Patents by Inventor Toshio Inaji

Toshio Inaji 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: 8994298
    Abstract: A movement control apparatus includes: an actuator that causes a driven body connected to a driving coil to perform reciprocating movement; a signal generation unit that generates a velocity command signal which indicates a target velocity of the driven body; a driving unit that supplies electric current corresponding to a driving signal to the driving coil; a voltage detection unit that detects induced voltage generated in the driving coil, and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the induced voltage; a signal correction unit that corrects, based on the driving signal and the voltage signal, the voltage signal to adjust a shift of a resistance value from a reference resistance value of the driving coil, thereby generating a velocity signal; and a control unit that generates the driving signal based on the velocity command signal and the velocity signal, and outputs the driving signal to the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Takeshi Shimamoto, Kozo Ezawa
  • Patent number: 8823812
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an imaging device which receives incident light through an optical system, and converts the received light into image data of an image; a memory which stores the image data converted; a motion detecting unit which detects a motion of the image capturing apparatus during an exposure period; an image generating unit which generates an image indicating the detected motion; and a display control unit which causes the display unit to display the generated image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation America
    Inventors: Khang Nguyen, Yusuke Monobe, Kozo Ezawa, Masahiro Inata, Toshio Inaji
  • Patent number: 8442714
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile device has its movement controlled by a control device and includes a first sensing unit for sensing an obstacle. The control device includes a first storage unit for storing information as to a temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle and sets as a virtual obstacle region a region where it is predicted that the obstacle sensed by the first sensing unit travels following a predetermined time passage based on the information as to the temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle stored in the first storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Soichiro Fujioka, Yuji Adachi, Toshio Inaji
  • Publication number: 20130038781
    Abstract: A movement control apparatus includes: an actuator that causes a driven body connected to a driving coil to perform reciprocating movement; a signal generation unit that generates a velocity command signal which indicates a target velocity of the driven body; a driving unit that supplies electric current corresponding to a driving signal to the driving coil; a voltage detection unit that detects induced voltage generated in the driving coil, and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the induced voltage; a signal correction unit that corrects, based on the driving signal and the voltage signal, the voltage signal to adjust a shift of a resistance value from a reference resistance value of the driving coil, thereby generating a velocity signal; and a control unit that generates the driving signal based on the velocity command signal and the velocity signal, and outputs the driving signal to the driving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Takeshi Shimamoto, Kozo Ezawa
  • Publication number: 20110234826
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus (1) includes: an imaging device (12) which receives incident light through an optical system (11), and converts the received light into image data (12D) of an image (12P); a memory (13) which stores the image data converted; a motion detecting unit (15) which detects a motion (1My) of the image capturing apparatus during an exposure period (1y); an image generating unit (16) which generates an image (16a) indicating the detected motion; and a display control unit (17) which causes the display unit to display the generated image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Khang Nguyen, Yusuke Monobe, Kozo Ezawa, Masahiro Inata, Toshio Inaji
  • Publication number: 20100057319
    Abstract: An inverted two-wheel guided vehicle is provided with a vehicle body 4 including a loading platform, a carriage 5 supported on wheels 1a, 1b, a moving mechanism 7 for displacing relative positions of the vehicle body 4 and the carriage 5, an inclination sensor 6 for detecting the posture of the vehicle body 4, and a controller 9 for controllably driving the wheels 1a, 1b and the moving mechanism 7. Since a posture control can be executed such that a seat 8 atop the vehicle body 4 is constantly horizontal by displacing the moving mechanism forward and backward even for a slope or a step in a travel path, a stable travel can be realized by preventing the collapse of baggage piles and giving no discomfort to a loaded person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Soichiro Fujioka, Yoshihiko Matsukawa
  • Publication number: 20090043440
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile device has its movement controlled by a control device and includes a first sensing unit for sensing an obstacle. The control device includes a first storage unit for storing information as to a temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle and sets as a virtual obstacle region a region where it is predicted that the obstacle sensed by the first sensing unit travels following a predetermined time passage based on the information as to the temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle stored in the first storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshihiko MATSUKAWA, Soichiro Fujioka, Yuji Adachi, Toshio Inaji
  • Publication number: 20080184375
    Abstract: The confidential data protection apparatus that restricts use of confidential data to a particular place, thereby satisfying high security. When the confidential data is encrypted, the image data acquisition unit 1004 captures an image in the particular place using a camera module, the place-specific code generation unit 1007 generates a place-specific code using data of the captured image, the encryption processing unit 1009 encrypts the confidential data using the place-specific code, which is deleted after use. When the confidential data is attempted to be used, the image data acquisition unit 1004 uses the camera module again to capture another image in a place where the confidential data is attempted to be used, and the place-specific code generation unit 1007 uses data of the newly captured image to generate a new place-specific code. The encryption processing unit 1009 uses the new place-specific code in an attempt to decrypt the confidential data that has been encrypted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Masao Nonaka, Natsume Matsuzaki, Kaoru Yokota, Soichiro Fujioka, Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Toshio Inaji
  • Patent number: 7265929
    Abstract: A disk apparatus includes (a) an actuator having a head supporting arm with a tab formed on the arm and a voice coil fixed to the arm, which arm is rotatable on a horizontal rotary shaft as well as on a vertical rotary shaft, (b) a voice coil motor having an upper yoke with a magnet fixed to the upper yoke and a lower yoke sandwiching and confronting the voice coil, and (c) a ramp section guiding and holding the tab at a refuge place. When the actuator at the refuge place starts loading with a starter command, a pulsed driving current is applied to the voice coil temporarily for urging the tab against a tab-holding plane of the ramp section, thereby making use of repulsion force generated on the actuator, so that the tab can leave the refuge place efficiently for carrying out the loading operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Umeda, Yoshihiro Ueno, Toshio Inaji, Hideki Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 7177106
    Abstract: A disk storage apparatus including a position detection section for producing position error information corresponding to the current position of a head from servo information which has been previously recorded on a disk and is detected by the head, a position control section for producing position control information corresponding to the position error information, a voltage detection section for detecting a voltage generated in driving an actuator for positioning the head with respect to the disk, and for outputting a voltage signal, a disturbance estimation section for estimating the magnitude of a disturbance exerted on the head from the voltage signal by the voltage detection section and from a drive signal by a drive section of the actuator, and producing disturbance estimation information, a correction section for correcting the position control information by the position control section with the disturbance estimation information and producing the drive signal, and a disturbance monitor section for m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Hiroshi Kohso
  • Publication number: 20060279872
    Abstract: A disk apparatus includes (a) an actuator having a head supporting arm with a tab formed on the arm and a voice coil fixed to the arm, which arm is rotatable on a horizontal rotary shaft as well as on a vertical rotary shaft, (b) a voice coil motor having an upper yoke with a magnet fixed to the upper yoke and a lower yoke sandwiching and confronting the voice coil, and (c) a ramp section guiding and holding the tab at a refuge place. When the actuator at the refuge place starts loading with a starter command, a pulsed driving current is applied to the voice coil temporarily for urging the tab against a tab-holding plane of the ramp section, thereby making use of repulsion force generated on the actuator, so that the tab can leave the refuge place efficiently for carrying out the loading operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Makoto Umeda, Yoshihiro Ueno, Toshio Inaji, Hideki Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 7064919
    Abstract: In a disk storage apparatus having an actuator for loading/unloading a magnetic head with respect to a magnetic disk, a voltage signal generated when the actuator is driven is detected by a voltage detector, a speed load estimator estimates moving speed of the head and level of load disturbance added to the magnetic head from a driving signal in a driver of the actuator and the voltage signal, and outputs a speed estimating signal and a load estimating signal, a speed controller generates and outputs a speed control signal based on a speed command signal and the speed estimating signal, a synthesizer generates a driving signal from the load estimating signal and a speed control signal, and the apparatus loads and unloads the head at a stable speed against the load disturbance caused by friction or the like on a ramp block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Hiroshi Kohso
  • Patent number: 7038877
    Abstract: A head positioning apparatus capable of positioning a head at high speed and with high accuracy is provided. The head positioning apparatus includes a magnetic head, a head supporting mechanism, a coarse actuator, a fine actuator, a head position detection part, a fine movement control system for controlling the fine actuator based on the head position detected by the head position detection part, a head moving distance estimation part estimating the head moving distance representing the distance the magnetic head moves, and the coarse movement control system for controlling the coarse actuator based on the head moving distance estimated by the head moving distance estimation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Idustrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kohso, Toshio Inaji, Keizo Miyata
  • Patent number: 7031099
    Abstract: A head positioner has a configuration employing a dual-stage actuator method, wherein positioning control is performed for a write/read according to cooperative operations of a coarse actuator and a fine actuator, and the fine actuator is configured using a piezoelectric device. A positioning control unit for controlling the coarse actuator and the fine actuator is configured to include a coarse control system including a coarse drive unit for driving the coarse actuator and coarse control unit for controlling the coarse drive unit, a fine control system including a fine drive unit for driving the fine actuator and a fine control unit for controlling the fine drive unit. In addition, a driving-signal limiting unit is provided. The piezoelectric device is prone to property deterioration because of erosion due to an electrochemical reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kohso, Hideki Kuwajima, Toshio Inaji
  • Patent number: 7019938
    Abstract: A first estimator 13 estimates the position of a head based on a VCM driving signal u1 and a voltage signal Va output from a VCM 6 to output a first head position estimation signal x1est. The first estimator 13 estimates the disturbance acting on a head supporting mechanism 8 to output a disturbance estimation signal ?dest. A second estimator 15 estimates the displacement of the head based on a control signal c2 for a fine adjustment actuator 7 to output a displacement estimation signal x2est. The first head position estimation signal x1est and the displacement estimation signal x2est are added together to obtain a second head position estimation signal xest. A position error signal e is generated using a head position signal x obtained by detecting the servo information and the second head position estimation signal xest. A disturbance compensator 10 synthesizes a VCM control signal c1 with the disturbance estimation signal ?dest to generate the VCM driving signal u1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keizo Miyata, Toshio Inaji, Hiroshi Kohso
  • Patent number: 6995945
    Abstract: A head positioning system includes: a positioning mechanism section 1 for positioning a head 12; a position controller 2 for detecting a head position signal x to output a position control signal Ux; a velocity detector 3 for detecting the relative velocity of the head 12 with respect to a disk 7 based on the head position signal x; a counter electromotive voltage detector 4 for outputting an estimated head velocity signal Ve2 that is obtained by estimating the absolute velocity of the head 12 based on a counter electromotive voltage signal Vs of an actuator 50; an estimated velocity corrector 5 for correcting an estimation error of the estimated head velocity signal Ve2 based on a velocity signal detected from the head position signal x so as to output a corrected estimated velocity signal Ve2?; and an estimation controller 6 for outputting a velocity control signal Uv based on the corrected estimated velocity signal Ve2?, wherein the actuator 50 is controlled by a control amount signal U that is obtained by
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kohso, Toshio Inaji
  • Patent number: 6982848
    Abstract: A disk apparatus includes: an actuator 7; a driver 10; a voltage detector 11 for outputting first voltage signal Ed which is produced in a driving coil 5 of the actuator 7; a voltage signal adjuster 16 for outputting pseudo disturbance signal ur and generating second voltage signal Ed+ from pseudo disturbance signal ur, driving signal u, first voltage signal Ed, and disturbance estimation signal ?dest; a disturbance estimator 12 for estimating the magnitude of disturbance load ?d applied to a magnetic head 2 from driving signal u and second voltage signal Ed+ to output disturbance estimation signal ?dest; a position detector 13 for generating position error signal e which corresponds to a current position of the magnetic head 2; a position controller 14 for generating control signal c from position error signal e; and a corrector 15 for generating driving signal u from disturbance estimation signal ?dest and position control signal c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Keizo Miyata, Hiroshi Kohso, Makoto Umeda
  • Patent number: 6950271
    Abstract: A position detector generates a position error signal corresponding to a current position of a head, a position controller generates a position control signal from the position error signal, a voltage detector detects a voltage signal generated when driving an actuator by a driver, a disturbance estimator generates a disturbance estimation signal from a driving signal and the voltage signal, and a corrector outputs the driving signal from the disturbance estimation signal and the position control signal. The disturbance estimator includes a comparator which compares the disturbance estimation signal with a voltage signal and which outputs a deviation signal, and an adder which adds a signal obtained by multiplying an integral signal, which is obtained by integrating the deviation signal, by a first coefficient and a signal obtained by multiplying a proportional signal proportional to the deviation signal by a second coefficient, and which generates the disturbance estimation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Hiroshi Kohso, Keizo Miyata
  • Patent number: 6950274
    Abstract: A disk storage apparatus includes: an actuator positioning a head with respect to a disk; a drive device driving the actuator; a voltage detection device detecting a voltage signal induced in driving the actuator; a disturbance estimation unit estimating the magnitude of load disturbance exerted on the head from a drive signal and the voltage signal, and outputting a disturbance estimation signal; a filter unit cutting off a high frequency component of the disturbance estimation signal, and outputting a filter signal; a position detection unit producing a position error signal corresponding to a current position of the head; a position control unit producing a position control signal based on the position error signal; and a correction unit outputting the drive signal based on the filter signal and the position control signal, and the apparatus controls stable positioning of the head against a resistance value fluctuation of a drive coil of the actuator and a resistance value change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inaji, Hiroshi Kohso, Keizo Miyata, Makoto Umeda
  • Patent number: 6903896
    Abstract: A disturbance compensation signal is produced by estimating the magnitude of disturbance acting upon an actuator based on a driving signal and a voltage signal generated when driving the actuator. A control signal is produced by multiplying the disturbance compensation signal by a gain adjustment coefficient. A head position error signal is produced based on the target position of a magnetic head and the current position of the magnetic head that is detected based on servo information recorded in advance on a magnetic disk. A gain adjuster obtains the driving signal by adding together the control signal and a position control signal. The actuator is driven with the driving signal output from the gain adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keizo Miyata, Toshio Inaji