Patents by Inventor Tomokazu Yamamoto

Tomokazu Yamamoto 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: 20230279526
    Abstract: An alloy composed of three or more types of elements, wherein all the standard deviation of distribution in the alloy of each element constituting the alloy are 15 atomic % or less provides a novel alloy composed of three or more types of elements and having a high solid solution uniformity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Hiroshi KITAGAWA, Kohei KUSADA, Syo MATSUMURA, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Xuan Quy TRAN
  • Patent number: 10739978
    Abstract: A setting device includes: a communication circuit which communicates with a target lighting fixture in which a communication configuration is to be set up among lighting fixtures; a display which displays layout information of the lighting fixtures; a detector which detects a direction of movement of the setting device inside of a building, and an amount of the movement of the setting device; and a controller which causes the display to display, on the layout information, a position of the setting device derived based on the direction and the amount of the movement of the setting device. The controller determines whether the position of the setting device is within a predefined area, based on a location of the target lighting fixture, and sets up the communication configuration in the target lighting fixture via the communication circuit when the position of the setting device is within the predefined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeo Nakamura, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Kentaro Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10665949
    Abstract: A lighting-up device includes: a power supply circuit which supplies power to a light source; a wireless communication circuit including an antenna; and a metallic casing which includes metal, and houses the power supply circuit and the wireless communication circuit. The metallic casing has a first side face and a second side face which share a side, the first side face is provided with a first slit which extends in a first direction intersecting with the side, from a first portion of the side other than both ends of the side, the second side face is provided with a second slit which extends in a second direction intersecting with the side, from a second portion of the side other than the both ends of the side, and each of the first slit and the second slit is electromagnetically coupled to the antenna and functions as a slot antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Ozaki, Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando, Koji Matsushita, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Kohji Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 10582594
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a wireless controller, luminaires each configured to communicating with the wireless controller, and a storage. The wireless controller classifies a first luminaire among the luminaires, which is able to communicate using first transmission power, into a first group and stores the first luminaire on the storage, and classifies a second luminaire among the luminaires, which is able to communicate using second transmission power greater than the first transmission power, into a second group and stores the second luminaire on the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECUTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohji Hiramatsu, Tatsumi Setomoto, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Tamotsu Ando, Hajime Ozaki
  • Patent number: 10560835
    Abstract: Luminaires in a lighting system have mutually different addresses. A setting device includes a communication unit that transmits an address request signal at a first transmission power level and a control unit that determines whether a total number of the addresses transmitted from one or more of the luminaires in response to receiving the address request signal is within a target range. The control unit instructs the communication unit to transmit the address request signal at a transmission power level different from the first transmission power level when the total number of the addresses is outside the target range, and executes pairing of the one or more of the luminaires that responded to the address request signal with a wireless controller when the total number of the addresses is within the target range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Yamamoto, Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando, Kohji Hiramatsu, Hajime Ozaki, Kentaro Yamauchi, Shigeo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10527270
    Abstract: A lighting driving device is to be installed on a part of a structure. The lighting driving device includes: a metallic casing including a slit through which radio waves pass; a communication circuit which is housed in the metallic casing and performs wireless communication; a driving circuit which is housed in the metallic casing and supplies power to a light emitter; and an insulator which is disposed on the metallic casing and spaces apart the slit from the part of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohji Hiramatsu, Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Hajime Ozaki
  • Patent number: 10514156
    Abstract: A luminaire is provided. The luminaire includes a luminaire body and a first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device receives a first control signal wirelessly transmitted from an outside of the luminaire body, and wirelessly transmits a second control signal in response to the first control signal. The luminaire body includes: a light source; a second wireless communication device that receives the second control signal; a light emission control circuit that is electrically connected to the second wireless communication device and controls a light emission state of the light source according to the second control signal; and a case that, with or without a cover, houses the second wireless communication device and the light emission control circuit. The first wireless communication device is attached to the luminaire body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Ando, Hajime Ozaki, Tatsumi Setomoto, Kohji Hiramatsu, Tomokazu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10512145
    Abstract: A second communication unit of a wireless controller transmits a first signal to luminaires, the first signal instructing the luminaires to respond to a request from the wireless controller. A control unit (i) receives a response to the first signal sent from the luminaires, (ii) when there is a first group including a luminaire that has responded to the first signal, and a second group including at least one luminaire that has not responded to the first signal, assigns the luminaire in the first group as a relay luminaire, and (iii) transmit a second signal to the relay luminaire, the second signal instructing the relay luminaire to wirelessly communicate with the at least one luminaire in the second group via the second communication unit. The relay luminaire that has received the second signal wirelessly communicates with the at least one luminaire in the second group via a first communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Murakami, Shigeo Nakamura, Tomokazu Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20190335568
    Abstract: A second communication unit of a wireless controller transmits a first signal to luminaires, the first signal instructing the luminaires to respond to a request from the wireless controller. A control unit (i) receives a response to the first signal sent from the luminaires, (ii) when there is a first group including a luminaire that has responded to the first signal, and a second group including at least one luminaire that has not responded to the first signal, assigns the luminaire in the first group as a relay luminaire, and (iii) transmit a second signal to the relay luminaire, the second signal instructing the relay luminaire to wirelessly communicate with the at least one luminaire in the second group via the second communication unit. The relay luminaire that has received the second signal wirelessly communicates with the at least one luminaire in the second group via a first communication unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Kaoru MURAKAMI, Shigeo NAKAMURA, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10411815
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a wireless communication device that transmits a test signal; luminaires that measure a signal strength of the test signal upon receipt and transmit signal strength information on the signal strength to the wireless communication device; and a determining unit that determines a condition of the lighting system based on the signal strength or the signal strength information. The determining unit: determines the condition of the lighting system to be acceptable upon confirming transmission of the signal strength information by all luminaires and unacceptable upon failing to confirm transmission of the signal strength information by at least one luminaire; or determines the condition of the lighting system to be acceptable when each signal strength measured by all luminaires exceeds a reference value and unacceptable when the signal strength measured by at least one luminaire is less than or equal to the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeo Nakamura, Kentaro Yamauchi, Tomokazu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10405410
    Abstract: Luminaire includes: lighting apparatus which includes a wireless communication circuit and a light emitter of which a light emitting state is controlled based on a control signal received by the wireless communication circuit; and an apparatus body to which the lighting apparatus is detachably attached in different orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Ando, Tatsumi Setomoto, Kohji Hiramatsu, Hajime Ozaki, Tomokazu Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20190196704
    Abstract: A setting device includes: a communication circuit which communicates with a target lighting fixture in which a communication configuration is to be set up among lighting fixtures; a display which displays layout information of the lighting fixtures; a detector which detects a direction of movement of the setting device inside of a building, and an amount of the movement of the setting device; and a controller which causes the display to display, on the layout information, a position of the setting device derived based on the direction and the amount of the movement of the setting device. The controller determines whether the position of the setting device is within a predefined area, based on a location of the target lighting fixture, and sets up the communication configuration in the target lighting fixture via the communication circuit when the position of the setting device is within the predefined area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Shigeo NAKAMURA, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Kentaro YAMAUCHI
  • Patent number: 10236976
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless device provided externally; a command receiver that receives a command from outside; a light emitter including a light source; and a controller connected to the communication unit, the command receiver, and the light emitter. The command receiver receives a wireless device specifying command that specifies the wireless device with which the communication unit is to wirelessly communicate. The controller tests wireless communication with the wireless device via the communication unit based on the wireless device specifying command received, obtains communication reliability information regarding the reliability of the wireless communication, and causes the light emitter to perform at least one of flashing, dimming, and toning based on the communication reliability information obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Yamamoto, Tatsumi Setomoto, Tamotsu Ando, Kohji Hiramatsu, Hajime Ozaki, Kentaro Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20190053356
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a wireless controller, luminaires each configured to communicating with the wireless controller, and a storage. The wireless controller classifies a first luminaire among the luminaires, which is able to communicate using first transmission power, into a first group and stores the first luminaire on the storage, and classifies a second luminaire among the luminaires, which is able to communicate using second transmission power greater than the first transmission power, into a second group and stores the second luminaire on the storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Kohji HIRAMATSU, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Hajime OZAKI
  • Publication number: 20190045347
    Abstract: Luminaires in a lighting system have mutually different addresses. A setting device includes a communication unit that transmits an address request signal at a first transmission power level and a control unit that determines whether a total number of the addresses transmitted from one or more of the luminaires in response to receiving the address request signal is within a target range. The control unit instructs the communication unit to transmit the address request signal at a transmission power level different from the first transmission power level when the total number of the addresses is outside the target range, and executes pairing of the one or more of the luminaires that responded to the address request signal with a wireless controller when the total number of the addresses is within the target range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Kohji HIRAMATSU, Hajime OZAKI, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Shigeo NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 10191640
    Abstract: Provided is a control parameter setting method for use in an illumination system including: luminaires; an illumination controller that controls lighting of the luminaires; and an operation terminal that communicates with the illumination controller. The control parameter setting method includes: capturing, by a camera of the operation terminal, at least one luminaire in an image, and displaying, by a touch panel of the operation terminal, the image including the at least one luminaire; obtaining identification information of the at least one luminaire based on the image; determining whether a control parameter of the at least one luminaire captured by the camera is settable by the operation terminal; displaying, by the touch panel, information relating to the identification information, in association with the at least one luminaire; displaying, by the touch panel, a control parameter of a luminaire; and setting, by the touch panel, the control parameter of the luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuka Nakauchi, Kentaro Yamauchi, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Yoshiaki Ueno
  • Publication number: 20180375595
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a wireless communication device that transmits a test signal; luminaires that measure a signal strength of the test signal upon receipt and transmit signal strength information on the signal strength to the wireless communication device; and a determining unit that determines a condition of the lighting system based on the signal strength or the signal strength information. The determining unit: determines the condition of the lighting system to be acceptable upon confirming transmission of the signal strength information by all luminaires and unacceptable upon failing to confirm transmission of the signal strength information by at least one luminaire; or determines the condition of the lighting system to be acceptable when each signal strength measured by all luminaires exceeds a reference value and unacceptable when the signal strength measured by at least one luminaire is less than or equal to the reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Shigeo NAKAMURA, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180314412
    Abstract: Provided is a control parameter setting method for use in an illumination system including: luminaires; an illumination controller that controls lighting of the luminaires; and an operation terminal that communicates with the illumination controller. The control parameter setting method includes: capturing, by a camera of the operation terminal, at least one luminaire in an image, and displaying, by a touch panel of the operation terminal, the image including the at least one luminaire; obtaining identification information of the at least one luminaire based on the image; determining whether a control parameter of the at least one luminaire captured by the camera is settable by the operation terminal; displaying, by the touch panel, information relating to the identification information, in association with the at least one luminaire; displaying, by the touch panel, a control parameter of a luminaire; and setting, by the touch panel, the control parameter of the luminaire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Natsuka NAKAUCHI, Kentaro YAMAUCHI, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Yoshiaki UENO
  • Publication number: 20180306423
    Abstract: A luminaire is provided. The luminaire includes a luminaire body and a first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device receives a first control signal wirelessly transmitted from an outside of the luminaire body, and wirelessly transmits a second control signal in response to the first control signal. The luminaire body includes: a light source; a second wireless communication device that receives the second control signal; a light emission control circuit that is electrically connected to the second wireless communication device and controls a light emission state of the light source according to the second control signal; and a case that, with or without a cover, houses the second wireless communication device and the light emission control circuit. The first wireless communication device is attached to the luminaire body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LT D.
    Inventors: Tamotsu ANDO, Hajime OZAKI, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Kohji HIRAMATSU, Tomokazu YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180248619
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless device provided externally; a command receiver that receives a command from outside; a light emitter including a light source; and a controller connected to the communication unit, the command receiver, and the light emitter. The command receiver receives a wireless device specifying command that specifies the wireless device with which the communication unit is to wirelessly communicate. The controller tests wireless communication with the wireless device via the communication unit based on the wireless device specifying command received, obtains communication reliability information regarding the reliability of the wireless communication, and causes the light emitter to perform at least one of flashing, dimming, and toning based on the communication reliability information obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Tomokazu YAMAMOTO, Tatsumi SETOMOTO, Tamotsu ANDO, Kohji HIRAMATSU, Hajime OZAKI, Kentaro YAMAUCHI