Patents by Inventor YUTO HIDAKA

YUTO HIDAKA 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: 9713229
    Abstract: A lighting control apparatus which controls dimming levels of lighting devices associated with a plurality of brightness sensors, so as to adjust brightnesses indicated by detection results detected by the plurality of brightness sensors to predetermined brightnesses, the lighting control apparatus including: a querier which periodically queries each of the plurality of brightness sensors for a detection result; and a controller which controls, for each of the lighting devices, the dimming level of the lighting device associated with a brightness sensor among the plurality of brightness sensors queried by the querier, according to the detection result detected by the brightness sensor, wherein the querier assigns priorities to the plurality of brightness sensors, and queries the plurality of brightness sensors for detection results, according to the priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Tanigawa, Yuto Hidaka, Yuka Hatano
  • Publication number: 20170202069
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a plurality of lighting devices; a controller; and a sensor which detects brightness of a region illuminated by at least two lighting devices among the plurality of lighting devices, wherein the controller includes a lighting controller operable in a plurality of operation modes, the plurality of operation modes include a sensor mode, and when the lighting controller obtains an instruction to operate in the sensor mode, the lighting controller performs (a) transition control for controlling the at least two lighting devices, by transmitting a transition instruction, to cause the at least two lighting devices to provide illumination at a predetermined dimming level, without using a result of detection by the sensor, and (b) dimming control for controlling the at least two lighting devices to cause the brightness indicated by the result of detection by the sensor to approach the target value, after transmitting the transition instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Yuto HIDAKA, Tetsuya TANIGAWA, Yuka HATANO
  • Publication number: 20170135181
    Abstract: A lighting control apparatus which controls dimming levels of lighting devices associated with a plurality of brightness sensors, so as to adjust brightnesses indicated by detection results detected by the plurality of brightness sensors to predetermined brightnesses, the lighting control apparatus including: a querier which periodically queries each of the plurality of brightness sensors for a detection result; and a controller which controls, for each of the lighting devices, the dimming level of the lighting device associated with a brightness sensor among the plurality of brightness sensors queried by the querier, according to the detection result detected by the brightness sensor, wherein the querier assigns priorities to the plurality of brightness sensors, and queries the plurality of brightness sensors for detection results, according to the priorities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Tetsuya TANIGAWA, Yuto HIDAKA, Yuka HATANO
  • Patent number: 9473016
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including: a power source section that steps down a power source voltage to generate a step-down voltage, and that stops generation of the step-down voltage when input with a stop signal; a control section that is driven by the step-down voltage generated by the power source section, and that outputs to the power source section a stop signal to stop generation of the step-down voltage; and a power source controller that prohibits input of the stop signal to the power source section until the step-down voltage has become a predetermined value or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuto Hidaka
  • Patent number: 9451676
    Abstract: A detector detects first information which represents sensing presence or absence of a person in an illuminated space and represents a position of the person in the illuminated space when sensing the presence, and second information representing brightness of the illuminated space. When external light enters the illuminated space, a controller receives both detected results of first information and second information and controls lighting fixtures in a lump so that the second information becomes a prescribed target value when the presence is sensed. When no external light enters the illuminated space, the controller receives a detected result of the first information and individually controls respective lighting fixtures in accordance with the first information regardless of the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuto Hidaka, Shinji Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20160234906
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a plurality of lighting devices; a plurality of lighting controllers; and a system controller. The system controller includes: a timer; a schedule storage; a first communication circuit; and an instruction controller which causes the first communication circuit to transmit control information which includes an instruction associated with a time indicated by a counter value and at least one address. Each of the lighting controllers include: a sensor; a second communication circuit; an address storage; and a dimming controller which switches to one of modes that is indicated in the control information from another of the modes and executes the one of the modes, if the address indicated in the control information matches the own address. The modes include a human detection mode, a brightness detection mode, and a dimming level fixed mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventor: Yuto HIDAKA
  • Publication number: 20160234913
    Abstract: A lighting system includes: a lighting device; a lighting controller; and a system controller. The system controller includes: a timer; a schedule storage for storing schedule information; a first communication circuit; and an instruction controller which causes a first communication circuit to transmit control information which includes an instruction associated with time indicated by a counter value. The lighting controller includes: a sensor which detects a person in a space where the lighting device is disposed, and brightness of the space; a second communication circuit; and a dimming controller which switches to one of modes that is indicated in the control information from another of the modes and executes the one of the modes, where the modes include (a) a human detection mode, (b) a brightness detection mode, and (c) a dimming level fixed mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventor: Yuto HIDAKA
  • Patent number: 9414464
    Abstract: The lighting system in accordance with the present invention includes a lighting fixture including a first controller configured to control a light source; and a sensing device. The sensing device includes: an image sensor configured to take an image of a predetermined area; and a second controller having a function of adjusting sensitivity of the image sensor and a function of setting a dimming rate for the light source. The first controller is configured to light the light source at a dimming level according to the dimming rate set by the second controller. The second controller is configured to, when concluding that a condition where no person is present in the predetermined area continues for a predetermined time period, perform an operation of decreasing the dimming rate by a preset value and increasing the sensitivity of the image sensor for a preset time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuto Hidaka, Atsuo Nanahara
  • Patent number: 9246331
    Abstract: A power supply control system and a semiconductor integrated circuit that may prevent reverse current flow from a solar battery to a primary battery includes first and second switching circuits. In the first switching circuit, a first voltage that is the primary battery output voltage dropped by a first voltage level and a second voltage that is the load side voltage dropped by a second voltage level are compared by a comparator. Electrical connection between the primary battery and the load is disconnected when the second voltage is equal to or greater than the first voltage. In the second switching circuit for a solar battery and the load, the switching circuit is similarly switched OFF before the load side voltage exceeds the output voltage of the primary battery or the solar battery, preventing damage to the battery due to reverse flow of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuto Hidaka
  • Publication number: 20150305119
    Abstract: A detector detects first information which represents sensing presence or absence of a person in an illuminated space and represents a position of the person in the illuminated space when sensing the presence, and second information representing brightness of the illuminated space. When external light enters the illuminated space, a controller receives both detected results of first information and second information and controls lighting fixtures in a lump so that the second information becomes a prescribed target value when the presence is sensed. When no external light enters the illuminated space, the controller receives a detected result of the first information and individually controls respective lighting fixtures in accordance with the first information regardless of the second information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Yuto HIDAKA, Shinji MATSUDA
  • Publication number: 20150048813
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including: a power source section that steps down a power source voltage to generate a step-down voltage, and that stops generation of the step-down voltage when input with a stop signal; a control section that is driven by the step-down voltage generated by the power source section, and that outputs to the power source section a stop signal to stop generation of the step-down voltage; and a power source controller that prohibits input of the stop signal to the power source section until the step-down voltage has become a predetermined value or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventor: YUTO HIDAKA
  • Publication number: 20140012400
    Abstract: The lighting system in accordance with the present invention includes a lighting fixture including a first controller configured to control a light source; and a sensing device. The sensing device includes: an image sensor configured to take an image of a predetermined area; and a second controller having a function of adjusting sensitivity of the image sensor and a function of setting a dimming rate for the light source. The first controller is configured to light the light source at a dimming level according to the dimming rate set by the second controller. The second controller is configured to, when concluding that a condition where no person is present in the predetermined area continues for a predetermined time period, perform an operation of decreasing the dimming rate by a preset value and increasing the sensitivity of the image sensor for a preset time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Yuto HIDAKA, Atsuo NANAHARA
  • Publication number: 20130342112
    Abstract: The lighting system includes a plurality of lighting devices. Each lighting device includes a light source, an image sensor configured to take an image of a predetermined area, an image processing unit configured to detect presence of a person in the image taken by the image sensor, and a control unit configured to control a light output of the light source in accordance with a detection result produced by the image processing unit. The image sensor of each lighting device is installed in such a manner to have an imaging area which includes at least a part of a lighting area of a particular lighting device out of the other lighting devices. Each lighting device is configured to, upon acknowledging that the image processing unit has detected a change in the light output of the particular lighting device in the image taken by the image sensor, light the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuto HIDAKA, Atsuo NANAHARA
  • Publication number: 20130033108
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power supply control system and a semiconductor integrated circuit that may prevent reverse current flow from a solar battery to a primary battery. Namely, in a first switching circuit, a first voltage that is the primary battery output voltage dropped by a first voltage level and a second voltage that is the load side voltage dropped by a second voltage level are compared by a comparator. Electrical connection between the primary battery and the load is disconnected when the second voltage is equal to or greater than the first voltage. In a second switching circuit for a solar battery and the load, the switching circuit is similarly switched OFF before the load side voltage exceeds the output voltage of the primary battery or the solar battery, preventing damage to the battery due to reverse flow of current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: YUTO HIDAKA