Patents by Inventor Masaaki Fukuhara
Masaaki Fukuhara 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).
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Patent number: 9456199Abstract: Although a conventional method can eliminate a mounting position deviation when left and right camera units only are taken into consideration, a problem is posed that deviation again occurs due to poor machining precision and assembly precision at the mounting surface between a camera unit and a member when a camera unit is mounted to a stay. According to this invention, mounting surfaces for mounting left and right imaging elements to a stay are provided to directly position left and right imaging elements to the stay, whereby built-up tolerance between components is reduced and the positional mounting precision between imaging elements is improved.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ken Ohsumi, Masaaki Fukuhara, Tatsuhiko Monji, Norio Koike
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Publication number: 20140132739Abstract: Although a conventional method can eliminate a mounting position deviation when left and right camera units only are taken into consideration, a problem is posed that deviation again occurs due to poor machining precision and assembly precision at the mounting surface between a camera unit and a member when a camera unit is mounted to a stay. According to this invention, mounting surfaces for mounting left and right imaging elements to a stay are provided to directly position left and right imaging elements to the stay, whereby built-up tolerance between components is reduced and the positional mounting precision between imaging elements is improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2014Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ken OHSUMI, Masaaki FUKUHARA, Tatsuhiko MONJI, Norio KOIKE
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Publication number: 20130329017Abstract: Vehicle-mounted camera device includes first imaging unit, second imaging unit, image control unit for outputting imaging timing signals for controlling imaging timings of first imaging unit and second imaging unit to the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit, and outputting transmission timing control signals for controlling transmission timings of signals output from the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit to the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit, and an image processing unit for performing an image processing on the signals output from the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit. Image control unit temporarily offsets a timing of outputting the signal from the first imaging unit to the image processing unit from a timing of outputting the signal from the second imaging unit to the image processing unit based on the transmission timing control signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2012Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Jun Hayakawa, Masaaki Fukuhara, Tomoyuki Kataishi
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Patent number: 8013901Abstract: A camera apparatus for vehicles including an imaging element and a lens comprises a gradation generation unit for stepwise changing the light amount reaching a whole or part of the imaging element. By this, a gradation region is formed on the imaging element and it absorbs assembling errors during manufacturing and positional shifts attributed to a road surface slope or the like. Even when an inverse light state is caused, it is possible to improve the image processing performance with an ecconomical configuration.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Fukuhara, Isao Furusawa, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Patent number: 8005355Abstract: In a camera unit having a lens and an imaging device, the imaging device is fixed by means of a base plate, an elastic material, and a printed circuit board. The imaging device abuts on a first plane of the base plate, and the elastic material is sandwiched between the printed circuit board and a second plane opposite to the first plane of the base plate.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Fukuhara, Norio Koike
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Publication number: 20090269050Abstract: It has been problematic that in a use environment of an image processing system in which temperature fluctuation or vibration occurs, it is highly probable that the subject of image recognition would not be imaged accurately because the relative position of an imaging device and a lens could be changed due to, for example, thermal stress resulting from a difference in the coefficient of linear expansion between a structural member that abuts on the imaging device and an adhesive and between the adhesive and the imaging device, stress resulting from vibration, or peeling of the adhesive resulting from deterioration of such adhesive. In a camera unit having a lens and an imaging device, the imaging device is fixed by means of a base plate, an elastic material, and a printed circuit board. The imaging device abuts on a first plane of the base plate, and the elastic material is sandwiched between the printed circuit board and a second plane opposite to the first plane of the base plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki FUKUHARA, Norio KOIKE
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Patent number: 7415338Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of auxiliary equipment of a vehicle by receiving an output of a surroundings detection sensor for detecting the surrounding of the vehicle and an output of the vehicle information sensor, for detecting operation of the vehicle, wherein the distance to and the direction of an overtaking vehicle, an oncoming vehicle, or a preceding vehicle and the light intensities of the right and the left headlamps are controlled independently. A plurality of processes required for controlling the vehicle auxiliary equipment are performed by the time division processing.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuhiko Monji, Masaaki Fukuhara, Katsuo Ouchi, Isao Furusawa, Hiroyuki Kasuya, Jun Higashino, Fujio Iida, Katsumi Otsubo
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Publication number: 20080001727Abstract: According to a conventional technique, first, the positional relation between a lens and an imaging element is kept at each of left and right camera units, adjustment is made so as to eliminate the rotation-direction deviation of an imaging element from one surface of a member to which a lens and an imaging element are to be attached before fixing, and then that camera unit is attached to a reference member to thereby constitute a stereo camera. However, although this method can eliminate a mounting position deviation when left and right camera units only are taken into consideration, a problem is posed that deviation again occurs due to poor machining precision and assembly precision at the mounting surface between a camera unit and a member when a camera unit is mounted to a stay.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2005Publication date: January 3, 2008Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ken Ohsumi, Masaaki Fukuhara, Tatsuhiko Monji, Norio Koike
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Publication number: 20070242290Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input section, and a screen processing section. The input section inputs image information. The screen processing section performs screen processing on the input image information with a threshold matrix. A plurality of threshold values are arranged in the threshold matrix so that if the threshold values are colored in an ascending order or descending order. The threshold matrix represents at least one selected from the group consisting of capital alphabets ‘A’ to ‘Z’, lower case alphabets ‘a’ to ‘z’ and numeric characters ‘0’ to ‘9.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2006Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventors: Toru Misaizu, Masaaki Fukuhara, Kazuo Asano, Takeshi Saito, Kazuhiro Hama, Toshio Hisamura, Toshiki Matsui, Yasuhiro Arai, Kenji Koizumi
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Patent number: 7247838Abstract: An image processing system includes a lamp which emits light to a glass, an imaging device which captures light which is emitted from the lamp and reflected by the glass, and an optical filter, located between the glass and the imaging device, which transmits rays with a specific wavelength of the reflected light. A lens is provided in front of the imaging device, and a focus of the lens is adjusted to a point beyond the glass, and an image processor is provided which processes an image captured by the imaging device and detects moisture on the glass.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Takenaga, Yuji Otsuka, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji, Ken Ohsumi, Isao Furusawa, Masaaki Fukuhara, Hiroyuki Kasuya
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Patent number: 7208723Abstract: An image processing system that detects foreign matter on a glass window of a vehicle and objects in front of the vehicle. The system includes an image processor, a first lamp, and a second lamp. On/off control of the first and second lamps is controlled by the image processor. Light from the first lamp is reflected from the outer sauce of the glass when raindrops are present on the outside of the glass. Light from the second lamp is reflected from the inner surface of the glass when moisture is present on the inside of the glass. Any reflected light goes through a lens and an optical filter with prescribed optical characteristics to an image device. The lens is focused to a point beyond the window so that the image processor an also detect objects in front of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2004Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Takenaga, Yuji Otsuka, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji, Ken Ohsumi, Isao Furusawa, Masaaki Fukuhara, Hiroyuki Kasuya
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Publication number: 20060243894Abstract: An image processing system includes a lamp which emits light to a glass, an imaging device which captures light which is emitted from the lamp and reflected by the glass, and an optical filter, located between the glass and the imaging device, which transmits rays with a specific wavelength of the reflected light. A lens is provided in front of the imaging device, and a focus of the lens is adjusted to a point beyond the glass, and an image processor is provided which processes an image captured by the imaging device and detects moisture on the glass.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2006Publication date: November 2, 2006Inventors: Hiroshi Takenaga, Yuji Otsuka, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji, Ken Ohsumi, Isao Furusawa, Masaaki Fukuhara, Hiroyuki Kasuya
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Publication number: 20050134483Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of auxiliary equipment of a vehicle by receiving an output of a surroundings detection sensor for detecting the surrounding of the vehicle and an output of the vehicle information sensor, for detecting operation of the vehicle, wherein the distance to and the direction of an overtaking vehicle, an oncoming vehicle, or a preceding vehicle and the light intensities of the right and the left headlamps are controlled independently. A plurality of processes required for controlling the vehicle auxiliary equipment are performed by the time division processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2004Publication date: June 23, 2005Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuhiko Monji, Masaaki Fukuhara, Katsuo Ouchi, Isao Furusawa, Hiroyuki Kasuya, Jun Higashino, Fujio Iida, Katsumi Otsubo
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Publication number: 20050117027Abstract: A camera apparatus for vehicles including an imaging element and a lens comprises a gradation generation unit for stepwise changing the light amount reaching a whole or part of the imaging element. By this, a gradation region is formed on the imaging element and it absorbs assembling errors during manufacturing and positional shifts attributed to a road surface slope or the like. Even when an inverse light state is caused, it is possible to improve the image processing performance with an ecconomical configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2004Publication date: June 2, 2005Inventors: Masaaki Fukuhara, Isao Furusawa, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Publication number: 20050035926Abstract: An image processing system which detects foreign matter on window of a vehicle with high reliability. The system includes an image processor, a first lamp, and a second lamp and when to turn on the first and second lamps is controlled by the image processor. Light from the first lamp passes through the glass. If there are raindrops on the outer surface of the glass, light is reflected by raindrops and light from the second lamp is reflected by a surface of the glass and such reflected light goes through a lens and an optical filter with prescribed optical characteristics to an imaging device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2004Publication date: February 17, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Takenaga, Yuji Otsuka, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji, Ken Ohsumi, Isao Furusawa, Masaaki Fukuhara, Hiroyuki Kasuya
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Patent number: 5510883Abstract: An electrophotographic single-component developing device including a development roller; a toner storing portion provided in parallel relationship to an axis of the development roller, for storing a single-component toner; and a toner feeding unit provided in the toner storing portion, for feeding the single-component toner stored in the toner storing portion in a direction parallel to the axis of the development roller and supplying the single-component toner to the development roller. The toner feeding unit has a spiral agitator formed from a wire. Accordingly, the ability of toner feed along the development roller and the ability of toner supply to the development roller can be improved without deterioration of the toner.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1995Date of Patent: April 23, 1996Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tsutomu Kimura, Masaaki Fukuhara, Yasuhito Takahashi, Toru Isosu
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Patent number: 5463452Abstract: A single-component developing apparatus comprising a developer holding member having a peripheral surface, a power supply section applying an AC developing bias voltage to the developer holding member, the AC developing bias voltage having a waveform with predetermined minimum value, maximum value and period, an electrostatic latent image receiving member opposing the developer holding member across a gap having predetermined width, a developer supplying section supplying a developer to the developer holding member, and a developer regulating member forming developer into a thin layer on the peripheral surface of the developer holding member by pressing on the developer holding member.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1994Date of Patent: October 31, 1995Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Inaba, Masaaki Fukuhara, Makoto Hirota, Mitsuo Yamamoto, Jun Abe, Hideaki Miyata, Takayuki Sunaga, Toru Ishikawa, Yoshio Shiina, Toru Isosu, Makoto Kanno
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Patent number: 5247333Abstract: Disclosed is a one-component developing apparatus in which a developing agent scale-off member such as a wire member is provided parallel to the surface of the developing agent carrier so as to be in contact with or in close proximity to a developing agent carrier. A developing agent thin layer formed on the surface of the developing agent carrier which did not contribute to development in a development region comes into contact with the developing agent scale-off member so as to be forcibly scaled off of the developing agent carrier, so that the image history is erased. When the developing agent scale-off member is made to vibrate, or a bias voltage is applied between the developing agent scale-off member and the developing agent carrier, the developing agent may be scaled off more efficiently.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1992Date of Patent: September 21, 1993Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mikio Yamamoto, Hidekiyo Tachibana, Masashi Kajimoto, Yutaka Toyoda, Jun Abe, Masaaki Fukuhara, Shigeru Inaba, Tetsuya Fujita
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Patent number: D883364Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Keisuke Masuda, Masaaki Fukuhara
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Patent number: D891498Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2018Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Keisuke Masuda, Yoshiyuki Sasada, Masaaki Fukuhara