Patents by Inventor Tomofumi IKEDA

Tomofumi IKEDA 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: 11577160
    Abstract: An example input apparatus includes an elastic member, a base portion and a strain gauge. The elastic member includes a first end portion and a second end portion, and at least a part of the elastic member is elastically deformable. The base portion holds the opposite end portions of the elastic member so that a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member. The strain gauge is provided on the base portion and detects a strain generated on the base portion due to deformation of the elastic member in response to an input from the user. Note that instead of the configuration where a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member, the input apparatus may be configured so that two elastic members are held by the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Niwa, Tomofumi Ikeda, Yuki Taniguchi, Yoshitaka Tamura
  • Publication number: 20220096924
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a ring-shaped portion, a detector and a main portion. At least a part of the ring-shaped portion is elastically deformable. The detector detects deformation of the ring-shaped portion. The main portion is secured to the ring-shaped portion. The main portion includes an attachment portion, a terminal and a transmitter. A game controller can be attached to the attachment portion. The terminal is for electrical connection with the game controller. The transmitter transmits data regarding a detection result of the detector to the game controller through the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshitaka TAMURA, Yoshiyasu OGASAWARA, Tomofumi IKEDA, Yuko ZENRI
  • Patent number: 11260293
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a ring-shaped portion, a detector and a main portion. At least a part of the ring-shaped portion is elastically deformable. The detector detects deformation of the ring-shaped portion. The main portion is secured to the ring-shaped portion. The main portion includes an attachment portion, a terminal and a transmitter. A game controller can be attached to the attachment portion. The terminal is for electrical connection with the game controller. The transmitter transmits data regarding a detection result of the detector to the game controller through the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Tamura, Yoshiyasu Ogasawara, Tomofumi Ikeda, Yuko Zenri
  • Publication number: 20210260471
    Abstract: An example input apparatus includes an elastic member, a base portion and a strain gauge. The elastic member includes a first end portion and a second end portion, and at least a part of the elastic member is elastically deformable. The base portion holds the opposite end portions of the elastic member so that a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member. The strain gauge is provided on the base portion and detects a strain generated on the base portion due to deformation of the elastic member in response to an input from the user. Note that instead of the configuration where a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member, the input apparatus may be configured so that two elastic members are held by the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Masato NIWA, Tomofumi IKEDA, Yuki TANIGUCHI, Yoshitaka TAMURA
  • Patent number: 11033812
    Abstract: An example input apparatus includes an elastic member, a base portion and a strain gauge. The elastic member includes a first end portion and a second end portion, and at least a part of the elastic member is elastically deformable. The base portion holds the opposite end portions of the elastic member so that a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member. The strain gauge is provided on the base portion and detects a strain generated on the base portion due to deformation of the elastic member in response to an input from the user. Note that instead of the configuration where a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member, the input apparatus may be configured so that two elastic members are held by the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Niwa, Tomofumi Ikeda, Yuki Taniguchi, Yoshitaka Tamura
  • Publication number: 20200398155
    Abstract: An example input apparatus includes an elastic member, a base portion and a strain gauge. The elastic member includes a first end portion and a second end portion, and at least a part of the elastic member is elastically deformable. The base portion holds the opposite end portions of the elastic member so that a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member. The strain gauge is provided on the base portion and detects a strain generated on the base portion due to deformation of the elastic member in response to an input from the user. Note that instead of the configuration where a ring is formed by the base portion and the elastic member, the input apparatus may be configured so that two elastic members are held by the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Masato NIWA, Tomofumi IKEDA, Yuki TANIGUCHI, Yoshitaka TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20200398156
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a ring-shaped portion, a detector and a main portion. At least a part of the ring-shaped portion is elastically deformable. The detector detects deformation of the ring-shaped portion. The main portion is secured to the ring-shaped portion. The main portion includes an attachment portion, a terminal and a transmitter. A game controller can be attached to the attachment portion. The terminal is for electrical connection with the game controller. The transmitter transmits data regarding a detection result of the detector to the game controller through the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshitaka TAMURA, Yoshiyasu OGASAWARA, Tomofumi IKEDA, Yuko ZENRI
  • Patent number: 10751613
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a ring-shaped portion, a detector and a main portion. At least a part of the ring-shaped portion is elastically deformable. The detector detects deformation of the ring-shaped portion. The main portion is secured to the ring-shaped portion. The main portion includes an attachment portion, a terminal and a transmitter. A game controller can be attached to the attachment portion. The terminal is for electrical connection with the game controller. The transmitter transmits data regarding a detection result of the detector to the game controller through the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Tamura, Yoshiyasu Ogasawara, Tomofumi Ikeda, Yuko Zenri
  • Patent number: 10143917
    Abstract: An example connected device includes a first battery for supplying electric power to a game controller, a first terminal electrically connected to the game controller, and a resistor connected to the first terminal. The game controller includes a controlled component, a second battery for supplying electric power to the controlled component, a second terminal electrically connected to the connected device, a voltage detecting circuit detecting a voltage value in accordance with a current which flows through the resistor when the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to each other, and a control circuit. The control circuit discriminates a device connected to the game controller based on the detected voltage value, and switches from the second battery to the first battery when the discriminated device is the connected device while electric power is supplied from the second battery to the controlled component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Oizumi, Shumpei Yasuda, Ryo Fukasawa, Tomofumi Ikeda, Yuki Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20180193731
    Abstract: An example connected device includes a first battery for supplying electric power to a game controller, a first terminal electrically connected to the game controller, and a resistor connected to the first terminal. The game controller includes a controlled component, a second battery for supplying electric power to the controlled component, a second terminal electrically connected to the connected device, a voltage detecting circuit detecting a voltage value in accordance with a current which flows through the resistor when the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to each other, and a control circuit. The control circuit discriminates a device connected to the game controller based on the detected voltage value, and switches from the second battery to the first battery when the discriminated device is the connected device while electric power is supplied from the second battery to the controlled component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Toshiki OIZUMI, Shumpei YASUDA, Ryo FUKASAWA, Tomofumi IKEDA, Yuki TAMAKI
  • Patent number: 9037034
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; a fusing unit that heats and presses a recording medium with an image transferred thereto, thereby fixing the image thereon; a first duct section in which air that contains emissions generated by the fusing unit flows; an ion generation unit provided away from the first duct section to generate ions; a second duct section in which air that contains the ions generated by the ion generation unit flows; a third duct section connected to the first and second duct sections, such that air flows in from the first and second duct sections, whereby the emissions are charged by the ions; a filter unit provided in the third duct section to trap the charged emissions; and a blowing unit that generates air flows from the connections with the first and second duct sections in the third duct section toward the filter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Ikeda, Shoichi Yoshikawa, Kuniya Matsuura, Masayuki Satou, Ryo Oshima, Noboru Oomoto
  • Publication number: 20130243471
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; a fusing unit that heats and presses a recording medium with an image transferred thereto, thereby fixing the image thereon; a first duct section in which air that contains emissions generated by the fusing unit flows; an ion generation unit provided away from the first duct section to generate ions; a second duct section in which air that contains the ions generated by the ion generation unit flows; a third duct section connected to the first and second duct sections, such that air flows in from the first and second duct sections, whereby the emissions are charged by the ions; a filter unit provided in the third duct section to trap the charged emissions; and a blowing unit that generates air flows from the connections with the first and second duct sections in the third duct section toward the filter unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomofumi IKEDA, Shoichi Yoshikawa, Kuniya Matsuura, Masayuki Satou, Ryo Oshima, Noboru Oomoto