Patents by Inventor Tsutomu Mukai

Tsutomu Mukai 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: 20150244919
    Abstract: An information communication method is provided that includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appear according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including the plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject changing in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time, and obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki OSHIMA, Koji NAKANISHI, Hideki AOYAMA, Ikuo FUCHIGAMI, Hidehiko SHIN, Tsutomu MUKAI, Yosuke MATSUSHITA, Shigehiro IIDA, Kazunori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20150229393
    Abstract: An information communication method is provided for transmitting a signal using a change in luminance. The information communication method includes determining a pattern of the change in luminance by modulating a signal to be transmitted, and transmitting the signal by a display, which comprises a light emitter that changes luminance according to the determined pattern. In the determining a pattern, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined by adjusting a first time from one change in luminance to a next change in luminance according to the signal, the one change in luminance and the next change in luminance being a same one of a rise and a fall in luminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki OSHIMA, Koji NAKANISHI, Hideki AOYAMA, Ikuo FUCHIGAMI, Tsutomu MUKAI, Hidehiko SHIN, Yosuke MATSUSHITA, Shigehiro IIDA, Kazunori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 9100565
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: an image processor configured to generate first movie data based on image capturing data, the image capturing data being obtained in response to a shooting instruction; and a controller configured to generate a movie file including second movie data, the second movie data being obtained by deleting a portion of a movie represented by the first movie data when at least one of (i) the contents of management information associated with the first movie data and (ii) the contents of the first movie data itself satisfy a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Mukai
  • Patent number: 9100939
    Abstract: Provided is a wireless communication system transmitting information to a communication terminal moving through a spot wireless area. In an integrated base station, an external information communication section controls communication with a server. A contents memory section stores contents received from the server. A wireless LAN communication section communicates with the communication terminal. A control section establishes connection with the communication terminal using a first connection not requiring an authentication procedure for connection with the communication terminal, or using a second connection requiring the authentication procedure for connection with the communication terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Mukai, Hitoshi Takai
  • Patent number: 9094120
    Abstract: An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: determining a plurality of patterns of a change in luminance, by modulating a respective plurality of signals to be transmitted; and transmitting, by each of a plurality of light emitters changing in luminance according to any one of the determined plurality of patterns of the change in luminance, a signal corresponding to the pattern, wherein in the transmitting, each of the plurality of light emitters changes in luminance at a different frequency so that light of one of two types of light different in luminance is output per a time unit predetermined for the light emitter and that the time unit predetermined for the light emitter is different from a time unit predetermined for an other one of the plurality of light emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATON OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Hidehiko Shin, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9085927
    Abstract: An information communication method that enables communication between various devices is an information communication method of obtaining information from a subject, and includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor; obtaining a bright line image which is an image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject changing in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time; obtaining transmission information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image; and causing an opening and closing drive device of a door to open the door, by transmitting a control signal after the transmission information is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Hidehiko Shin, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9088360
    Abstract: An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: determining a pattern of a change in luminance, by modulating a first signal to be transmitted; transmitting the first signal, by all of a plurality of light emitting elements included in a light emitter changing in luminance in a same manner according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance; and transmitting a second signal to be transmitted, by each of the plurality of light emitting elements emitting light with one of two different luminance values so that a light and dark sequence of luminance appears in a space where the light emitter is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Tsutomu Mukai, Hidehiko Shin, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9087349
    Abstract: An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: transmitting position information indicating a position of a terminal device; obtaining one or more sets of identification information of respective one or more devices and one or more sets of service information respectively associated with the one or more sets of identification information, and holding the one or more sets of identification information and the one or more sets of service information; setting an exposure time of an image sensor; obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines; obtaining identification information of a subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image; and selecting service information associated with the identification information of the subject from the held one or more sets of service information, and presenting the service information to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Tsutomu Mukai, Hidehiko Shin, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9088363
    Abstract: An information communication device which transmits a signal using a change in luminance includes a determiner that determines a pattern of the change in luminance by modulating a signal to be transmitted and a transmitter that transmits the signal by causing a display to change luminance according to the determined pattern. When the display is adjacent to an other display and each of the display and the other display transmit a signal by changing luminance, the transmitter is configured to cause the display to change luminance in an area of the display other than a non-transmission area that is near the other display, without causing the display to change luminance in the non-transmission area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Tsutomu Mukai, Hidehiko Shin, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9083543
    Abstract: An information communication method includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor to less than or equal to 1/2000 second so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a stripe bright line parallel to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject; obtaining the image including the stripe bright line parallel to the plurality of exposure lines by, using the set exposure time, starting exposure sequentially for the plurality of exposure lines each at a different time; and obtaining information by demodulating data according to, in a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained image, a brightness change in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of exposure lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Hideki Aoyama, Koji Nakanishi, Tsutomu Mukai, Shigehiro Iida, Ikuo Fuchigami, Yosuke Matsushita, Kazunori Yamada, Hidehiko Shin
  • Patent number: 9083544
    Abstract: An information communication method includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor to less than or equal to 1/2000 second so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a stripe bright line parallel to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject; obtaining the image including the stripe bright line parallel to the plurality of exposure lines by, using the set exposure time, starting exposure sequentially for the plurality of exposure lines each at a different time; and obtaining information by demodulating data according to, in a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained image, a brightness change in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of exposure lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Hideki Aoyama, Koji Nakanishi, Tsutomu Mukai, Shigehiro Iida, Ikuo Fuchigami, Yosuke Matsushita, Kazunori Yamada, Hidehiko Shin
  • Patent number: 9077954
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: an image processor configured to generate movie data based on image capturing data obtained in response to a shooting instruction that has been given by a user; and a controller configured to write the movie data on a storage medium. When any movie file has already been written on the storage medium, and when the movie data is related to the existent movie file or when the user decides to add the movie data, the controller adds the movie data to the existent movie file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Seto, Yoshinori Okazaki, Tsutomu Mukai
  • Publication number: 20150188632
    Abstract: An information processing program causes a computer to execute: encoding information to be transmitted, to determine a luminance change frequency; and outputting a signal of the determined luminance change frequency to cause a light emitter to change in luminance according to the determined luminance change frequency to transmit the information. In the encoding, each of a first frequency and a second frequency different from the first frequency is determined as the luminance change frequency. In the outputting, each of a signal of the first frequency and a signal of the second frequency is output as the signal of the determined luminance change frequency, to cause the light emitter to change in luminance according to the first frequency during a first time and change in luminance according to the second frequency during a second time different from the first time after the first time elapses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Hideki AOYAMA, Mitsuaki OSHIMA, Koji NAKANISHI, Toshiyuki MAEDA, Akihiro UEKI, Kengo MIYOSHI, Tsutomu MUKAI
  • Publication number: 20150155939
    Abstract: A method is provided for sending a computer program from a server to a computer the computer program causing the computer to execute instructions, including setting a second exposure time of the image sensor so that a plurality of bright lines corresponding to a plurality of exposure lines included in an image sensor appear according to a change in luminance of a subject. The instructions also include obtaining a bright line image including the plurality of bright lines, wherein the exposure starts sequentially for the plurality of exposure lines each at a different time. The exposure of each of the plurality of exposure lines starts after a predetermined blank time elapses from when exposure of an adjacent exposure line adjacent to the exposure line ends, and the second exposure time is shorter than the first exposure time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki OSHIMA, Koji NAKANISHI, Hideki AOYAMA, Ikuo FUCHIGAMI, Hidehiko SHIN, Tsutomu MUKAI, Yosuke MATSUSHITA, Shigehiro IIDA, Kazunori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 9047759
    Abstract: A mobile device includes a position sensing unit, a remote control information obtainment unit, and a storage unit. Position information obtained by the position sensing unit is stored in the storage unit in association with remote control information. The mobile device further includes a directional space obtainment unit and an apparatus specification unit. The mobile device recognizes a direction pointed by a user using the mobile device, and enables operation of a terminal apparatus existing in the pointing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamada, Kohei Yamaguchi, Shigehiro Iida, Mizuho Sakakibara, Toshiaki Ohnishi, Masaru Yamaoka, Mitsuaki Oshima, Tomoaki Ohira, Michihiro Matsumoto, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shohji Ohtsubo, Hironori Nakae
  • Patent number: 9030585
    Abstract: An information communication method selects between a visible light communication mode in which information is obtained from a subject using an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines and a normal imaging mode. The method includes obtaining first image data by image capture with a first exposure time in the normal imaging mode. When an image is presented that prompts a user of a terminal device including the image sensor to move the terminal device to enable the information to be obtained, second image data is obtained by image capture with a second exposure time, shorter than the first exposure time, in the visible light communication mode. The information is obtained by demodulating data specified by a direction in a pattern of a bright line appearing in the second image data and corresponding to the exposure lines that is substantially perpendicular to the exposure lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Hidehiko Shin, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9020432
    Abstract: A mobile communication device (98b) includes: an appliance information obtainment unit (98n) that obtains appliance information (98n1) by proximity wireless communication (98c1) with an appliance (98a) installed in a home (99), the appliance information specifying the appliance (98a); a position information obtainment unit (98j) that obtains position information (98j1) of the mobile communication device when the proximity wireless communication (98c1) is performed; and a transmission unit (98o) that transmits transmission information (98o1) to a server (98c) in the case where the proximity wireless communication (98c1) is performed, the transmission information including the appliance information (98n1) and the position information (98j1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Yosuke Matsushita, Masaru Yamaoka, Shohji Ohtsubo, Tsutomu Mukai, Hironori Nakae, Mitsuaki Oshima
  • Patent number: 9019412
    Abstract: An information communication method selects between a visible light communication mode in which information is obtained from a subject using an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines and a normal imaging mode. The information communication method includes obtaining first image data by image capture with a first exposure time in the normal imaging mode by sequentially starting exposure of each of the exposure lines of the image sensor at different times. Second image data is obtained by image capture with a second exposure time in the visible light communication mode. The information is obtained by demodulating data specified by a direction in a pattern of a bright line corresponding to the exposure lines, the second exposure time being shorter than the first exposure time. The second image data is obtained by capturing light emitted from the subject and spread by an optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Hidehiko Shin, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9013603
    Abstract: An image processor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a movie generating section which generates movie data based on an image capturing signal that has been generated by an image capturing section, and a controller which determines, by reference to information concerning a shooting condition, whether or not to write the movie data (chapter(s) just before and/or right after a still picture is shot) on a memory in accordance with a shooting instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Nakagawa, Tsutomu Mukai, Yoshinori Okazaki, Akira Seto
  • Patent number: 8994841
    Abstract: An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor; obtaining a bright line image including a bright line, by capturing a subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time; setting a longer exposure time than the exposure time; obtaining a normal captured image by image capture by the image sensor with the longer exposure time; generating a synthetic image by specifying, in the normal captured image, a part that corresponds to the bright line included in the bright line image and superimposing a signal object on the normal captured image, the signal object being an image indicating the part; displaying the synthetic image; and obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained bright line image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Hidehiko Shin, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada