Patents by Inventor Yoichiro Suzuki

Yoichiro Suzuki 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: 11463024
    Abstract: A power generation device is provided. A weight may vibrate in one direction as an axial direction in response to an external vibration. A beam may be arranged in at least one side with respect to the weight in the axial direction of the weight, and vibrate together with the weight. A piezoelectric element may be mounted on the beam. A guide may include a hollow guiding a movement of the weight in the axial direction. A stopper may be included in the weight. The stopper may restrict an amount of the movement of the weight in the axial direction within a predetermined amount. A stopper wall may stop the movement of the weight in the axial direction by contacting with the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yoichiro Suzuki, Akira Takaoka, Takatoshi Sekizawa, Hiroki Kuwano
  • Patent number: 11376901
    Abstract: A tire side device is provided with a vibration detection unit that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the magnitude of tire vibration, a control unit that performs to generate road surface data indicating a road surface condition that appears in the waveform of the detection signal, and a first data communication unit that transmits the road surface data. Furthermore, a vehicle body side system is provided with a second data communication unit that receives the road surface data transmitted from the first data communication unit, and a road surface determination unit that determines the condition of the road surface that the vehicle is traveling on the basis of the road surface data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichiro Suzuki, Masashi Mori, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 11371880
    Abstract: A vehicle body side system is provided with a second data communication unit that performs bidirectional communication with a tire side device and receives road surface data and measurement data transmitted from a first data communication unit, a road surface determination unit that determines the road surface condition of a road surface on which a vehicle travels based on the road surface data, a reception strength measurement unit that measures the reception strength of the measurement data, and a transmission angle setting unit that stores the reception strength of the measurement data during one rotation of a tire, sets as a transmission angle, a presence angle when the reception strength of the measurement data during one rotation of the tire is high, and transmits data indicating the transmission angle to the tire side device via the second data communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohito Takasuka, Yoichiro Suzuki, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Publication number: 20220172341
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus, an automatic analysis system, and an image processing method capable of determining a state of a container or a state of a collection target based on an image acquired by a single camera. The image processing apparatus includes: an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an upper image that is an image obtained by capturing an image of a container accommodating a collection target including a sample, a reagent, and a reaction solution from above; a region calculation unit configured to calculate an edge region of the container or an upper surface region of the collection target from the upper image; and a state determination unit configured to determine a state of the container or a state of the collection target based on the edge region or the upper surface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki KAKISHITA, Hideharu HATTORI, Taku SAKAZUME, Yoichiro SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11282184
    Abstract: A state of a sample surface is accurately determined without lowering analysis efficiency. There is provided an apparatus for determining a state of a sample to be analyzed contained in a container, in which the apparatus acquires an image of the sample, analyzes a position and a size of an object to be detected with respect to a detection range set in the image by using the image of the sample, and determines the state of the sample based on a result of the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI-HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Kakishita, Hideharu Hattori, Taku Sakazume, Yoichiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20210347214
    Abstract: A tire side device includes a vibration detection unit that outputs a detection signal according to a magnitude of vibration of a tire, an air pressure detection unit that detects the tire pressure, a data acquisition unit that calculates a contact length of the tire with a road surface based on the detection signal and acquires a wheel load data that is a data related to the wheel load based on the contact length, and a data transmission unit that transmits a data related to the tire pressure and the wheel load data. A vehicle side device includes a receiving unit that receives data on tire pressure and wheel load data, a threshold setting unit that sets an alarm threshold for tire pressure based on the wheel load data, and an alarm determination unit that determines that the tire pressure has decreased when the tire pressure indicated by the data on the tire pressure decreases below the alarm threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20210291597
    Abstract: A tire wear detection apparatus includes a tire side device and a vehicle body side system. The tire side device includes a vibration detection unit, a vehicle speed estimation unit, a signal processing unit, and a first data communication unit. The vibration detection unit is configured to output a detection signal. The vehicle speed estimation unit is configured to estimate the vehicle speed. The signal processing unit is configured to generate wear data. The vehicle body side system includes a second data communication unit and a controller. The controller has a wear determination unit configured to determine a tire wear state based on the wear data. The signal processing unit is configured to acquire the detection signal within a detection signal acquiring range, and calculate a level value of a vibration level of the acquired detection signal within a predetermined frequency range based on a natural frequency of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20210237517
    Abstract: A tire wear detection apparatus for a vehicle includes a tire side apparatus and a vehicle body side system. In response to a wet road surface being detected, from a vibration waveform of a tire indicated by a detection signal according to a magnitude of a vibration of the tire, the tire side apparatus is configured to (i) acquire a peak level value of a vibration level at a stepping time at which an apparatus corresponding position in the tire corresponding to an arranged position of the tire side apparatus starts to contact the road surface, and/or (ii) calculate a level value of the vibration level in a post-kicking range after the apparatus corresponding position kicks to separate from the road surface, so as to generate a wear data indicating a wear state of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Patent number: 10946861
    Abstract: A hydroplaning determination device that determines occurrence of a hydroplaning phenomenon in a vehicle includes a tire mount sensor including a vibration detection unit, a signal process unit and a transmission unit, and a vehicle body system including a receiver, a condition determination unit and a hydroplaning determination unit. The vibration detection unit is attached to a rear surface of a tire provided in a vehicle and outputs a detection signal according to a magnitude of vibration of the tire. The signal process unit generates a vibration data based on the detection signal. The hydroplaning determination unit determines, based on the vibration data, whether a hydroplaning phenomenon has occurred when the condition determination unit determines that a road surface condition is a wet condition in which a water film exists between the tire and a road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi Sekizawa, Masashi Mori, Nobuya Watabe, Hideyuki Ikemoto, Yoichiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10884009
    Abstract: In preparation for a case in which the time at which a first reagent probe comes into contact with cleaning liquid and the time at which a second reagent probe comes into contact with cleaning liquid are the same, an automated analyzer is provided with a charge accumulation unit that is provided between a supply port comprising a conductive material that is electrically connected to the cleaning liquids and a device housing and has a capacitance that is greater than or equal to that of the first reagent probe and second reagent probe. As a result, it is possible to prevent interference between the liquid-surface contact determination units of a plurality of probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetsugu Tanoue, Yoichiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20200391559
    Abstract: A tire side device is provided with a vibration detection unit that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the magnitude of tire vibration, a control unit that performs to generate road surface data indicating a road surface condition that appears in the waveform of the detection signal, and a first data communication unit that transmits the road surface data. Furthermore, a vehicle body side system is provided with a second data communication unit that receives the road surface data transmitted from the first data communication unit, and a road surface determination unit that determines the condition of the road surface that the vehicle is traveling on the basis of the road surface data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Masashi MORI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Patent number: 10866161
    Abstract: A road surface condition estimation apparatus may output a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of a vibration of a tire. The road surface condition estimation apparatus may calculate a level of high frequency component of the detection signal in a contact section. The road surface condition estimation apparatus may transmit a calculation result of the level of high frequency component as road surface condition data each time the tire rotates for a predetermined number of times. The road surface condition estimation apparatus may estimate a condition of road surface based on the road surface condition data. The road surface condition estimation apparatus may stop transmitting the road surface condition data when estimating that the vehicle accelerates or decelerates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Suzuki, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Publication number: 20200346655
    Abstract: A road surface state determination device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is attached to each of a plurality of tires included in a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system is included in a body of the vehicle. The tire-side device may output a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration of the tire. The tire-side device may sense the detection signal and generate road surface data indicative of a road surface state appearing in a waveform of the detection signal. The tire-side device may transmit the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system may perform bidirectional communication with the tire-side device and receive the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system may determine the road surface state of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the road surface data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Nobuya WATABE, Masashi MORI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20200348167
    Abstract: A vehicle body side system is provided with a second data communication unit that performs bidirectional communication with a tire side device and receives road surface data and measurement data transmitted from a first data communication unit, a road surface determination unit that determines the road surface condition of a road surface on which a vehicle travels based on the road surface data, a reception strength measurement unit that measures the reception strength of the measurement data, and a transmission angle setting unit that stores the reception strength of the measurement data during one rotation of a tire, sets as a transmission angle, a presence angle when the reception strength of the measurement data during one rotation of the tire is high, and transmits data indicating the transmission angle to the tire side device via the second data communication unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Naohito TAKASUKA, Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20200319020
    Abstract: A road surface state determination device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is attached to each of a plurality of tires included in a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system is included in a body of the vehicle. The tire-side device may output a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration applied to the tire. The tire-side device may extract data items of a road surface state indicative of the vibration of the tire during one rotation of the tire from the detection signal. The tire-side device may generate road surface data. The tire-side device may transmit the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system may receive the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system may determine the road surface state based on the road surface data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Kenichiro SANJI, Yoichiro SUZUKI, Hidenori OSAI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20200317203
    Abstract: A road surface state determination device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is attached to a back surface of a tread of each of a plurality of tires included in a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system is included in a body of the vehicle. The tire-side device outputs a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration applied to the tire. The tire-side device generates road surface data indicative of a road surface state appearing in a waveform of the detection signal. The tire-side device transmits the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system performs bidirectional communication with the tire-side device and receives the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system determines the road surface state of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the road surface data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20200309518
    Abstract: A road surface state determination apparatus includes a plurality of tire-side devices each of which detects vibration applied to corresponding tire and produces road surface data indicative of a road surface state based on data of the vibration, and a vehicle-body-side system that determines the road surface state based on the road surface data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Ryosuke KANBAYASHI, Yoichiro SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20200298635
    Abstract: A tire system is configured to enable a general-purpose communication device to establish data communication with a tire-side device, thereby enabling transmission of data indicating a tire-related condition from the tire-side device to the general-purpose communication device. The general-purpose communication device acquires the tire-related condition, and reports the tire-related condition to the user via a notification unit. Based on the above, it is possible to report the tire-related condition via the general-purpose communication device based on the communication between the general-purpose communication device and the tire-side device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA, Kenichiro SANJI, Naohito TAKASUKA
  • Publication number: 20200284648
    Abstract: A road surface condition identification apparatus for identifying a road surface condition is provided. The road surface condition identification apparatus includes a vibration detector unit configured to output a detection signal being an analog signal according to magnitude of vibration of the tire. For identifying the road surface condition, the road surface condition identification apparatus performs A-D conversion of converting the detection signal of the vibration detector unit into a digital signal. Based on data on vehicle speed, the road surface to condition identification apparatus sets a conversion range of the magnitude of the vibration of the tire used in the AD conversion from the detection signal into the digital signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Ryosuke KANBAYASHI, Masashi MORI, Takatoshi SEKIZAWA, Yoichiro SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20200271679
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer which accurately detects a liquid volume of a reagent irrespective of a shape of a reagent container is provided. The invention is directed to an automatic analyzer including: a reagent container that contains a reagent; an emission unit that is provided outside the reagent container and emits light so as to pass inside the reagent container; a light receiving unit that is provided outside the reagent container and receives the light emitted from the emission unit; and a determination unit that, based on the light received by the light receiving unit, detects a liquid level inside the reagent container, and determines whether a liquid volume in the reagent container becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value from the liquid level. A wavelength of the light is determined based on a material of the reagent container and a type of the reagent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroki NAKANO, Hidetsugu TANOUE, Yoichiro SUZUKI, Takenori OKUSA