Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Inouchi

Mitsuhiro Inouchi 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: 8194499
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an underwater detector including a power source for applying a predetermined voltage, a voltage control circuit for controlling the voltage based on a control signal, a gate signal generating module for outputting a gate signal, a switching circuit for outputting a reference signal based on the voltage controlled by the voltage control circuit and the gate signal outputted from the gate signal generating module, and a transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic signal underwater, an envelope of which being controlled based on a waveform of the control signal by being applied with the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Furund Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masaru Nishida, Itsuo Fukuoka, Yasunobu Asada, Satoshi Misonoo, Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Shinji Ogawa, Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 7773459
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses process signals. The method according to one aspect of the present invention receives a first signal; obtains a second signal and a third signal from the first signal, wherein a gain of the second signal is smaller than a gain of the third signal; detects saturation in the third signal; and generates a composite signal from the second signal and the third signal, the step of generating a composite signal including selecting a part of the second signal for the composite signal, when the detecting step detects saturation in the third signal, and selecting a part of the third signal for the composite signal, when the detecting step does not detect saturation in the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Osamu Kubota, Toshiyuki Shimizu, Shintaro Oda
  • Patent number: 7663974
    Abstract: A fishfinder is provided for identifying with high precision a single fish under the ship and for measuring the length of the fish precisely. An operator of the fishfinder is assisted to grasp the depth and the length of the fish. A fishfinder transmits an ultrasound pulse having a high carrier frequency and an ultrasound pulse having a low carrier frequency by means of a pulse transmission and reception device at predetermined time intervals. A single fish echo is determined and tracked for a plurality of transmission intervals of ultrasound pulses emitted into the water. A target strength of single fish is measured based on the signal strength of a low carrier frequency echo signal from the single fish. The length of the fish is measured based on the target strength. A fish mark is displayed on the screen of an indicator, with the size of the fish mark depending on the fish length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Toshiyuki Shimizu, Masahiko Mushiake, Masaki Ogata, Yoshito Okubo
  • Publication number: 20090201766
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an underwater detector including a power source for applying a predetermined voltage, a voltage control circuit for controlling the voltage based on a control signal, a gate signal generating module for outputting a gate signal, a switching circuit for outputting a reference signal based on the voltage controlled by the voltage control circuit and the gate signal outputted from the gate signal generating module, and a transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic signal underwater, an envelope of which being controlled based on a waveform of the control signal by being applied with the reference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: FURUNO Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masaru NISHIDA, Itsuo Fukuoka, Yasunobu Asada, Satoshi Misonoo, Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Shinji Ogawa, Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 7388809
    Abstract: A fish finder includes a transducer that repeatedly transmits ultrasonic pulse signals downward into the water and receives signals from the water, a first signal generating unit that generates a first signal on the basis of a reception signal at an identical depth caused by signals transmitted at least twice, and an interference detecting unit that detects an occurrence of interference on the basis of plural first signals at different depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Makoto Shibata
  • Publication number: 20080080317
    Abstract: A fishfinder is provided for identifying with high precision a single fish under the ship and for measuring the length of the fish precisely. An operator of the fishfinder is assisted to grasp the depth and the length of the fish. A fishfinder transmits an ultrasound pulse having a high carrier frequency and an ultrasound pulse having a low carrier frequency by means of a pulse transmission and reception device at predetermined time intervals. A single fish echo is determined and tracked for a plurality of transmission intervals of ultrasound pulses emitted into the water. A target strength of single fish is measured based on the signal strength of a low carrier frequency echo signal from the single fish. The length of the fish is measured based on the target strength. A fish mark is displayed on the screen of an indicator, with the size of the fish mark depending on the fish length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Toshiyuki Shimizu, Masahiko Mushiake, Masaki Ogata, Yoshito Okubo
  • Publication number: 20080080316
    Abstract: A fish finder includes a transducer that repeatedly transmits ultrasonic pulse signals downward into the water and receives signals from the water, a first signal generating unit that generates a first signal on the basis of a reception signal at an identical depth caused by signals transmitted at least twice, and an interference detecting unit that detects an occurrence of interference on the basis of plural first signals at different depths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Makoto Shibata
  • Publication number: 20070165489
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses process signals. The method according to one aspect of the present invention receives a first signal; obtains a second signal and a third signal from the first signal, wherein a gain of the second signal is smaller than a gain of the third signal; detects saturation in the third signal; and generates a composite signal from the second signal and the third signal, the step of generating a composite signal including selecting a part of the second signal for the composite signal, when the detecting step detects saturation in the third signal, and selecting a part of the third signal for the composite signal, when the detecting step does not detect saturation in the third signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Osamu Kubota, Toshiyuki Shimizu, Shintaro Oda
  • Patent number: 7245557
    Abstract: A sonar emits an ultrasonic wave into the water from a transducer on the basis of a transmission signal outputted from a transmission circuit, receives an echo reflected in the water with the transducer and converts the echo into an electric signal, and displays underwater information on a display unit on the basis of an echo signal extracted by processing the electric signal. A tailing signal removing unit for removing a tailing signal and extracting only the echo signal is provided in the sonar such that a video of a surface layer fish shoal is clearly displayed on a screen of the display unit without being hidden by a video of the tailing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Ishihara, Takanori Satoh, Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Osamu Kubota, Yuriko Onishi
  • Publication number: 20060133210
    Abstract: A sonar emits an ultrasonic wave into the water from a transducer on the basis of a transmission signal outputted from a transmission circuit, receives an echo reflected in the water with the transducer and converts the echo into an electric signal, and displays underwater information on a display unit on the basis of an echo signal extracted by processing the electric signal. A tailing signal removing unit for removing a tailing signal and extracting only the echo signal is provided in the sonar such that a video of a surface layer fish shoal is clearly displayed on a screen of the display unit without being hidden by a video of the tailing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Shinji Ishihara, Takanori Satoh, Mitsuhiro Inouchi, Osamu Kubota, Yuriko Onishi
  • Patent number: 6418080
    Abstract: An underwater detection apparatus comprises a transducer, a transmitter capable of generating transmitting signals of a plurality of respective frequencies and for generating a transmitting signal, a broadband trap circuit for transferring the transmitting signal fed from the transmitter to the transducer and for passing an echo signal fed from the transducer, a preamplifier for amplifying the echo signal fed from the broadband trap circuit, a mixer for converting an output of the preamplifier into a signal of a specific frequency, a filter for selectively passing the signal of only the specific frequency-band output from the mixer, a main amplifier for amplifying an output of the filter, an A/D converter for converting an output of the main amplifier into a digital form, and a display circuit for displaying the digitized output of the A/D converter on a monitor, wherein the preamplifier is of a low-gain type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Company, Limited
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Inouchi
  • Publication number: 20010026499
    Abstract: An underwater detection apparatus comprises a transducer, a transmitter capable of generating transmitting signals of a plurality of respective frequencies and for generating a transmitting signal, a broadband trap circuit for transferring the transmitting signal fed from the transmitter to the transducer and for passing an echo signal fed from the transducer, a preamplifier for amplifying the echo signal fed from the broadband trap circuit, a mixer for converting an output of the preamplifier into a signal of a specific frequency, a filter for selectively passing the signal of only the specific frequency-band output from the mixer, a main amplifier for amplifying an output of the filter, an A/D converter for converting an output of the main amplifier into a digital form, and a display circuit for displaying the digitized output of the A/D converter on a monitor, wherein the preamplifier is of a low-gain type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Company, Limited
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Inouchi