Patents by Inventor Satoru Shimizu

Satoru Shimizu 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: 20180021951
    Abstract: A control system, method and computer program product cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. An interface receives recognition information from an autonomous robot, said recognition information including candidate target objects to interact with the autonomous robot. A display control unit causes a display image to be displayed on a display of candidate target objects, wherein at least two of the candidate target objects are displayed with an associated indication of a target object score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta KAWAMOTO, Yoshiaki IWAI, Satoru SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20180011457
    Abstract: A control system, method and computer program product cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. The system includes a communications interface that exchanges information with the autonomous robot. A user interface displays a scene of a location in which the autonomous robot is positioned, and also receives an indication of a user selection of a user selected area within the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta KAWAMOTO, Yoshiaki IWAI, Satoru SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 9815199
    Abstract: A control system, method and computer program product cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. An interface receives recognition information from an autonomous robot, said recognition information including candidate target objects to interact with the autonomous robot. A display control unit causes a display image to be displayed on a display of candidate target objects, wherein at least two of the candidate target objects are displayed with an associated indication of a target object score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Kawamoto, Yoshiaki Iwai, Satoru Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20170324907
    Abstract: There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohtaro SABE, Yasunori KAWANAMI, Kenta KAWAMOTO, Tsutomu SAWADA, Satoru SHIMIZU, Peter DUERR, Yuki YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9802311
    Abstract: A control system, method and computer program product cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. An interface receives recognition information from an autonomous robot, said recognition information including candidate target objects to interact with the autonomous robot. A display control unit causes a display image to be displayed on a display of candidate target objects, wherein at least two of the candidate target objects are displayed with an associated indication of a target object score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Kawamoto, Yoshiaki Iwai, Satoru Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20170292841
    Abstract: [Object] To make it possible to more favorably estimate the position of a flight vehicle. [Solution] Provided is a device including: an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating a position estimation system selected from among a plurality of position estimation systems for estimating a position of a flight vehicle; and a position estimation unit that estimates the position of the flight vehicle from first information generated by using an inertial sensor of the flight vehicle and second information generated through the position estimation system based on a parameter for the position estimation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: KOHTARO SABE, HARUTO TAKEDA, PETER DUERR, SATORU SHIMIZU, TSUTOMU SAWADA, KOUSUKE SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9766604
    Abstract: A control system, method and computer program product cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. The system includes a communications interface that exchanges information with the autonomous robot (22). A user interface displays a scene of location in which the autonomous robot (22) is positioned, and also receives an indication of a user selection of a user selected area within the scene. The communications interface transmits an indication of said user selected area to the autonomous robot (22) for further processing of the area by said autonomous robot (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Kawamoto, Yoshiaki Iwai, Satoru Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20170247079
    Abstract: This motor driving control apparatus includes (A) a driving unit that drives a motor, and (B) a regeneration control unit that controls the driving unit so as to generate a regenerative 5 braking force in accordance with a vehicle acceleration, a vehicle speed and a pedal-rotation converted speed that is obtained from a pedal rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicants: MICROSPACE CORPORATION, TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Tanaka, Yasuo Hosaka, Kazuo Asanuma, Hiromi Hagiwara, Satoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9749540
    Abstract: There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Yasunori Kawanami, Kenta Kawamoto, Tsutomu Sawada, Satoru Shimizu, Peter Duerr, Yuki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20170169582
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a novel and improved information processing device that can make more efficient an inspection performed by a flying body capable of performing imaging. [Solution] Provided is an information processing device including an imaging position information acquisition unit configured to acquire imaging position information at a time when a structure is imaged which is acquired by an imaging device configured to fly over a periphery of the structure to image the structure on the basis of certain flight information, and a damage data generating unit configured to use a captured image of the structure imaged by the imaging device and the imaging position information and to generate data related to damage of the structure including position information of damage of the structure included in the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohtaro Sabe, Tsutomu Sawada, Satoru Shimizu, Kousuke Suzuki, Peter Duerr, Miki Shibuya, Hironari Mizumura
  • Publication number: 20170148247
    Abstract: An automatic transaction device includes a main body casing and a banknote storage vault. A non-contact electricity transmitter and an equipment wireless communications unit that communicates information by first electromagnetic waves are mounted inside the main body casing. The banknote storage vault is stowable inside the main body casing and removable to outside the main body casing, and stores banknotes. The banknote storage vault includes thereinside a non-contact electricity receiver that receives electricity from the non-contact electricity transmitter and a storage vault wireless communications unit that is supplied with electricity by the non-contact electricity receiver and is for communicating information with the equipment wireless communications unit. In a stowed state in which the banknote storage vault is stowed inside the main body casing, the non-contact electricity transmitter and the non-contact electricity receiver are in a proximate state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru SHIMIZU, Noriyasu KIKUCHI, Hironobu HATAMOTO, Kenichi SHIROTA, Takahiro ODA
  • Publication number: 20170129103
    Abstract: Provided is a robot device including a drive unit including a plurality of links and joints connecting the links, a task instruction input unit for inputting an instruction of a task, a drive control unit for controlling an operation of the drive unit on the basis of the input task and determining a restricted area including a space necessary for the operation of the drive unit, and an area display unit for displaying the restricted area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Wataru KOKUBO, Tetsuharu FUKUSHIMA, Masakuni NAGANO, Satoru SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20170072569
    Abstract: A robot apparatus includes an output unit that displays an image including an object on a screen, an input unit that receives an operation performed by a user for specifying information relating to an approximate range including the object in the image, an object extraction unit that extracts information regarding a two-dimensional contour of the object on the basis of the specification received by the input unit, and a position and attitude estimation unit that estimates information regarding a three-dimensional position and attitude of the object on the basis of the information regarding the two-dimensional contour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Genta Kondo, Atsushi Miyamoto, Satoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9579795
    Abstract: Provided is a robot device including a drive unit including a plurality of links and joints connecting the links, a task instruction input unit for inputting an instruction of a task, a drive control unit for controlling an operation of the drive unit on the basis of the input task and determining a restricted area including a space necessary for the operation of the drive unit, and an area display unit for displaying the restricted area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Kokubo, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Masakuni Nagano, Satoru Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20170010615
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a control device that can make more efficient an inspection performed by a flying body capable of performing imaging. [Solution] Provided is a control device including an acquisition unit configured to acquire information related to an overview of a structure, and a flight information generating unit configured to generate flight information of a flying body being caused to fly over a periphery of the structure to image the structure on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition unit. The control device generates information used to cause the flying body to image the structure, and thereby makes it possible to make more efficient the inspection performed by the flying body capable of performing imaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohtaro Sabe, Miki Shibuya, Tsutomu Sawada, Satoru Shimizu, Kousuke Suzuki, Haruto Takeda, Peter Duerr, Masaomi Nabeta, Takekazu Kakinuma, Hironari Mizumura
  • Publication number: 20160375585
    Abstract: Provided is a robot device including an image input unit for inputting an image of surroundings, a target object detection unit for detecting an object from the input image, an object position detection unit for detecting a position of the object, an environment information acquisition unit for acquiring surrounding environment information of the position of the object, an optimum posture acquisition unit for acquiring an optimum posture corresponding to the surrounding environment information for the object, an object posture detection unit for detecting a current posture of the object from the input image, an object posture comparison unit for comparing the current posture of the object to the optimum posture of the object, and an object posture correction unit for correcting the posture of the object when the object posture comparison unit determines that there is a predetermined difference or more between the current posture and the optimum posture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru SHIMIZU, Kenta KAWAMOTO, Yoshiaki IWAI
  • Patent number: 9527214
    Abstract: A robot apparatus includes an output unit that displays an image including an object on a screen, an input unit that receives an operation performed by a user for specifying information relating to an approximate range including the object in the image, an object extraction unit that extracts information regarding a two-dimensional contour of the object on the basis of the specification received by the input unit, and a position and attitude estimation unit that estimates information regarding a three-dimensional position and attitude of the object on the basis of the information regarding the two-dimensional contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Genta Kondo, Atsushi Miyamoto, Satoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9463575
    Abstract: Provided is a robot device including an image input unit for inputting an image of surroundings, a target object detection unit for detecting an object from the input image, an object position detection unit for detecting a position of the object, an environment information acquisition unit for acquiring surrounding environment information of the position of the object, an optimum posture acquisition unit for acquiring an optimum posture corresponding to the surrounding environment information for the object, an object posture detection unit for detecting a current posture of the object from the input image, an object posture comparison unit for comparing the current posture of the object to the optimum posture of the object, and an object posture correction unit for correcting the posture of the object when the object posture comparison unit determines that there is a predetermined difference or more between the current posture and the optimum posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Shimizu, Kenta Kawamoto, Yoshiaki Iwai
  • Publication number: 20160292802
    Abstract: An asset management support system of the present invention issues a work order to an asset facility for inspection and maintenance and includes a facilities information database that stores inspection and maintenance results, a health index database that stores a state of the asset facility and surroundings around the asset facility as a health index, a comparison function that considers the health index as actual facility status of the asset facility and compares the actual facility status with a maintenance expectation effect estimated from an asset facility state at a time of installation of the asset facility or previous inspection and maintenance, an operation knowledge database that stores operation knowledge of an operator, a maintenance process update function that extracts an operation change of the inspection and maintenance and updates the facilities information database, and a work order issuing function that issues the work order for the inspection and maintenance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Yasuyuki TADA, Kazuyasu ASAKURA, Satoru SHIMIZU, Hiromichi KONNO, Masahiro MURAKAMI, Kazutaka JOE
  • Publication number: 20160121963
    Abstract: This motor driving control apparatus includes (A) a driving unit that drives a motor, and (B) a regeneration control unit that controls the driving unit so as to generate a regenerative braking force in accordance with a vehicle acceleration, a vehicle speed and a pedal-rotation converted speed that is obtained from a pedal rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicants: MICROSPACE CORPORATION, TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato TANAKA, Yasuo HOSAKA, Kazuo ASANUMA, Hiromi HAGIWARA, Satoru SHIMIZU