Patents by Inventor Mitsuharu Ohki

Mitsuharu Ohki 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: 11958358
    Abstract: Configuration, in which images output to a display unit are switched and displayed in accordance with the behavior of a driver, such as movements of the head of the driver, is achieved. Driver information indicating the behavior of the driver of a moving apparatus and images captured by a plurality of cameras that images a situation around the moving apparatus from different viewpoints are input. The images output to the display unit are switched in accordance with the driver information. The plurality of cameras is, for example, a plurality of rear cameras installed in the rear of the moving apparatus. For example, a direction of the face or line-of-sight of the driver is detected. An image in a direction corresponding to the detected direction of the face or line-of-sight of the driver is selected as an output image, and displayed on the display unit. Alternatively, an image in a direction indicated by a gesture of the driver is selected, and displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Mitsuharu Ohki, Shigeyuki Baba, Yoshikuni Nomura
  • Publication number: 20230408254
    Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a light-receiving unit, a histogram acquiring unit, and an operation unit. The light-receiving unit receives reflected light from a distance measurement target. The reflected light is based on irradiation light from a light-emitting unit. The histogram acquiring unit acquires a histogram indicating the frequency of reception of the reflected light at the light-receiving unit. The operation unit calculates a distance to the distance measurement target on the basis of a time corresponding to a peak of the histogram acquired by the histogram acquiring unit. The operation unit corrects the distance calculated on the basis of the time corresponding to the peak of the histogram on the basis of the shape of the histogram acquired by the histogram acquiring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventor: MITSUHARU OHKI
  • Publication number: 20230350063
    Abstract: A distance measuring device according to a technology includes a light emitting unit that emits light, a light receiving sensor that receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected by a target object, and a calibration calculation unit that performs, as calibration calculation processing for obtaining a correction parameter for distance information calculated by an indirect ToF method on the basis of a light reception signal of the light receiving sensor, calculation processing using a light reception signal of the light receiving sensor when the light emitting unit performs light emission at a first light emission frequency and a light reception signal of the light receiving sensor when the light emitting unit performs light emission at a second light emission frequency different from the first light emission frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Patent number: 11747452
    Abstract: An appropriate peak detection is performed on the basis of a histogram indicating a frequency of reception of reflected light to measure a distance to a target object. A histogram acquisition unit acquires a histogram indicating the frequency of reception of reflected light including active light components that are active light emitted from a light emitting unit and reflected by the target object and ambient light components that are ambient light reflected by the target object. A detection unit detects a distribution of the active light components by performing predetermined statistical processing on the histogram. A measurement unit measures the distance to the target object as distance information on the basis of the distribution of the active light components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Patent number: 11662446
    Abstract: Provided is a ranging sensor (2), including: a light emitting unit (110) that applies light to a target; a light receiving unit (120) that receives light from the light emitting unit (110) reflected from the target; and a calculation unit (150) that calculates a distance from the light receiving unit (120) to the target based on light reception data acquired by the light receiving unit (120). The calculation unit (150) compares detection light reception data with predetermined data, the detection light reception data being obtained as light is emitted from the light emitting unit (110) to a reference object provided at a predetermined distance and the light of the light emitting unit (110) reflected by the reference object is received by the light receiving unit (120), and controls notification processing to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Publication number: 20220414713
    Abstract: Provided are an information collection system, an electronic shelf label, an electronic POP advertising, and a character information display device that allow information with higher accuracy to be collected. An information collection device that collects information associated with a customer or a product is included for each product type. Alternatively, an information processing device that supplies information associated with a product and an information display terminal that displays information associated with a product supplied from the information processing device are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: KYOKO ISHIDA, NAOKI KUZUYA, TAKESHI MASUURA, HIROSHI SUMIHIRO, MITSUHARU OHKI, HIROAKI ONO, HIDESHI YAMADA
  • Patent number: 11454723
    Abstract: Upsampling is performed accurately in a device that measures a distance on the basis of a phase difference of light. A predetermined number of pixel blocks in which a plurality of continuous light pixels that generate continuous light reception data indicating amounts of received continuous light is arranged in a continuous light reception unit. An intermittent light pixel that generates intermittent light reception data indicating an amount of received intermittent light is provided in correlation with each of the predetermined number of pixel blocks in an intermittent light reception unit. A distance measuring unit generates distance data for each of the plurality of continuous light pixels using an average value of the continuous light reception data for each of the pixel blocks, the continuous light reception data, and the intermittent light reception data as high-resolution distance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Publication number: 20220284543
    Abstract: A pixel is appropriately interpolated regarding a histogram image in which a distance histogram is allocated to each pixel position. A signal processing apparatus according to the present technology includes a histogram generation unit that inputs a histogram image in which a distance histogram indicating results of a plurality of times of distance measurement as frequency information for each distance is allocated to each pixel position and generates a distance histogram of an interpolation target position in the histogram image on the basis of distance histograms of a plurality of pixel positions near the interpolation target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: KENSEI JO, TOMOHIRO MATSUKAWA, MITSUHARU OHKI, MASAHIRO WATANABE, KENICHI TAYU, KEITAROU AMAGAWA, KUMIKO MAHARA, TAKAHISA UENO
  • Patent number: 11403672
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an information collection system, an electronic shelf label, an electronic POP advertising, and a character information display device that allow information with higher accuracy to be collected. An information collection device that collects information associated with a customer or a product is included for each product type. Alternatively, an information processing device that supplies information associated with a product and an information display terminal that displays information associated with a product supplied from the information processing device are included. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to an electronic shelf label, an image pickup device, a communication device, an information processing device, electronic equipment, a computer, a storage medium, a system, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoko Ishida, Naoki Kuzuya, Takeshi Masuura, Hiroshi Sumihiro, Mitsuharu Ohki, Hiroaki Ono, Hideshi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20220137193
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus (1a) according to an embodiment includes: a first pixel (10); a light source (131); a control unit (150) that controls emission of light emitted from the light source by generating light emission commands that allow the light source to emit light; a first measuring unit (133ref) that measures a first time period between a first light emission command timing at which the control unit generates a first light emission command out of the light emission commands and a light emission timing at which the light source emits light in accordance with the first light emission command; second measuring units (1331, 1332, 1333, and . . . ) each of which measures a second time period between a second light emission command timing at which the control unit generates a second light emission command out of the light emission commands and a time at which the light is received by the first pixel; and generating units (1401, 1402, 1403, and . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: MITSUHARU OHKI, MASAHIRO WATANABE, KENICHI TAYU, TOMOHIRO MATSUKAWA, KEITAROU AMAGAWA, KUMIKO MAHARA, KENSEI JO
  • Patent number: 11310411
    Abstract: Image quality of a depth map is improved in a distance measuring device for receiving intermittent light. In a pixel array unit, a plurality of pixels for receiving predetermined intermittent light is arranged in a two-dimensional lattice pattern. A continuous light image data generating unit generates continuous light image data in which a plurality of pieces of pixel data indicating a luminance of predetermined continuous light is arranged in a two-dimensional lattice pattern on the basis of received light data of each of the plurality of pixels. A depth map generating unit generates a depth map in which distance information corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels is arranged, from the received light data and the continuous light image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Publication number: 20210370773
    Abstract: Configuration, in which images output to a display unit are switched and displayed in accordance with the behavior of a driver, such as movements of the head of the driver, is achieved. Driver information indicating the behavior of the driver of a moving apparatus and images captured by a plurality of cameras that images a situation around the moving apparatus from different viewpoints are input. The images output to the display unit are switched in accordance with the driver information. The plurality of cameras is, for example, a plurality of rear cameras installed in the rear of the moving apparatus. For example, a direction of the face or line-of-sight of the driver is detected. An image in a direction corresponding to the detected direction of the face or line-of-sight of the driver is selected as an output image, and displayed on the display unit. Alternatively, an image in a direction indicated by a gesture of the driver is selected, and displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Mitsuharu Ohki, Shigeyuki Baba, Yoshikuni Nomura
  • Publication number: 20210349195
    Abstract: It is an object of the present technology to acquire distance measurement data having the maximum likelihood value by performing appropriate noise reduction. For this object, an arithmetic processing apparatus according to the present technology includes an operation processing part that performs processing of: calculating a first distance to a measurement object by emitting and receiving first irradiation light of which intensity is modulated by a first modulation signal of a first frequency; calculating a second distance to the measurement object by emitting and receiving second irradiation light of which intensity is modulated by a second modulation signal of a second frequency different from the first frequency; calculating a corrected first distance using first correction data that has been acquired; and determining the corrected first distance within an error range of the second distance as a third distance using the second distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Publication number: 20210304256
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an information collection system, an electronic shelf label, an electronic POP advertising, and a character information display device that allow information with higher accuracy to be collected. An information collection device that collects information associated with a customer or a product is included for each product type. Alternatively, an information processing device that supplies information associated with a product and an information display terminal that displays information associated with a product supplied from the information processing device are included. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to an electronic shelf label, an image pickup device, a communication device, an information processing device, electronic equipment, a computer, a program, a storage medium, a system, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: KYOKO ISHIDA, NAOKI KUZUYA, TAKESHI MASUURA, HIROSHI SUMIHIRO, MITSUHARU OHKI, HIROAKI ONO, HIDESHI YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20210286082
    Abstract: Upsampling is performed accurately in a device that measures a distance on the basis of a phase difference of light. A predetermined number of pixel blocks in which a plurality of continuous light pixels that generate continuous light reception data indicating amounts of received continuous light is arranged in a continuous light reception unit. An intermittent light pixel that generates intermittent light reception data indicating an amount of received intermittent light is provided in correlation with each of the predetermined number of pixel blocks in an intermittent light reception unit. A distance measuring unit generates distance data for each of the plurality of continuous light pixels using an average value of the continuous light reception data for each of the pixel blocks, the continuous light reception data, and the intermittent light reception data as high-resolution distance data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventor: MITSUHARU OHKI
  • Publication number: 20210239807
    Abstract: Provided is a ranging sensor (2), including: a light emitting unit (110) that applies light to a target; a light receiving unit (120) that receives light from the light emitting unit (110) reflected from the target; and a calculation unit (150) that calculates a distance from the light receiving unit (120) to the target based on light reception data acquired by the light receiving unit (120). The calculation unit (150) compares detection light reception data with predetermined data, the detection light reception data being obtained as light is emitted from the light emitting unit (110) to a reference object provided at a predetermined distance and the light of the light emitting unit (110) reflected by the reference object is received by the light receiving unit (120), and controls notification processing to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuharu OHKI
  • Patent number: 11061413
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method that make it possible to appropriately guide a flying object to a target object even in a case where a translucent substance such as fog exists. In a first period, a gated image of a target object is captured, and in a second period, a user handles a guidance control device for projecting a spotlight, in the same direction as an image capturing direction for capturing the gated image, by changing a distance and a direction, in order to bring the target object into a state in which the target object can be captured as the gated image, and then a laser pointer is projected on the target object. Thus, a flying object is guided toward reflected light that is the light of the laser pointer reflected by the target object, and thereby the flying object can be appropriately guided to the target object even in a case where a translucent substance such as fog exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Patent number: 10962645
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a reception apparatus, a reception method, a transmission apparatus, a transmission method, and a communication system capable of identifying ID information from an image captured with gated imaging. A reception apparatus of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a gated imaging unit that emits pulsed light to a subject existing at any given distance, and performs gated imaging by receiving reflection light of the pulsed light from the subject by controlling exposure timing on the basis of a time it takes for the emitted pulsed light to reciprocate the any given distance; and an identification unit that identifies ID information transmitted as an optical signal by a transmission apparatus existing in an imaging direction of the gated imaging on the basis of a plurality of time-series images obtained by cyclic gated imaging with the gated imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki
  • Publication number: 20210025980
    Abstract: An appropriate peak detection is performed on the basis of a histogram indicating a frequency of reception of reflected light to measure a distance to a target object. A histogram acquisition unit acquires a histogram indicating the frequency of reception of reflected light including active light components that are active light emitted from a light emitting unit and reflected by the target object and ambient light components that are ambient light reflected by the target object. A detection unit detects a distribution of the active light components by performing predetermined statistical processing on the histogram. A measurement unit measures the distance to the target object as distance information on the basis of the distribution of the active light components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventor: MITSUHARU OHKI
  • Patent number: 10746874
    Abstract: A distance is accurately measured by a ranging system that performs ranging by a ToF method. A ranging module includes a light receiving unit, a determination unit, and a ranging unit. The light receiving unit receives reflection light from an object and detects a received light quantity of the reflection light within a predetermined detection period every time the predetermined detection period elapses. The determination unit determines whether the object is moved during each of the predetermined detection periods. The ranging unit measures a distance to the object on the basis of received light quantity within a predetermined detection period during which it is determined that the object is not moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Ohki