Patents by Inventor Natsuko Sato

Natsuko Sato 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).

  • Publication number: 20230395303
    Abstract: A coil element according to one embodiment includes: an insulator body including first insulating layers and second insulating layers laminated in a stacking direction; first conductive patterns formed on the first insulating layers; second conductive patterns formed on the second insulating layers; a first to fourth external electrodes each provided on a bottom surface of the insulator body; and a first to fourth lead via conductive member. The insulator body includes a first portion and a second portion. The electrical resistivity of the first portion is higher than that of the second portion. The first portion covers upper and lower surfaces of at least one of intermediate first conductive patterns in the intermediate region. The first lead via conductive member, the second lead via conductive member, the third lead via conductive member, and the first lead via conductive member are arranged outside the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Tomoo KASHIWA
  • Patent number: 11776734
    Abstract: A coil element according to one embodiment includes: an insulator body including first insulating layers and second insulating layers laminated in a stacking direction; first conductive patterns formed on the first insulating layers; and second conductive patterns formed on the second insulating layers. The insulator body includes a first end region situated at a top in the stacking direction, a second end region situated at a bottom in the stacking direction, and an intermediate region situated between the first end region and the second end region. The insulator body includes a first portion and a second portion that is an area other than the first portion. The first portion covers upper and lower surfaces of one or more intermediate first conductive patterns in the intermediate region among the plurality of first conductive patterns. The electrical resistivity of the first portion is higher than that of the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Tomoo Kashiwa
  • Patent number: 11765461
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes an angle control unit configured to change a tilt angle by tilting an imaging sensor, a first determination unit configured to determine a first area from among a plurality of areas in an image, an evaluation value acquisition unit configured to acquire a contrast evaluation value of each of second areas excluding the first area among the plurality of areas by changing the tilt angle through the angle control unit, and a second determination unit configured to determine the tilt angle for each area based on the contrast evaluation value acquired by the evaluation value acquisition unit, and determining the tilt angle of the image sensor based on the tilt angle determined for each area. The angle control unit tilts the image sensor so as to obtain the tilt angle determined by the second determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20230292010
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image capturing unit including an imaging optical system and an image sensor; a rotation driving unit configured to drive the image capturing unit in a pan direction and/or tilt direction; a shift driving unit configured to drive at least one of the imaging optical system and the image sensor within a plane parallel to an imaging plane; and a synchronous control unit configured to synchronize a rotation driving of the image capturing unit and a shift driving of at least one of the imaging optical system and the image sensor so as not to change an imaging range of the image capturing unit during performing a correction on distortion of an object in a captured image captured by the image capturing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Roy Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11750939
    Abstract: In order to provide a tilt control device capable of performing tilt control optimal at a high speed by controlling both a focus position and a tilt angle even when a scene changes such as in a case in which a subject changes, there is provided an imaging apparatus including a tilt control unit that performs tilt control by driving at least one of an imaging device and an imaging optical system, a focus lens driving unit that drives a focus lens, and a control unit that has a plurality of control modes for performing focus correction using at least one of the tilt control unit and the focus lens driving unit and selects one of the plurality of control modes in accordance with the number of subject areas displayed on an image screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato, Naoki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11722769
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an object detecting unit detecting at least one object in an image, a focus detecting unit that provides a focus detection of the object, a determination unit that determines the tilt angle and the focus position based on a focus detecting result by the focus detecting unit, and a control unit that controls the tilt driving unit and the focus driving unit based on the determined tilt angle and focus position. The control unit selects an object from among a plurality of objects, which is to be used to determine the tilt angle and the focus position, based on at least one of a detected size and a detected position of the object, and accuracy of the focus detecting result. The determination unit determines the tilt angle and the focus position based on a focus detecting result of a selected object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kimura, Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11722775
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture an optical image formed by an image pickup optical system, and a controlling unit configured to, in tilt imaging that changes a tilt angle, set a focal plane to any position such that an angle between the focal plane and the optical axis is changed, by controlling at least one of a position of a focus lens in the image pickup optical system and the tilt angle. The controlling unit controls the at least one so as not to set the focal plane to a first position corresponding to a position of a first target object that is an imaging target, but to set the focal plane to a second position that is different from the first position and at which the position of the first target object is included in a depth of field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20230245817
    Abstract: A coil component according to one embodiment includes a base body, a coil conductor provided in the base body, and an external electrode electrically connected to the coil conductor. The base body may have a rectangular shape, as viewed from one axial direction. The base body has a first long side and a first short side shorter than the first long side, as viewed from one axial direction. The coil conductor includes a winding portion. The winding portion includes a first curved portion convexly curved toward the first short side, as viewed from the one axial direction. The major axis of the winding portion is inclined with respect to the first long side of the base body. The winding portion has a shape of a convex set, as viewed from the one axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Tomoo KASHIWA
  • Patent number: 11678072
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a tilt driving unit configured to perform tilt driving, a focus driving unit, a control unit configured to control the focus driving unit and the tilt driving unit for focusing on at least a first area and a second area in a plurality of areas in an image, and a first determination unit configured to determine a control method of the control unit based on whether or not a difference between a position of at least one of the first area and the second area and a position corresponding to a tilt axis in the image is smaller than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20230055269
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture an optical image formed by an image pickup optical system, and a controlling unit configured to, in tilt imaging that changes a tilt angle, set a focal plane to any position such that an angle between the focal plane and the optical axis is changed, by controlling at least one of a position of a focus lens in the image pickup optical system and the tilt angle. The controlling unit controls the at least one so as not to set the focal plane to a first position corresponding to a position of a first target object that is an imaging target, but to set the focal plane to a second position that is different from the first position and at which the position of the first target object is included in a depth of field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11582394
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a tilt driving unit configured to tilt at least one of an image sensor and an imaging optical system relative to a plane orthogonal to an optical axis, a focus driving unit configured to perform focus driving by moving a focus lens that constitutes at least part of the imaging optical system in an optical axis direction, and a controlling unit configured to control the focus driving unit and the tilt driving unit so as to adjust a focal plane to a predetermined surface. The controlling unit moves the focal plane in a vertical direction to the focal plane while maintaining the focal plane substantially parallel to the predetermined plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki, Shunsuke Chino
  • Patent number: 11490020
    Abstract: There is provided with an information processing apparatus. A control unit performs tilt control for tilting an image capturing element with respect to a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of an image capturing optical system about a rotation axis, and perform focus control for moving a focus lens in a direction of the optical axis. A setting unit sets a target region in a captured image obtained by an image capturing unit. A determining unit determines, based on a position corresponding to a position of the rotation axis in the image and a position of the target region in the image, a correction amount of a position of the focus lens, wherein the focus lens is moved based on the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20220345633
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a tilt driving unit configured to change a tilt so as to change an angle between an image pickup plane of an image sensor and a principal plane of an image pickup optical system, a focus driving unit configured to drive a focus lens, and at least one processor that functions as an area setting unit configured to set a plurality of areas in a captured image, a defocus information detection unit configured to detect defocus information for each of the plurality of areas, and a control unit configured to select one control mode from a plurality of control modes based on the defocus information on each of the plurality of areas, the plurality of control modes being used for performing focusing control using at least one of the tilt driving unit and the focus driving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20220345635
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a tilt driving unit configured to perform tilt driving, a focus driving unit, a control unit configured to control the focus driving unit and the tilt driving unit for focusing on at least a first area and a second area in a plurality of areas in an image, and a first determination unit configured to determine a control method of the control unit based on whether or not a difference between a position of at least one of the first area and the second area and a position corresponding to a tilt axis in the image is smaller than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20220321790
    Abstract: In order to provide a tilt control device capable of performing tilt control optimal at a high speed by controlling both a focus position and a tilt angle even when a scene changes such as in a case in which a subject changes, there is provided an imaging apparatus including a tilt control unit that performs tilt control by driving at least one of an imaging device and an imaging optical system, a focus lens driving unit that drives a focus lens, and a control unit that has a plurality of control modes for performing focus correction using at least one of the tilt control unit and the focus lens driving unit and selects one of the plurality of control modes in accordance with the number of subject areas displayed on an image screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato, Naoki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20220303474
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an object detecting unit detecting at least one object in an image, a focus detecting unit that provides a focus detection of the object, a determination unit that determines the tilt angle and the focus position based on a focus detecting result by the focus detecting unit, and a control unit that controls the tilt driving unit and the focus driving unit based on the determined tilt angle and focus position. The control unit selects an object from among a plurality of objects, which is to be used to determine the tilt angle and the focus position, based on at least one of a detected size and a detected position of the object, and accuracy of the focus detecting result. The determination unit determines the tilt angle and the focus position based on a focus detecting result of a selected object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kimura, Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20220272274
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a focus driving unit for driving a focus lens; a tilting driving unit for tilting at least one of an image sensor and an imaging optical system; a detection unit for detecting a subject in an image; a setting unit for setting a plurality of focus regions in the image based on positional information of the subject detected in the image; a determination unit for determining respective driving amounts for the focus driving unit and for the tilting driving unit based on the positional information and focal information of the plurality of focus regions so that the plurality of focus regions is in focus; and a control unit for controlling the focus driving unit and the tilting driving unit based on the determined respective driving amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11404205
    Abstract: A magnetic coupling coil element in one embodiment includes a magnetic base body that includes an intermediate magnetic layer, a first magnetic layer disposed over the intermediate magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer disposed under the intermediate magnetic layer; a first coil conductor provided in the first magnetic layer; and a second coil conductor provided in the second magnetic layer. The intermediate magnetic layer has a saturation magnetic flux density lower than saturation magnetic flux densities of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer in a first region that overlaps with the first coil conductor and the second coil conductor in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Terauchi, Takayuki Arai, Natsuko Sato, Atsuko Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11381731
    Abstract: In order to provide a tilt control device capable of performing tilt control optimal at a high speed by controlling both a focus position and a tilt angle even when a scene changes such as in a case in which a subject changes, there is provided an imaging apparatus including a tilt control unit that performs tilt control by driving at least one of an imaging device and an imaging optical system, a focus lens driving unit that drives a focus lens, and a control unit that has a plurality of control modes for performing focus correction using at least one of the tilt control unit and the focus lens driving unit and selects one of the plurality of control modes in accordance with the number of subject areas displayed on an image screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato, Naoki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11361891
    Abstract: One object is to provide a magnetic coupling coil component having an improved coupling coefficient. A coil component according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: an insulator body; and first and second coil conductors embedded in the insulator body and wound around a coil axis. A first coil surface of the first coil conductor is opposed to a second coil surface of the second coil conductor. The insulator body includes: an intermediate portion disposed between the first coil surface and the second coil surface; a core portion disposed inside the first and second coil conductors; and an outer peripheral portion disposed outside the first and second coil conductors. A magnetic permeability of the intermediate portion in a direction perpendicular to the coil axis is smaller than those of the core portion and the outer peripheral portion in a direction parallel to the coil axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Satoshi Tokunaga, Satoshi Kobayashi