Patents by Inventor Yoichi NISHIMAKI

Yoichi NISHIMAKI 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: 20190038968
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a device with one of the left side and the right side of the device fixed as pressed against the palm of a user. The device includes a button that can be depressed within a predetermined movable range and a sense-of-force presentation block for presenting a sensor of force against button depression within a range in which any of the fingers of the user is reachable, the input of a sense-of-force presentation start position in the predetermined movable range being received, a button depressing amount being acquired, and, when the sense-of-force presentation start position is reached, instructing the sense-of-force presentation block to present a sense force against the depressing of the button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Machida, Kunihito Sawai, Shinichi Hirata, Yoshihisa Takahashi, Yoichi Nishimaki, Yasushi Okumura, Norihiro Nagai
  • Publication number: 20190025916
    Abstract: A control apparatus is connected to a device for detecting a user's hand motion, controls a motion of a virtual character, and decides, in accordance with a detection result of hand motion by the device, whether the detected motion is a first instruction action or a second instruction action. The first instruction action achieves a match between a hand motion of the character and the user's hand motion. The second instruction action instructs an action different from the user's hand motion. When it is decided, as a result of the decision, that the detected user's hand motion is the first instruction action, the control apparatus achieves a match between the character's hand motion and the detected user's hand motion. When it is decided that the detected user's hand motion is the second instruction action, the control apparatus causes the character to perform an action different from the hand motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Okumura, Shinichi Hirata, Yoshihisa Takahashi, Yoichi Nishimaki, Norihiro Nagai, Kunihito Sawai, Yuichi Machida
  • Publication number: 20180318706
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing device to be connected to an odor presentation device that presents an odor to a user. The information processing device acquires spatial odor information indicative of an odor in a reproduction target space, and instructs, by using the acquired spatial odor information, the odor presentation device to present to the user an odor assumably perceivable in the reproduction target space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Shinichi HIRATA, Yuichi MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20180318461
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a scent-emanating apparatus including a discharging mechanism which permits a scent substance perceivable by a user together with a marker substance for detection to be discharged outwards, and a sensor to detect the marker substance discharged from the discharging mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Shinichi HIRATA, Yuichi MACHIDA, Kazuo MIURA
  • Publication number: 20180299683
    Abstract: A display portion 318 includes a plurality of display surfaces corresponding to a plurality of pixels within an image as a target of display, and the display surfaces are configured in such a way that positions thereof in a direction vertical to the display surfaces are made changeable. A convex lens 312 presents a virtual image of an image displayed on the display portion 318 to a field of vision of a user. A control portion 10 adjusts the positions of the plurality of display surfaces based on depth information on an object contained in the image as the target of the display, thereby adjusting a position of the virtual image presented by the convex lens 312 in units of a pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshinori OHASHI, Yoichi NISHIMAKI
  • Publication number: 20180217380
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device (30) is provided which includes: optical elements (33L, R) disposed in front of the eyes of a user and configured to introduce light associated with images to be presented to the user into the eyes of the user; and a drive mechanism configured to move the optical elements in directions intersecting with visual line directions of the user. An image display system is further provided which includes the head-mounted display device (30) and an image supply device (10) including: an image supply part configured to supply the images to the head-mounted display device; and a display position control part configured to output control instructions to operate the drive mechanism in a manner changing the positions at which the images are displayed within fields of view of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Yoshinori OHASHI, Takao MARUYAMA, Koichi SHIONO
  • Publication number: 20180147484
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a fragrance presentation device which prevents an unintended smell from being presented. A fragrance presentation device for use with a display device which can be mounted on the head of a user includes a fragrance presentation module disposed in a fragrance presentation position in the vicinity of the nostrils of a person on which the display device is mounted, a fragrance holder having a fragrance container for holding a fragrance therein, the fragrance holder placing the fragrance container in a position spaced from the fragrance presentation position at least while the fragrance is not presented, and delivering the fragrance out of the fragrance container when the fragrance in the fragrance container is presented, and a fragrance conductor for conducting the fragrance which has been delivered out of the fragrance holder to the fragrance presentation module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Osawa, Shinichi Hirata, Yoichi Nishimaki
  • Publication number: 20180140950
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that can present smell to a user in an appropriate mode utilizing a smell presentation device is provided. The information processing apparatus acquires content information relating to the substance of a content that includes at least one of video and audio to be presented to the user, and controls the smell presentation device to present smell in a mode according to the acquired content information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishimaki, Shinichi Hirata, Hiroshi Osawa
  • Publication number: 20180144033
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing device capable of properly controlling a smell presentation device by matching a using state. The information processing device acquires information on the using state of the smell presentation device that presents a smell to a user, and causes the smell presentation device to present a smell in a mode determined in accordance with the acquired information on the using state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Shinichi HIRATA, Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Hiroshi OSAWA, Kyoko FURUMURA, Takeshi YAMAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9858643
    Abstract: An image generating device includes: a storage section that stores images of surrounding spaces centered at plural different fixed points; a detecting section that detects translational movement on the basis of the location of the point of view; an image processor that acquires an image of a displaying target by clipping out part of the image of the surrounding space centered at the fixed point, stored in the storage section, on the basis of the location of the point of view and the direction of the line of sight; and a switching section that makes switching to the image of the surrounding space centered at another fixed point closest to the point of view after translational movement if the plural different fixed points are so disposed that the surrounding spaces centered at the fixed points overlap with each other in a world coordinate system and translational movement is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishimaki, Takeshi Yamagishi, Shinichi Hirata, Kyoko Furumura
  • Patent number: 9833719
    Abstract: A robot 150 is placed on a touch panel. When touch sensor action sections 156a to 156c provided on a bottom face 150b of the robot act on a touch pad, an information processing device shows a face image in a rectangular area 16 of a display screen 14 of the touch panel. The rectangular area 16 corresponds to the bottom face of the robot. The face image is grabbed from the bottom face 150b of the robot 150 and appears in a face section 152. Further, the brightness of pixels in areas 18a and 18b of the display screen 14 is changed. The areas 18a and 18b correspond to optical sensors 160a and 160b provided on the bottom face 150b of the robot. The robot 150 detects the change in question, converting the change into a motion of an internal actuator, sound output, light emission, and so on in accordance with predetermined rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Keiji Togawa, Takeshi Yamagishi, Yoichi Nishimaki
  • Publication number: 20170315367
    Abstract: There is provided a head-mounted display device capable of adjusting a distance to an image forming position that includes video display elements that show a video, optical elements arranged in front of user's eyes to cause the video shown by the video display elements to be incident on the user's eyes, and a control mechanism that changes an optical distance between the video display elements and the optical elements. Also provided is a video display system that includes the head-mounted display device and a video supply device that includes a video supply section that supplies a video to the head-mounted display device and an image forming distance control section that outputs a control instruction to change a distance from the optical elements to the image forming position by operating the control mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takao Maruyama, Yoshinori Ohashi, Koichi Shiono, Yoichi Nishimaki
  • Patent number: 9684173
    Abstract: An image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a first imaging device provided in a HMD for presenting an image observed when a three-dimensional image in a virtual three-dimensional space is projected onto a real-world setting, the first imaging device being configured to visualize an area including a field of view of a user wearing the HMD. A marker detection unit detects a marker included in the image captured by the first imaging device and acquired by the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a second imaging device having an angle of view that at least partially overlaps an angle of view of the first imaging device. If the marker is not captured in the image captured by the first imaging device, the marker detection unit detects the marker in an image captured by the second imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishimaki, Yoshinori Ohashi
  • Patent number: 9599818
    Abstract: An obstacle detecting unit detects an obstacle for a user wearing a head mounted display from an image of the outside world. A distance calculating unit calculates the distance from a detected obstacle to the user wearing the head mounted display. An obstacle replacing unit replaces the detected obstacle with a virtual object. A virtual object synthesizing unit generates a virtual object at a position within a virtual space displayed on the head mounted display, in which the position is determined according to the distance to the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamagishi, Hiroshi Osawa, Yoichi Nishimaki
  • Publication number: 20160346705
    Abstract: A robot 150 is placed on a touch panel. When touch sensor action sections 156a to 156c provided on a bottom face 150b of the robot act on a touch pad, an information processing device shows a face image in a rectangular area 16 of a display screen 14 of the touch panel. The rectangular area 16 corresponds to the bottom face of the robot. The face image is grabbed from the bottom face 150b of the robot 150 and appears in a face section 152. Further, the brightness of pixels in areas 18a and 18b of the display screen 14 is changed. The areas 18a and 18b correspond to optical sensors 160a and 160b provided on the bottom face 150b of the robot. The robot 150 detects the change in question, converting the change into a motion of an internal actuator, sound output, light emission, and so on in accordance with predetermined rules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: KEIJI TOGAWA, Takeshi YAMAGISHI, Yoichi NISHIMAKI
  • Publication number: 20160187655
    Abstract: An image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a first imaging device provided in a HMD for presenting an image observed when a three-dimensional image in a virtual three-dimensional space is projected onto a real-world setting, the first imaging device being configured to visualize an area including a field of view of a user wearing the HMD. A marker detection unit detects a marker included in the image captured by the first imaging device and acquired by the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a second imaging device having an angle of view that at least partially overlaps an angle of view of the first imaging device. If the marker is not captured in the image captured by the first imaging device, the marker detection unit detects the marker in an image captured by the second imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Yoshinori OHASHI
  • Patent number: 9311754
    Abstract: An image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a first imaging device provided in a HMD for presenting an image observed when a three-dimensional image in a virtual three-dimensional space is projected onto a real-world setting, the first imaging device being configured to visualize an area including a field of view of a user wearing the HMD. A marker detection unit detects a marker included in the image captured by the first imaging device and acquired by the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a second imaging device having an angle of view that at least partially overlaps an angle of view of the first imaging device. If the marker is not captured in the image captured by the first imaging device, the marker detection unit detects the marker in an image captured by the second imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishimaki, Yoshinori Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20160086306
    Abstract: An image generating device includes: a storage section that stores images of surrounding spaces centered at plural different fixed points; a detecting section that detects translational movement on the basis of the location of the point of view; an image processor that acquires an image of a displaying target by clipping out part of the image of the surrounding space centered at the fixed point, stored in the storage section, on the basis of the location of the point of view and the direction of the line of sight; and a switching section that makes switching to the image of the surrounding space centered at another fixed point closest to the point of view after translational movement if the plural different fixed points are so disposed that the surrounding spaces centered at the fixed points overlap with each other in a world coordinate system and translational movement is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Takeshi YAMAGISHI, Shinichi HIRATA, Kyoko FURUMURA
  • Publication number: 20150325053
    Abstract: An image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a first imaging device provided in a HMD for presenting an image observed when a three-dimensional image in a virtual three-dimensional space is projected onto a real-world setting, the first imaging device being configured to visualize an area including a field of view of a user wearing the HMD. A marker detection unit detects a marker included in the image captured by the first imaging device and acquired by the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a second imaging device having an angle of view that at least partially overlaps an angle of view of the first imaging device. If the marker is not captured in the image captured by the first imaging device, the marker detection unit detects the marker in an image captured by the second imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Yoichi NISHIMAKI, Yoshinori OHASHI
  • Patent number: 9123158
    Abstract: An image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a first imaging device provided in a HMD for presenting an image observed when a three-dimensional image in a virtual three-dimensional space is projected onto a real-world setting, the first imaging device being configured to visualize an area including a field of view of a user wearing the HMD. A marker detection unit detects a marker included in the image captured by the first imaging device and acquired by the image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image captured by a second imaging device having an angle of view that at least partially overlaps an angle of view of the first imaging device. If the marker is not captured in the image captured by the first imaging device, the marker detection unit detects the marker in an image captured by the second imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishimaki, Yoshinori Ohashi