Patents by Inventor Ikuma SUZUKI

Ikuma SUZUKI 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: 20230271631
    Abstract: A vehicle is a vehicle on which an ADK is mountable. The vehicle includes: a VP that controls the vehicle in accordance with an instruction from the ADK; and a VCIB that serves as an interface between the ADK and the VP. The VP outputs an accelerator pedal position signal in accordance with an amount of depression of an accelerator pedal by a driver, and outputs an accelerator pedal intervention signal, to the ADK through the VCIB. The accelerator pedal intervention signal indicates that the accelerator pedal is depressed, when the accelerator pedal position signal indicates that the amount of depression is larger than a threshold value, and indicates beyond autonomy acceleration of the vehicle, when an acceleration request in accordance with the amount of depression is higher than a system acceleration request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ikuma SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11738745
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises an autonomous driving system and a vehicle platform that controls the vehicle in response to a command received from the autonomous driving system. In the present vehicle, when the autonomous driving system issues a first command to request the vehicle platform to provide deceleration to stop the vehicle and a first signal indicates 0 km/h or a prescribed velocity or less, the autonomous driving system issues a second command to request the vehicle platform to maintain stationary. And after brake hold control is finished, a second signal indicates standstill. Until the second signal indicates standstill, the first command continues to request the vehicle platform to provide deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11731650
    Abstract: A vehicle (10) includes a VP (120) that carries out vehicle control in accordance with a command from an autonomous driving system (202) and a vehicle control interface (110) that interfaces between the autonomous driving system (202) and the VP (120). A tire turning angle command that requests for a wheel steer angle is transmitted from the autonomous driving system (202) to the VP (120). A signal indicating an estimated wheel angle which is an estimated value of the wheel steer angle is transmitted from the VP (120) to the autonomous driving system (202). The VP (120) steers the vehicle in accordance with the tire turning angle command set based on a wheel estimation angle while the vehicle (10) is in a straight-ahead travel state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Satoshi Katoh, Ryo Irie
  • Patent number: 11733701
    Abstract: When a vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Standstill” from a VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 2 in a signal indicating an actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in a forward rotation direction is larger than two, the vehicle control interface sets a value 0 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in a reverse rotation direction is larger than two, the vehicle control interface sets a value 1 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in the forward rotation direction is equal to the number of wheels rotating in the reverse rotation direction, the vehicle control interface sets a value 3 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. The vehicle control interface provides the signal indicating the actual moving direction to an ADK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11702100
    Abstract: An ADS performs processing including setting an immobilization command to “Applied” when an autonomous state has been set to an autonomous mode, when an acceleration command has a value indicating deceleration, when an actual moving direction indicates a standstill state, and when a wheel lock request is issued, setting the acceleration command to V1, and setting the acceleration command to zero when an immobilization status has been set to “11”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11691644
    Abstract: An ADS performs processing including setting an immobilization command to “Applied” when an autonomous state has been set to an autonomous mode, when an acceleration command has a value indicating deceleration, when an actual moving direction indicates a standstill state, and when a wheel lock request is issued, setting the acceleration command to V1, and setting the acceleration command to zero when an immobilization status has been set to “11”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20230192113
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a data set including a requested acceleration as information representing movement of a vehicle in a front-rear direction and any one of a steering angle, a yaw rate, and a rotation radius as information representing movement of the vehicle in a lateral direction from each of a plurality of applications, an arbitration unit configured to perform arbitration of information representing the movement of the vehicle in the front-rear direction and arbitration of information representing the movement of the vehicle in the lateral direction based on a plurality of the data sets received by the receiver, and a first output unit configured to output instruction information for driving an actuator based on an arbitration result of the arbitration unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Wataru KANDA, Kaiji ITABASHI, Yoshihisa YAMADA, Kazuki MIYAKE, Tamotsu KONDOH
  • Patent number: 11673574
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises an autonomous driving system and a vehicle platform that controls the vehicle in response to a command received from the autonomous driving system. In the vehicle, when a first signal indicates an autonomous mode, the vehicle platform performs a shift change requested through a first command only while the second signal indicates a standstill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11673573
    Abstract: A vehicle is a vehicle on which an ADK is mountable. The vehicle includes: a VP that controls the vehicle in accordance with an instruction from the ADK; and a VCIB that serves as an interface between the ADK and the VP. The VP outputs an accelerator pedal position signal in accordance with an amount of depression of an accelerator pedal by a driver, and outputs an accelerator pedal intervention signal, to the ADK through the VCIB. The accelerator pedal intervention signal indicates that the accelerator pedal is depressed, when the accelerator pedal position signal indicates that the amount of depression is larger than a threshold value, and indicates beyond autonomy acceleration of the vehicle, when an acceleration request in accordance with the amount of depression is higher than a system acceleration request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ikuma Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11667308
    Abstract: A vehicle is a vehicle on which an autonomous driving kit (ADK) is mountable. The vehicle includes: a vehicle platform (VP) that controls the vehicle in accordance with an instruction from the ADK; and a vehicle control interface that serves as an interface between the ADK and the VP. The VP receives a driver deceleration request in accordance with an amount of depression of a brake pedal by a driver, and receives a system deceleration request from the ADK through the vehicle control interface. During an autonomous mode, the VP specifies the sum of the driver deceleration request and the system deceleration request as a target deceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20230159101
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an ADK attachable to and removable from a vehicle main body, the ADK issuing an instruction for autonomous driving, a VP including a plurality of functional units that perform a plurality of prescribed functions of the vehicle main body, and a VCIB that issues a control instruction to the functional units in accordance with an instruction from the ADK. One of the plurality of functional units is a steering system that steers the vehicle main body. The steering system specifies a limit value of a steering rate in accordance with a prescribed reference and transmits the specified limit value to the ADK through the VCIB. The ADK calculates a target steering angle to satisfy the limit value received from the steering system and transmits an instruction for the calculated steering angle to the steering system through the VCIB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Satoshi KATOH, Ryo IRIE
  • Patent number: 11650588
    Abstract: When a vehicle control interface receives information indicating “Standstill” from a VP, the vehicle control interface sets a value 2 in a signal indicating an actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in a forward rotation direction is larger than two, the vehicle control interface sets a value 0 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in a reverse rotation direction is larger than two, the vehicle control interface sets a value 1 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. When the number of wheels rotating in the forward rotation direction is equal to the number of wheels rotating in the reverse rotation direction, the vehicle control interface sets a value 3 in the signal indicating the actual moving direction. The vehicle control interface provides the signal indicating the actual moving direction to an ADK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuta Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11628880
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an ADK attachable to and removable from a vehicle main body, the ADK issuing an instruction for autonomous driving, a VP including a plurality of functional units that perform a plurality of prescribed functions of the vehicle main body, and a VCIB that issues a control instruction to the functional units in accordance with an instruction from the ADK. One of the plurality of functional units is a steering system that steers the vehicle main body. The steering system specifies a limit value of a steering rate in accordance with a prescribed reference and transmits the specified limit value to the ADK through the VCIB. The ADK calculates a target steering angle to satisfy the limit value received from the steering system and transmits an instruction for the calculated steering angle to the steering system through the VCIB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Satoshi Katoh, Ryo Irie
  • Publication number: 20230110748
    Abstract: An ADK is attachable to and removable from a VP and issues an instruction for autonomous driving to the VP. The VP includes a steering system for steering of the VP. (An ADS of) the ADK includes a compute assembly and communication module configured to communicate with the VP. The compute assembly obtains from the VP, a prescribed reference on which control of a wheel steer angle is premised, calculates the steer angle in accordance with a driving plan for autonomous driving based on the obtained prescribed reference, and transmits a wheel steer angle command indicating the calculated steer angle to the VP. When the attachable and removable ADK that issues the instruction for autonomous driving controls the VP, without storage of the prescribed reference on which control of the wheel steer angle is premised in advance in the ADK, control suited to a base vehicle can be carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Yuji WATARI, Eisuke ANDO
  • Publication number: 20230110317
    Abstract: A VP includes an EPB system configured to switch between activation and release of brakehold and a VCIB that interfaces between an ADS and a VP. The VCIB is configured to provide a standstill status signal to the ADS. The standstill status signal includes a value applied indicating activation of brakehold and a value released indicating release of brakehold. The ADS includes a compute assembly. When the compute assembly requests the VP to activate brakehold, it requests the VP to decelerate until the standstill status signal switches from the value released to the value applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Eisuke ANDO
  • Publication number: 20230112480
    Abstract: An ADK is attachable to and removable from a VP and issues an instruction for autonomous driving to the VP. The VP includes a steering system for steering of the VP. (An ADS of) the ADK includes a compute assembly and a communication module configured to communicate with the VP. The compute assembly obtains from the VP, a torque value relating to a steering system 33 through the communication module and transmits to the VP, a wheel steer angle command indicating the wheel steer angle in accordance with a driving plan for autonomous driving and the obtained torque value. Even when a user intervenes with an operation while the attachable and removable ADK that issues the instruction for autonomous driving controls the VP, stable steering can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Yuji WATARI, Eisuke ANDO
  • Publication number: 20230110521
    Abstract: An ADS performs processing including setting an initial value of a wheel steer angle command when an autonomous state has been set to an autonomous mode, obtaining a limitation of a rate, setting a wheel steer angle limitation as the wheel steer angle command when magnitude of the initial value is larger than the wheel steer angle limitation, and transmitting the wheel steer angle command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Yuji WATARI, Eisuke ANDO
  • Publication number: 20230111175
    Abstract: An ADS performs processing including setting an acceleration command to V1 when an autonomous state is set to an autonomous mode, when the acceleration command has a value indicating deceleration, when a vehicle velocity is zero, and when a standstill command is set to “Applied” and setting an immobilization command to “Applied” when a traveling direction of a vehicle indicates a standstill status, when there is a wheellock request, and when predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle came to a standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Eisuke ANDO
  • Patent number: 11608075
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a data set including a requested acceleration as information representing movement of a vehicle in a front-rear direction and any one of a steering angle, a yaw rate, and a rotation radius as information representing movement of the vehicle in a lateral direction from each of a plurality of applications, an arbitration unit configured to perform arbitration of information representing the movement of the vehicle in the front-rear direction and arbitration of information representing the movement of the vehicle in the lateral direction based on a plurality of the data sets received by the receiver, and a first output unit configured to output instruction information for driving an actuator based on an arbitration result of the arbitration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Wataru Kanda, Kaiji Itabashi, Yoshihisa Yamada, Kazuki Miyake, Tamotsu Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20220258768
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises an autonomous driving system and a vehicle platform that controls the vehicle in response to a command received from the autonomous driving system. In the vehicle, when a first signal indicates an autonomous mode, the vehicle platform performs a shift change requested through a first command only while the second signal indicates a standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma SUZUKI, Yuta OHASHI