Patents by Inventor Yumiko Kato

Yumiko Kato 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: 20190230344
    Abstract: A three-dimensional display device configured to display a main image and an additional image on a screen includes a display region candidate decider that decides one candidate region from a plurality of region candidates for the additional image to be superimposed on the main image on the screen, a depth suitability determiner that determines whether a difference between a depth of the main image displayed at a boundary region and a depth of the additional image is within a predetermined tolerance range, and an image composer that, when the difference in depth between the depth of the main image displayed at the boundary region and the depth of the additional image is within the tolerance range, superimposes the additional image upon the main image at the candidate region, thereby composing a composite image of the main image and the additional image, and displays the composite image on the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko KATO, TSUYOSHI INOUE, JUN OZAWA
  • Patent number: 10298917
    Abstract: A three-dimensional display device includes: a display region candidate deciding unit that decides a candidate region of an additional image which shields part of a main image of a three-dimensional image on a screen; a depth suitability determination unit that determines whether a difference in depth between the main image and the additional image is within a tolerance range; an image compositing unit that superimposes the additional image upon the candidate region on the main image, and displays the composited image; and a possibly-unsuitable region deciding unit that decides, in the main image, a first region that may protrude to a near side beyond a predetermined depth range, and a second region that may recess to a far side beyond a predetermined depth range. The display region candidate deciding unit further decides a candidate region to shield the first and second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Tsuyoshi Inoue, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10295525
    Abstract: An image generation device generates a plurality of reference in-focus images of an object placed on a surface of an image sensor by using a plurality of images captured by the image sensor using sensor pixels when the object is irradiated with light by a plurality of illuminators. Each of the reference in-focus images is an in-focus image corresponding to one of a plurality of virtual reference focal planes that are located between the image sensor and the plurality of illuminators. The plurality of reference focal planes pass through the object and are spaced apart from one another. The image generation device generates a three-dimensional image of the object by using the reference in-focus images and displays the three-dimensional image on a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Taichi Sato, Yoshihide Sawada
  • Patent number: 10191265
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus includes a plurality of irradiators, and a control circuit. The control circuit performs an operation including generating an in-focus image of an object in each of a plurality of predetermined focal planes, extracting a contour of at least one or more cross sections of the object represented in the plurality of in-focus images, generating at least one or more circumferences based on the contour of the at least one or more cross sections, generating a sphere image in the form of a three-dimensional image of at least one or more spheres, each sphere having one of the circumferences, generating a synthetic image by processing the sphere image such that a cross section appears, and displaying the resultant synthetic image on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Taichi Sato, Yoshihide Sawada
  • Patent number: 10182185
    Abstract: An image generation device generates an image of an object placed on a surface of an image sensor by using a plurality of images each of which is captured by the image sensor when the object is irradiated with a corresponding one of a plurality of illuminators. The object includes first object and one or more second objects included in the first object. The image generation device determines a section of the first object including a largest number of feature points of second objects, generates an in-focus image using the section as a virtual focal plane, and causes the in-focus image to be displayed on a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Taichi Sato, Yoshihide Sawada
  • Patent number: 10168523
    Abstract: An image generating system that generates a focal image of a target object on a virtual focal plane located between a plurality of illuminators and an image sensor (b) carries out the following (c) through (f) for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the focal image, (c) carries out the following (d) through (f) for each of the positions of the plurality of illuminators, (d) calculates a position of a target point that is a point of intersection of a straight line connecting a position of the pixel on the focal plane and a position of the illuminator and a light receiving surface of the image sensor, (e) calculates a luminance value of the target point in the captured image by the illuminator on the basis of the position of the target point, (f) applies the luminance value of the target point to the luminance value of the pixel, and (g) generates the focal image of the target object on the focal plane by using a result of applying the luminance value at each of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Yoshihide Sawada, Masahiro Iwasaki, Yasuhiro Mukaigawa, Hiroyuki Kubo
  • Publication number: 20180255240
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus includes first and second light sources, an image sensor, a mask, and a processing circuit. The image sensor acquires a first image when the first light source is energized and acquires a second image when the second light source is energized. The processing circuit obtains a pixel value based on a direct light component or a pixel value based on a component other than the direct light component corresponding to a focal point by using pixel values of first pixel regions of the first image, pixel values of second pixel regions of the second image, the ratios of the direct light and the light other than the direct light from the first light source, and the ratios of the direct light and the light other than the direct light from the second light source and generates a cross-sectional image of a substance on the focal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA, YASUHIRO MUKAIGAWA, TAKUYA FUNATOMI, HIROYUKI KUBO, FUSATAKA KUNIYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20180210185
    Abstract: An image generating apparatus is provided with a first light source and a second light source, an image sensor, a mask including a light-transmitting part and a light-blocking part, and a dark image processing unit. The image sensor acquires a first image of the material when illuminated by the first light source, and acquires a second image of the material when illuminated by the second light source. The image sensor includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region. The light-blocking part is positioned between the first pixel region and the first light source. The light-blocking part is positioned between the first pixel region and the first light source. The dark image processing unit uses first pixel information corresponding to a first pixel region in the first image and second pixel information corresponding to a second pixel region in the second image to generate a third image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA, YASUHIRO MUKAIGAWA, TAKUYA FUNATOMI, HIROYUKI KUBO, FUSATAKA KUNIYOSHI
  • Patent number: 9916690
    Abstract: This invention solves the problem that objects in the field of view of reading glasses using multifocal lenses for correcting ocular refractive errors such as presbyopia appear distorted. This image display device is provided with the following: a distance computation unit that computes the distance to a subject in a field-of-view image; a visual-acuity-information acquisition unit that stores visual-acuity information for the user in advance; a corrected-image generation unit that generates and outputs a corrected image on the basis of the field-of-view image and an eye image generated from the field-of-view image, the distance information, and the visual-acuity information; and a display unit that displays the corrected image by superimposing same onto the user's field of view. Since the corrected image is superimposed without the use of lenses, lenses being the cause of the abovementioned distortion, the user can see close objects clearly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Nobori, Ayako Maruyama, Yumiko Kato, Tsuyoshi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20180025475
    Abstract: An image generating apparatus is provided with: first and second light sources that illuminate a material; an image sensor on which the material is disposed; a mask which includes a light-transmitting part that transmits light and a light-blocking part that blocks light, and which is positioned between the image sensor and the first and second light sources; and a light and dark image processing unit. The image sensor acquires first and second images of the material when illuminated by the first and second light sources, respectively. The light and dark image processing unit derives a difference between a luminance value of a pixel included in the first image and a luminance value of a pixel included in the second image at the same position as the pixel included in the first image, and thereby generates a third image of the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA, YASUHIRO MUKAIGAWA, TAKUYA FUNATOMI, HIROYUKI KUBO
  • Patent number: 9864191
    Abstract: A viewer includes a varifocal lens and a lens controller that adjusts a focal length of the varifocal lens, and can adjust a focal point in accordance with eye movement of the user. When a 3D image viewing detector detects 3D image viewing by the user, a focal length fixing section instructs a lens controller to fix a focal length of the varifocal lens irrespective of eye movement of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Tsuyoshi Inoue, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9807361
    Abstract: A three-dimensional display device for displaying a three-dimensional image, including: a gaze point obtaining unit which obtains a position of a gaze point of a viewer; a fusional area determination unit which determines a fusional area where binocular fusion is allowed, based on the obtained position of the gaze point; a correction unit which corrects the three-dimensional image so as to suppress display of an object that is included in the three-dimensional image outside the fusional area; and a display unit which displays the corrected three-dimensional image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Jun Ozawa, Tsuyoshi Inoue, Toru Nakada
  • Publication number: 20170270662
    Abstract: An image generation device generates a plurality of reference in-focus images of an object placed on a surface of an image sensor by using a plurality of images captured by the image sensor using sensor pixels when the object is irradiated with light by a plurality of illuminators. Each of the reference in-focus images is an in-focus image corresponding to one of a plurality of virtual reference focal planes that are located between the image sensor and the plurality of illuminators. The plurality of reference focal planes pass through the object and are spaced apart from one another. The image generation device generates a three-dimensional image of the object by using the reference in-focus images and displays the three-dimensional image on a display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, TAICHI SATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20170272704
    Abstract: An image generation device generates an image of an object placed on a surface of an image sensor by using a plurality of images each of which is captured by the image sensor when the object is irradiated with a corresponding one of a plurality of illuminators. The object includes first object and one or more second objects included in the first object. The image generation device determines a section of the first object including a largest number of feature points of second objects, generates an in-focus image using the section as a virtual focal plane, and causes the in-focus image to be displayed on a display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, TAICHI SATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20170269344
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus includes a plurality of irradiators, and a control circuit. The control circuit performs an operation including generating an in-focus image of an object in each of a plurality of predetermined focal planes, extracting a contour of at least one or more cross sections of the object represented in the plurality of in-focus images, generating at least one or more circumferences based on the contour of the at least one or more cross sections, generating a sphere image in the form of a three-dimensional image of at least one or more spheres, each sphere having one of the circumferences, generating a synthetic image by processing the sphere image such that a cross section appears, and displaying the resultant synthetic image on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, TAICHI SATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA
  • Patent number: 9716834
    Abstract: An image display device includes: an eyeball angular velocity calculation unit that calculates an eyeball angular velocity of a viewer viewing an object by an equation: eyeball angular velocity=(2 arctan(s/2d))/t, using a movement distance moved by the object included in a moving image between two sequential frames on a screen, a time interval between the two sequential frames, and a viewing distance, a distance between the viewer and the screen; a determination unit that determines whether the calculated eyeball angular velocity is not less than a lower limit of an eyeball angular velocity in a saccadic eye movement; an image processor that (a) stops the moving image or replaces the moving image with a single color image when it is determined that the calculated eyeball angular velocity is not less than the lower limit, (b) does not stop the moving image and does not replace the moving image with the single color image when it is determined that the eyeball angular velocity is less than the lower limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Jun Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20170192219
    Abstract: An image generating system that generates a focal image of a target object on a virtual focal plane located between a plurality of illuminators and an image sensor (b) carries out the following (c) through (f) for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the focal image, (c) carries out the following (d) through (f) for each of the positions of the plurality of illuminators, (d) calculates a position of a target point that is a point of intersection of a straight line connecting a position of the pixel on the focal plane and a position of the illuminator and a light receiving surface of the image sensor, (e) calculates a luminance value of the target point in the captured image by the illuminator on the basis of the position of the target point, (f) applies the luminance value of the target point to the luminance value of the pixel, and (g) generates the focal image of the target object on the focal plane by using a result of applying the luminance value at each of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, YOSHIHIDE SAWADA, MASAHIRO IWASAKI, YASUHIRO MUKAIGAWA, HIROYUKI KUBO
  • Patent number: 9678337
    Abstract: A viewer includes a multifocal lens capable of setting one of a plurality of focal lengths. When a measuring section detects a change in gazing point distance, a selection section selects a focal length to be set among the plurality of focal lengths, and a determiner determines a time duration before a focal length of the multifocal lens is changed. A controller changes the focal length of the multifocal lens when a detector detects a blink or saccadic eye movement of the user before the determined time duration elapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inoue, Yumiko Kato, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9679189
    Abstract: An elapsed-time determination apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores correlation information indicating a correlation between a state of a melanophore of a fish and an amount of time elapsed since the death of the fish; an acquisition unit that acquires an image of a fish; an analysis unit that detects a state of a melanophore of a fish by analyzing an image acquired by the acquisition unit; and a determination unit that determines the amount of time elapsed since the death of the fish in accordance with the state of the melanophore of the fish detected by the analysis unit, based on the correlation information, and outputs determination results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Yumi Wakita, Jun Ozawa, Naoshi Kondo, Yuichi Ogawa, Tetsuhito Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20170145370
    Abstract: A cell culture container includes a container that houses therein a liquid mixture including one or more cells and a culture solution, an irradiator that irradiates the liquid mixture with light, and an image sensor that receives transmitted light that is the light that has been emitted from the irradiator and has passed through the liquid mixture. The light emitted from the irradiator includes a plurality of rays, and the plurality of rays do not cross each other between the irradiator and the image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: YUMIKO KATO, TAICHI SATO, MASAHIRO IWASAKI