Patents by Inventor Takuya Kotani

Takuya Kotani 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: 20140016876
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for generating corrected image data from a plurality of input image data by performing an iterative calculation process includes an input unit configured to input the plurality of input image data, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a photographing parameter used for photographing to acquire the input image data, a setting unit configured to set for each image area a number of iterations for generating the corrected image data based on the photographing parameter, and a generation unit configured to generate correction data from the plurality of image data by performing an iterative calculation process on each image area based on the number of iterations set for each image area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8576306
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus having a camera shake correction function of moving an optical axis of an image sensing device, the apparatus comprises an optical axis moving amount acquisition unit configured to acquire a moving amount of the optical axis at the time of shooting; a dust pixel determination unit configured to scan image data acquired by pre-shooting, during which the camera shake correction function is disabled, and determine a dust pixel corresponding to dust that is adhered to the image sensing device; a dust correction data generation unit configured to generate dust correction data based on information about the dust pixel that has been determined by the dust pixel determination unit; and a holding unit configured to hold the moving amount of the optical axis acquired by the optical axis moving amount acquisition unit and the dust correction data generated by the dust correction data generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8565555
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for generating corrected image data from a plurality of input image data by performing an iterative calculation process includes an input unit configured to input the plurality of input image data, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a photographing parameter used for photographing to acquire the input image data, a setting unit configured to set for each image area a number of iterations for generating the corrected image data based on the photographing parameter, and a generation unit configured to generate correction data from the plurality of image data by performing an iterative calculation process on each image area based on the number of iterations set for each image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8335393
    Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus which corrects a captured image obtained by capturing an object, the apparatus comprising: an acquiring unit configured to acquire, for each pixel of the captured image, information on an object distance representing a distance to the object; a calculating unit configured to calculate, based on the information on the object distance, a difference in the object distance between a pixel of interest in the captured image and a surrounding pixel of the pixel of interest; a parameter setting unit configured to set a sharpening process parameter for the pixel of interest based on the calculated difference in the object distance; and a sharpening process unit configured to perform a sharpening process for the pixel of interest by using the set parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Publication number: 20120307092
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus and a control method thereof relate to an image capturing apparatus such as a camera array. The image capturing apparatus comprises a plurality of image capturing units. An image capturing unit to be activated out of a plurality of image capturing units is decided based on the capturing distance of an object included in a captured scene. Electricity is supplied to the image capturing unit decided to be activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Publication number: 20120268628
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus which corrects input image data on the basis of the image data and foreign substance information including information associated with a position and a size of a foreign substance adhering near an image sensor in an image capturing apparatus which has captured the image data includes a correction unit which corrects the image data on the basis of the image data and the foreign substance information so as to reduce an influence of a shadow of the foreign substance cast in the image data, a uniformity determination unit which determines uniformity of an image in a region surrounding the foreign substance in the image data, and a control unit which, when the uniformity determination unit determines that the uniformity is lower than a predetermined value, prevents the correction unit from correcting the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8279297
    Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of captured images captured by an image capturing apparatus; a determination unit configured to determine position information of the image capturing apparatus for each of the plurality of captured images so that an evaluation value becomes smaller; and a connecting unit configured to connect the plurality of captured images projected onto a reconstruction plane using the determined position information of the image capturing apparatus, wherein the determination unit comprises a calculation unit configured to project each of the plurality of captured images onto the reconstruction plane based on the set position information and to calculate, as the evaluation value, an image difference between the projected images in a overlapping region between the projected images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8238690
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus corrects input image data on the basis of the image data and foreign substance information including information associated with a position and a size of a foreign substance adhering near an image sensor in an image capturing apparatus which has captured the image data. The apparatus includes a correction unit which corrects the image data on the basis of the image data and the foreign substance information so as to reduce an influence of a shadow of the foreign substance cast in the image data, a uniformity determination unit which determines the uniformity of an image in a region surrounding the foreign substance in the image data, and a control unit which, when the uniformity determination unit determines that the uniformity is lower than a predetermined value, prevents the correction unit from correcting the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8109103
    Abstract: After the power source to the control substrate is turned on, power is supplied to the compressor driver and the fan driver. Then, when it is determined that an indoor unit is in operation, the compressor driver and the fan driver are operated. Meanwhile, when it is determined that the indoor unit is not in operation, after the lapse of ten minutes or twenty minutes under a predetermined setting, the power to the compressor driver and the fan driver is cut. When the operation of the indoor unit is started again, power is supplied to the compressor driver and the fan driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morikuni Natsume, Satoshi Yagi, Takuya Kotani, Yasuaki Miyaba, Hirotaka Saruwatari, Hiroyuki Matsuura, Mario Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20120024008
    Abstract: A time for loading a refrigerant is shortened when a utilization unit of an air conditioner is installed. A heat source unit 1 includes a compressor 100; a heat-source-side heat exchanger 200; a refrigerant regulator 61 storing a refrigerant; an introducing pipe 62 which is a pipe that is branched off from a discharge-side pipe 110 of the compressor 100 and connected to the refrigerant regulator 61, and introduces the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 100 into the refrigerant regulator 61; and a lead-out pipe 63 which is a pipe that is connected from the refrigerant regulator 61 to an intake-side pipe 120 of the compressor 100, and leads out the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant regulator 61 into the intake-side pipe 120.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Atsushi Okamoto, Shinya Matsuoka, Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8089536
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an information extraction unit which extracts foreign substance information which is information of a position and size of a foreign substance in an image sensing plane of an image capture unit and is recorded in association with captured image data and lens information of a lens used when acquiring the captured image data, which is recorded in association with the captured image data, a conversion unit which converts the foreign substance information extracted by the information extraction unit into second foreign substance information form on the basis of the lens information extracted by the information extraction unit, and an interpolation unit which interpolates a pixel corresponding to the foreign substance in the captured image data on the basis of the second foreign substance information form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Publication number: 20110254958
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus acquires virtual viewpoint information of a plurality of frames contained in a virtual viewpoint video, selects a camera for shooting an image to be used in generating an image at a virtual viewpoint in a frame from a plurality of cameras with respect to each of the plurality of the frames based on a positional relationship between the virtual viewpoint information of each frame and viewpoint information of the plurality of the cameras, and reselects the camera selected for each of the plurality of the frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Kotani, Kazuhiro Yahata
  • Publication number: 20110254927
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus executes a distortion correction on coordinates of a target pixel in a virtual viewpoint image based on distortion characteristics of a virtual camera and calculates coordinates in the virtual viewpoint image after the distortion correction. The image process apparatus calculates ideal coordinates in a captured image from the coordinates in the virtual viewpoint image after the distortion correction and calculates real coordinates in the captured image from the ideal coordinates in the captured image based on distortion characteristics of an imaging unit. The image process apparatus calculates a pixel value corresponding to the real coordinates from image data of the virtual viewpoint image and corrects the pixel value corresponding to the real coordinates based on ambient light amount decrease characteristics of the imaging unit and ambient light amount decrease characteristics of the virtual camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yahata, Takuya Kotani
  • Publication number: 20110232197
    Abstract: A window regulator apparatus for a vehicle includes a wire adapted to be connected to a window panel movably supported by a vehicle door, a base plate adapted to be fixed to a panel of the vehicle door and having an elongated shape, the base plate extending along a vertical movement direction of the window panel on a different surface from a surface on which the window panel moves in the vertical movement direction, a pair of pulleys rotatably supported by upper and lower ends of the base plate and arranging the wire at the panel, a drum rotatably supported by an intermediate portion of the base plate, and a stopper member supported by the base plate and adjustably positioned in the vertical movement direction, the stopper member being contactable with the window panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Suzuki, Atsushi Matsuoka, Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8020395
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit and an operation control section. The operation control section is capable of performing a refrigeration cycle for causing an outdoor heat exchanger to function as a refrigerant condenser and an indoor heat exchanger to function as a refrigerant evaporator, while performing superheat degree control for controlling the aperture of an indoor expansion valve so that the degree of superheat of the refrigerant at the outlet from the indoor heat exchanger is constant. The operation control section means sets a lower aperture limit for the indoor expansion valve to perform the superheat degree control, and reduces the lower aperture limit when the refrigerant at the outlet from the indoor heat exchanger is detected to be wet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Kotani, Kikuji Hori
  • Patent number: 8015834
    Abstract: An outdoor control unit includes a first control unit, a second control unit, and a switching unit. The outdoor control unit controls the rotational speed of an outdoor fan. The first control unit executes a first control for controlling the rotational speed of the outdoor fan based on the operation frequency of the compressor. The second control unit executes a second control for controlling the rotational speed of the outdoor fan based on a parameter other than the operation frequency of the compressor. The switching unit executes a switching control for switching between the first control and the second control according to a predetermined switching condition, when a cooling mode is being operated under a low outside air condition. The low outside air condition refers to a state that the outside air temperature is lower than a first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Kotani, Kikuji Hori
  • Patent number: 7990419
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a modification processing unit which modifies input image data, a storage unit which stores a modification log with respect to the same image data modified by the modification processing unit, a selection unit which selects an arbitrary modification process in the modification log, a deletion unit which deletes the modification process selected by the selection unit from the modification log, and a determination unit which determines whether to allow deletion of the modification process selected by the selection unit from the modification log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 7980086
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided that is capable of allowing an operator to know, during a refrigerant charging operation using a cylinder, that the refrigerant cylinder is emptied without using a scale or the like. An air conditioner in which the refrigerant is charged using a cylinder containing the refrigerant includes a refrigerant circuit, a charge port, a downstream temperature sensor, an outdoor side controller, and a display unit. The refrigerant circuit is configured by the interconnection of a compressor, an outdoor side heat exchanger, an indoor side expansion valve, and an indoor side heat exchanger. The charge port is a port for charging the refrigerant into the refrigerant circuit from the cylinder. The downstream temperature sensor is provided in the vicinity of the charge port of the refrigerant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Kotani, Tadafumi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20110157396
    Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of captured images captured by an image capturing apparatus; a determination unit configured to determine position information of the image capturing apparatus for each of the plurality of captured images so that an evaluation value becomes smaller; and a connecting unit configured to connect the plurality of captured images projected onto a reconstruction plane using the determined position information of the image capturing apparatus, wherein the determination unit comprises a calculation unit configured to project each of the plurality of captured images onto the reconstruction plane based on the set position information and to calculate, as the evaluation value, an image difference between the projected images in a overlapping region between the projected images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Publication number: 20110102596
    Abstract: Setting unit for setting a virtual viewpoint; determining unit for determining an undefined area in which an object distance cannot be defined in a virtual image of the virtual viewpoint, from image data of a plurality of images photographed by a plurality of photographing units placed at different positions; correction setting unit for setting an amount of correction of a position of at least one of the photographing units from the undefined area; and generating unit for generating the image of the virtual viewpoint from image data of a plurality of images photographed by the plurality of photographing units placed at positions that are corrected in accordance with the amount of correction are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani