Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Nihei

Yasuhiro Nihei 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: 10775502
    Abstract: A distance-measuring apparatus, a mobile object, a robot, a three-dimensional measuring device, a surveillance camera, and a distance-measuring method. The distance-measuring apparatus, a mobile object includes a light source to emit light, an imaging element to receive and photoelectrically convert the light into a plurality of electrical signals, and to obtain the electrical signals upon being sorted into a plurality of phase signals, and a computing unit to calculate distance to the object based on the phase signals. In the distance-measuring apparatus, a period of time during which the imaging element obtains the phase signals is different from a light emitting period of the light source in length. The distance-measuring method includes determining whether or not aliasing is present based on a light emitting period of the light source, a period of time during which the plurality of phase signals are obtained, and a result of the calculating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD
    Inventors: Yoichi Ichikawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shu Takahashi, Masahiro Itoh, Yasuhiro Nihei, Takeshi Ogawa, Toshishige Fujii
  • Patent number: 10739446
    Abstract: A range-finding device including a light-emitting device, an imaging unit, a calculator, and a controller. The image unit receives pulsed light reflected from an object within the space for a plurality of time periods in a time-division manner, electrically converts the pulsed light into an electrical signal, and accumulates electric charge of the electrical signal for each of the plurality of time periods. The calculator calculates a time difference between emission of the pulsed light and reception of the pulsed light reflected from the object based on the electric charge accumulated for each of the plurality of time periods and determine a distance to the object based on the time difference. The controller controls the timing of reception of the pulsed light for each of the plurality of time periods at the imaging unit according to an intensity of the pulsed light reflected from the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Itoh, Shu Takahashi, Yasuhiro Nihei, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Koji Masuda
  • Patent number: 10705215
    Abstract: An distance measurement apparatus includes a light source to emit irradiation light, circuitry to output, to the light source, a first current that changes in accordance of light-emission timing information defining at least turn-on timing of the light source, and a second current that does not change in accordance of the light-emission timing information, a sensor to detect reflection light reflected from an object irradiated with the irradiation light emitted from the light source. The circuitry calculates a distance to the object based on a detection amount of the reflection light detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Toshishige Fujii, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shu Takahashi, Yoichi Ichikawa, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 10596964
    Abstract: A distance measurement device includes a projection optical system, a light-receiving system to receive light projected from projection optical system and reflected by an object; and a correction system to correct a difference in timing of light emission between the plurality of light sources. The projection optical system includes a plurality of light sources and a plurality of drive circuits to drive the plurality of light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Koji Masuda, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shu Takahashi, Masahiro Itoh, Yoichi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 10549691
    Abstract: A distance measurement device includes a projection optical system, a light-receiving system to receive light projected from projection optical system and reflected by an object; and a correction system to correct a difference in timing of light emission between the plurality of light sources. The projection optical system includes a plurality of light sources and a plurality of drive circuits to drive the plurality of light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Koji Masuda, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shu Takahashi, Masahiro Itoh, Yoichi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 10481263
    Abstract: A range finding apparatus includes a light emission unit including a light source and a light source driver, a light detection unit, and circuitry. The light source driver supplies a plurality of drive pulses having different pulse width at different time periods. The light detection unit receives the light emitted from the light emission unit and then reflected from an object. The circuitry calculates a range to the object based on a time difference between one time point when a pulse light is emitted from the light source and another time point when light reflected from the object is received by the light detection unit. One of the drive pulses set with a smaller pulse width is set with a sine wave pattern, and another one of the drive pulses set with a greater pulse width is set with a rectangular wave pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shu Takahashi, Yasuhiro Nihei, Masahiro Itoh, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Yoichi Ichikawa, Koji Masuda
  • Patent number: 10048808
    Abstract: An input operation detection device to detect input operation input to an image includes a first and second imaging parts and a processor to detect input operation based on data acquired by the first and second imaging parts. The image is divided into first and second images. The optical axes of imaging optical systems of the first and second imaging parts intersect with the image at points on the same side as installation position sides of the corresponding imaging parts with respect to the center of the corresponding images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Masuda, Yasuhiro Nihei, Takeshi Ueda, Masahiro Itoh, Shu Takahashi, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shiori Ohta
  • Patent number: 9983531
    Abstract: A moving-member detecting device includes an image acquiring unit and a speed calculating unit. The image acquiring unit includes a light source configured to emit a light beam to a detecting position of a moving member; an area sensor configured to acquire image data of a one- or two-dimensional image; and an area-sensor control unit configured to acquire the image data. The image acquiring unit is configured to acquire pieces of image data of the moving member at first and second positions, respectively, in a moving direction of the moving member so as to acquire the piece of position image data for the second position when the moving member is at the second position after acquiring the piece of image data for the first position. The speed calculating unit is configured to calculate a moving speed of the moving member from the pieces of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Koichi Kudo, Koji Masuda, Hiroyoshi Funato, Takeshi Ueda, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsushi Takaura
  • Publication number: 20180136330
    Abstract: An distance measurement apparatus includes a light source to emit irradiation light, circuitry to output, to the light source, a first current that changes in accordance of light-emission timing information defining at least turn-on timing of the light source, and a second current that does not change in accordance of the light-emission timing information, a sensor to detect reflection light reflected from an object irradiated with the irradiation light emitted from the light source. The circuitry calculates a distance to the object based on a detection amount of the reflection light detected by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Toshishige Fujii, Takeshi Ogawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shu Takahashi, Yoichi Ichikawa, Masahiro Itoh
  • Publication number: 20180128919
    Abstract: A distance-measuring apparatus, a mobile object, a robot, a three-dimensional measuring device, a surveillance camera, and a distance-measuring method. The distance-measuring apparatus, a mobile object includes a light source to emit light, an imaging element to receive and photoelectrically convert the light into a plurality of electrical signals, and to obtain the electrical signals upon being sorted into a plurality of phase signals, and a computing unit to calculate distance to the object based on the phase signals. In the distance-measuring apparatus, a period of time during which the imaging element obtains the phase signals is different from a light emitting period of the light source in length. The distance-measuring method includes determining whether or not aliasing is present based on a light emitting period of the light source, a period of time during which the plurality of phase signals are obtained, and a result of the calculating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Yoichi Ichikawa, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shu Takahashi, Masahiro Itoh, Yasuhiro Nihei, Takeshi Ogawa, Toshishige Fujii
  • Publication number: 20170261611
    Abstract: A range finding apparatus includes a light emission unit including a light source and a light source driver, a light detection unit, and circuitry. The light source driver supplies a plurality of drive pulses having different pulse width at different time periods. The light detection unit receives the light emitted from the light emission unit and then reflected from an object. The circuitry calculates a range to the object based on a time difference between one time point when a pulse light is emitted from the light source and another time point when light reflected from the object is received by the light detection unit. One of the drive pulses set with a smaller pulse width is set with a sine wave pattern, and another one of the drive pulses set with a greater pulse width is set with a rectangular wave pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Shu TAKAHASHI, Yasuhiro NIHEI, Masahiro ITOH, Takeshi OGAWA, Hiroaki TANAKA, Yoichi ICHIKAWA, Koji MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20170212224
    Abstract: A range-finding device including a light-emitting device, an imaging unit, a calculator, and a controller. The image unit receives pulsed light reflected from an object within the space for a plurality of time periods in a time-division manner, electrically converts the pulsed light into an electrical signal, and accumulates electric charge of the electrical signal for each of the plurality of time periods. The calculator calculates a time difference between emission of the pulsed light and reception of the pulsed light reflected from the object based on the electric charge accumulated for each of the plurality of time periods and determine a distance to the object based on the time difference. The controller controls the timing of reception of the pulsed light for each of the plurality of time periods at the imaging unit according to an intensity of the pulsed light reflected from the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro ITOH, Shu TAKAHASHI, Yasuhiro NIHEI, Takeshi OGAWA, Hiroaki TANAKA, Koji MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20170199271
    Abstract: A distance measurement device includes a projection optical system, a light-receiving system to receive light projected from projection optical system and reflected by an object; and a correction system to correct a difference in timing of light emission between the plurality of light sources. The projection optical system includes a plurality of light sources and a plurality of drive circuits to drive the plurality of light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuhiro NIHEI, Koji MASUDA, Takeshi OGAWA, Hiroaki TANAKA, Shu TAKAHASHI, Masahiro ITOH, Yoichi ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160370460
    Abstract: A sensor includes a light source to emit a pulse light, a light receiver to receive light, emitted from the light source and reflected from an object, a range information acquisition unit to calculate information of a range to the object based on light emission timing at the light source and light reception timing at the light receiver and a speed of the pulse light emitted from the light source, and a pulse controller to control a pulse pattern of the pulse light emitted from the light source based on the range information calculated by the range information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Shu TAKAHASHI, Koji MASUDA, Masahiro ITOH, Yasuhiro NIHEI, Takeshi UEDA, Takeshi OGAWA, Hiroaki TANAKA, Shiori OHSUGI
  • Publication number: 20160170564
    Abstract: An input operation detection device to detect input operation input to an image includes a first and second imaging parts and a processor to detect input operation based on data acquired by the first and second imaging parts. The image is divided into first and second images. The optical axes of imaging optical systems of the first and second imaging parts intersect with the image at points on the same side as installation position sides of the corresponding imaging parts with respect to the center of the corresponding images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Koji MASUDA, Yasuhiro NIHEI, Takeshi UEDA, Masahiro ITOH, Shu TAKAHASHI, Takeshi OGAWA, Hiroaki TANAKA, Shiori OHTA
  • Patent number: 9228825
    Abstract: An objective is to achieve a positional change measurement device which measures positional change of a dynamic measured surface by using speckle patterns while easily reducing influence of fluctuations in a measurement environment temperature. Provided is a positional change measurement device including: a light source; an illuminating optical system configured to guide light from the light source to a measured surface; an imaging optical system; an image pickup device configured to acquire a speckle pattern by receiving reflection light from the measured surface via the imaging optical system; and detected-length compensation means for compensating for fluctuations in a detected length caused by temperature fluctuations. Positional change of the measured surface is measured based on a result of cross-correlation computation performed on multiple speckle patterns acquired at predetermined time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Takaura, Koji Masuda, Yasuhiro Nihei, Takeshi Ueda, Koichi Kudo, Taku Amada, Kenichi Shimizu, Asato Tamura
  • Publication number: 20150301690
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, an input-operation detection device for detecting a user input operation performed on at least a portion of a displayed image includes; a light emitter that emits detection light, an imaging unit including an imaging optical system and an image sensor and configured to capture an image of at least one of the displayed image and the input operation, and a processing unit that detects position, at which the input operation is performed, or motion, by which the input operation is provided, based on a result of image capture output from the imaging unit. The position where optical axis of the imaging optical system intersects a display surface of the displayed image and center of the displayed image are on the same side relative to a position where the imaging unit is mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Koji MASUDA, Yasuhiro Nihei, Shu Takahashi, Takeshi Ueda, Hiroaki Tanaka, Shiori Ohta, Masahiro Itoh, Toshiaki Tokita, Takeshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9035988
    Abstract: A light source driving device which drives a plurality of light emitting parts provided in a light source to emit a plurality of light beams based on image information, includes a plurality of driving circuits configured to drive the plurality of light emitting parts. Each of the driving circuits includes a signal generation circuit that generates a modulation signal to control a light emitting intensity of the corresponding light emitting part based on the image information, a detection circuit that detects a light emitting status of the corresponding light emitting part; and a light emitting circuit that outputs a driving signal to the corresponding light emitting part to emit a light beam in accordance with the modulation signal and adjustment data obtained based on the light emitting status of at least one of the plurality of light emitting parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nihei, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Jun Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20150092994
    Abstract: An eligible operator determination device includes a three-dimensional light measurement unit configured to measure three-dimensional coordinates of respective parts in a visual field including a posture of a monitor target operating a device; a motion recognition unit configured to recognize a predetermined ineligible motion from a measurement result obtained by the three-dimensional light measurement unit; and an ineligibility coping unit configured to execute a predetermined process according to the predetermined ineligible motion, when the predetermined ineligible motion is recognized by the motion recognition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji MASUDA, Toshiaki TOKITA, Masahiro ITOH, Hiroaki TANAKA, Yasuhiro NIHEI, Takeshi UEDA, Kenichi TAKANASHI
  • Publication number: 20140268180
    Abstract: An objective is to achieve a positional change measurement device which measures positional change of a dynamic measured surface by using speckle patterns while easily reducing influence of fluctuations in a measurement environment temperature. Provided is a positional change measurement device including: a light source; an illuminating optical system configured to guide light from the light source to a measured surface; an imaging optical system; an image pickup device configured to acquire a speckle pattern by receiving reflection light from the measured surface via the imaging optical system; and detected-length compensation means for compensating for fluctuations in a detected length caused by temperature fluctuations. Positional change of the measured surface is measured based on a result of cross-correlation computation performed on multiple speckle patterns acquired at predetermined time intervals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Atsushi TAKAURA, Koji MASUDA, Yasuhiro NIHEI, Takeshi UEDA, Koichi KUDO, Taku AMADA, Kenichi SHIMIZU, Asato TAMURA