Patents by Inventor Mitsuaki Kurokawa

Mitsuaki Kurokawa 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: 11691697
    Abstract: A marine vessel includes a vessel body including a navigation light, an imager provided in a vicinity of or adjacent to the navigation light, and a light shield provided between the navigation light and the imager so as to block light from the navigation light to the imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Terada, Hirofumi Amma, Yoshimasa Kinoshita, Shimpei Fukumoto, Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20220371701
    Abstract: A boat control system includes an imager to image a user towed by a hull, an image processor to determine a predetermined state of the user from an image captured by the imager, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to adjust a thruster operable to change a propulsion state of the hull based on the predetermined state of the user determined by the image processor to change the propulsion state of the hull.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Yukitaka OKAMOTO, Mitsuyoshi NAKAMURA, Mitsuaki KUROKAWA, Shimpei FUKUMOTO
  • Patent number: 11383800
    Abstract: A marine vessel display device includes an imager that images surroundings of a vessel body, an image processor that generates a bird's-eye view image based on images captured by the imager, a display provided in the vessel body and that displays the bird's-eye view image, and a controller. The controller is configured or programmed to perform a control to switch an image displayed on the display from the bird's-eye view image to an object image obtained by imaging in a direction toward an object from the vessel body based on object information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Terada, Hirofumi Amma, Yoshimasa Kinoshita, Shimpei Fukumoto, Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 11323635
    Abstract: An imaging device that reduces differences between a bird's eye image and an actually measured distance includes imaging cameras mounted on a ship to capture peripheral images of the ship and combines the peripheral images captured by the imaging cameras to create the bird's eye image as a composite image. The imaging device includes an auxiliary camera adjacent to at least one of the imaging cameras, and a distance calculator that calculates a distance in a lateral direction using the auxiliary camera and the at least one of the imaging cameras adjacent to the auxiliary camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kurokawa, Shimpei Fukumoto, Kohei Terada, Hirofumi Amma, Yoshimasa Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11243539
    Abstract: An imaging system for a ship includes cameras mounted on the ship and spaced apart at a predetermined interval, and a controller that combines peripheral images of the ship captured by the respective cameras to create a simulated bird's eye image. Adjacent ones of the cameras are located at positions and angles so that the peripheral images include a common portion of the ship. The controller performs a calibration process to adjust areas of the peripheral images to be used for the bird's eye image based on a calibration index located at a portion of the ship and included in the common peripheral images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignees: XACTI CORPORATION, YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kurokawa, Shimpei Fukumoto, Kohei Terada, Hirofumi Amma, Yoshimasa Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11059549
    Abstract: A marine vessel includes a hull including a cabin, an imager that images a field-of-view shielded region, which is a region in which a marine vessel operator's field of view is obstructed when the marine vessel operator located on an operation seat provided inside the cabin looks around an outside of the marine vessel in a horizontal direction, and a display provided at a position visible from the operation seat and that displays a field-of-view complement image, which is an image of the field-of-view shielded region captured by the imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Terada, Hirofumi Amma, Yoshimasa Kinoshita, Shimpei Fukumoto, Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20200298940
    Abstract: A marine vessel includes a hull including a cabin, an imager that images a field-of-view shielded region, which is a region in which a marine vessel operator's field of view is obstructed when the marine vessel operator located on an operation seat provided inside the cabin looks around an outside of the marine vessel in a horizontal direction, and a display provided at a position visible from the operation seat and that displays a field-of-view complement image, which is an image of the field-of-view shielded region captured by the imager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei TERADA, Hirofumi AMMA, Yoshimasa KINOSHITA, Shimpei FUKUMOTO, Mitsuaki KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20200298942
    Abstract: A marine vessel includes a vessel body including a navigation light, an imager provided in a vicinity of or adjacent to the navigation light, and a light shield provided between the navigation light and the imager so as to block light from the navigation light to the imager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei TERADA, Hirofumi AMMA, Yoshimasa KINOSHITA, Shimpei FUKUMOTO, Mitsuaki KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20200298941
    Abstract: A marine vessel display device includes an imager that images surroundings of a vessel body, an image processor that generates a bird's-eye view image based on images captured by the imager, a display provided in the vessel body and that displays the bird's-eye view image, and a controller. The controller is configured or programmed to perform a control to switch an image displayed on the display from the bird's-eye view image to an object image obtained by imaging in a direction toward an object from the vessel body based on object information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei TERADA, Hirofumi AMMA, Yoshimasa KINOSHITA, Shimpei FUKUMOTO, Mitsuaki KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20200293047
    Abstract: An imaging system for a ship includes cameras mounted on the ship and spaced apart at a predetermined interval, and a controller that combines peripheral images of the ship captured by the respective cameras to create a simulated bird's eye image. Adjacent ones of the cameras are located at positions and angles so that the peripheral images include a common portion of the ship. The controller performs a calibration process to adjust areas of the peripheral images to be used for the bird's eye image based on a calibration index located at a portion of the ship and included in the common peripheral images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Mitsuaki KUROKAWA, Shimpei FUKUMOTO, Kohei TERADA, Hirofumi AMMA, Yoshimasa KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20200275036
    Abstract: An imaging device that reduces differences between a bird's eye image and an actually measured distance includes imaging cameras mounted on a ship to capture peripheral images of the ship and combines the peripheral images captured by the imaging cameras to create the bird's eye image as a composite image. The imaging device includes an auxiliary camera adjacent to at least one of the imaging cameras, and a distance calculator that calculates a distance in a lateral direction using the auxiliary camera and the at least one of the imaging cameras adjacent to the auxiliary camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Mitsuaki KUROKAWA, Shimpei FUKUMOTO, Kohei TERADA, Hirofumi AMMA, Yoshimasa KINOSHITA
  • Patent number: 8836821
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an image sensor. The image sensor has an imaging surface capturing an object scene through a zoom lens, and outputs an image representing the object scene. The image outputted from the image sensor is reduced in size by a zoom circuit arranged in a pre-processing circuit. A post-processing circuit extracts a reduced image belonging to an extraction area of a predetermined size, out of the reduced image created by the pre-processing circuit. Depending on a change of a magnification of the zoom lens, a CPU changes a size of the reduced image created by the pre-processing circuit in the same direction as a change direction of the magnification of the zoom lens. An angle of view of the reduced image extracted by the post-processing circuit decreases by a rate exceeding a decrease rate resulting from an increase in optical zoom magnification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8411172
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imager, with which an optical image of an object scene is repetitively captured. A first movement detector detects, as to each of a plurality of object scene images according to a time series output from the imager, a movement of a first feature point between the object scene image and the object scene images immediately before, and a clipper performs clipping processing on each of the plurality of object scene images on the basis of the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20120287314
    Abstract: A video camera includes an image sensor which repeatedly outputs an object scene image produced on an imaging surface by an exposure operation of a focal-plane electronic shutter system in a raster scanning manner. A post-processing circuit extracts a partial object scene image belonging to an extraction area, out of the object scene image outputted from the image sensor. A moving image based on the extracted partial object scene image is displayed on an LCD monitor by an LCD driver. A motion detecting circuit detects motion of the imaging surface in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis. A position of the extraction area is changed by a CPU so that the motion detected by the motion detecting circuit is compensated. The CPU also changes a shape of the extraction area so that a focal plane distortion is restrained, based on the motion detected by the motion detecting circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20120268569
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a composite camera system that comprises a first camera including a first imaging unit; a second camera including a second imaging unit; a mount unit configured to detachably mount thereon the first camera and the second camera, wherein scenes captured by the first imaging unit and second imaging unit in a mounted state coincide with each other in vertical position; and a creation unit configured to create a three-dimensional image on the basis of images representing the scenes captured by the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit in the mounted state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20120268649
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes a plurality of light emitters. Each of a plurality of light emitters emits light in a mutually different manner. A plurality of optical systems are respectively corresponding to the plurality of light emitters. A selector selects a desired shooting mode from among a plurality of shooting modes in each of which a scene is captured in a mutually different manner. A driver drives a light emitter corresponding to the shooting mode selected by the selector out of the plurality of light emitters. A creator creates an electronic image based on an optical image went through an optical system corresponding to the light emitter driven by the driver out of the plurality of optical systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8294812
    Abstract: A super-resolution processing portion has a high-resolution image generation portion that fuses a plurality of first input images together to generate a high-resolution image. The first input images are shot at a shutter speed equal to or faster than the super-resolution limit shutter speed, which is the lower-limit shutter speed that enables super-resolution processing to make the resolution of the output image equal to or higher than that of the input images. According to the amount of exposure, one of the following different methods for super-resolution processing is selected: a first method that yields as the output image the high-resolution image; a second method that yields as the output image a weighted added image resulting from weighted addition of the high-resolution image and an image based on an averaged image; and a third method that yields as the output image a weighted added image resulting from weighted addition of the high-resolution image and an image based on a second input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Okada, Akihiro Maenaka, Mitsuaki Kurokawa, Satoru Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8253812
    Abstract: A video camera includes an image sensor which repeatedly outputs an object scene image produced on an imaging surface by an exposure operation of a focal-plane electronic shutter system in a raster scanning manner. A post-processing circuit extracts a partial object scene image belonging to an extraction area, out of the object scene image outputted from the image sensor. A moving image based on the extracted partial object scene image is displayed on an LCD monitor by an LCD driver. A motion detecting circuit detects motion of the imaging surface in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis. A position of the extraction area is changed by a CPU so that the motion detected by the motion detecting circuit is compensated. The CPU also changes a shape of the extraction area so that a focal plane distortion is restrained, based on the motion detected by the motion detecting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8149285
    Abstract: A data-processing circuit includes a distributor. Raw image data of horizontal 3840 pixels×vertical 2160 pixels that is periodically outputted from a CMOS-type imaging device is divided by the distributor into four blocks of partial image data. The divided four blocks of partial image data are subjected to a pre-process in parallel by first to fourth pre-processing blocks. On the other hand, raw image data of horizontal 1280 pixels×vertical 960 pixels that is periodically outputted from a CCD-type imaging device is serially subjected to a pre-process by a fifth pre-processing block. The number of pixels of the raw image data outputted from the CCD-type imaging device is equal to or less than ¼ the number of pixels of the raw image data outputted from the CMOS-type imaging device. A numerical value “4” is equivalent to the number of parallel pre-processes on the raw image data outputted from the CMOS imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8120668
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes a pre-processing block. The pre-processing block fetches four partial images outputted in a parallel manner from an image sensor in response to a clock CLK1 having a frequency equal to or less than 432 MHz, and performs four pre-processes that have responded to a clock CLK2 having a frequency ¼ the frequency of the clock CLK1, on each of the fetched four partial images. An image based on the processed four partial images is outputted from an LCD monitor. An evaluation-image producing circuit responds to a clock CLK3 so as to create an evaluation image based on the processed four partial images. A frequency of the clock CLK3 is adjusted in a range in which ¼ of 432 MHz is the upper limit. A parameter for regulating a quality of an output image is adjusted based on the evaluation image thus created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Kurokawa