3 to a registration site server 6 and inputs requirements, to register a point card. When registering points, an icon of “side trip” is operated so that shop data is transferred to the server 5, to input the shop data as data to be opened within the group. The shop data can be subjected to data processing such that the shop data can be disclosed as a favorite shop like a hiding place within a group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Takashi Nozaki, Kouji Amano
  • Publication number: 20030144792
    Abstract: A server includes a position estimation section for estimating the current position of a client apparatus based on the already acquired position information when the server cannot acquire position information from the client apparatus and the server requests the client apparatus to transmit position information in response to a search instruction from an information terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: Pioneer Corporation and Increment P Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Amano, Takashi Nozaki