Patents by Inventor Tatsuo Sakai

Tatsuo Sakai 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: 20220004192
    Abstract: A moving body includes a path generator that generates a path for a moving body toward a destination by connecting the plurality of nodes, a movement controller that controls a movement of the moving body such that the moving body moves forward according to the path, and an obstacle detector that detects an obstacle. When the obstacle detector detects an obstacle that restricts a forward movement and a direction change of the moving body, the movement controller causes the moving body to move backward toward a retreat destination node which is a node existing at a position behind the moving body where the moving body can arrive, causes the moving body to execute a direction change to a direction in which the moving body can move forward toward the destination, and causes the moving body to move forward toward the destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: TATSUO SAKAI, KEN TAKAMINE
  • Patent number: 11194334
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile device includes a communicator, a map information storage, a mover, a path generator, and a moving controller. The communicator receives first mark information stored in a mark information storage from a mark management server device. The map information storage stores map information concerning a delivery area. The mover moves the autonomous mobile device. The path generator sets a first object to which a first mark is attached as a first delivery destination, and generates a path from a moving start position of the autonomous mobile device to the first delivery destination based on the first mark information and the map information. The moving controller controls the mover to move the autonomous mobile device to the first delivery destination based on the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sugishita, Masatsugu Fujita, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 10023060
    Abstract: Provided is an automatic power supply device which enables to perform an automatic power supply with a simple configuration, with respect to a moving body. The automatic power supply device that includes a terminal for a power supply, and supplies power to a rechargeable battery which is placed in the moving body through a power receiver which is disposed in the moving body, the automatic power supply device includes a mechanism that drives a power supplier including the power supply terminal, and a mechanism that automatically charges the moving body. The automatic power supply device includes a cavity in a portion of a housing shape of the automatic power supply device, in a measurement area of an environment recognition sensor which is included in the moving body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Murai, Shintaro Kinoshita, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20180150078
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile device includes a communicator, a map information storage, a mover, a path generator, and a moving controller. The communicator receives first mark information stored in a mark information storage from a mark management server device. The map information storage stores map information concerning a delivery area. The mover moves the autonomous mobile device. The path generator sets a first object to which a first mark is attached as a first delivery destination, and generates a path from a moving start position of the autonomous mobile device to the first delivery destination based on the first mark information and the map information. The moving controller controls the mover to move the autonomous mobile device to the first delivery destination based on the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: YOSHIHIRO SUGISHITA, MASATSUGU FUJITA, TATSUO SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20180029487
    Abstract: Provided is an automatic power supply device which enables to perform an automatic power supply with a simple configuration, with respect to a moving body. The automatic power supply device that includes a terminal for a power supply, and supplies power to a rechargeable battery which is placed in the moving body through a power receiver which is disposed in the moving body, the automatic power supply device includes a mechanism that drives a power supplier including the power supply terminal, and a mechanism that automatically charges the moving body. The automatic power supply device includes a cavity in a portion of a housing shape of the automatic power supply device, in a measurement area of an environment recognition sensor which is included in the moving body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: RYOSUKE MURAI, SHINTARO KINOSHITA, HIROYUKI UEMATSU, TATSUO SAKAI
  • Patent number: 9274526
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes: a first sensor which obtains environmental information on surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle; and a control unit which controls a drive unit based on a self position. The control unit includes: a first estimation unit which calculates a first estimate value indicating an estimated self position, by estimation using a probabilistic method based on the environmental information; and a second estimation unit which calculates a second estimate value indicating an estimated self position, by estimation using a matching method based on the environmental information, and the control unit changes, according to the first estimate value, a second estimate range for the calculating of the second estimate value by the second estimation unit, and controls the drive unit using the second estimate value as the self position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Murai, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20140297093
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes: a first sensor which obtains environmental information on surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle; and a control unit which controls a drive unit based on a self position. The control unit includes: a first estimation unit which calculates a first estimate value indicating an estimated self position, by estimation using a probabilistic method based on the environmental information; and a second estimation unit which calculates a second estimate value indicating an estimated self position, by estimation using a matching method based on the environmental information, and the control unit changes, according to the first estimate value, a second estimate range for the calculating of the second estimate value by the second estimation unit, and controls the drive unit using the second estimate value as the self position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke MURAI, Tatsuo SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20140297066
    Abstract: A remote control apparatus includes a moving apparatus that has a control unit that stores map information and a target position and controls a tracking move to the target position along a moving path, and a remote control unit that transmits the target position input by a manipulating unit to the moving apparatus, and the control unit detects an input value of the manipulating unit as an amount of change, and autonomously moves the moving apparatus in a tracking manner while changing the target position in accordance with the amount of change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Tatsuo Sakai, Ryosuke Murai, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Shintaro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 8775018
    Abstract: A driver's feeling control apparatus which includes: a steering detection unit which detects the amount of steering operation by a driver; a seat in which the driver sits, and which has a movable part displaceable in a perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, or in a yaw direction; and a control unit which determines the amount of the displacement of the movable part in response to the amount of steering operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Uenuma, Keijiro Iwao, Yuichiro Sakurai, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 7987032
    Abstract: A driver feeling adjusting apparatus includes a seat that is fixed to a vehicle and on which a driver is seated, a movable portion that is provided in the seat and that can be displaced in a vehicle lateral direction or a yaw direction, and a control unit that displaces the movable portion in an opposite direction to a direction of centripetal acceleration or a yaw rate in turning, and enables the driver to feel easy steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Uenuma, Keijiro Iwao, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 7684894
    Abstract: An autonomously moving robot that drives while evading an obstacle by an environment information acquisitioner. The information acquisitioner includes an imager that takes an image of a circumference on a driving route, an image recognition processor that extracts an area having a property relating to a region of a human body, a ranger that measures a range and an orientation to an object existing in the circumference on the driving route, a range information analyzer that obtains a shape of the object, and an environment recognizer that recognizes the environment information on the driving route. The environment recognizer compares the area extracted in the image recognition processor with the object recognized in the range information analyzer, and recognizes the object as a person when both of them agree with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Sakai, Tomoharu Nakahara, Hitoshi Kitano, Yukihiko Kitano, Tsuyoshi Yamane, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Publication number: 20090069938
    Abstract: In an autonomous vehicle, position of a planar obstacle such as a wall or a fence having apertures is determined. A horizontal plane is scanned with a laser range tinder so as to acquire positional coordinates of a plurality of scanning points. An element vector is formed with each two scanning points so that one acquired former is used as a start point and the other acquired later as an end point of the vector. A plurality of continuous element vectors which satisfy predetermined conditions is selected among the element vectors, and a scanning segment vector is formed by composition of the selected element vectors. When a length of the scanning segment vector is equal to or longer than a predetermined length, it is possible to recognize that a planar obstacle exists along the scanning segment vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: C/O MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.,
    Inventors: Daisuke Nishimura, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20080154460
    Abstract: A driver's feeling control apparatus which includes: a steering detection unit which detects the amount of steering operation by a driver; a seat in which the driver sits, and which has a movable part displaceable in a perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, or in a yaw direction; and a control unit which determines the amount of the displacement of the movable part in response to the amount of steering operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Kenya Uenuma, Keijiro Iwao, Yuichiro Sakurai, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20070255469
    Abstract: A driver feeling adjusting apparatus includes a seat that is fixed to a vehicle and on which a driver is seated, a movable portion that is provided in the seat and that can be displaced in a vehicle lateral direction or a yaw direction, and a control unit that displaces the movable portion in an opposite direction to a direction of centripetal acceleration or a yaw rate in turning, and enables the driver to feel easy steering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Kenya Uenuma, Kijiro Iwao, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 7168682
    Abstract: Emission gas recycling equipment includes a passage for recycling a part of an emission gas and a control valve for controlling an amount of the part of the emission gas. The control valve includes: a housing having a pipe portion; a butterfly valve accommodated in the pipe portion rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; a seal ring for sealing a clearance; and valve open/close operation means for stopping the butterfly valve at the valve full close position after the valve open/close operation means operates the butterfly valve to open and to close equal to or more than one cycle across the valve full close position at the time when the engine stops or after the engine stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Nanba, Kazuto Maeda, Koji Hashimoto, Tatsuo Sakai
  • Patent number: D644256
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiko Kitano, Shoichi Kobayashi, Mizuho Sakakibara, Rie Takahashi, Hajime Kawano, Tatsuo Sakai, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Shintaro Kinoshita, Ryosuke Murai
  • Patent number: D644257
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiko Kitano, Shoichi Kobayashi, Mizuho Sakakibara, Rie Takahashi, Hajime Kawano, Tatsuo Sakai, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Shintaro Kinoshita, Ryosuke Murai
  • Patent number: D663333
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiko Kitano, Shoichi Kobayashi, Mizuho Sakakibara, Hajime Kawano, Tatsuo Sakai, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Shintaro Kinoshita, Ryosuke Murai
  • Patent number: D663334
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiko Kitano, Shoichi Kobayashi, Mizuho Sakakibara, Hajime Kawano, Tatsuo Sakai, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Shintaro Kinoshita, Ryosuke Murai
  • Patent number: D865829
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Sakai, Masahiro Yamada, Satoshi Tanigawa, Sugiko Honda