Patents by Inventor Masanobu Hongo
Masanobu Hongo 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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Publication number: 20240020871Abstract: An object recognition device includes an illuminator configured to illuminate an object, an imager configured to take a first-type image of the object when the object is illuminated by the illuminator under a first illumination condition, and take a second-type image of the object when the object is illuminated by the illuminator under a second illumination condition different than the first illumination condition, and circuitry configured to calculate a position of the object based on the first-type image and the second-type image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Inventors: Masanobu HONGO, Jian LI
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Publication number: 20230364651Abstract: An object recognition device includes an illuminator configured to illuminate an object, an imager configured to generate an image of the object such that overexposure occurs in the image, and circuitry configured to calculate a position of the object based on the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Masanobu HONGO, Jian Li
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Patent number: 10348918Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a shooter where a first mounting surface that is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane is formed thereon, a stacker, a supporting unit that movably supports the stacker in such a manner that the stacker is arranged in a first region or a second region, a conveyance unit that conveys a document from the shooter to the stacker when the stacker is arranged in the first region, and a reading unit that reads an image from the document when the document is conveyed by the conveyance unit, wherein a surface area of a region of the first mounting surface that is covered by the stacker when the stacker is arranged in the first region is greater as compared with that when the stacker is arranged in the second region, and the stacker is formed to be capable of being lengthened or shortened.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Masanobu Hongo, Masaaki Yamashita
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Publication number: 20180352099Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a shooter where a first mounting surface that is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane is formed thereon, a stacker, a supporting unit that movably supports the stacker in such a manner that the stacker is arranged in a first region or a second region, a conveyance unit that conveys a document from the shooter to the stacker when the stacker is arranged in the first region, and a reading unit that reads an image from the document when the document is conveyed by the conveyance unit, wherein a surface area of a region of the first mounting surface that is covered by the stacker when the stacker is arranged in the first region is greater as compared with that when the stacker is arranged in the second region, and the stacker is formed to be capable of being lengthened or shortened.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Masanobu HONGO, Masaaki YAMASHITA
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Patent number: 9902580Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a document mounting board, in which a downstream end of the document mounting board in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism is connected to a scanner body so as to be rotatable about a first turning shaft parallel to a rotation shaft of a pickup roller, the first turning shaft is located downstream from the feed mechanism in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism, a mounting surface of the document mounting board on which the documents are mounted is located above the pickup roller when the documents are mounted on the document mounting board, and the document mounting board turns about the first turning shaft such that the mounting surface moves downward and the mounting surface moves downward from a contact portion of the pickup roller with the document when the documents mounted on the document mounting board are fed.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: PFU LIMITEDInventors: Hideyuki Okumura, Masanobu Hongo
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Patent number: 9868599Abstract: In a sheet feeding device, a document mounting board includes a first member that includes a first mounting surface and is located on the feed mechanism side in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism, the first mounting surface being inclined to a lower side toward the feed mechanism, and a second member that includes a second mounting surface on which the documents are mounted and is disposed on a side opposite to the side of the first member on which the feed mechanism is located, and the second member is connected to the first member to be rotatable about a second turning shaft and turns about the second turning shaft depending on the weight of the documents detected by the weight sensor to change an angle with respect to the first member.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2017Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: PFU LIMITEDInventors: Hideyuki Okumura, Masanobu Hongo
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Patent number: 9745160Abstract: Provided is a paper transporting device and the like capable of suppressing errors in determining jam occurrences. A paper transporting device has: a transport mechanism; an audio signal output unit that outputs an audio signal according to the sound generated during paper transport; an audio jam determination unit that determines, on the basis of the audio signal, whether a jam has occurred; and a control unit that stops paper transport when the audio jam determination unit determines that a jam has occurred. The control unit controls, in the case of card stock or paperboard being transported by the transport mechanism, so that the audio jam determination unit determines whether a jam has occurred at predetermined times using a determination method that is different than the method at other times or so that the audio jam determination unit does not determine whether a jam has occurred.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2013Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi, Shuichi Morikawa
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Publication number: 20170137241Abstract: In a sheet feeding device, a document mounting board includes a first member that includes a first mounting surface and is located on the feed mechanism side in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism, the first mounting surface being inclined to a lower side toward the feed mechanism, and a second member that includes a second mounting surface on which the documents are mounted and is disposed on a side opposite to the side of the first member on which the feed mechanism is located, and the second member is connected to the first member to be rotatable about a second turning shaft and turns about the second turning shaft depending on the weight of the documents detected by the weight sensor to change an angle with respect to the first member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2017Publication date: May 18, 2017Inventors: Hideyuki OKUMURA, Masanobu HONGO
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Publication number: 20170137242Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a document mounting board, in which a downstream end of the document mounting board in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism is connected to a scanner body so as to be rotatable about a first turning shaft parallel to a rotation shaft of a pickup roller, the first turning shaft is located downstream from the feed mechanism in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism, a mounting surface of the document mounting board on which the documents are mounted is located above the pickup roller when the documents are mounted on the document mounting board, and the document mounting board turns about the first turning shaft such that the mounting surface moves downward and the mounting surface moves downward from a contact portion of the pickup roller with the document when the documents mounted on the document mounting board are fed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2017Publication date: May 18, 2017Inventors: Hideyuki OKUMURA, Masanobu HONGO
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Patent number: 9592980Abstract: There is provided the paper conveying apparatus, jam determining method, and computer program, which can suppress the mistaken determining of the occurrence of a jam by sound due to a sound generated by a moving member driven in relation to conveyance of a paper. The paper conveying apparatus according to an embodiment includes a moving member driven in relation to conveyance of a paper, a drive module for driving the moving member, a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by a paper during conveyance of the paper, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal, and a control module for stopping conveyance of a paper when the sound jam detector determines that a jam has occurred.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2013Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: PFU LIMITEDInventor: Masanobu Hongo
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Publication number: 20160297635Abstract: Provided is a paper transporting device and the like capable of suppressing errors in determining jam occurrences. A paper transporting device has: a transport mechanism; an audio signal output unit that outputs an audio signal according to the sound generated during paper transport; an audio jam determination unit that determines, on the basis of the audio signal, whether a jam has occurred; and a control unit that stops paper transport when the audio jam determination unit determines that a jam has occurred. The control unit controls, in the case of card stock or paperboard being transported by the transport mechanism, so that the audio jam determination unit determines whether a jam has occurred at predetermined times using a determination method that is different than the method at other times or so that the audio jam determination unit does not determine whether a jam has occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2013Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi, Shuichi Morikawa
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Publication number: 20160251183Abstract: There is provided the paper conveying apparatus, jam determining method, and computer program, which can suppress the mistaken determining of the occurrence of a jam by sound due to a sound generated by a moving member driven in relation to conveyance of a paper. The paper conveying apparatus according to an embodiment includes a moving member driven in relation to conveyance of a paper, a drive module for driving the moving member, a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by a paper during conveyance of the paper, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal, and a control module for stopping conveyance of a paper when the sound jam detector determines that a jam has occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2013Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventor: Masanobu Hongo
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Patent number: 9039010Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, a jam detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can suppress erroneous detection of an occurrence of a jam by sound due to the sound generated along with conveyance of a paper. The paper conveying apparatus includes a first sound signal generator for generating a first sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by a paper during conveyance, at least a part of the first sound signal generator is provided at one end of a conveyance path of the paper, a second sound signal generator for generating a second sound signal corresponding to the sound, at least a part of the second sound signal generator is provided at the other end of the conveyance path, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on a difference of the first sound signal and the second sound signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Takayuki Umi, Masanobu Hongo
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Patent number: 8991820Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, a jam detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can suppress erroneous detection of a jam. The paper conveying apparatus includes a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of a paper, for generating a sound signal, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on a variation of a component of the sound signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Masanobu Hongo, Tetsuo Funada, Nobuhisa Yamazaki
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Patent number: 8934115Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus that can precisely determine the presence of occurrence of a jam by a jam sound. The paper conveying apparatus includes an analog sound signal generator for generating an analog sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper, a corrected signal generator for generating a signal acquiring the peak hold of the analog sound signal or a signal detecting the analog sound signal as a corrected signal, a digital converter for sampling the corrected signal and converting the corrected signal to a digital format to generate a digital sound signal, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the digital sound signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2014Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi
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Patent number: 8925921Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, an abnormality detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium which can precisely determine whether an abnormality has occurred when paper is conveyed. The paper conveying apparatus includes a sound generator for generating a paper sound by contacting a paper, a first sound signal generator for generating a first sound signal corresponding to the paper sound, and an abnormal conveyance detector for determining whether an abnormal conveyance has occurred when the paper is being conveyed according to a detection method, wherein the abnormal conveyance detector is configured to change the detection method based on the first sound signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Shuichi Morikawa, Masanobu Hongo, Ryoichi Yasukawa, Takayuki Umi
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Patent number: 8925920Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, a jam detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that suppress erroneous detection of occurrence of a jam by a sound due to a sound generated from the apparatus. The paper conveying apparatus includes a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of paper, for generating a sound signal, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal output during a paper conveying operation, a control module for performing abnormal processing when the sound jam detector determines that the jam has occurred, and an abnormal sound detector for determining whether an abnormal sound has been generated based on the sound signal output before a paper conveying operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Takayuki Umi, Masanobu Hongo
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Publication number: 20140327925Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus that can precisely determine the presence of occurrence of a jam by a jam sound. The paper conveying apparatus includes an analog sound signal generator for generating an analog sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper, a corrected signal generator for generating a signal acquiring the peak hold of the analog sound signal or a signal detecting the analog sound signal as a corrected signal, a digital converter for sampling the corrected signal and converting the corrected signal to a digital format to generate a digital sound signal, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the digital sound signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2014Publication date: November 6, 2014Applicant: PFU LIMITEDInventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi
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Patent number: 8870181Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus which can effectively detect a sound which is generated when a jam occurs for various types of jams. The paper conveying apparatus includes a side guide, arranged to be movable in a direction which is perpendicular to a conveyance direction of a paper placed on a paper tray, for restricting a width direction of the paper, a sound signal generator, provided at the side guide so that a sound detector moves in accordance with movement of the side guide, for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2013Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Shuichi Morikawa, Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi
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Patent number: 8864131Abstract: A paper conveying apparatus includes a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal, a control module for stopping conveyance of a paper when the sound jam detector determines that the jam has occurred, a paper state detector for detecting a state of the paper, and a recovery processing module for performing recovery processing which resumes conveyance of the paper in accordance with a content of detection of the paper state detector when the sound signal generator outputs a predetermined sound signal after stopping conveyance of the paper by the control module.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2013Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi