Patents by Inventor Masahiro Shiihara

Masahiro Shiihara 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: 11933897
    Abstract: A distance measurement device includes: a mirror disposed so as to be tilted relative to a rotation center axis; a drive unit configured to rotate the mirror about the rotation center axis; a photodetector configured to detect reflected light, of laser light, reflected in a distance measurement region; and a condensing lens disposed on the rotation center axis and configured to condense the reflected light reflected by the mirror, on the photodetector. The mirror has a shape elongated in one direction and is disposed such that a short axis thereof is tilted relative to the rotation center axis in a direction parallel to a plane including the rotation center axis. A width in a short-axis direction of the mirror is smaller than a width of a lens portion of the condensing lens as viewed in a direction parallel to the rotation center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ide, Masaomi Inoue, Hirotaka Ueno, Kouichi Kumamaru, Masahiro Shiihara, Kouichi Bairin, Takashi Haruguchi, Kiyoshi Hibino
  • Patent number: 11474241
    Abstract: There is provided a distance measurement device that can appropriately detect a distance to an object regardless of the distance. The distance measurement device includes a laser light source, a photodetector, and a controller. The controller performs a long-distance routine that detects timing for receiving light when an object is at a long distance, and a short-distance routine that detects the timing for receiving light when the object is at a short distance, based on a detection signal output from the photodetector during one distance measurement operation. The controller then selects one of a detection result of the timing for receiving light by the long-distance routine and a detection result of the timing for receiving light by the short-distance routine, and calculates the distance to the object irradiated with projection light based on the selected detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Koga, Kiyoshi Hibino, Takashi Haruguchi, Kazuhisa Ide, Masaomi Inoue, Masahiro Shiihara, Kouichi Bairin, Kouichi Kumamaru
  • Publication number: 20210141062
    Abstract: A distance measurement device for measuring a distance to an object that exists in a distance measurement region includes: a light source configured to emit laser light; a lens configured to converge the laser light emitted from the light source, into substantially parallel light; a tubular light blocking member disposed on an optical path of the laser light emitted from the light source and surrounding the optical path; a photodetector configured to detect reflected light, of the laser light, reflected at the distance measurement region; and a condensing lens configured to condense the reflected light passing through the outside of the light blocking member, onto the photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hibino, Takashi HARUGUCHI, Masaomi INOUE, Kazuhisa IDE, Masahiro SHIIHARA, Kouichi BAIRIN, Kouichi KUMAMARU, Hirotaka UENO, Hideo YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20210018625
    Abstract: A distance measurement device includes: a mirror disposed so as to be tilted relative to a rotation center axis; a drive unit configured to rotate the mirror about the rotation center axis; a photodetector configured to detect reflected light, of laser light, reflected in a distance measurement region; and a condensing lens disposed on the rotation center axis and configured to condense the reflected light reflected by the mirror, on the photodetector. The mirror has a shape elongated in one direction and is disposed such that a short axis thereof is tilted relative to the rotation center axis in a direction parallel to a plane including the rotation center axis. A width in a short-axis direction of the mirror is smaller than a width of a lens portion of the condensing lens as viewed in a direction parallel to the rotation center axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ide, Masaomi Inoue, Hirotaka Ueno, Kouichi KUMAMARU, Masahiro SHIIHARA, Kouichi BAIRIN, Takashi HARUGUCHI, Kiyoshi HIBINO
  • Publication number: 20190120960
    Abstract: There is provided a distance measurement device that can appropriately detect a distance to an object regardless of the distance. The distance measurement device includes a laser light source, a photodetector, and a controller. The controller performs a long-distance routine that detects timing for receiving light when an object is at a long distance, and a short-distance routine that detects the timing for receiving light when the object is at a short distance, based on a detection signal output from the photodetector during one distance measurement operation. The controller then selects one of a detection result of the timing for receiving light by the long-distance routine and a detection result of the timing for receiving light by the short-distance routine, and calculates the distance to the object irradiated with projection light based on the selected detection result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: TOSHIHIRO KOGA, KIYOSHI HIBINO, TAKASHI HARUGUCHI, KAZUHISA IDE, MASAOMI INOUE, MASAHIRO SHIIHARA, KOUICHI BAIRIN, KOUICHI KUMAMARU
  • Patent number: 5541592
    Abstract: A positioning system has a position measuring mode and a simulated navigation mode. In the position measuring mode, the system measures an actual position of a movable body. On the other hand, in the simulated navigation mode, a simulated position of the movable body is derived using a determined route to be traveled by the movable body. The system derives the simulated position of the movable body as a position which moves along the determined route at a given speed. The system displays the derived simulated position of the movable body at a center of a display screen, along with a corresponding map and the determined route in a superimposed fashion. Accordingly, the system automatically scrolls the corresponding map and route at a given speed, with the derived simulated position of the movable body being constantly displayed at the center of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Shiihara