Patents by Inventor TAKARA KASAI

TAKARA KASAI 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: 10561469
    Abstract: There is provided a robot arm apparatus including an arm unit made up of a plurality of links joined to each other by one or a plurality of a joint unit, the arm unit being connectable to an imaging unit; and a drive control unit that controls driving of the arm unit by causing each joint unit to be driven cooperatively. The drive control unit uses relative position information of a reference position with respect to the arm unit, the relative position information being based on a state of the arm unit and distance information about a distance between the imaging unit and the reference position, to control the driving of the arm unit in a manner that the reference position is positioned on an optical axis of the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takara Kasai, Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Yohei Kuroda, Wataru Kokubo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20200046208
    Abstract: To provide a medical observation system, an apparatus for controlling an endoscope system, and a method for controlling the same. A medical observation system includes a multi-link structure in which a plurality of links is mutually coupled by joint parts, a medical observation apparatus attached on the multi-link structure, a control part configured to control the multi-link structure or the medical observation apparatus, and a user interface part by which a user inputs an instruction to change a visual field of the medical observation apparatus. When a user instructs to move a visual field of the medical observation apparatus vertically or horizontally to rotate an oblique-viewing endoscope, or to change a magnification of the visual field via the user interface part, the control part controls the multi-link structure or the medical observation apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takara KASAI, Yohei KURODA, Takeshi MAEDA, Seiji WADA
  • Patent number: 10556345
    Abstract: A robot arm apparatus including: an arm unit made up of a plurality of links joined by one or a plurality of joint units, the arm unit is connectable to an imaging unit. An internal model including at least geometric information of the arm unit and focus position information of the imaging unit is updated based on internal model information acquired in a state in which the imaging unit is pointed at a reference point in a real space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Takara Kasai, Yohei Kuroda, Wataru Kokubo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20200000535
    Abstract: There is provided a control system for controlling a surgical arm device of a multi-link structure in which a plurality of links is coupled together by a joint unit in a force control mode. In generalized inverse dynamics, the control system sets a motion purpose and a constraint condition in an operation space describing an inertia of force acting on a multi-link structural body and an acceleration of the multi-link structural body, and for implementing an operation space acceleration indicating the motion purpose, calculates a virtual force acting on the operation space on the basis of a motion equation relating to the operation space including a term of an operation space bias acceleration in consideration to gravity compensation according to inclination information of the surgical arm device, and calculates a torque command value for a joint unit on the basis of a real force converted from the virtual force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Jun ARAI, Takara KASAI, Yohei KURODA, Wataru KOKUBO
  • Patent number: 10505428
    Abstract: An actuator including a reduction gear that reduces, by a certain reduction ratio, a rotational velocity of an input shaft joined to a rotary shaft of a motor, and transmits the reduced rotational velocity to an output shaft, a first absolute angle encoder that detects a rotational angle of the input shaft, and a second absolute angle encoder that detects a rotational angle of the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Kokubo, Takara Kasai, Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Yohei Kuroda, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20190365489
    Abstract: Provision of a technology capable of realizing estimation of forces of various types of disturbance acting on a robot arm in a surgical environment is desirable. Provided is a medical support arm system including a joint state acquisition unit configured to acquire a state of a joint unit of an arm unit, and an external force estimation unit configured to estimate an external force due to predetermined disturbance on the basis of a condition that the external force due to the predetermined disturbance is limited to one predetermined direction or a plurality of predetermined directions, and a state of the joint unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventor: TAKARA KASAI
  • Publication number: 20190275679
    Abstract: A robot arm apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: one or a plurality of a joint unit that joins a plurality of links constituting a multi-link structure; an acquisition unit that acquires an on-screen enlargement factor of a subject imaged by an imaging unit attached to the multi-link structure; and a driving control unit that controls driving of the joint unit based on a state of the joint unit and the enlargement factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Yohei KURODA, Takara KASAI, Yasuhisa KAMIKAWA, Wataru KOKUBO, Toshimitsu TSUBOI, Tetsuharu FUKUSHIMA, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Atsushi MIYAMOTO, Kenji HIROSE
  • Patent number: 10369700
    Abstract: A robot arm apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: one or a plurality of a joint unit that joins a plurality of links constituting a multi-link structure; an acquisition unit that acquires an on-screen enlargement factor of a subject imaged by an imaging unit attached to the multi-link structure; and a driving control unit that controls driving of the joint unit based on a state of the joint unit and the enlargement factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Yohei Kuroda, Takara Kasai, Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Wataru Kokubo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto, Kenji Hirose
  • Publication number: 20190192238
    Abstract: A robot arm apparatus is provided and includes: an arm unit made up of a plurality of links joined to each other by one or a plurality of a joint unit; and a driving control unit that drives the arm unit by controlling driving of the joint unit. If a malfunction is detected in at least one of the joint unit, the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit in a state in which a certain restriction is imposed on motion of the arm unit, and drives the arm unit to avoid the malfunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu TSUBOI, Takara KASAI, Yasuhisa KAMIKAWA, Yohei KURODA, Wataru KOKUBO, Tetsuharu FUKUSHIMA, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Atsushi MIYAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10299868
    Abstract: A medical support arm apparatus including: an arm unit including a plurality of links joined to each other by one or a plurality of a joint unit; and a driving control unit that drives the arm unit by controlling driving of the joint unit. If a malfunction is detected in at least one of the joint unit, the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit in a state in which a certain restriction is imposed on motion of the arm unit, and drives the arm unit to avoid the malfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Takara Kasai, Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Yohei Kuroda, Wataru Kokubo, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20190091861
    Abstract: To accurately predict a sensor value even in the case where external force is received. A control apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a prediction section (260) configured to, in an actuator including a torque sensor that detects torque generated at a driving shaft, and an encoder that detects a rotational angle of the driving shaft, predict a detection value of the encoder on a basis of a detection value of the torque sensor, or predict the detection value of the torque sensor on a basis of the detection value of the encoder; and a trouble determination section (266) configured to compare a prediction value predicted by the prediction section with an actually measured value of the torque sensor or the encoder to perform trouble determination on the torque sensor or the encoder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: TAKARA KASAI, DAISUKE NAGAO
  • Publication number: 20190059696
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing device including: an image processing unit that generates image data for output from a captured image of an inside of a body cavity of a patient photographed by an endoscope. The image processing unit generates the image data in a manner that, when a lens barrel of the endoscope is moved in an optical axis direction of an objective lens during photographing, a display range in the captured image that is a range expressed in a display image displayed on a display device does not change, during the movement and after the movement, from a display range before the movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: TOMOYUKI HIRAYAMA, DAISUKE KIKUCHI, YUKI SUGIE, YASUHIRO MATSUDA, DAISUKE NAGAO, TAKARA KASAI
  • Publication number: 20190053857
    Abstract: [Problem] A surgical apparatus of the related art controls only the cropping position of a captured image, and thus only executes a limited range of image control in laparoscopic surgery. [Solution] A medical information processing apparatus including: an image control section that controls processing of a captured image from a camera; and an arm control section that controls a motion of an arm that supports the camera. One of the image control section and the arm control section executes control on a basis of control information from another control section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki SUGIE, Daisuke KIKUCHI, Tomoyuki HIRAYAMA, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Daisuke NAGAO, Takara KASAI
  • Publication number: 20190046283
    Abstract: An arm control method including determining, using a processor, whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm that operates by being driven by an actuator in a state in which the arm is fixed by a brake mechanism, to make it possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm in a state in which the arm is fixed by a brake mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to more safely determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the arm. In addition, it is possible to more reliably prevent the arm from performing an abnormal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke NAGAO, Takara KASAI
  • Publication number: 20180263710
    Abstract: A surgical information processing apparatus, including circuitry that obtains position information of a surgical imaging device, the position information indicating displacement of the surgical imaging device from a predetermined position, in a registration mode, obtain first image information from the surgical imaging device regarding a position of a surgical component, determines the position of the surgical component based on the first image information and the position information, and in an imaging mode, obtains second image information from the surgical imaging device of the surgical component based on the determined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsumi SAKAGUCHI, Takara KASAI
  • Publication number: 20180241283
    Abstract: Provided is an actuator (300) including: a reduction gear (320) that reduces, by a certain reduction ratio, a rotational velocity of an input shaft joined to a rotary shaft of a motor (360), and transmits the reduced rotational velocity to an output shaft (350); a first absolute angle encoder (330) that detects a rotational angle of the input shaft; and a second absolute angle encoder (340) that detects a rotational angle of the output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: WATARU KOKUBO, TAKARA KASAI, YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, YOHEI KURODA, TOSHIMITSU TSUBOI, TETSUHARU FUKUSHIMA, YASUHIRO MATSUDA, ATSUSHI MIYAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9966816
    Abstract: [Object] To detect a rotational angle accurately and also to drive more safely. [Solution] Provided is an actuator (300) including: a reduction gear (320) that reduces, by a certain reduction ratio, a rotational velocity of an input shaft joined to a rotary shaft of a motor (360), and transmits the reduced rotational velocity to an output shaft (350); a first absolute angle encoder (330) that detects a rotational angle of the input shaft; and a second absolute angle encoder (340) that detects a rotational angle of the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Kokubo, Takara Kasai, Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Yohei Kuroda, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20170080574
    Abstract: A robot arm apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: one or a plurality of a joint unit that joins a plurality of links constituting a multi-link structure; an acquisition unit that acquires an on-screen enlargement factor of a subject imaged by an imaging unit attached to the multi-link structure; and a driving control unit that controls driving of the joint unit based on a state of the joint unit and the enlargement factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Yohei KURODA, Takara KASAI, Yasuhisa KAMIKAWA, Wataru KOKUBO, Toshimitsu TSUBOI, Tetsuharu FUKUSHIMA, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Atsushi MIYAMOTO, Kenji HIROSE
  • Publication number: 20170066131
    Abstract: [Object] To calibrate an internal model more efficiently and more precisely. [Solution] Provided is a robot arm apparatus including: an arm unit made up of a plurality of links joined by one or a plurality of a joint unit, the arm unit being connectable to an imaging unit. An internal model including at least geometric information about the arm unit and focus position information about the imaging unit is updated using internal model information acquired in a state in which the imaging unit is pointed at a reference point in real space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, TAKARA KASAI, YOHEI KURODA, WATARU KOKUBO, TOSHIMITSU TSUBOI, TETSUHARU FUKUSHIMA, YASUHIRO MATSUDA, ATSUSHI MIYAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170007336
    Abstract: A medical support arm apparatus including: an arm unit including a plurality of links joined to each other by one or a plurality of a joint unit; and a driving control unit that drives the arm unit by controlling driving of the joint unit. If a malfunction is detected in at least one of the joint unit, the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit in a state in which a certain restriction is imposed on motion of the arm unit, and drives the arm unit to avoid the malfunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu TSUBOI, Takara KASAI, Yasuhisa KAMIKAWA, Yohei KURODA, Wataru KOKUBO, Tetsuharu FUKUSHIMA, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Atsushi MIYAMOTO