Patents by Inventor Yasunori Kawanami

Yasunori Kawanami 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: 11953904
    Abstract: There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Yasunori Kawanami, Kenta Kawamoto, Tsutomu Sawada, Satoru Shimizu, Peter Duerr, Yuki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20230408320
    Abstract: A light receiver 212u provided on the upper side and a light receiver 212d provided on the lower side with respect to the optical axis of a light emitter 211 generate light reception signals corresponding to the light reception intensity of emitted light from the light emitter 211. A liquid level state determiner 30 determines a liquid level state on the basis of a signal level difference between the light reception signal generated by the light receiver 212u and the light reception signal generated by the light receiver 212d. It is not required to perform processing of captured image data, and even in a case where a liquid temperature is substantially equal to the outside air temperature, the state of a liquid level can be easily grasped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Rui KAMADA, Hiroki SAIJO, Yoshinao SODEYAMA, Kirill VANHEERDEN, Yasunori KAWANAMI, Naoki NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230373111
    Abstract: A mobile body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a mobile body main body; a movable unit that is attached to the mobile body main body and is configured to provide propulsive force to the mobile body main body; and a buffer attached to a surface of the mobile body main body. The buffer includes a deep layer material that covers the surface of the mobile body main body, and a surface layer material provided at a position more distant from the surface of the mobile body main body than the deep layer material. The surface layer material has a modulus of repulsion elasticity lower than the deep layer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, EISUKE OHSHIMA
  • Patent number: 11813747
    Abstract: A link structure (1) includes: a first link (2); a target member to be moved (housing) (3) that is provided in the interior of the first link (2), and that is movable in the interior of the first link (2); a movement mechanism (4) that is fixed to the first link (2), and that is configured to cause the target member to be moved (3) to move in movement directions (M1, M2) along the first link (2) in response to power of a power part; and an action part (6) that is provided to the target member to be moved (3), and that is configured to act on a movement of a second link (8) mounted onto the first link (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Yasunori Kawanami
  • Publication number: 20230211494
    Abstract: To prevent scattering of scattered objects such as of water, sand, mud, or snow accompanied by movement. Scattering prevention constraint information is acquired based on road surface information. Movement is controlled based on the scattering prevention constraint information. For example, vibration information is detected by a vibration sensor or the like, and road surface information (information such as a road surface depth and a road surface type) is acquired based on the vibration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: ATSUSHI SUZUKI, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, JUN ARAI, WILLIAM CONUS, YOSHIKAZU FURUYAMA, KAZUO HONGO
  • Publication number: 20230202051
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a transport device, a transport method, a program, and an information processing device that can prevent damage to the content of luggage during transportation. The transport device includes a luggage characteristic estimation unit that estimates luggage characteristics including at least one of fragility of a content of luggage and packaging quality of the luggage based on at least one of change in center of gravity due to movement of the luggage, vibration characteristics of the luggage, and characteristics of the sound generated from the luggage due to the movement of the luggage. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a robot that transports luggage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: WILLIAM ALEXANDRE CONUS, KAZUO HONGO, YOSHIKAZU FURUYAMA, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, JUN ARAI, ATSUSHI SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20230202050
    Abstract: A control device that controls an operation of a robot for alerting a human is provided. A control device that controls a robot includes an acquiring unit that acquires field of view information of a human and a control unit that controls an operation of an alert unit provided on the robot based on the field of view information. The control unit controls the alert unit such that the alert unit performs an alert operation according to a target task of the robot within an auxiliary field of view area of the human. The alert unit includes a manipulator provided on the robot. The alert operation includes an operation of the manipulator gripping an object relating to the target task of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: HIROKI SAIJO, YOSHINAO SODEYAMA, KIRILL VAHEERDEN, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, RUI KAMADA, NAOKI NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20220388585
    Abstract: Provided is a robot device including a plurality of legs to perform a moving work. The robot device includes: a plurality of legs; and a body portion to which the legs are attached, the body portion having a bottom surface higher than a ground plane of the legs that are shortened to a maximum. The body portion includes a loading portion on which a load is placed in a space surrounded by the plurality of legs. Furthermore, an outer casing that covers the entire robot device including the plurality of legs is further provided. The outer casing includes an openable/closable lid or door on at least one of an upper surface, a front surface, a rear surface, a left side surface, or a right side surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, YASUNORI KAWANAMI, EISUKE OHSHIMA, TOSHIMITSU KAI
  • Publication number: 20220350331
    Abstract: There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Kohtaro SABE, Yasunori KAWANAMI, Kenta KAWAMOTO, Tsutomu SAWADA, Satoru SHIMIZU, Peter DUERR, Yuki YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220350332
    Abstract: There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Kohtaro SABE, Yasunori KAWANAMI, Kenta KAWAMOTO, Tsutomu SAWADA, Satoru SHIMIZU, Peter DUERR, Yuki YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 11440182
    Abstract: To provide an expansion device and a movable body including a mechanism for quick deformation. An expansion device includes a main body and a limb portion attached to the main body, in which the limb portion includes a main link connected to the main body via a joint, an end link provided at a front end of the limb portion, at least one or more limb joints that are interposed between the main link and the end link and connect the main link and the end link, and a linear member of which both ends couple an end at the front end side of the limb portion of the end link and the main body and are retractable to one or both of the end link and the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasunori Kawanami
  • Publication number: 20220274261
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a robot capable of estimate a value outside a detection range of a sensor. A control device of a first aspect of the present technology is a device that acquires detection results of a sensor unit composed of a plurality of sensors including a first sensor having a predetermined detection range, and a second sensor having a range in a detection range thereof in which detection by the first sensor is not possible and estimates a detected value of the first sensor outside the predetermined detection range on the basis of detection results of the second sensor. The present technology can be applied to a device that controls a robot having a hand part capable of gripping an object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Alexandre CONUS, Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Noriaki TAKASUGI, Yasunori KAWANAMI
  • Patent number: 11422560
    Abstract: There is provided a control device including an image display unit configured to acquire, from a flying body, an image captured by an imaging device provided in the flying body and to display the image, and a flight instruction generation unit configured to generate a flight instruction for the flying body based on content of an operation performed with respect to the image captured by the imaging device and displayed by the image display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Yasunori Kawanami, Kenta Kawamoto, Tsutomu Sawada, Satoru Shimizu, Peter Duerr, Yuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11407120
    Abstract: To provide a control device and a control method enabled to more simply execute initialization of a force sensor included in a legged walking robot. Provided is a control device including: a leg control unit that controls at least one or more legs of a legged walking robot including a plurality of legs, and stores a force sensor provided in each of the legs in a predetermined space in which the force sensor provided in each of the legs is in a non-contact state; and an initialization execution unit that performs initialization of the force sensor provided in each of the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Sakamoto, Yasunori Kawanami, Masaya Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20220219321
    Abstract: There is provided a robot apparatus that includes a load compensation function dealing with a variation in load. The robot apparatus includes one or more movable portions, a load compensation section utilizing an elastic body to compensate for a load acting on the movable portion, and an initial displacement amount setting section applying, to the elastic body, an initial displacement amount corresponding to a desired position or posture of the movable portion. The initial displacement setting section includes an actuator displacing the elastic body by an initial displacement amount and locks the actuator with the elastic body remaining displaced by the initial displacement amount. The movable portion is a leg including a joint portion having a degree of rotational freedom around a pitch axis, and the initial displacement amount setting section sets the initial displacement amount on the basis of a toe force of the leg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: YASUNORI KAWANAMI, YASUHISA KAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220106001
    Abstract: There is achieved a traveling robot configured to travel by switching between leg driving and wheel driving while suppressing a decrease in velocity in switching between the leg driving and the wheel driving. The traveling robot includes a drive unit, a clutch configured to switch a transmission destination of a driving force from the drive unit, a leg and a wheel that are configured to be driven by the driving force from the drive unit, and a control unit. The control unit executes, in drive switching between leg driving and wheel driving, travel velocity control before the drive switching such that a travel velocity after the drive switching is substantially equal to a travel velocity before the drive switching. The control unit sets, in the drive switching between the leg driving and the wheel driving, a sliding movement state in which the wheel is caused to slide in a non-driven state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: NORIAKI TAKASUGI, WATARU KOKUBO, MASAYA KINOSHITA, YASUNORI KAWANAMI
  • Publication number: 20210309309
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a control unit (29) that controls an orientation of a mobile body (2) equipped with a plurality of leg portions (20) each including at least one joint, each of the leg portions having; a wheel body (2311) that is provided at a leading end of the leg portion and grounds the leg portion; and a pad portion (2312) that is provided on at least one side face of the wheel body and has a higher frictional resistance with respect to a ground surface than that of the wheel body, wherein the control unit controls a braking force that acts on the mobile body from the ground surface by controlling orientations of the leg portions in a pitch axis direction of the mobile body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: YASUNORI KAWANAMI, YASUHISA KAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210291359
    Abstract: A link structure (1) includes: a first link (2); a target member to be moved (housing) (3) that is provided in the interior of the first link (2), and that is movable in the interior of the first link (2); a movement mechanism (4) that is fixed to the first link (2), and that is configured to cause the target member to be moved (3) to move in movement directions (M1, M2) along the first link (2) in response to power of a power part; and an action part (6) that is provided to the target member to be moved (3), and that is configured to act on a movement of a second link (8) mounted onto the first link (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: YASUHISA KAMIKAWA, YASUNORI KAWANAMI
  • Patent number: 11125307
    Abstract: Provided is a support apparatus including a drive motor, a link mechanism that, by transmitting motive power output from the drive motor, is extendable and contractable in response to the motive power, and a pair of rotating bodies that act as a variable speed mechanism that outputs the motive power to the link mechanism by a reduction ratio according to an attitude of the link mechanism. At least part of the link mechanism forms a trapezoidal link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Kawanami, Kenichiro Nagasaka, Kazuo Hongo
  • Patent number: 11072068
    Abstract: A robot apparatus includes a grasping section that grasps an object, a recognition section that recognizes a graspable part and a handing-over area part of the object, and a grasp planning section that plans a path of the grasping section for handing over the object to a recipient by the handing-over area part. The robot apparatus further includes a grasp control section that controls grasp operation of the object by the grasping section in accordance with the planned path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Kawanami, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tsutomu Sawada, Masakuni Nagano, Akinori Kamoda