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).

  • Patent number: 11343432
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a controller configured to change a tilt angle between an image sensor and a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of an optical system by adjusting a tilt of the image sensor or the optical system, an evaluation value acquirer configured to acquire contrast evaluation values of a plurality of areas in an image by changing the tilt angle through the controller, and a determiner configured to determine the tilt angle for each of the plurality of areas based on the contrast evaluation values of the plurality of areas acquired by the evaluation value acquirer, and to determine the tilt angle based on the tilt angle of each determined area. The controller adjusts the tilt of the image sensor or the optical system based on the tilt angle determined by the determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Shunsuke Chino
  • Patent number: 11297220
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a controlling unit configured to control tilt driving for tilting at least one of an image sensor and an imaging optical system relative to a plane orthogonal to an optical axis and focus driving for moving a focus lens in an optical axis direction, an acquiring unit configured to acquire focus levels in a first area and a second area in an image captured by an image pickup apparatus, a first determining unit configured to determine whether to perform the tilt driving or the focus driving, based on an in-focus level, and a second determining unit configured to determine a driving direction of the tilt driving or the focus driving based on the in-focus level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20220086356
    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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20220035874
    Abstract: A user guide method, comprising determining a reference area according to user behavior and target events the user is interested in, acquiring a reference target event heat map representing distribution of the target events within the reference area for a specified time point, and estimating conditions of a target event at a time when time has passed from the specified time, by referencing the reference target event heat map, and a database that shows chronological change of previous heat maps for the same or similar areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Koichi SHINTANI, Akira TANI, Manabu ICHIKAWA, Kensei ITO, Osamu NONAKA, Natsuko SATO
  • Publication number: 20210304954
    Abstract: A coil component includes an insulating base body and a coil conductor arranged in the base body and having a winding portion extending around a coil axis. The insulating base body includes a magnetic body portion made of a magnetic material and a magnetic gap portion made of a low-permeability material having a lower relative permeability than the magnetic material. The magnetic gap portion is shaped like a ring when seen in a direction along the coil axis and arranged within the winding portion. The magnetic body portion includes a first region positioned within the winding portion, a second region positioned opposite the first region with respect to the magnetic gap portion in the direction along the coil axis, and a third region arranged within a through hole defined by an inner peripheral surface of the magnetic gap portion, where the third region connects together the first and second regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Takayuki ARAI, Atsuko KASAHARA, Tomoo KASHIWA
  • Patent number: 11011301
    Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic coupling coil component having a high coupling coefficient between coils of different lines and facilitating insulation between the coils. A coil component according to one embodiment includes: an insulator body including first insulating layers and second insulating layers stacked together in a lamination 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, a second end region, and an intermediate region positioned between the first end region and the second end region. The first end region includes the first insulating layers only, the second end region includes the second insulating layers only, and the intermediate region includes the first insulating layers and the second insulating layers arranged alternately in the lamination direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Takashi Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20210127065
    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: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventor: Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20210067704
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a controlling unit configured to control tilt driving for tilting at least one of an image sensor and an imaging optical system relative to a plane orthogonal to an optical axis and focus driving for moving a focus lens in an optical axis direction, an acquiring unit configured to acquire focus levels in a first area and a second area in an image captured by an image pickup apparatus, a first determining unit configured to determine whether to perform the tilt driving or the focus driving, based on an in-focus level, and a second determining unit configured to determine a driving direction of the tilt driving or the focus driving based on the in-focus level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20210067702
    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: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Ryo Kawasaki, Shunsuke Chino
  • Patent number: 10924681
    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: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20200296296
    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: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Ryo Kawasaki, Natsuko Sato, Naoki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10777342
    Abstract: A coil component that can be made thinner while ensuring sufficient magnetic characteristics includes a magnetic part, a conductor part, and multiple insulator parts. The magnetic part is constituted by magnetic alloy grains. The conductor part has multiple winding parts and is wound around one axis inside the magnetic part. The multiple insulator parts are each placed between the multiple winding parts, each having a winding shape that includes two joining surfaces that are respectively joined to two winding parts facing each other at least partially in the direction of the one axis, and are each constituted by electrically insulating grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Arai, Hirotaro Seino, Shinsuke Takeoka, Natsuko Sato, Masanori Nagano, Kenji Otake
  • Publication number: 20200191563
    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: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventor: Natsuko Sato
  • Publication number: 20200137313
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a controller configured to change a tilt angle between an image sensor and a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of an optical system by adjusting a tilt of the image sensor or the optical system, an evaluation value acquirer configured to acquire contrast evaluation values of a plurality of areas in an image by changing the tilt angle through the controller, and a determiner configured to determine the tilt angle for each of the plurality of areas based on the contrast evaluation values of the plurality of areas acquired by the evaluation value acquirer, and to determine the tilt angle based on the tilt angle of each determined area. The controller adjusts the tilt of the image sensor or the optical system based on the tilt angle determined by the determiner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Natsuko Sato, Shunsuke Chino
  • Publication number: 20200043644
    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: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Tomoo KASHIWA
  • Publication number: 20200027653
    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: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Naoya TERAUCHI, Takayuki ARAI, Natsuko SATO, Atsuko KASAHARA
  • Publication number: 20190027288
    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: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Satoshi TOKUNAGA, Satoshi KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20180323005
    Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic coupling coil component having a high coupling coefficient between coils of different lines and facilitating insulation between the coils. A coil component according to one embodiment includes: an insulator body including first insulating layers and second insulating layers stacked together in a lamination 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, a second end region, and an intermediate region positioned between the first end region and the second end region. The first end region includes the first insulating layers only, the second end region includes the second insulating layers only, and the intermediate region includes the first insulating layers and the second insulating layers arranged alternately in the lamination direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Natsuko SATO, Takashi NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20170365386
    Abstract: A coil component that can be made thinner while ensuring sufficient magnetic characteristics includes a magnetic part, a conductor part, and multiple insulator parts. The magnetic part is constituted by magnetic alloy grains. The conductor part has multiple winding parts and is wound around one axis inside the magnetic part. The multiple insulator parts are each placed between the multiple winding parts, each having a winding shape that includes two joining surfaces that are respectively joined to two winding parts facing each other at least partially in the direction of the one axis, and are each constituted by electrically insulating grains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Takayuki ARAI, Hirotaro SEINO, Shinsuke TAKEOKA, Natsuko SATO, Masanori NAGANO, Kenji OTAKE
  • Patent number: D811569
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuo Fujioka, Natsuko Sato