Patents by Inventor Minami Kigami

Minami Kigami 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: 11927964
    Abstract: An autonomous work machine that works in a work area while autonomously traveling in the work area, comprises a specification unit configured to specify, based on information of a position detection unit configured to detect position information, a self-position of the autonomous work machine, a determination unit configured to determine, based on the self-position, whether the autonomous work machine has reached a perimeter portion of a no-work area positioned within the work area, and a control unit configured to control the autonomous work machine to do a lap along the perimeter portion in a case in which the autonomous work machine is determined to have reached the perimeter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Kameyama, Keiji Muro, Minami Kigami
  • Publication number: 20220122115
    Abstract: An information management apparatus that manages information on a self-propelled work machine, the apparatus comprising a registration unit that registers one or more users, a receiving unit that receives a predetermined request from the work machine, a notification unit that notifies the registered one or more users of the request, and a providing unit that provides an incentive to a user who has responded to the request, the user being among the registered one or more users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Makoto YAMANAKA, Takayuki SATO, Susumu OKUBO, Minami KIGAMI, Yuki MATSUI
  • Publication number: 20210263521
    Abstract: An autonomous work machine that works in a work area while autonomously traveling in the work area, comprises a specification unit configured to specify, based on information of a position detection unit configured to detect position information, a self-position of the autonomous work machine, a determination unit configured to determine, based on the self-position, whether the autonomous work machine has reached a perimeter portion of a no-work area positioned within the work area, and a control unit configured to control the autonomous work machine to do a lap along the perimeter portion in a case in which the autonomous work machine is determined to have reached the perimeter portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Naoki KAMEYAMA, Keiji MURO, Minami KIGAMI
  • Publication number: 20210251137
    Abstract: An autonomous work machine that works in a work area while autonomously traveling in the work area, comprises a plurality of magnetic detection sensors each configured to detect a magnetic field during energization of a station wire which is configured to guide the autonomous work machine to a charging station for power supply, and a specification unit configured to specify, when the autonomous work machine is to move from a charging position of the charging station to the work area or when the autonomous work machine is to move from the work area to the charging position, an angle of the autonomous work machine with respect to the charging station based on a comparison of detection results of the magnetic detection sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Keiji MURO, Minami KIGAMI
  • Publication number: 20210232146
    Abstract: A traveling route determination apparatus for determining a traveling route of a work machine in a work region, comprising an obtaining unit configured to obtain geographical information of the work region, an evaluating unit configured to evaluate a gradient distribution of the work region based on the geographical information, and a determining unit configured to determine a traveling route of the work machine from a current position to a destination in the work region based on the gradient distribution, such that an undulation in the traveling route decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Keiji MURO, Naoki KAMEYAMA, Minami KIGAMI, Makoto YAMAMURA
  • Patent number: 10094533
    Abstract: A marking device includes a light-emitting unit configured to emit light, a housing configured to accommodate the light-emitting unit, and a support configured to support the housing. The housing can include a transmitting portion configured to transmit the light from the light-emitting unit through a circumferential portion of the housing, and a roof covering the light-emitting unit accommodated in the housing. The housing can include a side wall formed between every two adjacent windows of the plurality of windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., ZMP Inc.
    Inventors: Minami Kigami, Makoto Yamanaka, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Yoshihisa Hirose, Kensei Yamashita, Masaki Segawa, Kazuhiro Ishikawa, Justin Sung Jit Wong
  • Patent number: 10067511
    Abstract: An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. A survey unit acquires the position information of the marker using a first angle between the moving direction and a direction to the marker from a first point through which the vehicle passes during the movement in a constant moving direction, a second angle between the moving direction and a direction to the marker from a second different point through which the vehicle passes during the movement in the moving direction, and a distance between the first point and the second point. The survey unit determines the first point and/or the second point during the movement of the vehicle in the moving direction such that the angle difference between the first angle and the second angle becomes close to 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shiromizu, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Makoto Yamanaka, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minami Kigami, Kensei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10068141
    Abstract: An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. The vehicle includes an image analysis unit configured to extract a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the automatic operation vehicle. If a situation in which the marker that was extracted from the image captured by the camera cannot be extracted by the image analysis unit from the image captured by the camera has occurred during a movement of the automatic operation vehicle in a constant direction. The image analysis unit determines whether the marker extracted before an occurrence of the situation and the marker extracted after an elimination of the situation are the same marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shiromizu, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Makoto Yamanaka, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minami Kigami, Kensei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10054952
    Abstract: An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. The vehicle includes a moving direction determination unit configured to determine a moving direction of the vehicle, an image analysis unit configured to extract a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the vehicle, and a survey unit configured to acquire, by triangulation, position information of the marker extracted by the image analysis unit. When the survey unit starts acquiring the position information of the marker, the moving direction determination unit determines, as the moving direction, a direction in which the vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shiromizu, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Makoto Yamanaka, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minami Kigami, Kensei Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20170284625
    Abstract: A marking device includes a light-emitting unit configured to emit light, a housing configured to accommodate the light-emitting unit, and a support configured to support the housing. The housing can include a transmitting portion configured to transmit the light from the light-emitting unit through a circumferential portion of the housing, and a roof covering the light-emitting unit accommodated in the housing. The housing can include a side wall formed between every two adjacent windows of the plurality of windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Minami Kigami, Makoto Yamanaka, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Yoshihisa Hirose, Kensei Yamashita, Masaki Segawa, Kazuhiro Ishikawa, Justin Sung Jit Wong
  • Publication number: 20170269603
    Abstract: An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. The vehicle includes a moving direction determination unit configured to determine a moving direction of the vehicle, an image analysis unit configured to extract a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the vehicle, and a survey unit configured to acquire, by triangulation, position information of the marker extracted by the image analysis unit. When the survey unit starts acquiring the position information of the marker, the moving direction determination unit determines, as the moving direction, a direction in which the vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shiromizu, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Makoto Yamanaka, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minami Kigami, Kensei Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20170269604
    Abstract: An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. A survey unit acquires the position information of the marker using a first angle between the moving direction and a direction to the marker from a first point through which the vehicle passes during the movement in a constant moving direction, a second angle between the moving direction and a direction to the marker from a second different point through which the vehicle passes during the movement in the moving direction, and a distance between the first point and the second point. The survey unit determines the first point and/or the second point during the movement of the vehicle in the moving direction such that the angle difference between the first angle and the second angle becomes close to 90°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shiromizu, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Makoto Yamanaka, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minami Kigami, Kensei Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20170270369
    Abstract: An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. The vehicle includes an image analysis unit configured to extract a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the automatic operation vehicle. If a situation in which the marker that was extracted from the image captured by the camera cannot be extracted by the image analysis unit from the image captured by the camera has occurred during a movement of the automatic operation vehicle in a constant direction. The image analysis unit determines whether the marker extracted before an occurrence of the situation and the marker extracted after an elimination of the situation are the same marker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shiromizu, Tsutomu Mizoroke, Makoto Yamanaka, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minami Kigami, Kensei Yamashita