Patents by Inventor Toshinobu Tokita

Toshinobu Tokita 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: 20140151936
    Abstract: A pattern transferring apparatus is disclosed which can prevent damage to a transferred pattern and realize fast mold release regardless of the type of resist. The pattern transferring apparatus transfers a pattern formed on a mold to an object by bringing the mold into contact with the apparatus has a deformer which causes deformation in the mold for releasing the mold from the object. The apparatus transfers a pattern formed on a mold to a photo-curing resin by bringing the mold into contact with the photo-curing resin and applying light thereto to cure the photo-curing resin. The apparatus has an optical system which applies light at an irradiation light intensity to a non-transfer area other than a transfer area where the pattern is to be transferred in the photo-curing resin, the intensity being different from an irradiation light intensity of light applied to the transfer area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuyuki KASUMI, Hirohisa OTA, Eigo KAWAKAMI, Takashi NAKAMURA, Toshinobu TOKITA
  • Publication number: 20140145648
    Abstract: To improve the safety of a photoacoustic apparatus by preventing illumination light from being freely emitted. A photoacoustic apparatus includes a position sensor that measures the orientation and/or position of an illumination-light emission end and a control unit that controls light emission from a light source depending on the output of the position sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Yasuhiro Someda
  • Publication number: 20140114170
    Abstract: There is used an object information acquiring apparatus that has a light source; a photoacoustic probe including an emission end that emits light from the light source to an object and a reception section that receives an acoustic wave generated from the object to which the light is emitted; a cover covering at least the emission end of the photoacoustic probe; a light-shielding member provided inside the cover and filling a gap formed between the photoacoustic probe and the cover when the photoacoustic probe is inserted into the cover; and a processor acquiring information on the inside of the object based on the acoustic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Sakiko Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20140114171
    Abstract: There is provided an object information acquiring apparatus that includes: an optical system forming light from a light source; an emission end emitting the light; a diffuser panel diffusing the emitted light; a spacer defining a distance between the diffuser panel and an object; a receiver receiving an acoustic wave generated from the object to which the light is emitted; and a processor acquiring information on inside of the object on the basis of the acoustic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 8670287
    Abstract: A storage unit (106) stores pieces of information regarding intensities of ultrasound waves detected by multiple oscillators (101) in time series. The multiple oscillators (101) receives an ultrasound wave reflected on an object (107), to which a second ultrasound wave (108) generated by an ultrasound probe (102) is focused, in order from an oscillator closest to the object (107). The second ultrasound wave (108) is transmitted in a direction different from that of a first ultrasound wave (103). Information regarding an intensity of the ultrasound wave reflected on the object (107), which is obtained by storing in the storage unit (106) in order from the oscillator closest to the object (107), is obtained. This information is subtracted from the pieces of information stored in the storage unit (106). Thus, a received signal from a side lobe is extracted to be subtracted from a whole received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20140051971
    Abstract: A light irradiating apparatus is used, which is characterized by having: a probe including an irradiating unit which guides light to an object, a housing containing the irradiating unit, and a touch sensor acquiring a contact condition amount between the object and the housing; and a controller controlling irradiation with light from the irradiating unit based on a level of the contact condition amount and a change in the contact condition amount, wherein in a case where the contact condition amount is equal to or more than a first reference value while the change in the contact condition amount which occurs when the housing is pressed against the object is a positive value, the controller performs a control which enables irradiation with light from the irradiating unit when the change in the contact condition amount is equal to or more than a second reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20140046166
    Abstract: The present invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus having: a photoacoustic probe unit including a light irradiating unit which irradiates light, and a probe which receives a photoacoustic wave generated from an object irradiated with light while transmitting an ultrasound wave to the object and receiving a reflected wave thereof; a processor configured to create image information of the object based on the photoacoustic wave; and a controller configured to control irradiation with light, wherein when a first contact condition is defined as a condition in which the object is irradiated with light while the probe is acoustically matched with the object, the controller determines whether or not the photoacoustic probe unit is in the first contact condition by using the reflected wave and enables irradiation with light when the photoacoustic probe unit is in the first contact condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 8616874
    Abstract: A pattern transferring apparatus is disclosed which can prevent damage to a transferred pattern and realize fast mold release regardless of the type of resist. The pattern transferring apparatus transfers a pattern formed on a mold to an object by bringing the mold into contact with the apparatus has a deformer which causes deformation in the mold for releasing the mold from the object. The apparatus transfers a pattern formed on a mold to a photo-curing resin by bringing the mold into contact with the photo-curing resin and applying light thereto to cure the photo-curing resin. The apparatus has an optical system which applies light at an irradiation light intensity to a non-transfer area other than a transfer area where the pattern is to be transferred in the photo-curing resin, the intensity being different from an irradiation light intensity of light applied to the transfer area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kasumi, Hirohisa Ota, Eigo Kawakami, Takashi Nakamura, Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20130331681
    Abstract: In an object information acquisition apparatus, an optical system and an acoustic wave detector are closely arranged, and when the acoustic wave detector and an object acoustically contact each other through an acoustic matching member, a light exit surface of the optical system is arranged so that the light exit surface does not directly contact the acoustic matching member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Masato Yajima
  • Patent number: 8540637
    Abstract: When a subject is pressed by a plate and an acoustic wave is received by a probe via the plate, the acoustic wave is refracted because of the difference between a sound velocity in the subject and a sound velocity in the plate. When the refraction is not considered, a reduction in resolution occurs. Weights for signals or virtual wavefronts corresponding to the signals to be added to one another are determined using a thickness of the plate, the sound velocity in the plate, the sound velocity in the subject, positions of image elements (pixels or voxels) for image information, and arrival times of the acoustic wave from an object that is a sound source. The signals or the virtual wavefronts corresponding to the signals are added to one another, thereby acquiring the image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Kazuhiko Fukutani, Takao Nakajima, Katsumi Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20130167648
    Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus has: a holding unit which holds an object; a probe which receives an acoustic wave generated in the object via the holding unit and converts the acoustic wave to an electrical signal; a force measuring unit which measures a force applied to the object when the object is held by the holding unit; a sound speed acquiring unit which determines a sound speed in the object by using the force measured by the measuring unit and a contact area between the object and the holding unit; and a generating unit which generates object information data from the information about the sound speed determined by the sound speed acquiring unit and the electrical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 8461746
    Abstract: A liquid control apparatus controls movement of liquid in a microfluidic device having a sample introducing port, a sample delivering port, and a flow channel for holding liquid. The apparatus includes a vibration wave generating section for generating a vibration wave to be applied to the microfluidic device, and a signal supplying section for supplying drive signals so as to make the vibration wave generating section oscillate in different oscillation modes. The signal supplying section is capable of generating drive signals in a plurality of drive signal supply modes for realizing at least three of a transfer mode for moving liquid in a predetermined direction, a stop mode for stopping the movement of liquid, a mixing and/or agitation mode for mixing and/or agitating liquid, and a localization mode for localizing a predetermined substance in liquid, and for supplying the drive signals to the vibration wave generating section in a selected supply mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Kosuke Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20130061678
    Abstract: This invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus including a probe for receiving, as a received signal, an acoustic wave which is generated within an object irradiated with light and propagates on an object surface, and a processor for generating object information, which is information based on an internal optical characteristic value of the object, by using intensity of the received signal. The processor corrects the intensity of the received signal by using the reflectance upon the acoustic wave entering the probe which is calculated based on the angle of the acoustic wave entering the probe, and on the acoustic impedance and acoustic velocity of the object and the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yukio Furukawa, Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 8393885
    Abstract: A processing apparatus for transferring a relief pattern on a mold to a resist on a substrate through a compression of the mold against the resist, includes a supplier for supplying the resist between the substrate and the mold, and a recovery unit for recovering the resist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kasumi, Hirohisa Ota, Eigo Kawakami, Takashi Nakamura, Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20120302865
    Abstract: A subject information acquiring apparatus including a cover which intercepts light, two plates which hold a subject, a laser light source, and a probe which receives an acoustic wave generated from the subject to which the light is emitted from the laser light source, wherein the plates, the laser light source, and the probe are covered by the cover, wherein the cover has a first aperture for inserting the subject as part of a subject person into the cover, and a second aperture which can be opened and closed so that an operator can perform a procedure by inserting a hand of the operator into the cover in the position in which the plane extending each of the plates crosses the cover, is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Masakazu Taku
  • Publication number: 20120238858
    Abstract: A subject information acquisition apparatus of the present invention acquires a sound speed in the subject by using a signal outputted from a first probe when a first probe receives an elastic wave, a member-to-member distance information between a first holding member and the second holding member, an amount of deformation of a first holding member measured by a first holding member deformation amount measuring unit, an amount of deformation of a second holding member measured by a second holding member deformation amount measuring unit, position information of the first holding member deformation amount measuring unit, and position information of the second holding member deformation amount measuring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20120239318
    Abstract: A subject information acquisition apparatus includes a first holding member that holds a subject, a probe that receives an elastic wave from the subject through the first holding member, a first holding member deformation amount measuring unit that measures an amount of deformation of the first holding member, and a processing unit that creates an area for generating subject information by using the amount of deformation of the first holding member and position information of the first holding member deformation amount measuring unit and generates an information value of subject information corresponding to the area for generating subject information by using a signal outputted by the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinobu Tokita
  • Publication number: 20120238859
    Abstract: The present invention employs a measuring apparatus having: a holding plate for holding a subject; an acoustic matching member provided between the subject and the holding plate; and a probe for receiving an acoustic wave propagating through the subject via the acoustic matching member and the holding plate, wherein the acoustic matching member includes a first portion that contacts the subject and a second portion that contacts the holding plate, and the second portion has greater rigidity than the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Yasuhiro Someda
  • Publication number: 20120150012
    Abstract: An acoustic wave measuring apparatus includes a plate pressed against a subject, a probe that has an acoustic wave conversion unit for receiving an acoustic wave emitted from the subject through the plate to convert into an electric signal, a seal member provided on the probe so as to enclose a periphery of the acoustic wave conversion unit for forming a space to hold lubricant between the plate and the acoustic wave conversion unit, a providing unit that provides the lubricant into the space formed by the seal member and a lubricant monitoring unit that detects whether the space is filled with the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Fujimoto, Toshinobu Tokita
  • Patent number: 8071057
    Abstract: A microfluidic valve device includes a microfluidic chip including a substrate having a channel, a valve disposed within the channel and configured to change a conductance of the channel, with the valve having an inner channel formed therein, and an oscillator configured to generate a traveling wave. The valve is moved by generating the traveling wave to open and close the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tokita, Kosuke Fujimoto