Patents by Inventor Yoji Maejima

Yoji Maejima 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: 10310513
    Abstract: A conveyance control device executes: a control step of detecting entering to a merging point adjacent area set on adjacent to each merging point on the conveyance route; a detection step of detecting whether there is an obstacle around the carrying cart; a communication step of performing, when the entering to each merging point adjacent area is detected, local wireless communications with another carrying cart by using a common frequency band and a common identification code set to values different among merging points; and a merging point passing control step of starting the communication step when the other carrying cart is detected in the merging point adjacent area in the detection step, and causing passing of a merging point in accordance with a priority set to each entering passage to the merging point, after a handshake with the other carrying cart is successfully performed in the communication step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: DAIFUKU CO., LTD., HOKUYO AUTOMATIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoji Maejima, Tadashi Nishikawa, Yoshitaka Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20170283182
    Abstract: A conveyance control device executes: a control step of detecting entering to a merging point adjacent area set on adjacent to each merging point on the conveyance route; a detection step of detecting whether there is an obstacle around the carrying cart; a communication step of performing, when the entering to each merging point adjacent area is detected, local wireless communications with another carrying cart by using a common frequency band and a common identification code set to values different among merging points; and a merging point passing control step of starting the communication step when the other carrying cart is detected in the merging point adjacent area in the detection step, and causing passing of a merging point in accordance with a priority set to each entering passage to the merging point, after a handshake with the other carrying cart is successfully performed in the communication step,
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicants: DAIFUKU CO., LTD., HOKUYO AUTOMATIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoji MAEJIMA, Tadashi NISHIKAWA, Yoshitaka TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8842985
    Abstract: Reliable data transmission is secured without inviting large design changes by means of configuring an optical data transmission device in a manner so as to be provided with: data conversion units and optical communication control units that transmit to each of a first communication unit and a second communication unit disposed movably relative to one another an optical signal modulated in response to wired-line data input from a wired line, and that output wired-line data demodulated from the received optical signal to the wired line; a bit data input unit that receives input of bit data for emergency stops; a bit data output unit that outputs bit data for emergency stops; and bit data communication control units that control in a manner so as to transmit/receive input bit data via the optical communication control units using optical signals that are isolated from the optical signal corresponding to the wired-line data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventors: Masanori Hino, Yoji Maejima
  • Publication number: 20130156419
    Abstract: Reliable data transmission is secured without inviting large design changes by means of configuring an optical data transmission device in a manner so as to be provided with: data conversion units and optical communication control units that transmit to each of a first communication unit and a second communication unit disposed movably relative to one another an optical signal modulated in response to wired-line data input from a wired line, and that output wired-line data demodulated from the received optical signal to the wired line; a bit data input unit that receives input of bit data for emergency stops; a bit data output unit that outputs bit data for emergency stops; and bit data communication control units that control in a manner so as to transmit/receive input bit data via the optical communication control units using optical signals that are isolated from the optical signal corresponding to the wired-line data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: HOKUYO AUTOMATIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Hino, Yoji Maejima
  • Patent number: 8335430
    Abstract: An optical data transmission apparatus is provided, in which a first communication unit 101 and a second communication unit 102 arranged to freely move relatively to each other each include an optical signal transmission unit having a laser diode 120 for emitting single-mode light, a multi-mode optical fiber 111 for guiding a single-mode optical signal output from the laser diode 120 , converting the single-mode optical signal into a multi-mode optical signal, and outputting the multi-mode optical signal, an optical lens 112 for forming the optical signal output from the multi-mode optical fiber 111 into parallel light, and a first polarization element for passing the optical signal polarized in a predetermined direction out of optical signals output from the optical lens 112.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hokuyo Automatic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Maejima, Masanori Hino
  • Publication number: 20110002694
    Abstract: An optical data transmission apparatus is provided, in which a first communication unit 101 and a second communication unit 102 arranged to freely move relatively to each other each include an optical signal transmission unit having a laser diode 120 for emitting single-mode light, a multi-mode optical fiber 111 for guiding a single-mode optical signal output from the laser diode 120, converting the single-mode optical signal into a multi-mode optical signal, and outputting the multi-mode optical signal, an optical lens 112 for forming the optical signal output from the multi-mode optical fiber 111 into parallel light, and a first polarization element for passing the optical signal polarized in a predetermined direction out of optical signals output from the optical lens 112.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: HOKUYO AUTOMATIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoji Maejima, Masanori Hino
  • Patent number: 6665595
    Abstract: There is provided a device for transmitting optical data installed in an automated guided vehicle and a plurality of manufacturing machines which are arranged on a manufacturing line so as to transmit data necessary for delivery of a transfer object by two-way communication within a transportation system. The transportation system has an interlocking mechanism for suspending an operation when a trouble occurs and transports the transfer object to the plurality of manufacturing machines by the automated guided vehicle. The device includes a non-volatile memory for recording and holding a communication log, and communication log recording means for writing a communication log in said non-volatile memory and outputting recorded contents of the communication log to an external device when there is an inquiry from the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hokuyo Automatic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuo Goto, Yoji Maejima, Naohiro Shimaji