Patents by Inventor Kyoko Furumura

Kyoko Furumura 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: 10942940
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing device capable of properly controlling a smell presentation device by matching a using state. The information processing device acquires information on the using state of the smell presentation device that presents a smell to a user, and causes the smell presentation device to present a smell in a mode determined in accordance with the acquired information on the using state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Yoichi Nishimaki, Hiroshi Osawa, Kyoko Furumura, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 10298839
    Abstract: When a place where a different panoramic image was captured is present in a direction in which a panoramic image to be displayed is captured, a marker setting unit associates a marker indicating that the different panoramic image is present in said image-captured direction with the panoramic image to be displayed. A mapping processing unit maps, as a texture, the panoramic image to be displayed, with which the marker of the different panoramic image is associated, in a three-dimensional panoramic space. A three-dimensional image generation unit generates a three-dimensional panoramic image when the three-dimensional panoramic space is viewed in a designated visual line direction, with a place where the panoramic image to be displayed is captured as a visual point position. A user interface unit accepts a user's instruction regarding the displayed three-dimensional panoramic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Takeshi Yamagishi, Shinichi Hirata
  • Patent number: 10284776
    Abstract: A region-of-interest setting portion sets, during image pickup, a region of interest in an image picked up using a camera built in portable equipment. A component image generation unit generates a component image in which, with the image picked up using the camera built in the portable equipment, posture information of the portable equipment and the region-of-interest information set by the region-of-interest setting portion are associated. A panoramic image generation unit combines a plurality of component images between which the posture of the portable equipment is different to generate a synthesis image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Kyoko Furumura, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Publication number: 20180144033
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing device capable of properly controlling a smell presentation device by matching a using state. The information processing device acquires information on the using state of the smell presentation device that presents a smell to a user, and causes the smell presentation device to present a smell in a mode determined in accordance with the acquired information on the using state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Shinichi HIRATA, Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Hiroshi OSAWA, Kyoko FURUMURA, Takeshi YAMAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9979884
    Abstract: A multiview imaging part includes a plurality of imaging units. An exposure setting section individually sets an exposure value in each of the plurality of imaging units. The exposure setting section sets, in each of the imaging units, an individual reference exposure value and relative exposure values. The relative exposure values are obtained by changing the reference exposure value in a given number of steps in such a manner that the relative exposure values are centered around the reference exposure value. A panoramic image storage section stores captured images having different exposure values captured by the imaging units whose exposure values have been set by the exposure setting section. An HDR synthesis section synthesizes the captured images having different exposure values so as to generate a captured image having an adjusted dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Kyoko Furumura, Hiroshi Osawa
  • Patent number: 9894272
    Abstract: A posture detection unit detects posture information of three axes of portable equipment using at least one of a three-axis gyro sensor, a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis geomagnetic sensor built in the portable equipment. A pan angle-elevation angle calculation unit calculates a pan angle and an elevation angle of a camera built in the portable equipment based on the posture information detected by the posture detection unit. A component image generation unit generates a component image in which the pan angle and the elevation angle calculated by the pan angle-elevation angle calculation unit are associated with an image picked up using the camera built in the portable equipment. A panoramic image generation unit combines a plurality of component images having pan angles or elevation angles different from each other to generate a synthesis image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9858643
    Abstract: An image generating device includes: a storage section that stores images of surrounding spaces centered at plural different fixed points; a detecting section that detects translational movement on the basis of the location of the point of view; an image processor that acquires an image of a displaying target by clipping out part of the image of the surrounding space centered at the fixed point, stored in the storage section, on the basis of the location of the point of view and the direction of the line of sight; and a switching section that makes switching to the image of the surrounding space centered at another fixed point closest to the point of view after translational movement if the plural different fixed points are so disposed that the surrounding spaces centered at the fixed points overlap with each other in a world coordinate system and translational movement is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishimaki, Takeshi Yamagishi, Shinichi Hirata, Kyoko Furumura
  • Patent number: 9729788
    Abstract: A characteristic point extraction unit extracts a characteristic point in an overlapping region of a plurality of component images picked up using a camera built in portable equipment and having pan angles or elevation angles different from each other. A self-position estimation unit estimates three-dimensional coordinate values of the characteristic point and three-dimensional coordinate values of a camera position, which are associated with each other, at the same time in two component images in which the camera positions are displaced from each other. A panoramic image generation unit adjusts, based on the estimated three-dimensional coordinate values of the camera position, the three-dimensional coordinate values of the characteristic point of the component image to correct the component image and combine a plurality of component images having pan angles or elevation angles different from each other to generate a synthesis image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9692966
    Abstract: A bus interface/camera control interface connects a processor and a plurality of imaging units. A control data pass-through logic exchanges data between the bus interface/camera control interface and the plurality of imaging units. A pass-through mask register includes: a write register used to specify, of the plurality of imaging units, one or more imaging units to be selected so as to selectively supply write data to the one or more imaging units; and a read register used to specify, of the plurality of imaging units, a single imaging unit to be selected so as to selectively receive read data from the single imaging unit. The control data pass-through logic can use the pass-through mask register to switch between input and output operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Hiroshi Osawa, Kyoko Furumura
  • Patent number: 9583133
    Abstract: Frame memories store captured images supplied from a plurality of imaging units, respectively. A motion detection portion detects the motion of a captured image of at least one of the imaging units. A mode determination portion sets, in accordance with at least either the amount of the motion detected by the motion detection portion or a power consumption limit of the image generation device, one of two modes, one for operating the plurality of imaging units simultaneously and the other for operating the plurality of imaging units intermittently. A control signal generation portion supplies, to the plurality of frame memories, a control signal adapted to control reading of the captured images from the plurality of frame memories in accordance with the mode set by the mode determination portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Hiroshi Osawa, Kyoko Furumura
  • Patent number: 9560274
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for generating a component image in which, with images picked up using a front side camera and a rear side camera built in portable equipment, posture information of the portable equipment is associated; combining a plurality of component images between which the posture of the portable equipment is different to generate a synthesis image; changing over an image pickup mode between a double-sided synthesis image pickup mode in which a synthesis image of one half circumference picked up by the front side camera and a synthesis image of one half circumference picked up by the rear side camera are connected to each other to pick up a synthesis image of a whole circumference and a single-sided synthesis image pickup mode in which a synthesis image of a whole circumference is picked up by each of the front side camera and the rear side camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Kyoko Furumura, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9497391
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: acquiring a still image of a scene at a location; acquiring a moving image of at least one object at the scene taken at a different time of day, a different date, and/or a different season; selecting an image frame from among a plurality of image frames of the moving image as a still image frame; generating a three-dimensional (3D) image from the still image in a three-dimensional (3D) object space; superimposing the still image frame from the moving image onto the three-dimensional (3D) image; displaying the three-dimensional (3D) image on a display screen for a user; and generating the moving image superimposed on the three-dimensional (3D) image, starting at the selected image frame, in response to receiving a command from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Publication number: 20160100104
    Abstract: When a place where a different panoramic image was captured is present in a direction in which a panoramic image to be displayed is captured, a marker setting unit associates a marker indicating that the different panoramic image is present in said image-captured direction with the panoramic image to be displayed. A mapping processing unit maps, as a texture, the panoramic image to be displayed, with which the marker of the different panoramic image is associated, in a three-dimensional panoramic space. A three-dimensional image generation unit generates a three-dimensional panoramic image when the three-dimensional panoramic space is viewed in a designated visual line direction, with a place where the panoramic image to be displayed is captured as a visual point position. A user interface unit accepts a user's instruction regarding the displayed three-dimensional panoramic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Kyoko FURUMURA, Takeshi YAMAGISHI, Shinichi HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20160086306
    Abstract: An image generating device includes: a storage section that stores images of surrounding spaces centered at plural different fixed points; a detecting section that detects translational movement on the basis of the location of the point of view; an image processor that acquires an image of a displaying target by clipping out part of the image of the surrounding space centered at the fixed point, stored in the storage section, on the basis of the location of the point of view and the direction of the line of sight; and a switching section that makes switching to the image of the surrounding space centered at another fixed point closest to the point of view after translational movement if the plural different fixed points are so disposed that the surrounding spaces centered at the fixed points overlap with each other in a world coordinate system and translational movement is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Takeshi YAMAGISHI, Shinichi HIRATA, Kyoko FURUMURA
  • Patent number: 9262996
    Abstract: A mask region extraction unit extracts a region that is to be masked in a panoramic image. A mask processing unit generates the object image where the region to be masked in the panoramic image is masked. A positioning unit adjusts the direction of a spherical image to the shooting direction of the object image. A mapping processing unit maps the mask-processed object image and the spherical image onto a three-dimensional (3D) object space as textures. A 3D image generator generates a 3D panoramic image, when the 3D panoramic image is viewed in a specified line of sight in such a manner so as to regard the shooting location of the panoramic as a viewpoint position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9251561
    Abstract: When there is a shooting location of another panoramic image in a shooting direction of a panoramic image to be displayed, a marker setting unit associates a marker, indicating the presence of the another panoramic image in the shooting direction, with the panoramic image to be displayed. A mapping processing unit maps the panoramic image to be displayed, which has been associated with markers for the other panoramic images, into a three-dimensional (3D) panoramic space as textures. A 3D image generator generates a 3D panoramic image when the 3D panoramic space is viewed in a specified line of sight, with the shooting location of the panoramic image to be displayed being set as a viewpoint position. An interface receives an instruction from a user concerning the displayed 3D panoramic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Takeshi Yamagishi, Shinichi Hirata
  • Publication number: 20150249794
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: acquiring a still image of a scene at a location; acquiring a moving image of at least one object at the scene taken at a different time of day, a different date, and/or a different season; selecting an image frame from among a plurality of image frames of the moving image as a still image frame; generating a three-dimensional (3D) image from the still image in a three-dimensional (3D) object space; superimposing the still image frame from the moving image onto the three-dimensional (3D) image; displaying the three-dimensional (3D) image on a display screen for a user; and generating the moving image superimposed on the three-dimensional (3D) image, starting at the selected image frame, in response to receiving a command from the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Kyoko FURUMURA, Shinichi HIRATA, Takeshi YAMAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9124867
    Abstract: A control point detector detects controls points, with which moving images are associated with a region of a panoramic image, by detecting feature points between the panoramic image and a frame of part of the moving images. An alignment processing unit adjusts the alignment of the moving images relative to the panoramic image, based on the control points. A mapping processing unit maps the panoramic image and a still image frame of the moving images the alignment of which adjusted by the alignment processing unit, onto a three-dimensional (3D) panoramic space as textures. A 3D image generator generates a 3D panoramic image, when the three-dimensional panoramic image is viewed in a specified line of sight. When a moving image reproduction unit receives instructions to reproduce the moving images in the 3D panoramic image, the moving image reproduction unit reproduces the moving images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi
  • Publication number: 20150162048
    Abstract: Frame memories store captured images supplied from a plurality of imaging units, respectively. A motion detection portion detects the motion of a captured image of at least one of the imaging units. A mode determination portion sets, in accordance with at least either the amount of the motion detected by the motion detection portion or a power consumption limit of the image generation device, one of two modes, one for operating the plurality of imaging units simultaneously and the other for operating the plurality of imaging units intermittently. A control signal generation portion supplies, to the plurality of frame memories, a control signal adapted to control reading of the captured images from the plurality of frame memories in accordance with the mode set by the mode determination portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Hiroshi Osawa, Kyoko Furumura
  • Publication number: 20150145952
    Abstract: A bus interface/camera control interface connects a processor and a plurality of imaging units. A control data pass-through logic exchanges data between the bus interface/camera control interface and the plurality of imaging units. A pass-through mask register includes: a write register used to specify, of the plurality of imaging units, one or more imaging units to be selected so as to selectively supply write data to the one or more imaging units; and a read register used to specify, of the plurality of imaging units, a single imaging unit to be selected so as to selectively receive read data from the single imaging unit. The control data pass-through logic use the pass-through mask register to switch between input and output operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Shinichi Hirata, Hiroshi Osawa, Kyoko Furumura