Patents by Inventor Toru Nakagawa

Toru Nakagawa 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: 10841700
    Abstract: To provide a sound pickup device which is worn on an ear of a user and used. A sound pickup device includes: a sound pickup part; and a holding part that includes a sound transmission part and is configured to hold the sound pickup part in an ear canal of a user. The holding part includes a ring body having an opening portion that serves as the sound transmission part, and one or more arms each of which has one end coupled to the ring body and another end supporting the sound pickup part. The ring body is inserted into a cavum concha of the user and is locked in a vicinity of an intertragic notch. The holding part holds the sound pickup part so that a microphone hole is oriented to outside of the ear canal and the microphone hole is positioned on a farther side of an entrance of the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Go Igarashi, Toru Nakagawa, Naoki Shinmen, Tetsu Magariyachi, Homare Kon, Koyuru Okimoto, Kohei Asada
  • Publication number: 20190349681
    Abstract: To provide a sound pickup device which is worn on an ear of a user and used. A sound pickup device includes: a sound pickup part; and a holding part that includes a sound transmission part and is configured to hold the sound pickup part in an ear canal of a user. The holding part includes a ring body having an opening portion that serves as the sound transmission part, and one or more arms each of which has one end coupled to the ring body and another end supporting the sound pickup part. The ring body is inserted into a cavum concha of the user and is locked in a vicinity of an intertragic notch. The holding part holds the sound pickup part so that a microphone hole is oriented to outside of the ear canal and the microphone hole is positioned on a farther side of an entrance of the ear canal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Go Igarashi, Toru Nakagawa, Naoki Shinmen, Tetsu Magariyachi, Homare Kon, Koyuru Okimoto, Kohei Asada
  • Patent number: 10455311
    Abstract: An in-the-ear device such as a binaural microphone and an earphone is provided. An in-the-ear device 300 is used while being inserted into a human ear (external auditory canal), examples of which include the microphone and the earphone. This in-the-ear device 300 includes an in-the-ear device main body unit 310 substantially round column-shaped and a cylindrical inner side insertion unit 320 provided to protrude from an end surface of the in-the-ear device main stomach body unit 310 on an inner side. The in-the-ear device main body unit 310 is inserted closer to the inside than a first curve of the external auditory canal. As will be described later, an end surface of the in-the-ear device main body unit 310 on an outer side forms a surface substantially same as that of a cavum conchae while being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsu Magariyachi, Toru Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20170195766
    Abstract: An in-the-ear device such as a binaural microphone and an earphone is provided. An in-the-ear device 300 is used while being inserted into a human ear (external auditory canal), examples of which include the microphone and the earphone. This in-the-ear device 300 includes an in-the-ear device main body unit 310 substantially round column-shaped and a cylindrical inner side insertion unit 320 provided to protrude from an end surface of the in-the-ear device main stomach body unit 310 on an inner side. The in-the-ear device main body unit 310 is inserted closer to the inside than a first curve of the external auditory canal. As will be described later, an end surface of the in-the-ear device main body unit 310 on an outer side forms a surface substantially same as that of a cavum conchae while being worn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: TETSU MAGARIYACHI, TORU NAKAGAWA
  • Patent number: 9577595
    Abstract: The present technique relates to a sound processing apparatus, a sound processing method, and a program which are configured to obtain higher quality sound. In order to obtain an objective characteristic, the sound processing apparatus previously holds a characteristic of the sound processing apparatus, generates an inverse characteristic filter of the characteristic of the sound processing apparatus, and generates a correction filter from the obtained filter and a filter having the objective characteristic. The sound processing apparatus uses the generated correction filter to subject a sound signal to be reproduced to filter processing, and reproduces sound based on the obtained sound signal. Therefore, a characteristic to be originally obtained can be achieved. The present technique can be applied to the sound processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Nakagawa, Yuuji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20150180433
    Abstract: The present technique relates to a sound processing apparatus, a sound processing method, and a program which are configured to obtain higher quality sound. In order to obtain an objective characteristic, the sound processing apparatus previously holds a characteristic of the sound processing apparatus, generates an inverse characteristic filter of the characteristic of the sound processing apparatus, and generates a correction filter from the obtained filter and a filter having the objective characteristic. The sound processing apparatus uses the generated correction filter to subject a sound signal to be reproduced to filter processing, and reproduces sound based on the obtained sound signal. Therefore, a characteristic to be originally obtained can be achieved. The present technique can be applied to the sound processing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Toru Nakagawa, Yuuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8929557
    Abstract: A sound-image control device includes a sound-image controller that processes a left sound signal and a right sound signal to localize a sound image at a predetermined position. The sound-image controller performs control for enhancing a sense of depth to a sound image originally included in an input sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Nakagawa, Yuuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8774603
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes reproduction control means for controlling reproduction of a first parameter in order to reproduce an edit applied to a first image, generation means for generating a second parameter from a plurality of first parameters reproduced by the reproduction control means, and edit means for editing the first image based on the second parameter generated by the generation means, and generating a second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Miyake, Kei Hiraizumi, Yoshinori Takagi, Masato Akao, Yasunobu Node, Yoshihito Fujiwara, Kazutaka Ando, Naoki Kobayashi, Michimasa Obana, Yoshihiro Takahashi, Takeyuki Fujii, Masanori Machimura, Toru Nakagawa, Yusuke Kajio, Yasuhiro Fujimori, Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 8577498
    Abstract: A transfer robot for accommodating and transferring a transferred object has a transfer route storage section, a movement mechanism section, and a security level setting section. The transfer route storage section stores a transfer route having been set up at least on the basis of transfer destination information for the transferred object. The movement mechanism section causes the transfer robot to move toward a transfer destination on the basis of the transfer route. The security level setting section switches a security level of the transfer robot under movement on the basis of a zone level defined beforehand by each region in the transfer route, present position information of the transfer robot, and type information of the transferred object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Kawano, Takanori Goto, Toru Nakagawa, Tamao Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8311267
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain feature quantities of an image; and a detector configured to detect a gazing point at which a user gazes within the image, wherein the gazing point detected by the detector among the feature quantities obtained by the obtaining unit or the feature quantities extracted from the image in a predetermined range containing the gazing point is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Miyake, Kei Hiraizumi, Yoshinori Takagi, Masato Akao, Yasunobu Node, Yoshihito Fujiwara, Kazutaka Ando, Naoki Kobayashi, Michimasa Obana, Yoshihiro Takahashi, Takeyuki Fujii, Masanori Machimura, Toru Nakagawa, Yusuke Kajio, Yasuhiro Fujimori, Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 8272006
    Abstract: Disclosed is an information signal processing apparatus. The information signal processing apparatus includes an adjustment unit by which users each adjust an inputted information signal so that an output of the information signal has a predetermined quality, and a storage unit that stores operation information having a final adjustment value of a series of adjustments carried out by the adjustment unit, and history information relating to a sequence of changes to an adjustment value up to the final adjustment value in a storage medium in association with preference information of the user during the series of adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Kazutaka Ando, Takeyuki Fujii, Toru Miyake, Toru Nakagawa, Yusuke Kajio
  • Patent number: 8270687
    Abstract: A medical image diagnosing support apparatus comprises: a first extraction means which extracts a body region of a subject from a tomographic image of the subject acquired by a medical tomographic apparatus; a second extraction means which extracts a non-adipose region from the body region; a third extraction means which extracts a total body adipose region from the body region; a separation means which separates the total body adipose region into a visceral adipose region and a subcutaneous adipose region based on positional information of the non-adipose region; and a display control means which controls of displaying the tomographic image on an image display device with clear indication of the visceral adipose region and the subcutaneous adipose region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniyoshi Nakashima, Toru Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20120224700
    Abstract: A sound-image control device includes a sound-image controller that processes a left sound signal and a right sound signal to localize a sound image at a predetermined position. The sound-image controller performs control for enhancing a sense of depth to a sound image originally included in an input sound signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Toru NAKAGAWA, Yuuji YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8139829
    Abstract: A diagnostic imaging support system includes input means (15) for setting a characteristic quantity for performing a predetermined threshold processing for a bone region in an image of a subject; control means (10) for reading out the image from storage means (11) which stores the image of the subject, extracting a diagnostic region including the bone region from the read image on the basis of the characteristic quantity set by the input means, and calculating, for the extracted diagnostic region, structure analysis information of the bone by use of component identification information representing a bone portion component and a component other than the bone portion; and display means (14) for displaying the calculated structure analysis information of the bone while relating it to the image of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Goto, Toru Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8101031
    Abstract: A hollow shaft material is provided with, on an outer peripheral surface side thereof, for example, a movable induction heating coil wrapped therearound. While a high-frequency current with a predetermined frequency is caused to flow through the induction heating coil, the induction heating coil is axially moved to perform induction hardening of the hollow shaft material from the outer peripheral surface side. At this moment, the frequency of the high-frequency current caused to flow through the induction heating coil is set relatively low as to the small-diameter portions, which have a relatively small thickness, and the frequency of the high-frequency current caused to flow through the induction heating coil is set relatively high as to the large-diameter portion, which has a relatively small thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakurai, Toru Nakagawa, Masamichi Shinbo, Masami Yamaguchi, Tsuneaki Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 7894646
    Abstract: A medical image diagnosis support device comprises an organ region setting means, a deformation degree calculating means for calculating the deformation degree of the organ region set by the organ region setting means, a reference value storing means, a lesion detecting means for comparing the stored reference value with the deformation degree calculated by the deformation calculating means and for detecting existence of a lesion of the organ region from the comparison result, and a presenting means for presenting the existence to the examiner at least either visually or auditorily. Thus, the device can make a diagnosis selectively only on an organ region deformed because of a lesion and present it to the examiner visually such as by means of an image display or auditorily such as by means of speech, thereby improving the efficiency of diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Shirahata, Yoshihiro Goto, Toru Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20100217762
    Abstract: Information is supplied to a user, the information regarding operations performed by other users. According to the present invention, a remote control device 200 which have a plurality of commands corresponding to a plurality of functions and which performs data communication with a server 300 includes an command display/input unit 17 which displays text blocks corresponding to the commands and generates, when an operation of a selection of one of the displayed commands is accepted, a signal corresponding to the command and outputs the signal. The remote control device 200 further includes an association degree calculating unit which calculates association degrees of first commands which have been selected the last times and second commands which have selected by operation inputs performed using an operation unit and which assigns ranks in order of association degree. Then, the commands are displayed in the command display/input unit 17 in order of the assigned ranks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Kajio, Tetsujiro Kondo, Kazutaka Ando, Yoshihiro Takahashi, Toru Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20090093206
    Abstract: In an onboard air conditioning system, a light source (25) for conditioned air is provided in association with an air outlet (31), and the color of the light emitted from the light source changes in dependence on the temperature of the conditioned air. The light source may consist of a linear light source at least partly surrounding the air outlet. Thereby, the vehicle occupant can visually recognize the operating condition of the air conditioning system. The air outlet may be at least partly-surrounded by an annular duct (20) defining a central chamber (21) that has a closed bottom and an open top defining the air outlet, the annular air duct being provided with a communication hole (23) communicating an interior of the annular duct with the central chamber, and the air outlet is covered by an air permeable sheet (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Okita, Toru Nakagawa, Satoru Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20090082117
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a hollow power transmission shaft, which makes it possible to ensure stable quality even when there is a difference in wall thickness or hardening ratio along an axial direction thereof. A hollow shaft material (1?) is provided with, on an outer peripheral surface (1g) side thereof, for example, a movable induction heating coil (5) wrapped therearound. While a high-frequency current with a predetermined frequency is caused to flow through the induction heating coil (5), the induction heating coil (5) is axially moved to perform induction hardening of the hollow shaft material (1?) from the outer peripheral surface (1g) side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakurai, Toru Nakagawa, Masamichi Shinbo, Masami Yamaguchi, Tsuneaki Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20090020969
    Abstract: To provide a wheeled moving body incorporating electrostatic protection measures and capable of constantly monitoring its grounding condition, and a grounding condition monitoring system for the same. An electrostatic conductive mat 14 on a cart 10 is connected to an electrostatic conductive wheel 12 for grounding, and one end of an ohm meter (or volt meter) 18 mounted on the cart 10 is connected to the electrostatic conductive mat 14, while the other end is grounded by connecting it to a conductive wheel 24 insulated from the cart 10 by an insulating plate 13.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Toru Nakagawa, Toshikazu Numaguchi, Hideya Maki