Patents by Inventor Tamotsu Ando

Tamotsu Ando 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: 9960847
    Abstract: In an information presenting method, visible light including unique information, which is unique to a passenger carrier and specific to a location of the carrier, is emitted. The light is received in the passenger space and the unique information is obtained. One or more stop points at which the carrier is currently stopped or is to subsequently stop are obtained. The one or more stop points are derived from the unique information. An alighting point at which a user is to alight from the carrier is obtained. Whether the alighting point is included in the one or more stop points is determined. Alighting information notifying the user to alight from the bus is presented to the user via a terminal, when the alighting point is determined to be included in the one or more stop points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya Moriwaki, Yoshiaki Ueno, Itaru Onishi, Shojiro Kido, Tamotsu Ando
  • Patent number: 9877377
    Abstract: A lighting control device having a first wireless communicator that wirelessly communicates with a lamp; first memory that stores identification information identifying the lighting control device; a first controller that transmits a control command for controlling the lamp to the lamp via the first wireless communicator; an operator interface suspended under its own weight; and a power generator that is connected to the operator interface, generates power from mechanical energy produced by the operator interface being moved in a predetermined direction, and supplies the power to the first controller, the first memory, and the first wireless communicator. Further, when the operator interface is moved and the first controller receives the power, the first controller reads the identification information from the first memory, transmits the identification information and the control command to the lamp via the first wireless communicator, so as to control the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Ando
  • Patent number: 9848481
    Abstract: A radio-controlled lighting system includes: lighting devices each having a radio communication circuit; and a radio device which controls the lighting devices via radio communications. The radio device includes: an obtainer which obtains, for each of the lighting devices, variation information indicating variation in a received signal strength at either one of the radio device and a corresponding one of the lighting devices; a judging component which judges whether or not the variation indicated in the variation information satisfies a predetermined condition; a determiner which determines one or more of the lighting devices to be one or more of registration candidates when the judging component judges that the variation satisfies the predetermined condition; and a register which registers, as a target lighting device to be controlled, one of the lighting devices which is selected from the registration candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Ando
  • Patent number: 9835318
    Abstract: A luminaire is provided that includes a power circuit that supplies power to a light source, an antenna that at least one of transmits and receives a wireless signal, and a metal housing that contains the antenna and the power circuit. The metal housing has an opening, such that the antenna and the opening are arranged to cause a polarization plane of an electric wave most strongly radiated from the antenna, and a polarization plane of an electric wave most strongly radiated from the opening, to substantially coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Ando, Tatsumi Setomoto
  • Publication number: 20170339772
    Abstract: A light driving apparatus which supplies power to a light source in accordance with an indication from a control apparatus includes: a housing which is box-shaped; a wireless communication module which is housed in the housing, and includes an antenna for wireless communication with the control apparatus; and a light driver which is housed in the housing, and supplies power to the light source in accordance with the indication received from the control apparatus via the wireless communication module, wherein the housing includes two opposite faces having slits through which an electromagnetic wave which the antenna emits when excited by the wireless communication module passes, the slits extending in a direction three-dimensionally crossing a direction in which the wireless communication module excites the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime OZAKI, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Kazuhiro MATSUMOTO, Yusuke TAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20170318650
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a body case and a lighting device mounted on the body case. The lighting device includes: a power generator which generates electric power upon being pressed when the lighting device having a light source is mounted onto the body case; a wireless module which performs wireless communication; and a controller connected to the power generator. When the lighting device is mounted onto the body case, the controller transmits identification information by which the lighting device is identified, via the wireless module using the electric power generated by the power generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventor: Tamotsu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20170309987
    Abstract: A luminaire includes: a light-emitting module; a base having a front surface on which the light-emitting module is disposed; a cover which is translucent and covers the light-emitting module: a controller which is disposed on a back surface of the base and controls the light-emitting module; a first antenna which transmits and receives a first polarized wave; and a control wire which connects the controller and the first antenna. The control wire includes an exposed portion which is a portion of the control wire in a longitudinal direction of the control wire and which is disposed between the base and the cover to transmit and receive a second polarized wave that differs from the first polarized wave in a polarization direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Hajime OZAKI
  • Patent number: 9750117
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a radio remote controller including a command transmitter which transmits a command; a relay including a relay receiver which receives the command and a relay transmitter which wirelessly transmits the command received by the relay receiver; and a lighting device including a command receiver, a storage, and a control circuit which (a) controls a light source according to the instruction included in a received command and stores a command number included in the received command in the storage, if the command number included in the received command does not match a command number stored in the storage, and (b) discards the received command if the command number included in the received command matches the command number stored in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsuo Nanahara, Shigeo Gotoh, Tamotsu Ando
  • Publication number: 20170231067
    Abstract: A lighting control device includes: a first wireless communicator that wirelessly communicates with a lamp; first memory that stores identification information identifying the lighting control device; a first controller that transmits a control command for controlling the lamp to the lamp via the first wireless communicator; an operator interface suspended under its own weight; and a power generator that is connected to the operator interface, generates power from mechanical energy produced by the operator interface being moved in a predetermined direction, and supplies the power to the first controller, the first memory, and the first wireless communicator. When the operator interface is moved and the first controller receives the power, the first controller reads the identification information from the first memory, transmits the identification information and the control command to the lamp via the first wireless communicator, and controls the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventor: Tamotsu ANDO
  • Patent number: 9713234
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a transceiver, a receiver, a storage, and a controller. The transceiver receives a radio command from a radio remote controller for operating the lighting fixture. The receiver receives an infrared command from an infrared remote controller for operating the lighting fixture. The storage stores identification information of the radio remote controller. The controller, if the identification information is stored in the storage, accepts a radio command that includes identification information same as the identification information stored in the storage, among radio commands received by the transceiver, and ignores the infrared command received by the receiver, and if no identification information is stored in the storage, accepts the infrared command received by the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeo Gotoh, Atsuo Nanahara, Shinsuke Nishioka, Tamotsu Ando
  • Patent number: 9693432
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a metal casing; a power supply circuit which is disposed in the metal casing and supplies power to a light source; an antenna disposed in the metal casing; a radio circuit which is disposed in the metal casing and receives a radio signal via the antenna; a control circuit which controls the power supply circuit according to the radio signal received by the radio circuit; at least one opening that communicatively connects an inside and an outside of the metal casing; and a line which is inserted in the at least one opening and insulated from the metal casing, the line being conductive and having open ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Ando
  • Publication number: 20170164455
    Abstract: A radio-controlled lighting system includes: lighting devices each having a radio communication circuit; and a radio device which controls the lighting devices via radio communications. The radio device includes: an obtainer which obtains, for each of the lighting devices, variation information indicating variation in a received signal strength at either one of the radio device and a corresponding one of the lighting devices; a judging component which judges whether or not the variation indicated in the variation information satisfies a predetermined condition; a determiner which determines one or more of the lighting devices to be one or more of registration candidates when the judging component judges that the variation satisfies the predetermined condition; and a register which registers, as a target lighting device to be controlled, one of the lighting devices which is selected from the registration candidates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventor: Tamotsu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20170078019
    Abstract: In an information presenting method, visible light including unique information, which is unique to a passenger carrier and specific to a location of the carrier, is emitted. The light is received in the passenger space and the unique information is obtained. One or more stop points at which the carrier is currently stopped or is to subsequently stop are obtained. The one or more stop points are derived from the unique information. An alighting point at which a user is to alight from the carrier is obtained. Whether the alighting point is included in the one or more stop points is determined. Alighting information notifying the user to alight from the bus is presented to the user via a terminal, when the alighting point is determined to be included in the one or more stop points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Toshiya MORIWAKI, Yoshiaki UENO, Itaru ONISHI, Shojiro KIDO, Tamotsu ANDO
  • Patent number: 9591730
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus which is one of a plurality of lighting apparatuses each capable of performing wireless communication with a control device. The lighting apparatus includes: a light emitting unit; a controller which controls turn-on of the light emitting unit; and a communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the control device to obtain correction time from the control device, the correction time being based on communication delay between the control device and each lighting apparatus. The communication unit further obtains a turn-on instruction for turning on the light emitting unit from the control device, and transmits a response to the turn-on instruction to the control device upon obtainment of the turn-on instruction. The controller turns on the light emitting unit after passage of a time period from when the response is transmitted to the device, the time period being calculated by subtracting communication latency from the correction time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando
  • Patent number: 9565746
    Abstract: A pairing method for causing lighting devices to store identification information of a radio remote controller serving as a master device is provided. The method includes: transmitting a pairing command including the identification information of the radio remote controller repeatedly on a temporary basis by the radio remote controller; determining, for each of the lighting devices, whether or not the lighting device is in an initial state in which identification information of a master device is not stored in the lighting device, at power on; storing the identification information included in the pairing command, if the paring command is received when it is determined that the lighting device is in the initial state in the determining; and causing the lighting device in which the identification information of the master device is stored to operate according to a radio command including the identification information of the master device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Nishioka, Atsuo Nanahara, Shigeo Gotoh, Tamotsu Ando
  • Patent number: 9554448
    Abstract: An illumination control device (100) includes a motion detector (110) and a control unit (150) which perform control of illuminance, color, or distribution of light of an illumination light source (210) based on a result of detection by the motion detector (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventors: Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando
  • Publication number: 20160353558
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a radio remote controller including a command transmitter which transmits a command; a relay including a relay receiver which receives the command and a relay transmitter which wirelessly transmits the command received by the relay receiver; and a lighting device including a command receiver, a storage, and a control circuit which (a) controls a light source according to the instruction included in a received command and stores a command number included in the received command in the storage, if the command number included in the received command does not match a command number stored in the storage, and (b) discards the received command if the command number included in the received command matches the command number stored in the storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Atsuo NANAHARA, Shigeo GOTOH, Tamotsu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20160302289
    Abstract: A pairing method for causing lighting devices to store identification information of a radio remote controller serving as a master device is provided. The method includes: transmitting a pairing command including the identification information of the radio remote controller repeatedly on a temporary basis by the radio remote controller; determining, for each of the lighting devices, whether or not the lighting device is in an initial state in which identification information of a master device is not stored in the lighting device, at power on; storing the identification information included in the pairing command, if the paring command is received when it is determined that the lighting device is in the initial state in the determining; and causing the lighting device in which the identification information of the master device is stored to operate according to a radio command including the identification information of the master device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Shinsuke NISHIOKA, Atsuo NANAHARA, Shigeo GOTOH, Tamotsu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20160302288
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a transceiver, a receiver, a storage, and a controller. The transceiver receives a radio command from a radio remote controller for operating the lighting fixture. The receiver receives an infrared command from an infrared remote controller for operating the lighting fixture. The storage stores identification information of the radio remote controller. The controller, if the identification information is stored in the storage, accepts a radio command that includes identification information same as the identification information stored in the storage, among radio commands received by the transceiver, and ignores the infrared command received by the receiver, and if no identification information is stored in the storage, accepts the infrared command received by the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Shigeo GOTOH, Atsuo NANAHARA, Shinsuke NISHIOKA, Tamotsu ANDO
  • Publication number: 20160262245
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a metal casing; a power supply circuit which is disposed in the metal casing and supplies power to a light source; an antenna disposed in the metal casing; a radio circuit which is disposed in the metal casing and receives a radio signal via the antenna; a control circuit which controls the power supply circuit according to the radio signal received by the radio circuit; at least one opening that communicatively connects an inside and an outside of the metal casing; and a line which is inserted in the at least one opening and insulated from the metal casing, the line being conductive and having open ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventor: Tamotsu ANDO