Patents by Inventor Yuichiro SEGAWA

Yuichiro SEGAWA 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: 11948469
    Abstract: A flight information acquisition unit repeatedly acquires the respective flight status of a plurality of drones in flight. A flight irregularity determination unit determines whether or not the drones are flying in a manner deviated from a flight plan. When a flight status of a drone indicating flight deviated from the flight plan has been acquired, a first collision specification unit specifies the drone at risk of collision with a drone having that flight status. When a flight status indicating that there is a possibility of crash for a drone has been acquired, a flight status processing unit (such as a flight irregularity determination unit) sets a higher priority for processing based on the flight status acquired from that drone than for processing based on the flight status acquired from another drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Yuichiro Segawa, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 11891176
    Abstract: Recovery of a flying vehicle that has fallen to the ground is facilitated. A positioning unit measures a position of the flying vehicle during flight. A specification unit specifies a feature of a region on the ground corresponding to the measured position. A determination unit determines a sending interval of position information indicating the position of the flying vehicle, according to the specified feature. A sending unit sends the position information at the determined sending interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Naoki Kameyama, Tomoe Ushiro, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa
  • Patent number: 11881115
    Abstract: Assignment unit assigns flight vehicles having radio communication apparatuses to airspaces. At this time, assignment unit limits the assignment of flight vehicle to a specified airspace in which a parameter specified by specification unit is in a predetermined range (e.g., an airspace in which the path loss of the physical downlink channel to radio communication apparatus is less than or equal to a threshold value).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa
  • Patent number: 11823580
    Abstract: Time slot specifying unit reads out facility information of a facility to be inspected (specifically, a base station ID of a base station whose previous inspection day is included in a past predetermined period) from facility information storage unit. Daytime information acquiring unit acquires daytime information at positions at which base stations to be inspected are installed. Time slot specifying unit specifies non-backlight time slots based on the read-out facility information and the acquired daytime information. Operation plan generating unit generates an operation plan of drone in which facilities are shot in the specified non-backlight time slots. Operation plan outputting unit outputs the generated operation plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Syuusuke Watanabe, Tadashige Nagae, Mitsuteru Fukuyama, Masakazu Hamano, Takefumi Yamada, Takashi Hara, Yuichiro Segawa, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 11810462
    Abstract: A specifying unit 51 of a flying body operation management device 50 specifies an airspace in which a propagation delay equal to or greater than a threshold value occurs in the uplink of a time-division duplex between a wireless communication terminal 30 and a wireless base station 41 to which wireless communication terminal 30 is wirelessly connected. Next, an assigning unit 52 of flying body operation management device 50 performs a process of assigning, with respect to each airspace, a flying body 10 having a wireless communication terminal 20. At this time, with respect to an airspace specified by specifying unit 51, assigning unit 52 limits the assigning of flying body 10 on which wireless communication terminal 20 is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Shinya Hanano, Takashi Yoshimoto, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 11794900
    Abstract: Baggage is connected to an aerial vehicle in a state in which the baggage is suspended by a connector such as rope. A learning unit of a server device performs machine learning on the relationship between the piloting of an aerial vehicle and the behavior of baggage on the basis of an aerial vehicle behavior history and a piloting history acquired by a first acquisition unit and a baggage behavior history acquired by a second acquisition unit. With this arrangement, the automatic piloting of the aerial vehicle at the time of lowering baggage is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Tadao Takami, Koji Ishii, Jooin Woo, Hiroshi Kawakami, Kaori Niihata, Yuichiro Segawa, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 11763441
    Abstract: The accuracy of an index indicating growth conditions of a crop obtained from a shot image is improved, while reducing the flight time of an aircraft shooting the crop. Crop image acquisition unit acquires an image of a crop region shot by drone. Index calculation unit calculates an index indicating growth conditions of a crop shot in the image based on the acquired image of the crop region. Flight instruction unit instructs, if a portion (low index region) regarding which the calculated index is less than a predetermined index threshold is present in the crop region, drone to shoot the low index region while increasing the resolution of the image. Specifically, flight instruction unit makes an instruction to shoot the portion while performing a low-altitude flight at an altitude lower than that when the image regarding which the index of the low index region has been calculated has been shot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakagawa, Kazuhiro Yamada, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa
  • Patent number: 11755652
    Abstract: An information-processing device including an acquisition unit that acquires input data corresponding to spoken words input to a user terminal, and acquired response data output from a dialog processing device that performs processing according to the input data. A generation unit generates guidance information on how to use the dialog processing device based on the input data and the response data. An output unit outputs the guidance information generated by the generation unit to the user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Kousuke Kadono, Yuuki Saitou, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa
  • Patent number: 11755040
    Abstract: A flight control apparatus that enables a flying object to safely pass another flying object includes a detection unit configured to detect, in a predetermined range from a flying object, another flying object. A specifying unit is configured to specify a moving direction of the detected other flying object. A judging unit is configured to judge, based on the specified moving direction, whether or not passing is possible. A determination unit is configured to determine, based on a relationship between the flying object and the other flying object, content of a passing operation to be performed with respect to the other flying object. A flight control unit is configured to, if it is judged that passing is possible, control flight of the flying object and perform the passing operation according to the determined content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura, Shinya Hanano
  • Patent number: 11756436
    Abstract: Setting unit performs the setting of each of the operating modes of a plurality of aerial vehicles on the basis of communication quality information of the planned route of the plurality of aerial vehicles that fly in a group. Specifically, setting unit firstly specifies the planned positions and periods in which each aerial vehicle is to fly from the flight plan information of the plurality of aerial vehicles that fly in a group. Next, setting unit specifies a communication quality of first wireless communication unit of each aerial vehicle in each position and each period from the communication quality information that represents the communication quality in the specified positions and periods. Then, setting unit specifies an operating mode setting schedule of main unit mode and auxiliary unit mode, which sets an aerial vehicle having a specified communication quality, and sets the remaining aerial vehicles as auxiliary units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Kaori Niihata, Tadao Takami, Koji Ishii, Hiroshi Kawakami, Yuichiro Segawa, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 11645879
    Abstract: Flight control unit and flight unit start flight in accordance with a flight plan. Flight history acquisition unit acquires a flight history of drone. Flight plan acquisition unit acquires a flight plan for drone. Inspection timing determination unit calculates a difference between the acquired flight plan and the acquired flight history, and based on the difference, determines an inspection timing for drone. Inspection timing notification unit provides notification of the determined inspection timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura, Shinya Hanano
  • Patent number: 11634225
    Abstract: Flight cessation detection unit detects that drone has ceased flying at an unexpected site. Situation information acquisition unit acquires, as situation information indicating a situation related to retrieval of the drone, information on weather in an area in which the drone has flown. Retrieval procedure determination unit determines a retrieval procedure for the drone based on a situation indicated by the acquired situation information. Retrieval procedure determination unit, upon detecting a time period having specific weather based on the acquired information on weather, determines a retrieval procedure in which the time period is designated as a retrieval time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura, Shinya Hanano
  • Patent number: 11605300
    Abstract: Flight type determination unit determines a flight type of drone on the basis of parameters obtained by flight schedule obtainment unit. The flight type includes a travel type, which uses a destination as a parameter, a touring type, which uses a range in space (a touring range) as a parameter, and a hovering type, which uses a position in space (a hovering position) as a parameter. Allocation rule storage unit stores allocation rules for flight airspace corresponding to each of the plurality of flight types. Flight airspace allocation unit allocates flight airspace to drone on the basis of allocation rules corresponding to the flight type of that drone as indicated by the parameters obtained for that drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11531951
    Abstract: The location detection unit detects a destination location for delivery of an item by a drone. The release determination unit determines whether the drone transporting the item can release and place the item at the destination. Upon determination that the release and placement is not possible, a standby airspace determination unit determines a standby airspace within which the drone waits. The wait-time determination unit determines a wait-time for the drone in the determined standby airspace. The wait-time determination unit determines a wait-time by which the drone can arrive at a next destination by a scheduled arrival time following departure of the drone departs after standby. The standby instruction unit issues to the drone an instruction related to the standby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura, Shinya Hanano
  • Patent number: 11528674
    Abstract: If a propagation delay equal to or greater than a threshold value is detected in the uplink of a time-division duplex between a first wireless communication terminal and a first wireless base station, a suppression unit 52 performs control pertaining to resources in the time-division duplex of a first wireless communication terminal. Thereby, communication errors that occur in a second wireless communication terminal wirelessly connected to the second wireless base station that is different from the first wireless base station, to which the first wireless communication terminal is wirelessly connected, is suppressed by uplink communication performed by the first wireless communication terminal in accordance with the propagation delay. For example, this suppression process is a process pertaining to the assignment of resources a time-division duplex with respect to the first wireless communication terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Shinya Hanano, Takashi Yoshimoto, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 11501651
    Abstract: A flight control apparatus includes a detection unit that detects within a predetermined range of an air vehicle another air vehicle. A specifying unit specifies a type of the detected other air vehicle. A determining unit determines a possibility that the air vehicle and the other air vehicle will collide, based on an attribute relating to movement of the other air vehicle. When it is determined that a possibility of collision exists, a flight control unit controls the flight of the air vehicle according to the specified type of the other air vehicle to avoid collision with the other air vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Youhei Oono, Hidetoshi Ebara, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11492100
    Abstract: An information apparatus includes a schedule obtainment unit that obtains flight schedule information transmitted from terminals. Allocation unit allocates an airspace and a permitted flight period to drone based on the obtained flight schedule information. If there is a predetermined commonality in the airspaces and the flight directions of multiple drones, allocation unit causes those multiple drones to share the airspace under the condition that formation flight in which distances therebetween are controlled is performed. Allocation unit determines an arrangement in which multiple drones are aligned in the order in which drones withdraw from formation flight as the arrangement of multiple drones during formation flight. Also, allocation unit determines an arrangement in which drone that does not include a formation flight function is in front and drone that includes formation flight function follows therebehind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11432534
    Abstract: When utilizing a flying vehicle to monitor an animal that is grazing, the stress of the animal targeted for monitoring is mitigated. An acquisition unit acquires position information indicating the position of an animal that is grazing. A determination unit determines the reactivity of the animal to the approach of a flying vehicle. A setting unit sets a distance that depends on the determined reactivity. An instruction unit instructs the flying vehicle to start flying toward a monitoring position corresponding to the position indicated by the acquired position information and the set distance, and to perform processing for monitoring the animal on the basis of the monitoring position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventors: Naoki Kameyama, Tomoe Ushiro, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa
  • Publication number: 20220254154
    Abstract: Outward leg instructing unit provides a first instruction for causing drone to acquire examination data of a facility while flying in the vicinity of the facility. Position information acquiring unit acquires position information of a place of focus specified based on the examination data acquired in accordance with the first instruction. Return leg instructing unit provides, as a second instruction, an instruction for causing drone to acquire a greater amount of examination data than that acquired in accordance with the first instruction with regard to the place of focus indicated by the acquired position information, while flying so as to return on a path flown due to the first instruction. Return leg instructing unit provides as the second instruction an instruction to acquire examination data including image data of a greater number of shots, as compared with shooting performed in accordance with the first instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Syuusuke WATANABE, Tadashige NAGAE, Mitsuteru FUKUYAMA, Masakazu HAMANO, Takefumi YAMADA, Takashi HARA, Yuichiro SEGAWA, Yasuhiro KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220254262
    Abstract: Wind information storage unit acquires and stores wind information indicating the windspeed and wind direction of wind that blows at a plurality of spots neighboring a facility targeted for examination. Wind predicting unit predicts the windspeed and wind direction at the facility targeted for examination, based on the wind information acquired by wind information storage unit. Flight instructing unit instructs, with regard to drone that flies around the facility and acquires examination data of the facility, flight that avoids colliding with the facility due to wind of the windspeed and wind direction predicted by wind predicting unit, before arrival of the wind. Flight instructing unit gives an instruction for collision avoidance in the case where a change in the windspeed predicted by wind predicting unit is greater than or equal to a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Syuusuke WATANABE, Tadashige NAGAE, Mitsuteru FUKUYAMA, Masakazu HAMANO, Takefumi YAMADA, Takashi HARA, Yuichiro SEGAWA, Yasuhiro KITAMURA