Patents by Inventor Naoki Nishimura

Naoki Nishimura 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).

  • Waterproof bioelectrode
    Patent number: 7957785
    Abstract: A waterproof bioelectrode includes an electrode pad (101) to be mounted on a living body and a lead wire (110) to be connected to the electrode pad. The electrode pad includes a waterproof base (106) having an adhesive contacting surface and a hole substantially at its center, a waterproof seal member (105) which fixes the lead wire to a lower surface of the contacting surface of the base while covering the hole such that a detection electrode provided to a distal end of the lead wire is exposed from the hole of the waterproof base, and a conductive gel (103) arranged on the contacting surface to come into contact with the detection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • Force sense presentation device, mixed reality system, information processing method, and information processing apparatus
    Patent number: 7920124
    Abstract: A force sense presentation device for presenting a sense of force in virtual space to a user, comprises: a fixed unit which is gripped by the user; a force sense presentation unit which presents a sense of force; an actuator which supplies a driving force and operates the force sense presentation unit relative to the fixed unit; a joint unit which is provided between the fixed unit and the force sense presentation unit, and guides the relative operation of the force sense presentation unit; and a force sense rendering unit which controls the relative operation of the force sense presentation unit by the actuator, wherein the force sense presentation device simulates a device which is gripped and used by the user, and the force sense rendering unit controls the relative operation of the force sense presentation unit based on a position and orientation of the device in the virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Atsushi Nogami, Naoki Nishimura
  • FAILURE DETERMINATION DEVICE FOR SHIFT SWITCHING MECHANISM AND FAILURE DETERMINATION METHOD
    Publication number: 20110066323
    Abstract: An SBW-ECU executes a program including the steps of: if there is a request to switch a shift position to another for the first time after the engine is started and the target position is not the D position, setting the D position as the current target position; controlling an actuator to attain the target position; if the actual shift position does not correspond to the target shift position, notifying that some failure has arisen; otherwise, resetting a target shift position based on a shift signal; and controlling the actuator to attain the reset target shift position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • CONTROL DEVICE FOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20100274454
    Abstract: A power supply ECU executes a program including the steps of: transmitting an auto-P request signal if a power switch is in the short pressed state and if a speed V of a vehicle is lower than a predetermined speed ?; starting a timer; turning off an IG relay and an ACC relay if a P position signal and an auto-P completion signal are received before a predetermined time period T has elapsed; and maintaining the IG relay and the ACC relay in the ON state if the predetermined time period has elapsed and if the speed V of the vehicle is higher than or equal to the predetermined speed ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Nishimura, Shigeru Kimura
  • VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20100168954
    Abstract: In a control apparatus of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is a failsafe control that blocks power transmission from a drive source to drive wheels by releasing clutches of an automatic transmission when there is a shift switching failure. In consideration of the fact that when a working oil temperature of the automatic transmission is low (below the freezing point, for example), the viscosity of the working oil is high and response for power blocking is poor, in a case where an oil temperature at the time of a shift switching request is low (steps ST2 and ST3), the power transmission is blocked by releasing the clutches of the automatic transmission at the same time as the shift switching request (step ST11). Thus, a clutch release delay occurring when there is a shift switching failure at a low oil temperature is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji INOUE, Naoki NISHIMURA, Tsuyoshi SATO
  • Parking lock device for automatic transmission
    Patent number: 7631742
    Abstract: A parking lock device for an automatic transmission includes: a parking gear externally fixed to the output shaft; a parking lock pole displaced between a lock position, where the parking lock pole latches onto the parking gear to disable rotation of the parking gear, and an unlock position, where the parking lock disengages from the parking gear to enable rotation of the parking gear; a parking rod for displacing the parking lock pole toward and away from the parking gear; a drive lever that moves the parking rod; and a booster mechanism interposed between the parking rod and the drive lever that increases the driving force of the drive lever. Thus, the parking lock device makes the driving force applied by the drive lever when unlocking as small as possible and prevents inadvertent unlocking when in a locked state, thereby achieving smooth operation and enhanced reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • Color processing method and its apparatus
    Patent number: 7595807
    Abstract: A method (for, e.g., proof) of mapping only colors which fall outside a color gamut on its boundary calculates color differences from all the points in the color gamut, and determines a mapping destination by interpolating points with smaller color differences. For this reason, as the number of points that express the device color gamut increases, a mapping destination search requires longer time. Hence, calorimetric values indicating the color gamut of an output device are obtained, information indicating the boundary of the color gamut is generated based on the calorimetric values, and it is determined whether a color signal falls outside the color gamut. The color signal which falls outside the color gamut is mapped on the boundary on the basis of the information indicating the boundary of the color gamut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • Image display apparatus and image display method
    Patent number: 7576707
    Abstract: The invention realizes an image display by wireless communication. There is provided an image display apparatus constituted by an image display unit including an arrangement of plural wireless image forming elements, and a wireless transmission unit. The wireless transmission unit is provided with a wireless transmission circuit, while the wireless image forming element is provided with an image forming element, a wireless element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • Wireless imaging apparatus and its control method
    Patent number: 7508417
    Abstract: To realize a wireless imaging apparatus having excellent sensitivity to an environmental change, a wireless imaging device has an imaging unit with a function of imaging a subject and a communication unit with a wireless communication function. The imaging unit has, at least, an optical lens, an aperture 2 to limit incident light from the optical lens, an optical sensor 4 to convert the incident light passed through the aperture 2 into an electric signal, and an antenna for wireless communication, integrally formed with the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Nishimura, Kenji Saitoh, Masaaki Shibata
  • INFORMATION-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION-PROCESSING METHOD
    Publication number: 20090066725
    Abstract: An information-processing apparatus determines whether a stimulation generation unit and a background virtual object contact each other based on position and orientation information about the stimulation generation unit and position and orientation information about the background virtual object. If it is determined that the stimulation generation unit and the background virtual object contact each other, the information-processing apparatus determines whether the stimulation generation unit is included within an attention range. The information-processing apparatus generates operation setting information for controlling an operation of the stimulation generation unit according to a result of the determination and outputs the generated operation setting information to the stimulation generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Nogami, Naoki Nishimura
  • Rubber crawler belt having metal cores and arcuate lugs
    Patent number: 7469976
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a rubber crawler in which a shape of the central lug viewed from a lateral side of the rubber crawler is approximately in the form an arc. Therefore, at a time of driving of the rubber crawler repeating back and forth movement, even if a large resisting force from the road surface due to an impediment, such as gravel, is subjected to the central lug particularly disposed close to a sprocket engagement section, the resisting force can be parried for dispersion to a suitable degree by such arrangement, so that there is no possibility of early peel occurring in the central lug or such peeling is prevented from extending to tread members connected thereto; thus, the life is prolonged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SPECIFYING POINT IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE
    Publication number: 20080316203
    Abstract: An information processing method includes measuring a line-of-sight direction of a user as a first direction, specifying a first point based on the first direction, calculating a three-dimensional position of the first point, setting a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first position, measuring a line-of-sight direction of the user after the setting of the first plane as a second direction, specifying a second point included in the first plane based on the second direction, and calculating a three-dimensional position of the second point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Christian Sandor, Naoki Nishimura
  • RANGE-SWITCHING DEVICE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20080264190
    Abstract: A range-switching device of an automatic transmission has a control device that executes a fail-safe process of prohibiting the changing to the parking range if a parking load greater than or equal to a predetermined value occurs when the vehicle is at rest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIMURA
  • Magnetization reversal method for applying a multi-directional external magnetic field to a perpendicular magnetoresistive film
    Patent number: 7420839
    Abstract: A magnetization reversal method is disclosed in which an external magnetic field is applied to a magnetoresistive film requiring a strong magnetic film for reversal. A weak magnetic field is applied when magnetically coupled perpendicular magnetic films are used in which the magnetoresistive film has a structure wherein a nonmagnetic film is placed between magnetic films with an easy axis of magnetization along a perpendicular direction to a film plane, and in which said external magnetic field is comprised of magnetic fields from a plurality of directions including a direction of easy magnetization of the magnetic films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Ikeda, Yoshinobu Sekiguchi, Naoki Nishimura
  • PARKING LOCK DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
    Publication number: 20080169168
    Abstract: A parking lock device for an automatic transmission includes: a parking gear externally fixed to the output shaft; a parking lock pole displaced between a lock position, where the parking lock pole latches onto the parking gear to disable rotation of the parking gear, and an unlock position, where the parking lock disengages from the parking gear to enable rotation of the parking gear; a parking rod for displacing the parking lock pole toward and away from the parking gear; a drive lever that moves the parking rod; and a booster mechanism interposed between the parking rod and the drive lever that increases the driving force of the drive lever. Thus, the parking lock device makes the driving force applied by the drive lever when unlocking as small as possible and prevents inadvertent unlocking when in a locked state, thereby achieving smooth operation and enhanced reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIMURA
  • TACTILE-FEEDBACK DEVICE AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20080100588
    Abstract: A tactile-feedback device configured to enable a user to perceive a state of contact with a virtual object includes a plurality of stimulation generating units attached to a user body and a control unit configured to cause the plurality of stimulation generating units to generate stimulations different from each other when the user body is in contact with different surfaces of the virtual object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Nogami, Naoki Nishimura, Toshinobu Tokita, Yoshihiko Iwase
  • INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD
    Publication number: 20080094351
    Abstract: A plurality of stimulus generators (110), which is used to apply stimuli to the human body, and is laid on the human body of the user, is controlled. A position determination unit (108) determines whether or not a virtual object that forms a virtual space where the user exists is in contact with the human body. When the contact has occurred, a control unit (103) executes drive control of each of a plurality of stimulus generators (110), which are located near a place where the contact is determined, based on the positional relationship between the virtual object and the stimulus generators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Nogami, Naoki Nishimura, Toshinobu Tokita, Tetsuri Sonoda
  • Information acquisition apparatus
    Patent number: 7362219
    Abstract: When a plurality of objects having RFID tags attached are to be read, an image sensing unit performs image sensing, and at the same time an RFID reader reads an RFID tag within the image sensing range. A characteristic quantity (external appearance model) of an object obtained from a database on the basis of ID data of the RFID tag is compared with a characteristic quantity obtained by image processing of the sensed image, thereby acquiring information unique to the object. The object is discriminably specified by superimposing the acquired unique information on the object in the sensed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Nogami, Yoshio Iizuka, Naoki Nishimura
  • FORCE SENSE PRESENTATION DEVICE, MIXED REALITY SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20080059131
    Abstract: A force sense presentation device for presenting a sense of force in virtual space to a user, comprises: a fixed unit which is gripped by the user; a force sense presentation unit which presents a sense of force; an actuator which supplies a driving force and operates the force sense presentation unit relative to the fixed unit; a joint unit which is provided between the fixed unit and the force sense presentation unit, and guides the relative operation of the force sense presentation unit; and a force sense rendering unit which controls the relative operation of the force sense presentation unit by the actuator, wherein the force sense presentation device simulates a device which is gripped and used by the user, and the force sense rendering unit controls the relative operation of the force sense presentation unit based on a position and orientation of the device in the virtual space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Atsushi Nogami, Naoki Nishimura
  • Apparatus for facilitating release of the parking lock
    Publication number: 20080051252
    Abstract: When releasing a parking lock of an automatic transmission, an apparatus for facilitating release of the parking lock executes a routine to apply torque to a parking gear in a direction that will reduce an applied load between the parking gear and a parking pole while movement of a driving wheel is in a restricted state, and to reduce the restricting force on the driving wheel until the parking gear is rotated by the torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura