Patents by Inventor Masahiro Minowa

Masahiro Minowa 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: 20240027649
    Abstract: Provided is a generation method for a learning model that can efficiently estimate altitude-by-altitude water vapor densities or precipitable water amounts. According to the present invention, a generation method for a learning model involves: acquiring training data that includes first measurement data measured by a microwave radiometer and altitude-by-altitude water vapor densities or precipitable water amounts obtained from second measurement data measured by a radiosonde: and, on the basis of the acquired training data, generating a learning model that, when first measurement data has been inputted, outputs altitude-by-altitude water vapor densities or precipitable water amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taiki IWAHORI, Masahiro MINOWA
  • Patent number: 11662471
    Abstract: A water vapor observation device includes a water vapor index acquisition module which acquires a water vapor index calculated based on radio wave intensities of at least two frequencies out of radio waves received by a microwave radiometer, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precipitable water vapor acquisition module which acquires a GNSS precipitable water amount calculated based on an atmospheric delay of a GNSS signal received by a GNSS receiver, a correlation data generation module which generates correlation data between the water vapor index and the GNSS precipitable water amount based on the water vapor index and the GNSS precipitable water amount at a plurality of time points during a predetermined period, and a precipitable water vapor calculation module which calculates a precipitable water amount based on the correlation data from the water vapor index obtained based on the microwave radiometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Okumura, Yuya Takashima, Masahiro Minowa, Shuhei Inoue
  • Publication number: 20220084242
    Abstract: An imaging processing device includes an image acquisition module configured to acquire an image obtained by photographing the sky with a camera having a known orientation or slant; a time stamp acquisition module configured to acquire a photographing date and time of the image; a photographing position acquisition module configured to acquire position information of a photographing position of the image; a sun position determination module configured to determine a photographed sun position in the image; a reference sun position acquisition module configured to calculate a reference sun position indicating a sun position determined based on the photographing date and time and the position information; and a camera information identification module configured to determine any one of unknown orientation and slant of the camera based on any one of the known orientation and slant of the camera, the photographed sun position, and the reference sun position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Yuya TAKASHIMA, Masahiro MINOWA, Shigeaki OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20220050212
    Abstract: A water vapor observation device includes a water vapor index acquisition module which acquires a water vapor index calculated based on radio wave intensities of at least two frequencies out of radio waves received by a microwave radiometer, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precipitable water vapor acquisition module which acquires a GNSS precipitable water amount calculated based on an atmospheric delay of a GNSS signal received by a GNSS receiver, a correlation data generation module which generates correlation data between the water vapor index and the GNSS precipitable water amount based on the water vapor index and the GNSS precipitable water amount at a plurality of time points during a predetermined period, and a precipitable water vapor calculation module which calculates a precipitable water amount based on the correlation data from the water vapor index obtained based on the microwave radiometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Shigeaki OKUMURA, Yuya TAKASHIMA, Masahiro MINOWA, Shuhei INOUE
  • Publication number: 20210398312
    Abstract: To provide a cloud observation device capable of reducing calculation cost and predicting sunshine probability by a simple method. A cloud observation device includes an image acquisition module which acquires an image in which a camera photographs the sky, a cloud extraction module which extracts clouds in the image, a sun position determination module which determines a sun position in the image, a sunshine probability calculation area setting module which sets a sunshine probability calculation area having the sun position as a base point in the image, and a sunshine probability calculation module which calculates a sunshine probability after a predetermined time has elapsed based on the sunshine probability calculation area and the extracted clouds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Yuya TAKASHIMA, Masahiro MINOWA, Shigeaki OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20210333435
    Abstract: A microwave radiometer includes an electromagnetic wave transmission surface, a vertically upward horn configured to receive an electromagnetic wave passing through the electromagnetic wave transmission surface and processing circuitry configured to generate water vapor spectrum data relating to water vapor based on the electromagnetic wave received by the horn, generate cloud liquid water data relating to cloud liquid water based on the electromagnetic wave received by the horn, and calculate a water vapor amount by using the water vapor spectrum data and the cloud liquid water data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: Masahiro MINOWA
  • Publication number: 20210110565
    Abstract: A cloud observation system is provided to appropriately specify the position and altitude of clouds. A cloud observation device includes, an acquisition module configured to acquire whole sky images imaged by whole sky cameras arranged at two positions different from each other with known positional relationships, a cloud distribution data generation module configured to generate cloud distribution data representing the distribution of clouds for each whole sky image, a scale determination module configured to enlarge or reduce the cloud distribution data to determine the scale on which clouds in the respective cloud distribution data existing in the evaluation target region of the state where the known positional relationships are maintained, and mostly overlap with each other, and a target cloud determination module configured to determine a target cloud from the clouds included in the respective cloud distribution data which are enlarged or reduced based on the scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Yuya TAKASHIMA, Masahiro Minowa
  • Patent number: 10690603
    Abstract: A water vapor observing system which is capable of observing water vapor regardless of a situation of an external system may be provided. The water vapor observing system may be configured to observe water vapor contained within atmospheric air, and include a transmission unit configured to transmit transmission waves, one of a reception unit configured to receive reflection waves caused by the transmission waves reflected on and returned from a stationary object as reception waves, and a reception unit disposed at a different position from the transmission unit and configured to receive the transmission waves as reception waves, and a relative water vapor amount calculating module configured to calculate a relative water vapor amount that is a relative value of water vapor with respect to a reference water vapor amount being a comparison target, based on the reception wave received by the one of the reception units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Minowa, Koji Yano
  • Patent number: 10620311
    Abstract: In a two-dimensional data structure stored in a memory of a weather radar apparatus, a height of an obstacle may be specified by a single parameter when the obstacle blocking a transmission signal is located in an observation area. A signal processor may process a reception signal based on blocking area specifying information. Thereby, a detection apparatus and a detecting method can specify with a smaller data amount an area where a transmission signal is blocked when performing a detection using transmission and reception signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Asada, Masahiro Minowa
  • Patent number: 10502696
    Abstract: The purpose is to reliably calculate a water vapor amount at a given position. A water vapor observing apparatus may include a transmitting part (which may also be referred to as a transmitter circuitry) configured to transmit a first transmission wave and a second transmission wave having different frequencies, a receiving part (which may also be referred to as a receiver circuitry) configured to receive, as reception waves, reflection waves caused by the transmission waves reflected on and returned from a ground surface portion or a water surface after passing through water vapor, and an arithmetic processor configured to calculate an amount of the water vapor in a passing area of the transmission waves based on first reception information generated from a first reception wave obtained from the first transmission wave, and second reception information generated from a second reception wave obtained from the second transmission wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Minowa
  • Publication number: 20180209919
    Abstract: A water vapor observing system which is capable of observing water vapor regardless of a situation of an external system may be provided. The water vapor observing system may be configured to observe water vapor contained within atmospheric air, and include a transmission unit configured to transmit transmission waves, one of a reception unit configured to receive reflection waves caused by the transmission waves reflected on and returned from a stationary object as reception waves, and a reception unit disposed at a different position from the transmission unit and configured to receive the transmission waves as reception waves, and a relative water vapor amount calculating module configured to calculate a relative water vapor amount that is a relative value of water vapor with respect to a reference water vapor amount being a comparison target, based on the reception wave received by the one of the reception units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Masahiro Minowa, Koji Yano
  • Publication number: 20180209920
    Abstract: The purpose is to reliably calculate a water vapor amount at a given position. A water vapor observing apparatus may include a transmitting part (which may also be referred to as a transmitter circuitry) configured to transmit a first transmission wave and a second transmission wave having different frequencies, a receiving part (which may also be referred to as a receiver circuitry) configured to receive, as reception waves, reflection waves caused by the transmission waves reflected on and returned from a ground surface portion or a water surface after passing through water vapor, and an arithmetic processor configured to calculate an amount of the water vapor in a passing area of the transmission waves based on first reception information generated from a first reception wave obtained from the first transmission wave, and second reception information generated from a second reception wave obtained from the second transmission wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventor: Masahiro Minowa
  • Publication number: 20180017676
    Abstract: In a two-dimensional data structure stored in a memory of a weather radar apparatus, a height of an obstacle may be specified by a single parameter when the obstacle blocking a transmission signal is located in an observation area. A signal processor may process a reception signal based on blocking area specifying information. Thereby, a detection apparatus and a detecting method can specify with a smaller data amount an area where a transmission signal is blocked when performing a detection using transmission and reception signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: FURUNO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunobu ASADA, Masahiro MINOWA
  • Patent number: 9835721
    Abstract: A clutter suppressing device for suppressing echo data of static clutter components indicating reflection waves caused by radar transmission signals reflecting on a static object is provided. The device includes a static clutter component suppressor configured to receive reception signals containing the static clutter components, and suppress the static clutter components, a reference data memory configured to store, as reference data, echo data of the reception signals obtained in fine weather and in which the static clutter components are suppressed by the static clutter component suppressor, and a rain component extracting module configured to extract echo data indicating rain components contained in the reception signals, by removing the reference data stored in the reference data memory from echo data of the reception signals obtained in rainy weather and in which the static clutter components are suppressed by the static clutter component suppressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Minowa
  • Patent number: 9829576
    Abstract: A clutter suppressing device for suppressing echo data of reflection waves caused by radar transmission signals reflecting on a static object is provided. Each of the radar transmission signals is transmitted at a predetermined azimuth from a radar antenna at a predetermined time interval. The clutter suppressing device includes an echo data memory configured to sequentially store a plurality of echo data of reflection waves caused by the radar transmission signals reflecting on objects, a filter configured to select, from the plurality of echo data, a data row in the azimuth direction for a predetermined distance, and suppress, in the data row, echo data of a target object moving at a speed within a predetermined range, and a suppression echo data output unit configured to output suppression echo data containing the echo data suppressed by the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Minowa, Yasunobu Asada
  • Patent number: 9513369
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a radar device and a velocity calculation method with which velocity can be calculated more accurately. A radar device 1 comprises a transmitter 23, a first velocity calculator 31a, a second velocity calculator 31b, a first velocity corrector 33a, and a second velocity corrector 33b. The transmitter 23 transmits pulse signals at two or more different pulse repetition frequencies. The first velocity calculator 31a calculates a first Doppler velocity based on a first received signal. The second velocity calculator 31b calculates a second Doppler velocity based on a second received signal. The first velocity corrector 33a calculates a first corrected Doppler velocity by folding correction of the first Doppler velocity. The second velocity corrector 33b calculates a second corrected Doppler velocity by folding correction of the second Doppler velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro Minowa, Yasunobu Asada
  • Publication number: 20160061945
    Abstract: A clutter suppressing device for suppressing echo data of static clutter components indicating reflection waves caused by radar transmission signals reflecting on a static object is provided. The device includes a static clutter component suppressor configured to receive reception signals containing the static clutter components, and suppress the static clutter components, a reference data memory configured to store, as reference data, echo data of the reception signals obtained in fine weather and in which the static clutter components are suppressed by the static clutter component suppressor, and a rain component extracting module configured to extract echo data indicating rain components contained in the reception signals, by removing the reference data stored in the reference data memory from echo data of the reception signals obtained in rainy weather and in which the static clutter components are suppressed by the static clutter component suppressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventor: Masahiro Minowa
  • Publication number: 20160061944
    Abstract: A clutter suppressing device for suppressing echo data of reflection waves caused by radar transmission signals reflecting on a static object is provided. Each of the radar transmission signals is transmitted at a predetermined azimuth from a radar antenna at a predetermined time interval. The clutter suppressing device includes an echo data memory configured to sequentially store a plurality of echo data of reflection waves caused by the radar transmission signals reflecting on objects, a filter configured to select, from the plurality of echo data, a data row in the azimuth direction for a predetermined distance, and suppress, in the data row, echo data of a target object moving at a speed within a predetermined range, and a suppression echo data output unit configured to output suppression echo data containing the echo data suppressed by the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro Minowa, Yasunobu Asada
  • Patent number: 9214261
    Abstract: A cable for a high-voltage electronic device having a small diameter and an excellent voltage resistance characteristic. The cable includes an inner semiconducting layer, a high-voltage insulator, an outer semiconducting layer, a shielding layer, and a sheath on an outer periphery of a cable core portion, wherein the high-voltage insulator is formed of an insulating composition containing 0.5 to 5 parts by mass of an inorganic filler with respect to 100 parts by mass of an olefin-based polymer, and the inorganic filler has an average dispersed-particle diameter of 1 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SWCC SHOWA CABLE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mariko Saito, Masahiro Minowa, Junichi Nishioka, Nahoko Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150302622
    Abstract: A weather information display that system includes a radar device, a radar image creator, a predictor, an arrival time calculator, an encountering image creator, and a display unit. The radar device acquires weather observation data. The radar image creator creates a weather radar image based on the weather observation data. The predictor predicts a change of weather when a time point is shifted forward, based on the weather observation data. The encountering image creator creates, as the weather radar images for respective locations, an encountering image displaying the weather radar images at arrival time points at the respective locations, based on the change of weather predicted by the predictor and either one of the arrival time points at the respective locations and required periods of time to reach the respective locations. The display unit displays the encountering image by superimposing it on a map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takechi, Masahiro Minowa