Patents by Inventor Masayoshi Imoto

Masayoshi Imoto 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: 7508440
    Abstract: An imaging device has a single image pickup element, an image pickup lens arranged in front of the image pickup element, a first optical element having a concave lens property and arranged in front of the image pickup lens, and a second optical elements having no concave lens property and arranged in front of the image pickup lens. The first optical element guides light from a wide angle range in a forward slanting lower side direction onto the image pickup lens, and forms the light as an image in the image pickup element via the image pickup lens. The second optical elements guide lights from non-wide angle ranges in both left and right side directions onto the image pickup lens, and form these lights as images in the image pickup element via the image pickup lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Patent number: 7457044
    Abstract: An ultra wide angle imaging optical system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group, an aperture stop, and a second lens group. The first lens group includes, in order from the position closest to the object side, a negative meniscus lens element convex to the object side, a negative lens element, and a negative lens element. The second lens group includes a plurality of positive lens elements. The first lens group and the second lens group each includes at least one anamorphic surface having different optical powers with respect to a first section extending in a first direction on a flat plane substantially orthogonal to an optical axis, and with respect to a second section extending in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The first lens group includes the lens element satisfying the following conditional formula (1): ?0.6<(Ph?Pv)*(fh+fv)<?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignees: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Soh Ohzawa, Masayuki Inoue, Masayoshi Imoto
  • Patent number: 7359001
    Abstract: A pair of left and right prisms are disposed on part of the region in front of the image pickup unit. A wide-angle lens is disposed on another part of region in front of the image pickup unit. Tapered supporting members of a prism holder for supporting the prisms located between the prisms and the wide-angle lens are formed so as to be reduced in thickness gradually toward the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Patent number: 7253833
    Abstract: A vehicle periphery visual recognition system 1 is made up of an image pickup unit 11 for picking up images of image pickup ranges in three directions of the lower area at the front of a vehicle and the left and right side areas at the same time, and a controller 10 for performing image processing of an image signal provided by the image pickup unit 11 and then outputting the signal to a display 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20070133107
    Abstract: An ultra wide angle imaging optical system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group, an aperture stop, and a second lens group. The first lens group includes, in order from the position closest to the object side, a negative meniscus lens element convex to the object side, a negative lens element, and a negative lens element. The second lens group includes a plurality of positive lens elements. The first lens group and the second lens group each includes at least one anamorphic surface having different optical powers with respect to a first section extending in a first direction on a flat plane substantially orthogonal to an optical axis, and with respect to a second section extending in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The first lens group includes the lens element satisfying the following conditional formula (1): ?0.6<(Ph?Pv)*(fh+fv)<?0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Soh Ohzawa, Masayuki Inoue, Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20070058273
    Abstract: A driving assist system is provided with a photographing unit which photographs an image of an area around a periphery of the vehicle, a first storing unit which stores a primary image of the trailer and the vehicle coupled together, the primary image being photographed by the photographing unit in advance, a display unit which displays an image, and an image processing unit which obtains a direction and a distance over which the vehicle has to travel for the trailer to be coupled thereto. The photographing unit photographs an secondary image when coupling the trailer to the vehicle. The image processing unit obtains the direction and the distance based on the primary image and the secondary image, and displays the direction and the distance together with the secondary image on the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Ito, Hideo Kato, Masayoshi Imoto, Takao Kashihara
  • Publication number: 20070051646
    Abstract: A waterproof case for an in-vehicle camera includes a front case part and a rear case part, and houses imaging means such as the imaging device therein. A packing member is set between the front case part and the rear case part, and waterproofs and seals the space therebetween. A water-stop wall part is protrudingly formed on a flange part which is an attaching portion of the rear case part at a peripheral of the packing member. A concave part, into which the water-stop wall part can be fitted, is formed on an opening peripheral part which is an attaching portion of the front case part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Imoto, Masatoshi Koike
  • Patent number: 7183448
    Abstract: A mixture comprising at least 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloro-2-propene is subjected to a distillation operation, and thereby, a distillate comprising an azeotropic composition consisting substantially of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloro-2-propene is obtained and a bottom product comprising 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane or 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloro-2-propene which each is separated and purified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Nakada, Masayoshi Imoto, Takashi Shibanuma
  • Patent number: 7031142
    Abstract: A prism for reflecting rays of light 17L and 17R incident from left and right image pick-up directions on the rear side of the direction of travel A is disposed in parallel to the vertical direction of a vehicle. The image pick-up optical axis of an image pick-up unit 15 is set to tilt vertically and obliquely with respect to a horizontal plane C, whereby the images in the respective image pick-up directions which are obliquely above or below the horizontal plane are picked up by the image pick-up unit 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Mishima, Masayoshi Imoto, Takayuki Tomida
  • Patent number: 7006303
    Abstract: A light incident on one side surface of a prism is reflected twice between an inner surface of the other side surfaced of the prism and an inner surface of the one side surface of the prism. The reflected light is emitted from the rear surface of the prism to form an image on an image pickup element through the image pickup lens. A first reflective member disposed on a substantially entire other side surface of the prism totally reflects the light incident on the inner surface of the other side prism. A second reflective member disposed on an area, of the one side surface of the prism, in which the light incident on the inner surface of the one side prism is not totally reflected totally reflects the light incident on the inner surface of the one side prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20050225880
    Abstract: A light incident on one side surface of a prism is reflected twice between an inner surface of the other side surfaced of the prism and an inner surface of the one side surface of the prism. The reflected light is emitted from the rear surface of the prism to form an image on an image pickup element through the image pickup lens. A first reflective member disposed on a substantially entire other side surface of the prism totally reflects the light incident on the inner surface of the other side prism. A second reflective member disposed on an area, of the one side surface of the prism, in which the light incident on the inner surface of the one side prism is not totally reflected totally reflects the light incident on the inner surface of the one side prism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20050083405
    Abstract: In a camera unit, a lens system may be configured by a first lens group (wide-angle lens system) whose a field angle in a horizontal direction is 120 degrees or more, a second lens group (anamorphic lens system) whose anamorphic ratio is 1.5 or more, and a third lens group (image-forming lens system). A lens system may be configured so that the amount of change in image height with respect to a change of an image angle is made larger at the peripheral parts than at the center portion of a formed image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Imoto, Akinori Matsui
  • Publication number: 20050085674
    Abstract: A mixture comprising at least 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloro-2-propene is subjected to a distillation operation, and thereby, a distillate comprising an azeotropic composition consisting substantially of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloro-2-propene is obtained and a bottom product comprising 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane or 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloro-2-propene which each is separated and purified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Tatsuo Nakada, Masayoshi Imoto, Takashi Shibanuma
  • Publication number: 20050083427
    Abstract: In a camera unit, with respect to a relationship between an image height of respective image portion on an image formed on the pickup element and an image angle of the light lays made incident into the respective image portions, the lens system is configured so that an amount of change in the image height with respect to a change in the image angle is greater at a peripheral portion of the image than at a center part of the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20050057651
    Abstract: An apparatus for visually confirming a vehicle periphery includes a camera device which is attached to a vehicle, and which picks up a image in at least one direction at the vehicle periphery and a display unit which displays the picked-up image in the at least one direction on a display unit installed in the vehicle. The camera device is attached to the vehicle while a position of the camera device is inclined, so that a vehicle is at least partially taken in the picked-image in the at least one direction, The image-processing device carries out a rotation process with respect to the picked-up image, in which a scene taken in the picked-up image is inclined due to an inclination resulting from the position of the camera device, so that an inclination of the scene is negated, and which displays the scene in the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., TOYOTA AUTO BODY CO., LTD., AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayoshi Imoto, Kenichi Ohue, Hideyuki Ide, Yasuhiko Yamamoto, Naoki Sagara, Hideya Hori
  • Patent number: 6786609
    Abstract: In an apparatus for watching around a vehicle, an internal reflection preventive film 37 for preventing stray light from undergoing total reflection in a prism is formed outside an effective area with respect to an imaging lens 9 disposed to the rear side 8B of the prism. Thus, the quantity of stray light is reduced by preventing the total reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Patent number: 6788478
    Abstract: In a vehicle periphery visual confirming apparatus 1A, the vertical angle portion 5 of a prism 4 is chamfered by cutting away the vertical angle adjacent areas 5L, 5R, and light rays 18R (18L) entering the portion of the prism 4, where the vertical angle adjacent areas 5R (5L) was once present, are allowed to pass in front of the chamfered surface 5a and go to the outside through the penetration window portion 2L (2R) of a case, or, are allowed to enter the chamfered surface 5a and are scattered by the rough surface of the chamfered surface 5a, so that the light rays are prevented from advancing into the prism 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20040169762
    Abstract: A pair of left and right prisms are disposed on part of the region in front of the image pickup unit. A wide-angle lens is disposed on another part of region in front of the image pickup unit. Tapered supporting members of a prism holder for supporting the prisms located between the prisms and the wide-angle lens are formed so as to be reduced in thickness gradually toward the image pickup unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto
  • Publication number: 20040065805
    Abstract: A prism for reflecting rays of light 17L and 17R incident from left and right image pick-up directions on the rear side of the direction of travel A is disposed in parallel to the vertical direction of a vehicle. The image pick-up optical axis of an image pick-up unit 15 is set to tilt vertically and obliquely with respect to a horizontal plane C, whereby the images in the respective image pick-up directions which are obliquely above or below the horizontal plane are picked up by the image pick-up unit 15.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Applicants: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Mishima, Masayoshi Imoto, Takayuki Tomida
  • Publication number: 20040046889
    Abstract: An imaging device has a single image pickup element, an image pickup lens arranged in front of the image pickup element, a first optical element having a concave lens property and arranged in front of the image pickup lens, and a second optical elements having no concave lens property and arranged in front of the image pickup lens. The first optical element guides light from a wide angle range in a forward slanting lower side direction onto the image pickup lens, and forms the light as an image in the image pickup element via the image pickup lens. The second optical elements guide lights from non-wide angle ranges in both left and right side directions onto the image pickup lens, and form these lights as images in the image pickup element via the image pickup lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicants: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Imoto