Patents by Inventor Toshihito Shirai

Toshihito Shirai 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: 9628998
    Abstract: A wireless communication network system including: mobile radios mounted on a moving body moving along a predetermined route; and a plurality of immobile radios arranged along the route, adjacent immobile radios wirelessly communicating with each other, to transmit information from a transmission source to a terminal by relaying the information. The mobile radios and the immobile radios communicate with each other by a time division multiple access method, in which time synchronization is performed to allow each of the mobile radios and the immobile radios to communicate in an allocated time slot. The mobile radios are disposed on front and rear parts of the moving body and are capable of communicating with each other. When the moving body is between the immobile radios arranged to be capable of wirelessly communicating with each other, the two mobile radios is capable of relaying information propagation between the immobile radios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: THE NIPPON SIGNAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Terufumi Yamaguchi, Yuhei Otsuka, Toshihito Shirai, Hideyuki Kato, Masahide Takahashi, Hiroshi Ogihara
  • Patent number: 9319163
    Abstract: Mobile radio sets are installed on front and rear parts of a mobile body, one of fixed radio sets is set as a synchronization base station, and the other radio sets including the mobile radio sets are set as synchronization packet relay stations. Each of the relay stations in a synchronization acquiring mode makes a transition to a ground synchronization maintaining mode higher in synchronization accuracy when receiving a synchronization packet without the intervention of the mobile radio sets, or makes a transition to an on-vehicle synchronization maintaining mode lower in synchronization accuracy when receiving a synchronization packet with the intervention of the mobile radio sets, and the relay station in the on-vehicle synchronization maintaining mode makes a transition to the ground synchronization maintaining mode when receiving a synchronization packet from a relay station in the ground synchronization maintaining mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: THE NIPPON SIGNAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Terufumi Yamaguchi, Hiroki Saito, Yuhei Otsuka, Toshihito Shirai
  • Publication number: 20140211782
    Abstract: Mobile radio sets are installed on front and rear parts of a mobile body, one of fixed radio sets is set as a synchronization base station, and the other radio sets including the mobile radio sets are set as synchronization packet relay stations. Each of the relay stations in a synchronization acquiring mode makes a transition to a ground synchronization maintaining mode higher in synchronization accuracy when receiving a synchronization packet without the intervention of the mobile radio sets, or makes a transition to an on-vehicle synchronization maintaining mode lower in synchronization accuracy when receiving a synchronization packet with the intervention of the mobile radio sets, and the relay station in the on-vehicle synchronization maintaining mode makes a transition to the ground synchronization maintaining mode when receiving a synchronization packet from a relay station in the ground synchronization maintaining mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: THE NIPPON SIGNAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Terufumi YAMAGUCHI, Hiroki SAITO, Yuhei OTSUKA, Toshihito SHIRAI
  • Publication number: 20140161022
    Abstract: A wireless communication network system including: mobile radios mounted on a moving body moving along a predetermined route; and a plurality of immobile radios arranged along the route, adjacent immobile radios wirelessly communicating with each other, to transmit information from a transmission source to a terminal by relaying the information. The mobile radios and the immobile radios communicate with each other by a time division multiple access method, in which time synchronization is performed to allow each of the mobile radios and the immobile radios to communicate in an allocated time slot. The mobile radios are disposed on front and rear parts of the moving body and are capable of communicating with each other. When the moving body is between the immobile radios arranged to be capable of wirelessly communicating with each other, the two mobile radios is capable of relaying information propagation between the immobile radios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: THE NIPPON SIGNAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Terufumi YAMAGUCHI, Yuhei OTSUKA, Toshihito SHIRAI, Hideyuki KATO, Masahide TAKAHASHI, Hiroshi OGIHARA
  • Patent number: 7443342
    Abstract: The invention provides a reception time determining apparatus which can measure reception time to a high accuracy, without expanding an occupied bandwidth, and a distance measuring apparatus which uses the reception time determining apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihito Shirai, Takaharu Ishige, Masayoshi Sakai, Wakana Sannomiya
  • Patent number: 7197932
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a failure detecting system that enables the detection of a break in a rail and the like by a simple network configuration. Detecting units (20 and 50), relay units (30A, 30B, 60A through 60C) and terminal units (40 and 70) are arranged along rails (11, 11A and 11B). Using the rails (11, 11A and 11B) as transmission media, ultrasonic waves transmitted from the detecting units (20 and 50) are transmitted to the terminal units (40 and 70) by the relay units (30A, 30B, 60A through 60C), and when the terminal units (40 and 70) receive the ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic waves are returned from the terminal units (40 and 70), relayed by the relay units (30A, 30B, 60A through 60C), and transmitted to the detecting units (20 and 50). Thus, it is judged whether there is a break in the rails (11, 11A and 11B), based on the ultrasonic wave reception state in the detecting units (20 and 50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Akira Morisada
  • Publication number: 20070002932
    Abstract: The invention provides a reception time determining apparatus which can measure reception time to a high accuracy, without expanding an occupied bandwidth, and a distance measuring apparatus which uses the reception time determining apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Toshihito Shirai, Takaharu Ishige, Masayoshi Sakai, Wakana Sannomiya
  • Publication number: 20060010979
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a failure detecting system that enables the detection of a break in a rail and the like by a simple network configuration. Detecting units (20 and 50), relay units (30A, 30B, 60A through 60C) and terminal units (40 and 70) are arranged along rails (11, 11A and 11B). Using the rails (11, 11A and 11B) as transmission media, ultrasonic waves transmitted from the detecting units (20 and 50) are transmitted to the terminal units (40 and 70) by the relay units (30A, 30B, 60A through 60C), and when the terminal units (40 and 70) receive the ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic waves are returned from the terminal units (40 and 70), relayed by the relay units (30A, 30B, 60A through 60C), and transmitted to the detecting units (20 and 50). Thus, it is judged whether there is a break in the rails (11, 11A and 11B), based on the ultrasonic wave reception state in the detecting units (20 and 50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Applicant: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Akira Morisada
  • Patent number: 6657762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical barrier apparatus which scans a detection area with an optical beam, and when the scanning beam is blocked by an object so that a reflection beam is not received, notifies of object presence. An optical beam from an optical beam generating circuit (11) is reflected by a scan mirror (12) and a detection area (1) is scanned by a scanning beam (BM1). The scanning beam (BM1) is reflected by a reflector array (23) of another unit and received by a light receiving element (14), and the presence/absence of a pulse deficiency of light reception output is detected by a signal deficiency detection circuit (15). When the scanning beam (BM1) is blocked by an object (30) so that a part of the reflection beam from the reflector array (23) cannot be received and a pulse deficiency occurs in the light reception output, an output (Z1) from the signal deficiency detection circuit (15) becomes a logic value zero to thus notify of object presence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihito Shirai, Koichi Futsuhara
  • Patent number: 6459656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information generating apparatus for transmitting and receiving elastic waves through a rail for a train. The information generating apparatus comprises elastic wave transmitting means for transmitting elastic waves to said rail, elastic wave receiving means for receiving elastic waves transmitted from said elastic wave transmitting means through said rail, and information generating means for generating information that is necessary for controlling/monitoring associated elements of a control system for performing control operations on said train, based on an elastic wave reception signal received by said elastic wave receiving means. The information generating means has detection means for detecting presence/absence of said train in said rail, based on a reception condition of an elastic wave received by said elastic wave receiving means and for generating information representing presence/absence of said train in said rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Futsuhara, Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Akira Morisada, Hitoshi Nozawa, Katsuichi Inose
  • Publication number: 20020135849
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical barrier apparatus which scans a detection area with an optical beam, and when the scanning beam is blocked by an object so that a reflection beam is not received, notifies of object presence. An optical beam from an optical beam generating circuit (11) is reflected by a scan mirror (12) and a detection area (1) is scanned by a scanning beam (BM1). The scanning beam (BM1) is reflected by a reflector array (23) of another unit and received by a light receiving element (14), and the presence/absence of a pulse deficiency of light reception output is detected by a signal deficiency detection circuit (15). When the scanning beam (BM1) is blocked by an object (30) so that a part of the reflection beam from the reflector array (23) cannot be received and a pulse deficiency occurs in the light reception output, an output (Z1) from the signal deficiency detection circuit (15) becomes a logic value zero to thus notify of object presence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Toshihito Shirai, Koichi Futsuhara
  • Patent number: 6434025
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply unit which can fail-safely monitor not only for an excessive power supply output but also for an abnormal drop in output level. At the time of start-up, with the start signal from a start circuit, an AC signal is supplied to a primary side of a transformer and based on an AC output from a secondary side of the transformer, an output for supplying to an external load is generated and this output is monitored with a monitoring circuit. If the output level is within a set upper and lower limit threshold value range the output is judged to be normal and a high level normal verification signal is generated from the monitoring circuit, and with the high level normal verification signal, an AC signal is supplied to the primary side of the transformer, and the output supply to the external load is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihito Shirai, Masayoshi Sakai, Koichi Futsuhara, Takayuki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 6392451
    Abstract: The invention relates to a threshold value operation circuit which can perform an analogue type threshold value operation, and which can generate an AC signal with a stabilized frequency and duty ratio which is not influenced by input signal level or characteristic changes of the circuit elements and the like. A switching device (SWa) is switched by a switching signal (Sg) from an external AC source, to modulate an input signal (Vi) which is the subject of a threshold value operation. A modulation signal (V1) thereof is level detected by a level detection circuit (10) having a previously set threshold value, and if within a range of a predetermined level, an AC output (Vo) is generated from the level detection circuit (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai
  • Publication number: 20020027831
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information generating apparatus for transmitting and receiving elastic waves through a transmission medium and for generating information which is necessary for controlling/monitoring associated elements of a control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Futsuhara, Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Akira Morisada, Hitoshi Nozawa, Katsuichi Inose
  • Publication number: 20020006045
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply unit which can fail-safely monitor not only for an excessive power supply output but also for an abnormal drop in output level. At the time of start-up, with the start signal from a start circuit, an AC signal is supplied to a primary side of a transformer and based on an AC output from a secondary side of the transformer, an output for supplying to an external load is generated and this output is monitored with a monitoring circuit. If the output level is within a set upper and lower limit threshold value range the output is judged to be normal and a high level normal verification signal is generated from the monitoring circuit, and with the high level normal verification signal, an AC signal is supplied to the primary side of the transformer, and the output supply to the external load is continued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventors: TOSHIHITO SHIRAI, MASAYOSHI SAKAI, KOICHI FUTSUHARA, TAKAYUKI YUASA
  • Patent number: 6292432
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information generating apparatus for transmitting and receiving elastic waves through a rail for a train. The information generating apparatus comprises elastic wave transmitting means for transmitting elastic waves to said rail, elastic wave receiving means for receiving elastic waves transmitted from said elastic wave transmitting means through said rail, and information generating means for generating information that is necessary for controlling/monitoring associated elements of a control system for performing control operations on said train, based on an elastic wave reception signal received by said elastic wave receiving means. The information generating means has judgment means for making a judgment on presence/absence of rupture in said rail, based on a reception condition of an elastic wave received by said elastic wave receiving means compared with a predetermined condition and for generating information representing presence/absence of rupture in said rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Futsuhara, Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Akira Morisada, Hitoshi Nozawa, Katsuichi Inose
  • Patent number: 6239956
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fail-safe timing circuit and on-delay circuit which does not produce an erroneous output where the delay time is shortened, due to a fault. The timing circuit comprises: an oscillation circuit (11) which produces a timing output from a cathode terminal of a PUT after a predetermined time lapse from input of an input signal (VIN); and a monitoring circuit (12) for monitoring for the normalcy of the oscillation circuit (11). Moreover the on-delay circuit comprises a self hold circuit (13) with an output signal (Vo) generated from the monitoring circuit (12) only when the normalcy of the oscillation circuit (11) is verified by generation of a falling signal of a cathode terminal voltage of the oscillation circuit (11), input to a second terminal (b), and the input signal (VIN) input to a first terminal (a), which produces an output signal only when the two input signals are both at a higher level than a power source potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihito Shirai, Koichi Futsuhara
  • Patent number: 6047634
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fail-safe automatic sliding operation control apparatus for a press. The entrance and withdrawal behaviors of an operator's hand relative to danger zones (D, D.sub.N) on a bolster of the press are detected by an output generation configuration of two optical curtains. A signal for permitting a lowering operation of the slide is generated when the operator's hand is withdrawn from the danger zones (D, D.sub.N).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Futsuhara, Toshihito Shirai, Masayoshi Sakai
  • Patent number: 6031790
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information generating apparatus for transmitting and receiving elastic waves through a transmission medium and for generating information which is necessary for controlling/monitoring associated elements of a control system.Elastic waves are transmitted and received by using the movement path (2, 111, 112, 211, 211') of a mobile unit (1, 151, 213) as a transmission medium. Based on a change in the level of a received elastic wave or on reception conditions, such as propagation time, of elastic waves, information on the timing of starting a sounding operation in a railroad crossing, information on the presence/absence of a mobile unit on a movement path, information on the presence/absence of rupture in a movement path or information for automatically controlling a train is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Futsuhara, Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Akira Morisada, Hitoshi Nozawa, Katsuichi Inose
  • Patent number: 5905354
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor for verifying that a motor has stopped rotating including rotation due to inertia.Respective signal input lines are connected to three power supply lines of a three phase AC motor. A high frequency signal current is supplied to one of the power supply lines, and the difference in the current flowing in the other two power supply lines is sampled from the signal input lines connected to the two power supply lines, and made an output from a sensor section. The sensor output is subjected to a threshold value operation in a signal processing circuit, and the resultant threshold operation output is output from an on-delay circuit as a motor rotation presence judgment output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Futsuhara, Junpei Tajima, Toshihito Shirai