Patents by Inventor Yoshimasa Kunimatsu

Yoshimasa Kunimatsu 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: 7292228
    Abstract: A screen operating device having good operability is obtained. When a push switch is pressed via a sheet switch within a predetermined time from a finger touching the sheet switch, a click signal is received within a predetermined time from receipt of a touch signal. After receipt of this touch signal, if a click signal is received within a predetermined time, buttons other than a predetermined selection button 32 are not displayed on a screen of a monitor device 26, and processing corresponding to a label displayed on the selection button 32 is carried out. In this way, a specific processing, such as a processing having a high frequency of use or the like, can be carried out rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Yasuhiro Fujioka
  • Patent number: 7176899
    Abstract: In a state in which any one of selection buttons is selected (state in which a color is reversed), a touch panel in a controller is operated, and, the selected state of the selection button is released when an operation signal from the above controller is corresponding to a moving trajectory from a gray zone to another gray zone through a cancellation zone. Thereby, unnatural feeling at operation caused by distance between a finger position on the touch panel of the controller and a position of the selection button in the selected state is reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Yasuhiro Fujioka, Michimasa Ito
  • Patent number: 7129933
    Abstract: A touch-operation guide shape is formed on an input pad for inputting a touch operation by variably deforming the surface of the input pad, forming grooves or the like to enable a user to recognize the operation position on the input pad through finger touch. In addition, an image representing the touch-operation guide shape is displayed on a menu frame of a display together with selection items, whereby the corresponding position on the input pad can be recognized on the screen of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masato Nishikawa, Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu
  • Patent number: 6848332
    Abstract: A shift device has an operation member for operating a vehicular automatic transmission. The operation member is formed to conform to the shapes of a hand and fingers of a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Noriyasu Syamoto
  • Publication number: 20040085352
    Abstract: A screen operating device having good operability is obtained. When a push switch is pressed via a sheet switch within a predetermined time from a finger touching the sheet switch, a click signal is received within a predetermined time from receipt of a touch signal. After receipt of this touch signal, if a click signal is received within a predetermined time, buttons other than a predetermined selection button 32 are not displayed on a screen of a monitor device 26, and processing corresponding to a label displayed on the selection button 32 is carried out. In this way, a specific processing, such as a processing having a high frequency of use or the like, can be carried out rapidly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Yasuhiro Fujioka
  • Patent number: 6707448
    Abstract: The present invention provides a touch control position determining method which allows the touch control position to be determined precisely regardless of the modes of control. When a touch control is made on an input pad, it is confirmed whether or not the upper and lower vertical position detecting lines are in the non-detected state in which infrared rays are not intercepted to determine whether the touch control position is located at the upper side, the center or the lower side (Steps 100 through 112). Next, it is confirmed whether or not the right and next horizontal position detecting lines are in the non-detected state to determine whether the touch control position along the horizontal direction is located at the left side, the center or the right side (Steps 114 through 122). Thus, the touch control position in the vertical and horizontal directions is determined and the determination result is outputted (Step 124).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Chikao Nagasaka, Masato Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 6708115
    Abstract: A speedometer for a vehicle capable of displaying a vehicle speed and a traveling distance highly accurately and of providing highly accurate speed information to a system utilizing the speed information is provided. A speedometer is connected to a navigation device that periodically corrects corrected data of a traveling distance per a pulse on the basis of a GPS signal and a vehicle speed pulse signal from a vehicle speed sensor, and outputs the corrected data to a navigation correction information data storage section of the speedometer. A data switching section outputs to a speed computation section the corrected traveling distance data per a pulse that is stored in the navigation correction information data storage section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Masato Nishikawa, Toshiyuki Isogai
  • Publication number: 20040012579
    Abstract: In a state in which any one of selection buttons is selected (state in which a color is reversed), a touch panel in a controller is operated, and, the selected state of the selection button is released when an operation signal from the above controller is corresponding to a moving trajectory from a gray zone to another gray zone through a cancellation zone. Thereby, unnatural feeling at operation caused by distance between a finger position on the touch panel of the controller and a position of the selection button in the selected state is reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Yasuhiro Fujioka, Michimasa Ito
  • Patent number: 6658952
    Abstract: A shift device that prevents an operator from unintentionally operating the shift lever. The shift device has a plurality of shift ranges and sets a predetermined range from the plurality of shift ranges. The shift device includes a shift lever for setting the predetermined shift range, a control circuit, and a notification device. The control circuit determines whether an operator has unintentionally operated the shift lever. The notification device notifies the operator that the operator has unintentionally operated the shift lever in accordance with the determination of the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Naoki Kamiya, Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Toru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6659900
    Abstract: A control apparatus for increasing the reliability of the range shifting of the transmission based on the operation of a shift lever. Only when a shift permission switch is operated by a driver and the shift lever is operated does a determination circuit validate the operation of the shift lever. When the shift permission switch is not operated, the determination circuit does not shift the range of the transmission even when the shift lever is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Masaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6653948
    Abstract: A display system featuring improved operability when plural screens are displayed on a display and when many functions are provided, and a method of display for the display system. A screen is selected from plural screens displayed on a display portion 20A of a display 20. The selected screen is displayed on an entire surface of the display portion 20A together with an operation menu corresponding to the selected screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Chikao Nagasaka, Masato Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Patent number: 6615132
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can automatically open/close an electric garage door by remote control without manual operation and that can prevent erroneous opening/closing of the electric garage door. A navigation device 10 can be connected to a wireless garage door opener transmitter 50. The navigation device 10 transmits an open signal to the wireless garage door opener transmitter 50 when a vehicle position calculated by a GPS receiver 24 and an orientation detected by a gyro sensor 40 are within a predetermined range that respectively includes a preset electric garage door open instruction position and orientation, and a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor 38 is no greater than a predetermined value. Thus, erroneous opening of the electric garage door when the vehicle approaches the electric garage with an object other than entering the electric garage can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Masato Nishikawa, Toshiyuki Isogai
  • Patent number: 6529825
    Abstract: A voice guidance switching device for use in a car navigation device. When a navigation control section receives a signal from one of a controller and a controller, the navigation control section determines whether the signal is a first signal or a second signal. When the signal is determined to be the first signal, the navigation control section reads a voice guidance switching program from a storage medium and determines whether the signal has been transmitted from the controller or from the controller. The navigation control section also determines whether or not the vehicle is travelling at the time on the basis of a signal from a speed sensor, and then switches a voice guidance generating program between an operable state and an inoperable state on the basis of these determination results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Masato Nishikawa, Susumu Mega
  • Publication number: 20020166399
    Abstract: A control apparatus for increasing the reliability of the range shifting of the transmission based on the operation of a shift lever. Only when a shift permission switch is operated by a driver and the shift lever is operated does a determination circuit validate the operation of the shift lever. When the shift permission switch is not operated, the determination circuit does not shift the range of the transmission even when the shift lever is moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Masaki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20020157492
    Abstract: A shift device that prevents an operator from unintentionally operating the shift lever. The shift device has a plurality of shift ranges and sets a predetermined range from the plurality of shift ranges. The shift device includes a shift lever for setting the predetermined shift range, a control circuit, and a notification device. The control circuit determines whether an operator has unintentionally operated the shift lever. The notification device notifies the operator that the operator has unintentionally operated the shift lever in accordance with the determination of the control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Naoki Kamiya, Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Toru Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020152827
    Abstract: A shift device has an operation member for operating a vehicular automatic transmission. The operation member is formed to conform to the shapes of a hand and fingers of a driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Noriyasu Syamoto
  • Publication number: 20020040272
    Abstract: A voice guidance switching device for use in a car navigation device. When a navigation control section receives a signal from one of a controller and a controller, the navigation control section determines whether the signal is a first signal or a second signal. When the signal is determined to be the first signal, the navigation control section reads a voice guidance switching program from a storage medium and determines whether the signal has been transmitted from the controller or from the controller. The navigation control section also determines whether or not the vehicle is travelling at the time on the basis of a signal from a speed sensor, and then switches a voice guidance generating program between an operable state and an inoperable state on the basis of these determination results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventors: Chikao Nagasaka, Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Masato Nishikawa, Susumu Mega
  • Patent number: 6366276
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reliably detecting a touch operation in a touch sensitive control surface, despite the influence of light or the existence of an obstruction. In the touch tracer, LEDs and phototransistors for detecting a touch position on the input pad are arranged to form parallel optical axes in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The optical axes of the LEDs and the phototransistors are alternately arranged in opposite directions to the adjacent optical axis. Moreover, the front surface of the phototransistor is closed except for an aperture that forms an optical axis only between opposing LEDs. The apertures are divided in half into top and bottom portions by a light-shielding film. Because of the light-shielding film, the phototransistor does not receive any light interference from the adjacent LED or incidental sunlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Minoru Morikawa, Shigeru Hayashi, Sadao Kokubu
  • Patent number: 6314352
    Abstract: An automatic control system is provided that allows a driver to decide whether some or all of an automatic control content for accessory devices for an automobile is to be executed. Trigger information for performing automatic control is detected by a detecting circuit such as a navigation system 12 and, on the basis of the detected trigger information, control contents are established at a control circuit 20, and the established control contents are announced to the driver through the navigation system 12 and an audio system 16. The driver replies to each of the corresponding announced contents (the contents to be automatically controlled) by operating an answer switch 100. At the control section 20, automatic control is performed in accordance with results of replies from the driver operating the answer switch 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Chikao Nagasaka, Masato Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Hirano, Toshiyuki Isogai
  • Patent number: 6232961
    Abstract: A display device is disposed in a car and a display screen is switched based upon coordinate data showing the touched position which is output from a touch tracer which is disposed where it can be accessed by a driver, and “on” data that shows that the touch tracer has been press-operated. The display device displays small button display portions to select a next display operation which is to be displayed on the map screen. The button display portions which are shown on the map screen in an input state of the coordinate data from the touch tracer are displayed in an expanded state. By so doing, the driver can easily confirm the display content of the button display portions so that it is possible to improve the operability of the touch tracer for the selection of the button display portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Minoru Morikawa, Satoshi Mori, Chikao Nagasaka, Masato Nishikawa