Patents by Inventor Takao Imai
Takao Imai 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).
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Publication number: 20240087777Abstract: A thermistor layer of the present invention is configured to be disposed in an electrical current path. The thermistor layer comprises a thermosensitive particle, a plurality of electro-conductive particles covering a surface of the thermosensitive particle, and a binder adhering the electro-conductive particles, the electro-conductive particles form an electro-conductive network, at least the surface of the thermosensitive particle is made of a thermoplastic resin, the thermoplastic resin softens at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the binder softens, and the thermistor layer is provided to become highly resistive due to softening and deformation of the thermoplastic resin.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2021Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Nobuhiro TSUJI, Manabu MURATA, Hisashi KAWAKAMI, Yasuto IMAI, Yoshiro KOJIMA, Takao FUKUNAGA
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Publication number: 20230325147Abstract: An operation device includes a housing arranged on a center cluster located diagonally in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle, a left-side operation unit and a right-side operation unit arranged on a right side and a left side, respectively, of a front surface of the housing to receive an operation, a left-side operation detection unit and a right-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the left-side operation unit and the right-side operation unit, respectively, a substrate on which the left-side and right-side operation detection units are arranged, and an output unit that outputs a sound in response to a received operation and is arranged on the substrate so as to be located between the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit at a position to equalize distances from the driver seat and the passenger seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Itaru WATANABE, Takao IMAI
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Publication number: 20230307198Abstract: A switch device includes an operation unit to receive an operation performed by a user, a movable contact that is connected to a ground circuit and moves according to an operation performed on the operation unit, plural fixed contacts whose state of connection to the movable contact is switched according to an operation position of the operation unit, plural resistors connected in series in such a manner that one end is connected to a power supply, another end is connected to one of the plural fixed contacts, and a node formed by connecting in series is connected to the remaining of the plural fixed contacts, and a control unit that includes an input terminal connected to a first node between the fixed contact connected closest to the power supply and the resistor and determines the operation position of the operation unit based on voltage detected through the input terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Itaru WATANABE, Takao IMAI, Masanori FUJII
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Patent number: 11467700Abstract: A detection device is configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between an operated member having a plurality of detection areas and an electrode having areas associated with the detection areas respectively. A control device is configured to determine whether an operation is performed to each of the detection areas based on whether a difference between the electrostatic capacitance and a reference electrostatic capacitance exceeds a threshold range, and to change the reference electrostatic capacitance based on a change in the electrostatic capacitance. The control device holds the reference electrostatic capacitance in a case where different changes in the electrostatic capacitance are detected between the detection areas.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao Imai, Katsuhiro Tsuchiya, Shingo Yuasa
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Patent number: 11422657Abstract: A control surface has a first area configured to accept a first operation performed with an object for enabling a first function of the controlled device, a second area configured to accept a second operation performed with the object for enabling a second function of the controlled device, and a third area located between the first and second areas. A processing device is configured to: enable the third area to accept the first operation in a case where it is determined that an object contacts or approaches the first area; enable the third area to accept the second operation in a case where it is determined that the object contacts or approaches the second area; and disable acceptance of the first operation and the second operation in a case where it is determined that the objects contacts or approaches the third area prior to the first and second areas.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao Imai, Itaru Watanabe, Shoji Kakinuma
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Publication number: 20210397299Abstract: A detection device is configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between an operated member having a plurality of detection areas and an electrode having areas associated with the detection areas respectively. A control device is configured to determine whether an operation is performed to each of the detection areas based on whether a difference between the electrostatic capacitance and a reference electrostatic capacitance exceeds a threshold range, and to change the reference electrostatic capacitance based on a change in the electrostatic capacitance. The control device holds the reference electrostatic capacitance in a case where different changes in the electrostatic capacitance are detected between the detection areas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao IMAI, Katsuhiro TSUCHIYA, Shingo YUASA
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Publication number: 20210382577Abstract: A detection device is configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between an operated member having a plurality of detection areas and an electrode having areas associated with the detection areas respectively. A control device is configured to determine whether an operation is performed to each of the detection areas based on whether the electrostatic capacitance exceeds a first threshold value. In a case where the electrostatic capacitance exceeds the first threshold value for one of the detection areas, the control device determines whether an operation is performed to another detection area based on a second threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao IMAI, Katsuhiro TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20210373706Abstract: A detection device is configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between an operated member having a plurality of detection areas and an electrode having areas associated with the detection areas respectively. A control device is configured to determine whether an operation is performed to each of the detection areas based on whether the electrostatic capacitance exceeds a threshold value. At least one of the detection areas has a first area and a second area. The second area is located between the first area and another one of the detection areas. The control device determines that an operation is not performed to the at least one detection area having the first area and the second area in a case where the electrostatic capacitance detected for the second area exceeds the threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao IMAI, Katsuhiro TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20210223937Abstract: A control surface has a first area configured to accept a first operation performed with an object for enabling a first function of the controlled device, and a second area configured to accept a second operation performed with the object for enabling a second function of the controlled device. A detector is configured to detect an electrostatic capacity between the control surface and the object. A processing device is configured to: determine that the object contacts or approaches the first area or the second area, based on the electrostatic capacity; enlarge the first area in a case where it is determined that the object contacts or approaches the first area; and enlarge the second area in a case where it is determined that the object contacts or approaches the second area.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao IMAI, Itaru WATANABE, Shoji KAKINUMA
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Publication number: 20210223885Abstract: An operation device includes an operation member including a plurality of symbols on a front surface side thereof, plural detection electrodes that are aligned on a back surface side of the operation member and constitute a self-capacitance touch sensor, plural detection electrode groups each including at least one detection electrode predetermined from the plurality of detection electrodes so as to correspond to the shape of the symbol, and a determination unit that is electrically connected to the plurality of detection electrodes and determines, when a sum of capacitances detected by the detection electrodes constituting one of the detection electrode groups is not less than a predetermined first threshold value, that a touch operation is performed on the symbol corresponding to the one detection electrode group.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Takao IMAI, Katsuhiro TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20210223930Abstract: A control surface has a first area configured to accept a first operation performed with an object for enabling a first function of the controlled device, a second area configured to accept a second operation performed with the object for enabling a second function of the controlled device, and a third area located between the first and second areas. A processing device is configured to: enable the third area to accept the first operation in a case where it is determined that an object contacts or approaches the first area; enable the third area to accept the second operation in a case where it is determined that the object contacts or approaches the second area; and disable acceptance of the first operation and the second operation in a case where it is determined that the objects contacts or approaches the third area prior to the first and second areas.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao IMAI, Itaru WATANABE, Shoji KAKINUMA
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Patent number: 10613672Abstract: An operation apparatus includes a detector that detects contact of a plurality of operating fingers on an operating surface, an area calculator that calculates an area of a detection region in the operating surface where the operating fingers have been detected, and a determiner that, after a state in which two operating fingers are detected has changed to a state in which one operating finger is detected, obtains a sum of areas of two detection regions where the two operating fingers are detected and an area of one detection region where the one operating finger is detected from the surface area calculator, and determines that an operation made by the two operating fingers is continuing when a continuation condition, in which the area of the one detection region is greater than or equal to the sum of the areas of the two detection regions, is established.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventor: Takao Imai
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Patent number: 10108293Abstract: A controller of a touch-type input device updates baselines when capacitances of capacitors of a touch panel all remain within a predetermined capacitance range over a predetermined period.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao Imai, Yuji Takai
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Patent number: 10061433Abstract: A touch-type input device includes a touch panel in which drive electrodes and sensor electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern that provide capacitors. The touch-type input device also includes a controller that determines whether or not there is a touch based on data values that each indicate an amount of change in capacitance of each capacitor from a predetermined reference value. The controller sets the reference value by obtaining a parasitic capacitance of each capacitor when the touch-type input device is activated. When determining from a variation range of the parasitic capacitances of the capacitors that an erroneous reference value has been obtained, the controller re-obtains a parasitic capacitance.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO, SMK CORPORATIONInventors: Takao Imai, Yuji Takai, Osamu Yoshikawa
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Patent number: 9721493Abstract: A touch-type input device includes a touch panel. Capacitors are formed at intersections of drive electrodes and sensor electrodes in the touch panel. A controller determines whether the touch panel has been touched from data values, each indicating a change amount in the capacitance from a reference value. When detecting from the data values a change in the capacitance to a reverse polarity differing from the polarity when a human body touches the touch panel, the controller determines that external noise caused the change and stops detecting touching of the touch panel. When the controller detects a change in the capacitance to the reverse polarity, at the same time, the location of where the capacitance of the reverse polarity is detected does not shift, the controller determines that the change in the capacitance is irrelevant to influence of external noise and continues to detect touching of the touch panel.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO, SMK CORPORATIONInventors: Takao Imai, Osamu Yoshikawa
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Patent number: 9696862Abstract: A capacitance type touch panel is provided which distinguishes a noise signal with ease and detects an input operation position with high accuracy, without extensively modifying the structure of a touch panel. The capacitance type touch panel is provided with capacitance change judgment unit for comparing a voltage variation level R(n,m) of a detection electrode S(n) detected by capacitance detection unit with a detection threshold value. If the voltage variation levels R(n,m) of all the detection electrodes S(n) are equal to or more than the detection threshold value while outputting a detection signal to any drive area DV(m), it is assumed that noise occurs for the long period of outputting the detection signal to the drive area DV(m), and position detection unit does not detect the input operation position.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignees: SMK Corporation, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Osamu Yoshikawa, Takao Imai
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Patent number: 9691315Abstract: A touch-type input device includes a touch panel including drive electrodes and sensor electrodes. Capacitors are formed at intersections of the drive electrodes and sensor electrodes. A controller determines whether a conductive foreign matter exists on the touch panel from raw data values indicating changes in the capacitances of the capacitors from initial reference values. The controller determines touching of the touch panel from control data values indicating changes in the capacitances of the capacitors from control reference values changed when a conductive foreign matter exists. When the raw data values indicate existence of a conductive foreign matter, the controller sets the control reference value of each capacitor to a raw data reference value corresponding to the present raw data value. The controller updates the initial reference value when the touch-type input device is activated and updates the control reference value when the control reference value is erroneous.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SMK CORPORATIONInventors: Takao Imai, Toru Ueno, Keiji Murase, Yuji Takai, Hiroki Noritake, Hiroshi Shikata, Naoki Kamiya, Osamu Yoshikawa
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Publication number: 20170168639Abstract: A controller of a touch-type input device updates baselines when capacitances of capacitors of a touch panel all remain within a predetermined capacitance range over a predetermined period.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2016Publication date: June 15, 2017Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHOInventors: Takao IMAI, Yuji TAKAI
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Publication number: 20170108981Abstract: An operation apparatus includes a detector that detects contact of a plurality of operating fingers on an operating surface, an area calculator that calculates an area of a detection region in the operating surface where the operating fingers have been detected, and a determiner that, after a state in which two operating fingers are detected has changed to a state in which one operating finger is detected, obtains a sum of areas of two detection regions where the two operating fingers are detected and an area of one detection region where the one operating finger is detected from the surface area calculator, and determines that an operation made by the two operating fingers is continuing when a continuation condition, in which the area of the one detection region is greater than or equal to the sum of the areas of the two detection regions, is established.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2016Publication date: April 20, 2017Inventor: Takao IMAI
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Publication number: 20170075482Abstract: A touch-type input device includes a touch panel in which drive electrodes and sensor electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern that provide capacitors. The touch-type input device also includes a controller that determines whether or not there is a touch based on data values that each indicate an amount of change in capacitance of each capacitor from a predetermined reference value. The controller sets the reference value by obtaining a parasitic capacitance of each capacitor when the touch-type input device is activated. When determining from a variation range of the parasitic capacitances of the capacitors that an erroneous reference value has been obtained, the controller re-obtains a parasitic capacitance.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2015Publication date: March 16, 2017Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO, SMK CORPORATIONInventors: Takao IMAI, Yuji TAKAI, Osamu YOSHIKAWA