Patents by Inventor Masaki Yamauchi

Masaki Yamauchi 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: 8743055
    Abstract: A handheld controller which includes at least two disparate sensors, such as a motion sensor and a touchpad sensor. A processor deployed in either handheld controller or separate product implements a hybrid pointing and selection method that uses data from the first sensor to adjust the sensitivity to stimulus of the second sensor, and vice versa. The respective sensor data are thus tempered and combined to generate a cursor control signal that includes a large scale control component to control size and movement of a rough pointer region, and a fine scale control component to control position of a precise pointer within the rough pointer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Fei, Philippe Morin, David Kryze, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8730407
    Abstract: Provided is a remote control command setting device capable of regulating some operations while being easy to handle for children. The device reconfigures a correspondence between an operation for an operation area having multiple operation buttons arranged therein and a control command for an electric device. The device includes an operation history holding unit (180) for accumulating operation history for the operation area, a control command setting unit (200) for reconfiguring an available control command on the basis of the operation history, and an operation area setting unit (210) for reconfiguring a sub-area in the operation area on the basis of the operation history and the available control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyo Hara, Meiko Maeda, Masaki Yamauchi, Shigenori Maeda
  • Publication number: 20140120452
    Abstract: A fuel cell of the present invention is configured so that seal members are brought into contact with a frame member, and at least one of the seal member and an outer circumferential portion of the gas diffusion layer is squashed by the other in the thickness direction of a polymer electrolyte membrane, to eliminate a clearance between the gas diffusion layer and the seal member. In this manner, the power generation performance is further enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Yamauchi, Yasushi Sugawara, Shinsuke Takeguchi, Yoichiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20140118254
    Abstract: The handheld controller controls a graphic cursor on a display. A motion sensor responds to user movement of a first type producing motion data. A touchpad responds to user movement of a second type more precise than the first type producing second sensor data. A processor calculates a hybrid cursor movement signal having a large scale movement component corresponding to movement of the first type and a fine scale movement component corresponding to movement of the second type, the hybrid cursor movement signal being for moving the graphic cursor. A processor calculates the large scale movement component based on a first sensitivity parameter representing sensitivity of the motion sensor determined by associating the touchpad data with the motion data, and the fine scale movement component based on a second sensitivity parameter representing sensitivity of the touchpad determined by associating the motion data with the touchpad data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yue Fei, Philippe Morin, David Kryze, Masaki Yamauchi, Yoshihiro Kojima
  • Patent number: 8711115
    Abstract: A display control device (300) which controls display of objects placed on a display screen (111), based on inputs on touchpads (201, 202), the display control device including: an operation ratio setting unit (301) which sets an operation ratio indicating a ratio between operation capabilities of a user for the respective touchpads; an assigning unit (302) which assigns regions of the display screen to the touchpads; a position-on-screen determining unit (303) which determines a pointing position indicating a position on the display screen, based on information indicating one of the assigned regions, the pointing position corresponding to a position of an input on one of the touchpads by the user; and a display control unit (305) which controls display of an object placed at the pointing position, wherein the assigning unit assigns at least either the regions of the screen or the objects to the touchpads based on the operation ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuka Ozawa, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20140098301
    Abstract: Provided is a remote control command setting device capable of regulating some operations while being easy to handle for children. The device reconfigures a correspondence between an operation for an operation area having multiple operation buttons arranged therein and a control command for an electric device. The device includes an operation history holding unit (180) for accumulating operation history for the operation area, a control command setting unit (200) for reconfiguring an available control command on the basis of the operation history, and an operation area setting unit (210) for reconfiguring a sub-area in the operation area on the basis of the operation history and the available control command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyo Hara, Meiko Maeda, Masaki Yamauchi, Shigenori Maeda
  • Publication number: 20140055674
    Abstract: A display control device according to an aspect of the present disclosure performs processing using (a) a main content item to be displayed by a display unit and (b) display elements arranged in a chain from which the main content item is selected. The display control device includes the following units. An importance calculation unit obtains additional information to be notified to a user and calculates an importance of the additional information. A relevance calculation unit calculates a relevance between the additional information and the main content item. A position determination unit determines a position to which the additional information is to be inserted in the display elements, based on the calculated importance and the calculated relevance. The position determination unit determines the position to receive more attention from the user as the importance and the relevance of the additional information are higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Sakata, Shigenori Maeda, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20140053105
    Abstract: Included are: a plural-push information management unit; a screen attention degree determination unit; a selection operation history collection unit; a selection probability calculation unit calculating a user's selection probability for each category; and a display style determination unit causing pieces of push information in a category having a higher probability to be displayed in a more easily selectable display style. The categories include a relevance category including pieces of push information regarding content displayed on the screen. The selection probability calculation unit calculates a selection probability of the relevance category having a first attention degree as a screen attention degree to be higher than that having the second attention degree lower than the first attention degree; and calculates a selection probability having a first number as the number of selection times to be higher than that having a second number smaller than the first number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Sakata, Shigenori Maeda, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20140046988
    Abstract: A content management apparatus includes: an uploaded content detection unit which detects a content item uploaded to a network service by a user; a management information generation unit which generates management information of: the content item uploaded to the network service by the user; and a content item stored on a device connected to a network; an uploaded content information storage unit which stores the management information of the uploaded content item; a home content information storage unit which stores the management information of the content item stored on the device; a home content detection unit which detects a new content item newly stored on the device; and an identification unit which verifies, when the new content item is detected, whether the new content item and the content item whose management information is stored on the uploaded content information storage unit are identical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kojima, Masaki Yamauchi, Akira Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8581700
    Abstract: A wearable device is worn by a person participating in an event in which a plurality of other people are participating and wearing other wearable devices. The wearable device includes a request unit for transmitting a request signal to other wearable devices that are in a predetermined range, and receiving a response to the request signal from each of the other wearable devices, and a communication unit for determining, with use of the received responses, one or more of the other wearable devices to be a communication partner, and performing data communication with the determined one or more other wearable devices. The data received in the communication is data collected by the one or more other wearable devices determined to be communication partners, and the data is used as a profile component when creating a profile of the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kawamura, Masayuki Misaki, Ryouichi Kawanishi, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20130157164
    Abstract: A close attachment region is provided on the outer side relative to an outer edge portion of a gas diffusion layer and on the inner side relative to the inner edge portion of a gasket as seen from the thickness direction of a polymer electrolyte membrane, such that separators and a frame member are closely attached to each other. Thus, it becomes possible to suppress an increase in the manufacturing cost and a reduction in the power generation performance, which is attributed to the impurity eluted from the gasket and flowing toward the gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Masaki Yamauchi, Yasushi Sugawara, Shinsuke Takeguchi, Yoichiro Tsuji, Hiroki Kusakabe, Takashi Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20130122394
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a membrane electrode assembly, comprising: obtaining a mixture by mixing and kneading electrically conductive particles, a polymer resin, a surfactant, and a dispersion solvent (S1); obtaining a sheet-like mixture by rolling out and shaping the mixture (S2); obtaining a carbon sheet by heat-treating the sheet-like mixture at a first heat treatment temperature such that the surfactant and the dispersion solvent are removed from the sheet-like mixture (S3); obtaining a dispersion liquid by mixing electrically conductive particles, a polymer resin, a surfactant, and a dispersion solvent (S4); forming, on the carbon sheet, a dispersion liquid layer thinner than the carbon sheet by forming and drying a coating of the dispersion liquid on the carbon sheet (S5); obtaining a gas diffusion layer in which a carbon layer is formed on the carbon sheet, by heat-treating the carbon sheet on which the dispersion liquid layer is formed at a second heat treatment temperature lower than the first heat t
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruhiko Shintani, Toshifumi Ueda, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20130101917
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes: a sealing structure (9) including a substantially rectangular ring-shaped first gasket portion (9a) and a substantially rectangular ring-shaped second gasket portion (9b), the first gasket portion (9a) being positioned outward of a peripheral portion of a first gas diffusion layer (5) and between a first separator (7) and a first catalyst layer (2) positioned at a peripheral portion of a polymer electrolyte membrane 1, the second gasket portion (9b) being positioned outward of the peripheral portion of the polymer electrolyte membrane (1) and between the first separator (7) and a second separator (8); and at least the first catalyst layer (2), a second catalyst layer (3), and a swellable resin portion (II) formed of a swellable resin whose volume expands when water is added thereto, the swellable resin portion (11) being positioned between the first gasket portion (9a) and the first catalyst layer (2) positioned at the peripheral portion of the polymer electrolyte mem
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeou Okanishi, Masaki Yamauchi, Yasushi Sugawara, Yoichiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20130093674
    Abstract: A handheld controller which includes at least two disparate sensors, such as a motion sensor and a touchpad sensor. A processor deployed in either handheld controller or separate product implements a hybrid pointing and selection method that uses data from the first sensor to adjust the sensitivity to stimulus of the second sensor, and vice versa. The respective sensor data are thus tempered and combined to generate a cursor control signal that includes a large scale control component to control size and movement of a rough pointer region, and a fine scale control component to control position of a precise pointer within the rough pointer region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yue Fei, Philippe Morin, David Kryze, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20130063386
    Abstract: In order to provide an information input device that solves the misclick caused by a clickable touch sensor without using information corresponding to pressure of the user's finger, the information input device includes: a touch information detecting unit that detects a touch information item obtained when a finger of the user is in contact with the touch sensor; a touch information sequence storage unit configured to store the touch information item for a predetermined period; and a pressing start position estimating unit configured to estimate a pressing start position at which the user started to press the touch sensor with the finger, based on touch information items stored in the touch information sequence storage unit, when the switch was pressed down, the touch information items including the touch information item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kojima, Tomonari Takahashi, Yoichi Ikeda, Kumi Harada, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20130038537
    Abstract: A character input prediction apparatus includes: an operation input unit that obtains information of a character input operation by a user using a character key layout display which includes character keys; a dictionary storage unit that stores a dictionary including candidate character strings; an indication movement detection unit that detects an indication position and an indication direction respectively showing a position and a movement direction of the character input operation in the character key layout display, from the information of the character input operation; a filter generation unit that determines a character range located in the indication direction with the indication position as a base point, in the character key layout display; and a dictionary search unit that searches the dictionary for a predictive character string including any character included in the character range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshimi Nishii, Susumu Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Ujiie, Masaki Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20120293456
    Abstract: An information input apparatus includes: a touch pad; a touch information detecting unit which detects touch information that is information resulting from an operator contacting the touch sensor with a finger; a touch operation start position detecting unit which detects, using the touch information, a touch operation start position that is a start position of a touch operation performed by the operator; a touch operation recognition condition storage unit which stores a plurality of touch operation recognition conditions each for recognizing one of types of touch operation, in association with each of touch operation start positions; and a touch recognizing unit, which recognizes the touch operation, using the touch operation recognition conditions stored in association with the touch operation start position detected by the touch operation start position detecting unit, to determine a type of the touch operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Yoichi Ikeda, Masaki Yamauchi, Yoshihiro Kojima, Tomonari Takahashi, Kumi Harada
  • Publication number: 20120288783
    Abstract: Disclosed is a membrane electrode assembly provided with a polymer electrolyte membrane; a catalyst layer (A) which is laminated onto one surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane; a gas diffusion layer (A) which is laminated onto the catalyst layer (A); a catalyst layer (B); and a gas diffusion layer (B). The outer circumferential section of the catalyst layer (A) is the membrane electrode assembly with an integrated frame which comprises a membrane electrode assembly that protrudes from the gas diffusion layer (A) and a frame adhered to the outer circumferential section of the catalyst layer (A), whereby said frame surrounds the edge of the membrane electrode assembly. The surface that is adhered to the frame in the outer circumferential section of the catalyst layer (A) comprises a plurality of cracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Morimoto, Yoichiro Tsuji, Masaki Yamauchi, Atushi Murata, Mitsuo Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8233708
    Abstract: A picture classifying unit in a video scene classifying device classifies obtained plural pictures into plural clusters based on a classification index which indicates a feature of the pictures. A cluster selecting unit selects at least one cluster among the classified clusters. An index generating unit assigns the index to at least one picture among the pictures which constitute the selected cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Yamauchi, Masayuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20120164553
    Abstract: Provided is a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, wherein a reactive gas passage groove for distributing a reactive gas is formed in one principal surface of the gas diffusion layer, and a reinforcing member is provided along the reactive gas passage grooves. Thus, the deformation of the gas diffusion layer due to a fastening pressure can be suppressed to improve the power generation performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Miho Gemba, Yoichiro Tsuji, Masaki Yamauchi