Patents by Inventor Youhei KONDOU

Youhei KONDOU 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: 20230307904
    Abstract: This encoder comprises: an encoder main circuit that is driven using an encoder main circuit driving voltage supplied from at least one internal power source to generate rotation information of a rotating element; an overvoltage breakdown prevention circuit that generates an abnormality detection unit driving voltage on the basis of a voltage supplied from a main power source; an abnormality detection unit that is driven using the abnormality detection unit driving voltage outputted from the overvoltage breakdown prevention circuit to detect an abnormality related to the internal power source; and a cut-off circuit that cuts off supply of the encoder main circuit driving voltage from the internal power source to the encoder main circuit upon detection by the abnormality detection unit of an abnormality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Shouhei NISHINO, Youhei KONDOU
  • Patent number: 11512983
    Abstract: An encoder includes: a phase signal generator that generates and outputs first and second sinusoidal analog signals that are out of phase with each other by 90 degrees, according to a movement of a measurement target; a Lissajous angle calculator that determines a Lissajous angle from the first and second analog signals; and an amplitude adjustor that adjusts an amplitude of only the first analog signal output from the phase signal generator and outputs the adjusted amplitude to the Lissajous angle calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shouhei Nishino, Youhei Kondou
  • Patent number: 11451086
    Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device supplies electric power to an encoder when supply of electric power of a control device is cut off, and includes: a backup power source for supplying backup electric power to the encoder when supply of electric power of the control device is cut off; an auxiliary power source for supplying electric power to the encoder when the backup power source is removed; a remaining capacity determination unit for determining the remaining capacity of the auxiliary power source; a display unit for displaying an indication that the remaining capacity is insufficient when the remaining capacity determined by the remaining capacity determination unit is lower than a threshold; and a switch for actuating the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taichi Taguchi, Youhei Kondou
  • Patent number: 11327460
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an encoder that is easier to use. An encoder 1 used in a numerical control device includes a signal generation unit configured to generate a digital signal, and a configuration information output unit configured to output configuration information that determines operation of the signal generation unit, in which the configuration information output unit includes a voltage level acquisition unit that acquires a voltage level to be input, a configuration information selection unit that selects configuration information according to the acquired voltage level among a plurality of types of configuration information, and a configuration information transmission unit that transmits the selected configuration information to the signal generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Kondou
  • Publication number: 20210111584
    Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device supplies electric power to an encoder when supply of electric power of a control device is cut off, and includes: a backup power source for supplying backup electric power to the encoder when supply of electric power of the control device is cut off; an auxiliary power source for supplying electric power to the encoder when the backup power source is removed; a remaining capacity determination unit for determining the remaining capacity of the auxiliary power source; a display unit for displaying an indication that the remaining capacity is insufficient when the remaining capacity determined by the remaining capacity determination unit is lower than a threshold; and a switch for actuating the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Taichi TAGUCHI, Youhei KONDOU
  • Publication number: 20210080292
    Abstract: An encoder includes: a phase signal generator that generates and outputs first and second sinusoidal analog signals that are out of phase with each other by 90 degrees, according to a movement of a measurement target; a Lissajous angle calculator that determines a Lissajous angle from the first and second analog signals; and an amplitude adjustor that adjusts an amplitude of only the first analog signal output from the phase signal generator and outputs the adjusted amplitude to the Lissajous angle calculator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Shouhei NISHINO, Youhei KONDOU
  • Patent number: 10847995
    Abstract: An encoder for detecting a rotation angle of an object of detection includes: a main circuit including a rotational speed obtaining portion configured to obtain a rotational speed of the object of detection; a backup battery for supplying power to the main circuit while the main circuit is disconnected from a main power-supply circuit; a current obtaining portion configured to obtain a consumption current of the backup battery as a backup current while the electric power is being supplied from the backup battery to the main circuit; and a current abnormality determining portion configured to determine that the backup current is abnormal if the backup current is larger than a given current value when the rotational speed of the object of detection obtained by the rotational speed obtaining portion is a given rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Kondou
  • Patent number: 10739168
    Abstract: An absolute encoder is driven by backup power from an external battery for backup. The absolute encoder includes: a clock generator configured to generate backup clock pulses at intervals of a predetermined period when the backup power is supplied; an analog signal generation circuit configured to operate according to the clock pulse so as to detect a displacement position of a motor and generate an analog signal corresponding to the detected displacement position; a comparator configured to operate according to the clock pulse so as to compare the analog signal with a predetermined voltage; and a clock control circuit configured to control the clock generator to change the pulse width of the clock pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Kondou
  • Publication number: 20190339097
    Abstract: An absolute encoder is driven by backup power from an external battery for backup. The absolute encoder includes: a clock generator configured to generate backup clock pulses at intervals of a predetermined period when the backup power is supplied; an analog signal generation circuit configured to operate according to the clock pulse so as to detect a displacement position of a motor and generate an analog signal corresponding to the detected displacement position; a comparator configured to operate according to the clock pulse so as to compare the analog signal with a predetermined voltage; and a clock control circuit configured to control the clock generator to change the pulse width of the clock pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventor: Youhei KONDOU
  • Publication number: 20190332087
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an encoder that is easier to use. An encoder 1 used in a numerical control device includes a signal generation unit configured to generate a digital signal, and a configuration information output unit configured to output configuration information that determines operation of the signal generation unit, in which the configuration information output unit includes a voltage level acquisition unit that acquires a voltage level to be input, a configuration information selection unit that selects configuration information according to the acquired voltage level among a plurality of types of configuration information, and a configuration information transmission unit that transmits the selected configuration information to the signal generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei KONDOU
  • Patent number: 10451444
    Abstract: An encoder according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a voltage generation circuit connected to a power supply through a diode and having a variable resistor, the voltage generation circuit outputting a voltage corresponding to a current flowing through the diode and a resistance value of the variable resistor, as a threshold value; a comparator for performing a comparison between an analog signal inputted from a detector for detecting rotation of a motor and the threshold value inputted from the voltage generation circuit, and outputting a comparison result as a comparator output; a resistance value variation circuit for varying the resistance value of the variable resistor; and a threshold value determination circuit for determining the threshold value based on a relationship between the resistance value and the comparator output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Kondou, Keisuke Imai
  • Patent number: 10444041
    Abstract: An encoder according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a voltage generation circuit connected to a power supply through a diode and having a variable resistor, the voltage generation circuit outputting a voltage corresponding to a current flowing through the diode and a resistance value of the variable resistor, as a threshold value; a comparator for comparing an analog signal inputted from a detector for detecting rotation of a motor with the threshold value inputted from the voltage generation circuit, and outputting a comparison result as a comparator output; an A/D converter for converting the analog signal into a digital signal; a threshold value determination circuit for calculating a new threshold value using the digital signal; and a resistance value change circuit for changing a resistance value of the variable resistor, such that the calculated new threshold value is inputted from the voltage generation circuit to the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Kondou, Keisuke Imai
  • Publication number: 20190260223
    Abstract: An encoder for detecting a rotation angle of an object of detection includes: a main circuit including a rotational speed obtaining portion configured to obtain a rotational speed of the object of detection; a backup battery for supplying power to the main circuit while the main circuit is disconnected from a main power-supply circuit; a current obtaining portion configured to obtain a consumption current of the backup battery as a backup current while the electric power is being supplied from the backup battery to the main circuit; and a current abnormality determining portion configured to determine that the backup current is abnormal if the backup current is larger than a given current value when the rotational speed of the object of detection obtained by the rotational speed obtaining portion is a given rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Kondou
  • Patent number: 10355717
    Abstract: An encoder signal processing device detects position data at every predetermined time interval from an original signal which is an analog amount generated in an encoder according to movement of a measurement target. The encoder signal processing device includes: an approximate curve calculation unit that calculates an approximate curve of a detection error included in the original signal on the basis of the detection error of the position data at at least three or more points; an approximate error computation unit that computes an approximate value of the detection error of the position data at an arbitrary time point on the basis of the approximate curve of the detection error; and a position data correction unit that corrects the detection error of the position data at the arbitrary time point on the basis of the approximate value of the detection error of the position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Kondou
  • Publication number: 20180356260
    Abstract: An encoder according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a voltage generation circuit connected to a power supply through a diode and having a variable resistor, the voltage generation circuit outputting a voltage corresponding to a current flowing through the diode and a resistance value of the variable resistor, as a threshold value; a comparator for comparing an analog signal inputted from a detector for detecting rotation of a motor with the threshold value inputted from the voltage generation circuit, and outputting a comparison result as a comparator output; an A/D converter for converting the analog signal into a digital signal; a threshold value determination circuit for calculating a new threshold value using the digital signal; and a resistance value change circuit for changing a resistance value of the variable resistor, such that the calculated new threshold value is inputted from the voltage generation circuit to the comparator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Kondou, Keisuke Imai
  • Publication number: 20180356257
    Abstract: An encoder according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a voltage generation circuit connected to a power supply through a diode and having a variable resistor, the voltage generation circuit outputting a voltage corresponding to a current flowing through the diode and a resistance value of the variable resistor, as a threshold value; a comparator for performing a comparison between an analog signal inputted from a detector for detecting rotation of a motor and the threshold value inputted from the voltage generation circuit, and outputting a comparison result as a comparator output; a resistance value variation circuit for varying the resistance value of the variable resistor; and a threshold value determination circuit for determining the threshold value based on a relationship between the resistance value and the comparator output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Kondou, Keisuke Imai
  • Patent number: 10081251
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling switching operations of switching elements of a power converter to convert input power to output power, a drive controller is configured to generate a drive control instruction indicative of predetermined switching operations of the switching elements, and output the drive control instruction. A driver is configured to drive, in accordance with the drive control instruction, the switching elements, so that the switching elements perform the predetermined switching operations. A switching speed adjuster is configured to obtain at least information indicative of atmospheric pressure, and adjust a switching speed of each of the switching elements such that the switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases with a decrease of the atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Kondou, Yusuke Shindo
  • Publication number: 20180041231
    Abstract: An encoder signal processing device detects position data at every predetermined time interval from an original signal which is an analog amount generated in an encoder according to movement of a measurement target. The encoder signal processing device includes: an approximate curve calculation unit that calculates an approximate curve of a detection error included in the original signal on the basis of the detection error of the position data at at least three or more points; an approximate error computation unit that computes an approximate value of the detection error of the position data at an arbitrary time point on the basis of the approximate curve of the detection error; and a position data correction unit that corrects the detection error of the position data at the arbitrary time point on the basis of the approximate value of the detection error of the position data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventor: Youhei KONDOU
  • Publication number: 20170075374
    Abstract: A numerical control system includes a numerical controller, an absolute encoder which detects a rotational displacement of a motor controlled by the numerical controller, batteries each of which supplies backup power to at least one of the numerical controller and the absolute encoder, A/D conversion circuits which analog/digital-convert voltages output from the batteries and output digital signals, the A/D conversion circuits being located in one device selected from the numerical controller and the absolute encoder and supplied with a backup voltage by the battery, and a display which displays the voltage values of the batteries on the basis of the above-mentioned digital signals and is located in the numerical controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Kondou, Hirofumi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20170021733
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling switching operations of switching elements of a power converter to convert input power to output power, a drive controller is configured to generate a drive control instruction indicative of predetermined switching operations of the switching elements, and output the drive control instruction. A driver is configured to drive, in accordance with the drive control instruction, the switching elements, so that the switching elements perform the predetermined switching operations. A switching speed adjuster is configured to obtain at least information indicative of atmospheric pressure, and adjust a switching speed of each of the switching elements such that the switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases with a decrease of the atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei KONDOU, Yusuke SHINDO