Patents by Inventor Mikio Honda

Mikio Honda 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: 11969151
    Abstract: An endoscope includes: a distal end rigid member including a distal end-side end portion and a proximal end-side end portion in the longitudinal axis direction of an insertion portion and a hole provided in the longitudinal axis direction; an objective optical unit inserted into and attached to an inside of the hole in the longitudinal axis direction; a camera unit; and a projecting portion projecting from at least a part of a periphery of the hole, from the proximal end-side end portion to a proximal end side in the longitudinal axis direction, by a length that is equal to or greater than a length up to a gravity center position of the camera unit in the longitudinal axis direction exceeding a connecting portion connecting the objective optical unit and the camera unit, so as to cover a part of an outer peripheral portion of the camera unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuji Suzuki, Kazuki Honda, Mikio Inomata
  • Patent number: 11971721
    Abstract: To effectively enhance the operation efficiency of an autonomous mobile robot, an autonomous mobile robot control system includes a processor and a plurality of environmental cameras. The processor estimates a moving route of each of a plurality of moving bodies on the basis of characteristics of each of the plurality of moving bodies and sets a subset of the plurality of moving bodies whose moving routes overlap among the detected moving bodies as avoidance processing target moving bodies. The processor generates an avoidance procedure for the avoidance processing target moving bodies so the motion of the avoidance processing target moving bodies does not interfere with the motion of other avoidance target moving bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Tetsuya Taira, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11822314
    Abstract: A conveyance control system according to the present disclosure is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, the conveyance control system including: a reception unit configured to receive, from a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, a request signal for requesting a third party to collect the conveyance object halfway through conveyance of the conveyance object; and an issuance unit configured to issue, to a terminal of the third party, a temporary electronic key for enabling the conveyance object to be taken out from the conveyance robot based on a set condition when the reception unit receives the request signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Tetsuya Taira, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11815883
    Abstract: A conveyance system includes a plurality of conveyance robots, a storage unit, a stability information acquisition unit, a selection unit, and a system controller, which serves as a controller. The plurality of conveyance robots convey a wagon that accommodates a conveyed object. The storage unit stores robot information regarding features that the plurality of respective conveyance robots include. The stability information acquisition unit acquires stability information regarding stability when the conveyed object is conveyed. The selection unit selects one of the plurality of conveyance robots based on the robot information and the stability information that have been acquired. The system controller instructs the one conveyance robot that has been selected to convey the conveyed object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Tetsuya Taira, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11657634
    Abstract: A control system controls an operation mode of a mobile robot that autonomously moves in a predetermined area, and includes a feature detection unit, a classifying unit, and a system controller. The feature detection unit detects features of a person who is present in the vicinity of the mobile robot. The classifying unit classifies the person into a predetermined first group or a predetermined second group based on the features. The system controller selects a first operation mode when the person who belongs to the first group is present in the vicinity of the mobile robot and selects a second operation mode that is different from the first operation mode when the person who belongs to the first group is not present in the vicinity of the mobile robot, thereby controlling the mobile robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Tetsuya Taira, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11656621
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a conveyance control system and the like that enable a scheduled recipient of a conveyance object to reliably receive the conveyance object even when a destination of a conveyance robot is changed for any reason. The conveyance control system is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, including: a change unit configured to change the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object; and a notification unit configured to notify an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object about destination information regarding the destination that has been changed by the change unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Tetsuya Taira, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11607812
    Abstract: A conveyance control system according to the present disclosure is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, including: a reception unit configured to receive, from a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, an instruction that the conveyance object is to be collected halfway through conveyance of the conveyance object; and an execution unit configured to execute a predetermined process for enabling collection of the conveyance object halfway through conveyance of the conveyance object when the reception unit receives the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Tetsuya Taira, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11584017
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a conveyance system and the like capable of preferably conveying a conveyed object in accordance with a state of the conveyed object. The conveyance system includes a conveyance robot, a drive controller, which is a controller, an image data acquisition unit, and a setting unit. The conveyance robot conveys the conveyed object. The drive controller controls an operation of the conveyance robot. The image data acquisition unit acquires image data obtained by capturing images of the conveyed object. The setting unit sets an operation parameter of the conveyance robot in the drive controller based on the acquired image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Tetsuya Taira, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11550332
    Abstract: An autonomous moving apparatus control system including a range sensor, a reflection plate, and a control unit. The range sensor is installed in a cage of an elevator and detects a distance to an object by receiving reflected light of signal light applied to the object. The reflection plate is disposed in an elevator hall of a floor on which the elevator stops, and reflects the signal light. The control unit determines whether or not a mobile robot, which is an autonomous moving apparatus, can get on and off the elevator based on a detected distance, the detected distance being a distance to the reflection plate detected by the range sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Tetsuya Taira, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Patent number: 11467581
    Abstract: An autonomous moving body includes: a determination unit configured to determine that the autonomous moving body has arrived at a waiting area on a current floor before the autonomous moving body gets on a car of the elevator; an orientation adjustment unit configured to adjust, when the determination unit determines that the autonomous moving body has arrived at the waiting area, an orientation of the autonomous moving body based on an exiting direction from the car on a destination floor; and a movement controller configured to cause, when the car arrives, the autonomous moving body to enter the car while maintaining the orientation adjusted by the orientation adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Takai, Yuhei Yamaguchi, Satoshi Toyoshima, Yuta Watanabe, Mikio Honda, Shiro Oda, Tetsuya Taira, Nobuhisa Otsuki
  • Publication number: 20220066454
    Abstract: To effectively enhance the operation efficiency of an autonomous mobile robot, an autonomous mobile robot control system includes a host management device, and a plurality of environmental cameras, wherein the host management device performs moving body detection processing that detects in the moving range, moving body path estimation processing that estimates a moving route of each of the plurality of moving bodies on the basis of characteristics of each of the detected moving bodies, avoidance procedure generation processing that sets a plurality of moving bodies whose moving routes overlap among the detected moving bodies as avoidance processing target moving bodies, and generates an avoidance procedure for the avoidance processing target moving bodies so as not to interfere with each other's motion, and robot control processing that gives an instruction to perform avoidance behavior to the avoidance processing target moving bodies on the basis of the generated avoidance procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Tetsuya TAIRA, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20220066455
    Abstract: To effectively prevent an autonomous mobile robot from interfering with the flow of people, an autonomous mobile robot control system includes an autonomous mobile robot, a host management device that manages the autonomous mobile robot on the basis of a route plan defining a moving route of the autonomous mobile robot, and a plurality of environmental cameras that capture images of a moving range of the autonomous mobile robot and transmit the captured images to the host management device. The host management device estimates transition of a degree of congestion in a period later than present time in each of a plurality of management areas defined by dividing an operating range of the autonomous mobile robot on the basis of environmental information acquired using the plurality of environmental cameras, and updates the route plan on the basis of an estimated result of transition of the degree of congestion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Tetsuya TAIRA, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210356960
    Abstract: When an autonomous mobile robot is acquires enters a stuck state in which the autonomous mobile robot cannot autonomosly move, an autonomous mobile apparatus control system according to the present disclosure transmits an autonomous cancel notification for notifying the higher-level management apparatus that the autonomous mobile robot cannot autonomosly move, waits for an operation instruction from the higher-level management apparatus after the transmission of the autonomous cancel notification. The higher-level management apparatus gives an operation instruction to the autonomous mobile robot in response to receiving the autonomous cancel notification based on information acquired from at least one of the plurality of environment cameras. The autonomous mobile robot is configured to resume autonomous driving in response to safety confirmation based on a proximity sensor provided in the autonomous mobile robot after operating in accordance with the operation instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Tetsuya TAIRA, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210154856
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a conveyance system and the like capable of preferably conveying a conveyed object in accordance with a state of the conveyed object. The conveyance system includes a conveyance robot, a drive controller, which is a controller, an image data acquisition unit, and a setting unit. The conveyance robot conveys the conveyed object. The drive controller controls an operation of the conveyance robot. The image data acquisition unit acquires image data obtained by capturing images of the conveyed object. The setting unit sets an operation parameter of the conveyance robot in the drive controller based on the acquired image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Tetsuya TAIRA, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210157326
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile body system including an autonomous mobile body configured to move autonomously, includes a detection unit configured to detect an obstacle around the autonomous mobile body itself, a movement control unit configured to stop a movement of the autonomous mobile body itself when the detection unit detects an obstacle that enters an entry prohibited space set around the autonomous mobile body itself, and an illumination unit configured to illuminate a moving surface so as to indicate an entry prohibited area, the moving surface being a surface on which the autonomous mobile body itself moves, and the entry prohibited area being an area on the moving surface onto which at least a part of the entry prohibited space is projected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Tetsuya TAIRA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210157317
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a conveyance control system and the like that enable a scheduled recipient of a conveyance object to reliably receive the conveyance object even when a destination of a conveyance robot is changed for any reason. The conveyance control system is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, including: a change unit configured to change the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object; and a notification unit configured to notify an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object about destination information regarding the destination that has been changed by the change unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Tetsuya TAIRA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210157300
    Abstract: A conveyance control system according to the present disclosure is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, the conveyance control system including: a reception unit configured to receive, from a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, a request signal for requesting a third party to collect the conveyance object halfway through conveyance of the conveyance object; and an issuance unit configured to issue, to a terminal of the third party, a temporary electronic key for enabling the conveyance object to be taken out from the conveyance robot based on a set condition when the reception unit receives the request signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Tetsuya TAIRA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210154857
    Abstract: A management system is for managing a mobile robot as an autonomous moving apparatus and includes a cleanliness level setting unit, an instruction reception unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The cleanliness level setting unit sets a cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus. The instruction reception unit receives an instruction for a task the autonomous moving apparatus executes. The storage unit stores a database associating information about at least an operator or a destination of the autonomous moving apparatus, a place which the autonomous moving apparatus passes through, and an object to be conveyed by the autonomous moving apparatus, which are included in the task, with the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus. The control unit controls the setting of the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus or processing for the instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Tetsuya TAIRA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210155464
    Abstract: A conveyance system and the like capable of preferably conveying a conveyed object is provided. The conveyance system includes a conveyance robot, which is a conveyance apparatus, a drive controller, which is a controller, an information accepting unit, and a setting unit. The conveyance robot conveys the conveyed object. The drive controller controls an operation of the conveyance robot. The information accepting unit accepts an input from a user regarding information indicating stability of the conveyed object in a conveyance state. The setting unit sets an operation parameter of the conveyance apparatus in the drive controller based on the accepted information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Tetsuya TAIRA, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20210157318
    Abstract: A control system controls an operation mode of a mobile robot that autonomously moves in a predetermined area, and includes a feature detection unit, a classifying unit, and a system controller. The feature detection unit detects features of a person who is present in the vicinity of the mobile robot. The classifying unit classifies the person into a predetermined first group or a predetermined second group based on the features. The system controller selects a first operation mode when the person who belongs to the first group is present in the vicinity of the mobile robot and selects a second operation mode that is different from the first operation mode when the person who belongs to the first group is not present in the vicinity of the mobile robot, thereby controlling the mobile robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa TAKAI, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Satoshi TOYOSHIMA, Yuta WATANABE, Tetsuya TAIRA, Mikio HONDA, Shiro ODA, Nobuhisa OTSUKI