Patents by Inventor Takashi Maekawa

Takashi Maekawa 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: 8792007
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to simplify a calibration operation of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for calibration. A camera calibration device 10 is mounted on a predetermined position of a movable object 100 and includes a camera 11 configured to take an image including an index 41 provided outside the movable object 100, an image superimposing unit 122 configured to generate a superimposed image by superimposing a calibration object 42 having a position adjustment part and a rotation adjustment part on the image taken by the camera 11, and a calculation unit 124 configured to calculate, based on a position of the calibration object 42 after being shifted in the superimposed image such that an end or a center of the index 41 meets the position adjustment part and a part of the index other than the end or the center overlaps the rotation adjustment part, parameters relative to a pan angle, a tilt angle and a roll angle for calibration of the camera mounting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Oshima, Takashi Maekawa, Ryuuichi Sawada, Haruo Yanagisawa, Chinatsu Sakurai, Akinori Iwabuchi, Shinya Tamizu, Takashi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20140160292
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to simplify a calibration operation of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for calibration. A calibration operation device 12 includes a control unit configured to control for displaying an object 42 having a first part and a second part, the object 42 being superimposed on an image taken by the camera 11, wherein the control unit performs a shift process to shift at least a display position of the first part in horizontal and vertical directions on the image, a rotation process to rotate a display position of the second part around the first part on the image, and calculation process to calculate a calibration parameters to calibrate a pan angle, a tilt angle and a roll angle of the mounting angle of the camera 11 based on the position of the object 42.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo OSHIMA, Takashi MAEKAWA, Ryuuichi SAWADA, Haruo YANAGISAWA, Chinatsu SAKURAI, Akinori IWABUCHI, Shinya TAMIZU, Takashi INOUE
  • Patent number: 8687067
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to simplify a calibration operation of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for calibration. A camera calibration device 10 is mounted on a predetermined position of a movable object 100 and includes a camera 11 configured to take an image including an index 41 provided outside the movable object 100, an image superimposing unit 122 configured to generate a superimposed image by superimposing a calibration object 42 having a position adjustment part and a rotation adjustment part on the image taken by the camera 11, and a calculation unit 124 configured to calculate, based on a position of the calibration object 42 after being shifted in the superimposed image such that an end or a center of the index 41 meets the position adjustment part and a part of the index other than the end or the center overlaps the rotation adjustment part, parameters relative to a pan angle, a tilt angle and a roll angle for calibration of the camera mounting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Oshima, Takashi Maekawa, Ryuuichi Sawada, Haruo Yanagisawa, Chinatsu Sakurai, Akinori Iwabuchi, Shinya Tamizu, Takashi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130265442
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to simplify an operation for calibration of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for the calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi MAEKAWA, Takeo OSHIMA, Haruo YANAGISAWA, Ryuuichi SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20130222607
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to simplify a calibration operation of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for calibration. A camera calibration device 10 is mounted on a predetermined position of a movable object 100 and includes a camera 11 configured to take an image including an index 41 provided outside the movable object 100, an image superimposing unit 122 configured to generate a superimposed image by superimposing a calibration object 42 having a position adjustment part and a rotation adjustment part on the image taken by the camera 11, and a calculation unit 124 configured to calculate, based on a position of the calibration object 42 after being shifted in the superimposed image such that an end or a center of the index 41 meets the position adjustment part and a part of the index other than the end or the center overlaps the rotation adjustment part, parameters relative to a pan angle, a tilt angle and a roll angle for calibration of the camera mounting position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo OSHIMA, Takashi MAEKAWA, Ryuuichi SAWADA, Haruo YANAGISAWA, Chinatsu SAKURAI, Akinori IWABUCHI, Shinya TAMIZU, Takashi INOUE
  • Publication number: 20130215280
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a camera calibration device, enabling a single operation of camera calibration by using a calibration index, a camera and a camera calibration method. A camera calibration device (100) includes an imaging unit (1) configured to take an image of a calibration index (8), an instruction means (5) configured to instruct on a display position of a calibration marker (14) to be superimposed on the image, an image signal processing means (3) configured to process the image such that the calibration marker is superimposed at the display position according to the instruction, and a calculation unit (4) configured to calculate a camera mounting angle based on the display position of the calibration marker (14) displayed overlapping two points of the calibration index (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi MAEKAWA, Haruo YANAGISAWA, Ryuuichi SAWADA
  • Patent number: 8386110
    Abstract: A travel route generating method for an unmanned vehicle, which includes a condition input step of inputting a vehicle constraint condition including a vehicle width and a minimum turning radius of the unmanned vehicle, and a geometrical constraint condition including a travel route generation range in which the unmanned vehicle is to travel, an obstacle to avoid, and a position and a direction of an entrance point and an exit point; and a travel route generating step of generating a travel route such that the vehicle constraint condition and the geometrical constraint condition are satisfied, and such that a function value of a cost function having at least a magnitude of a curve and/or a rate of change in the curve as a cost element is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignees: Komatsu Ltd., Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Tetsuya Noda, Shigefumi Tamura, Tomonori Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8350853
    Abstract: When an interpolation point is interpolated using a curve/curved surface, represented by control points, such as a B-Spline curve/curved surface or a subdivision surface, interpolation processing is performed in such a way that a moving vector for moving each control point is calculated using position information on interpolation points constituting the point group, as well as vector information on the unit direction vector that is set for each interpolation point, and the control point is moved in the movement direction and for the movement amount of this moving vector. By, repeating the generation step of a curve/curved surface that interpolates the interpolation point and the movement step of the control point, the position of a new control point is found that fits the curve/curved surface to the positions and the unit direction vectors of the point group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: National University Corporation Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Shu-Ichi Gofuku, Shigefumi Tamura
  • Patent number: 8228329
    Abstract: An initial polygon obtained from a point group is used as a control polygon, and a control point of the control polygon is offset in a normal direction by the shortest distance from a limit surface generated by the control polygon, so that the position of new control point is determined to allow a subdivision surface to interpolate the initial polygon, thereby generating the subdivision surface which interpolates the point group. A first process to determine the point on the subdivision surface at the shortest distance from each control point, and a second process to move and offset the control point in the normal direction from the surface by the distance between the point on the surface and the initial control point, are iterated until the distance between the initial point group and the point on the surface satisfies the threshold or becomes smaller than the threshold, thereby generating the subdivision surface interpolating the initial polygon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: National University Corporation Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Yasunori Matsumoto, Ken Namiki
  • Patent number: 8125537
    Abstract: An image processing method includes storing corresponding addresses of original image data in respective addresses of a look-up table, the number of the respective addresses being smaller than the number of addresses that are necessary in output image data; determining whether the addresses of the original image data corresponding to the addresses of the output image data exist in the look-up table; calculating the addresses of the original image data in a first interpolation process if the addresses do not exist in the look-up table; and generating the output image data corresponding to the addresses of the output image data in a second interpolation process based on the original image data by using at least one of the calculated addresses of the original image data and the addresses of the original image data in the look-up table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 7932934
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided. The image processing method is implemented by the apparatus, which receives and stores captured image data. Addresses for the captured image data are generated and stored in a look up table in memory along with color signal data that is stored in an additional data area. Output image data is generated by interpolating the address information in the lookup table to determine coordinate information for the output image. The output image coordinate information allows for drawing an output image with corrected image distortion, corrected perspective distortion, altered viewpoint from captured image, mirror-image conversion, or electronic zooming of the captured image. Color signal data from the additional data area is then used to draw an overlay on the output image in color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Maekawa
  • Publication number: 20110078223
    Abstract: An approximation processing method for approximating a point group using a curve or a surface defined by control points includes a step of forming an approximated curve (surface) using control points that retain features of a shape; a first calculation step of calculating a closest point closest to each of the data points on the approximated curve (surface); a second calculation step of calculating an error vector that joins the closest point, obtained in the first calculation step, to the data point; and a third calculation step of calculating a corrected control point by moving each of the control points based on the error vector obtained by the second calculation step. The step of forming an approximated curve (surface) and the first to third calculation steps are repeated to make the approximated curve (surface) respectively approximate the curve (surface) of an object configured by the data points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: NATIONAL UNIVERISTY CORPORATION YOKOHAMA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Yuu Nishiyama, Masayuki Morioka
  • Publication number: 20100220099
    Abstract: When an interpolation point is interpolated using a curve/curved surface, represented by control points, such as a B-Spline curve/curved surface or a subdivision surface, interpolation processing is performed in such a way that a moving vector for moving each control point is calculated using position information on interpolation points constituting the point group, as well as vector information on the unit direction vector that is set for each interpolation point, and the control point is moved in the movement direction and for the movement amount of this moving vector. By, repeating the generation step of a curve/curved surface that interpolates the interpolation point and the movement step of the control point, the position of a new control point is found that fits the curve/curved surface to the positions and the unit direction vectors of the point group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: National University Corporation Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Shu-Ichi Gofuku, Shigefumi Tamura
  • Patent number: 7733504
    Abstract: A shape evaluation device performs simulation by using an annular light source or concentric light source instead of a rectilinear light source and calculates a characteristic line for performing shape evaluation. The shape evaluation device includes a calculation device (2) having: a distance vector calculation unit (2a) for acquiring a distance vector representing a distance between the circle and the vector, a distance function unit (2b) for acquiring a distance function from the distance vector, and a distance function calculation unit (2c) for acquiring a point on a curved surface where the value of the distance function is a predetermined value. By performing simulation using the annular or concentric light source, it is possible to obtain a characteristic line capable of observing distortion in all the directions by one calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: National University Corporation Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Yoh Nishimura, Takayuki Sasaki, Yuu Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20100076640
    Abstract: A travel route generating method for an unmanned vehicle, which includes a condition input step of inputting a vehicle constraint condition including a vehicle width and a minimum turning radius of the unmanned vehicle, and a geometrical constraint condition including a travel route generation range in which the unmanned vehicle is to travel, an obstacle to avoid, and a position and a direction of an entrance point and an exit point; and a travel route generating step of generating a travel route such that the vehicle constraint condition and the geometrical constraint condition are satisfied, and such that a function value of a cost function having at least a magnitude of a curve and/or a rate of change in the curve as a cost element is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicants: Komatsu Ltd., Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi MAEKAWA, Tetsuya Noda, Shigefumi Tamura, Tomonori Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20090303235
    Abstract: An initial polygon obtained from a point group is used as a control polygon, and a control point of the control polygon is offset in a normal direction by the shortest distance from a limit surface generated by the control polygon, so that the position of new control point is determined to allow a subdivision surface to interpolate the initial polygon, thereby generating the subdivision surface which interpolates the point group. A first process to determine the point on the subdivision surface at the shortest distance from each control point, and a second process to move and offset the control point in the normal direction from the surface by the distance between the point on the surface and the initial control point, are iterated until the distance between the initial point group and the point on the surface satisfies the threshold or becomes smaller than the threshold, thereby generating the subdivision surface interpolating the initial polygon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: National University Corporation, Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Yasunori Matsumoto, Ken Namiki
  • Publication number: 20090066811
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided. The image processing method is implemented by the apparatus, which receives and stores captured image data. Addresses for the captured image data are generated and stored in a look up table in memory along with color signal data that is stored in an additional data area. Output image data is generated by interpolating the address information in the lookup table to determine coordinate information for the output image. The output image coordinate information allows for drawing an output image with corrected image distortion, corrected perspective distortion, altered viewpoint from captured image, mirror-image conversion, or electronic zooming of the captured image. Color signal data from the additional data area is then used to draw an overlay on the output image in color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi MAEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090002523
    Abstract: An image processing method includes storing corresponding addresses of original image data in respective addresses of a look-up table, the number of the respective addresses being smaller than the number of addresses that are necessary in output image data; determining whether the addresses of the original image data corresponding to the addresses of the output image data exist in the look-up table; calculating the addresses of the original image data in a first interpolation process if the addresses do not exist in the look-up table; and generating the output image data corresponding to the addresses of the output image data in a second interpolation process based on the original image data by using at least one of the calculated addresses of the original image data and the addresses of the original image data in the look-up table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi MAEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20080088855
    Abstract: A shape evaluation device performs simulation by using an annular light source or concentric light source instead of a rectilinear light source and calculates a characteristic line for performing shape evaluation. The shape evaluation device includes a calculation device (2) having: a distance vector calculation unit (2a) for acquiring a distance vector representing a distance between the circle and the vector, a distance function unit (2b) for acquiring a distance function from the distance vector, and a distance function calculation unit (2c) for acquiring a point on a curved surface where the value of the distance function is a predetermined value. By performing simulation using the annular or concentric light source, it is possible to obtain a characteristic line capable of observing distortion in all the directions by one calculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: National University Corporation Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Yoh Nishimura, Takayuki Sasaki, Yuu Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 6956568
    Abstract: Umbilics of two surfaces are compared and it is determined from this comparison whether the suspect surface is a copy of the original surface based on the comparison. Comparing umbilics includes determining whether locations of the umbilics of the suspect surface match within a specified margin umbilics of the original surface, and determining whether pattern types of umbilics of the suspect surface match pattern types of corresponding umbilics of the original surface. A “weak” test may be performed, in which corresponding points on the two surfaces are compared, wherein the comparison of umbilics is performed if corresponding points of the two surfaces are located within a specified margin of each other. The points may be gridpoints on wireframes, which in turn may be based on lines of curvature of the surfaces. Comparing umbilics is performed if it is determined that each surface has at least one umbilic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Massachussetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Takashi Maekawa, Nicholas M. Patrikalakis, Franz-Erich Wolter, Hiroshi Masuda