Patents by Inventor Kenichi Takenaka

Kenichi Takenaka 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: 10744846
    Abstract: A vehicular manipulation apparatus, which manipulates a different apparatus, includes a manipulation unit, a communication unit, a display unit, and a controller. The manipulation unit accepts a manipulation and inputs a set value step-by-step for controlling the different apparatus. The communication unit communicates with the different apparatus, transmits manipulation information to the different apparatus, and receives a set value of the different apparatus. The display unit digitally displays the set value. The controller controls an image on the display unit using the set value. In displaying change due to the manipulation step-by-step, the controller broadens a change width between steps in cases where the manipulation amount within a threshold period of time is equal to or greater than a threshold manipulation amount, as compared with cases where the manipulation amount within the threshold period of time is less than the threshold manipulation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Yukihide Ota
  • Publication number: 20190255909
    Abstract: A vehicular manipulation apparatus, which manipulates a different apparatus, includes a manipulation unit, a communication unit, a display unit, and a controller. The manipulation unit accepts a manipulation and inputs a set value step-by-step for controlling the different apparatus. The communication unit communicates with the different apparatus, transmits manipulation information to the different apparatus, and receives a set value of the different apparatus. The display unit digitally displays the set value. The controller controls an image on the display unit using the set value. In displaying change due to the manipulation step-by-step, the controller broadens a change width between steps in cases where the manipulation amount within a threshold period of time is equal to or greater than a threshold manipulation amount, as compared with cases where the manipulation amount within the threshold period of time is less than the threshold manipulation amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi TAKENAKA, Yukihide OTA
  • Publication number: 20160375899
    Abstract: The invention is provided with airbag control means for deploying an external airbag in a case where a magnitude of a collision detected by a first collision detection sensor satisfies a deployment condition for the external airbag and deploying an internal airbag in a case where a magnitude of a collision detected by a second collision detection sensor satisfies a deployment condition for the internal airbag, and braking control means for performing automatic brake control when the internal airbag is deployed. The braking control means performs the automatic brake control when the external airbag is deployed even in a case where the deployment condition for the external airbag is satisfied but the deployment condition for the internal airbag is not satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi TAKENAKA
  • Patent number: 9489500
    Abstract: A remote manipulation apparatus includes a touch sensor and a manipulation control circuit to detect manipulation on a manipulation surface using a manipulator's finger. The touch sensor and the manipulation control circuit can acquire a manipulation entity distance between the manipulation surface and the finger. When the manipulation entity distance is shorter than a first threshold distance, the manipulation control circuit associates the finger manipulation with a pointer control to move a pointer on a display screen. When the distance exceeds the first threshold distance, the manipulation control circuit associates the finger manipulation with a map control to move a map on the display screen. The manipulation control circuit stores a specified finger manipulation as an authorization manipulation. The association between the finger manipulation and the map control is inhibited until the authorization manipulation using the finger is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Kazunori Takemura
  • Patent number: 9457763
    Abstract: A collision detection apparatus includes: an impact force detector configured to detect an impact force generated on a vehicle; a collision detector configured to detect collision with an obstacle outside of the vehicle at the time the impact force detector detects the impact force exceeding a threshold value; a collision predictor configured to predict that a bicycle being operated by a bicycle rider will collide with the vehicle before the collision with the obstacle outside of the vehicle is detected by the collision detector; and a colliding direction predictor configured to predict that the collision of the bicycle with the vehicle predicted collision with a front surface or a rear surface of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20150224956
    Abstract: A collision detection apparatus includes: an impact force detector configured to detect an impact force generated on a vehicle; a collision detector configured to detect collision with an obstacle outside of the vehicle at the time the impact force detector detects the impact force exceeding a threshold value; a collision predictor configured to predict that a bicycle being operated by a bicycle rider will collide with the vehicle before the collision with the obstacle outside of the vehicle is detected by the collision detector; and a colliding direction predictor configured to predict that the collision of the bicycle with the vehicle predicted collision with a front surface or a rear surface of the bicycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi TAKENAKA
  • Publication number: 20150205943
    Abstract: A remote manipulation apparatus includes a touch sensor and a manipulation control circuit to detect manipulation on a manipulation surface using a manipulator's finger. The touch sensor and the manipulation control circuit can acquire a manipulation entity distance between the manipulation surface and the finger. When the manipulation entity distance is shorter than a first threshold distance, the manipulation control circuit associates the finger manipulation with a pointer control to move a pointer on a display screen. When the distance exceeds the first threshold distance, the manipulation control circuit associates the finger manipulation with a map control to move a map on the display screen. The manipulation control circuit stores a specified finger manipulation as an authorization manipulation. The association between the finger manipulation and the map control is inhibited until the authorization manipulation using the finger is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Kazunori Takemura
  • Patent number: 9043721
    Abstract: A remote manipulation apparatus includes a main body and a manipulating handle manipulated by a user to move to cover all the orientations from a manipulation basis position defined on a basis of the main body. Movement of the manipulating handle relative to the manipulation basis position corresponds to movement of a pointer image relative to a screen basis position on a screen of a display apparatus. An auxiliary navigational display window includes a specified button image assigned with pointer-pulling information. When the auxiliary navigational display window appears on the screen, the manipulating handle is automatically driven to a position that corresponds to a position of the specified button image on the screen so that the pointer image is moved onto the specified button image that is assigned with the pointer-pulling information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Shigeaki Nishihashi
  • Patent number: 8555660
    Abstract: An operation unit for a vehicle air conditioner includes a display device, a setting input portion of a control parameter of the air conditioner other than a set temperature, an obtaining portion configured to obtain a present set value of the control parameter, and an operating state identification portion configured to identify whether an air-conditioning operating state is in a plurality of predetermined operating states of the air conditioner. In the operation unit, a moving pattern of a pointer of the display device is changed according to the operating state of the air conditioner. For example, a pointer operation control portion can be configured to control an operation of a pointer driving motor such that the pointer moves on a dial of the display device at different moving speeds according to the air-conditioning operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Kuniharu Kutsuna, Kazumutsu Azuma, Hiroki Iwashita, Yuji Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 8378969
    Abstract: A remote control apparatus mountable on a vehicle includes an operation input device operable to point a position in a predetermined operation area, a lighting device for illuminating the operation input device, and a controller for controlling a brightness of the lighting device. The remote control apparatus has a self-diagnostic mode for diagnosing a fault in the operation input device. The controller controls the brightness of the lighting device such that the lighting device produces a illumination pattern corresponding to the position pointed by the operation input device, when the self-diagnostic mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Shouji Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20120056811
    Abstract: In a vehicle display device equipped with a display on which a plurality of display zones is displayed, a user inputs through an operation lever a pointer moving request to move a pointer and a zone selection request to select another display zone as a selected display zone. An interface control part selects a reaction force map corresponding to the selected display zone after completion of the zone selection request from reaction force maps generated every display zone and stored in advance. Each reaction force map corresponds to each display zone and contains information of a reaction force corresponding to the position information of the button on the display zone. A reaction force supplying part supplies the reaction force to the operation lever on the basis of the selected reaction force map when the position of the pointer is overlapped with the button by the pointer moving request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Tottori, Kenichi Takenaka
  • Patent number: 7980113
    Abstract: An onboard electronic device operating unit enables a needle calibration mode by performing a specified needle calibration enabling operation on part of multiple setup operation sections. The setup operation sections can change setting states of control contents for an onboard electronic device. In the needle calibration mode, part of the setup operation sections functions as a needle calibration section. Operating the needle calibration section can calibrate a needle position of a needle-type display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Manabu Ushida
  • Patent number: 7793975
    Abstract: A passenger-seat airbag (32) includes a pair of left and right airbags (44, 46), and a root portion (48) that is connected to both of the left and right airbags (44, 46). When the passenger-seat airbag (32) is provided in a vehicle, an airbag folded portion (62) that forms the left and right airbags (44, 46) is positioned closer to the rear of the vehicle than the root portion (48) is, and a slack portion (49) that forms the root portion (48) is made upright along the airbag folded portion (62), and is positioned closer to the front of the vehicle than the airbag folded portion (62) is. Thus, the slack portion (49) is expanded and deployed toward a windshield earlier to form “a wall”. Then, the left and right airbags (44, 46) are stably deployed toward a passenger seat (toward the rear of the vehicle).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kanto Auto Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Seiji Yamada, Kenichi Takenaka, Shinya Suzuki, Satoru Hirai
  • Patent number: 7766385
    Abstract: A passenger-seat airbag (32) includes a left airbag (44), a right airbag (46), and a root portion (48). A strap (70) is provided in the root portion (48) that is inflated by gas injected from an inflator (28) when a passenger-seat airbag device (10) operates. The strap (70) connects the base-end portion (48B) of the root portion (48) to a connection root portion (48C). Further, the strap (70) is provided such that a peripheral length (L2) on a front side is longer than or equal to a peripheral length (L1) on a rear side in a lateral view showing the inflated root portion (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kanto Auto Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Seiji Yamada, Kenichi Takenaka, Shinya Suzuki, Satoru Hirai
  • Patent number: 7766373
    Abstract: A passenger-seat airbag includes a left airbag and a right airbag. A root portion connects a left-airbag root portion and a right-airbag root portion. An accordion-folded portion with relatively small folding widths is formed by accordion-folding both side portions of the root portion, whereby at least a gas-injection hole closest to each of both ends of an inflator in a longitudinal direction among a plurality of the gas-injection holes of the inflator is prevented from being closed by the root portion when the passenger-seat airbag is provided in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kanto Auto Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Seiji Yamada, Kenichi Takenaka, Shinya Suzuki, Satoru Hirai
  • Publication number: 20100117957
    Abstract: A remote control apparatus mountable on a vehicle includes an operation input device operable to point a position in a predetermined operation area, a lighting device for illuminating the operation input device, and a controller for controlling a brightness of the lighting device. The remote control apparatus has a self-diagnostic mode for diagnosing a fault in the operation input device. The controller controls the brightness of the lighting device such that the lighting device produces a illumination pattern corresponding to the position pointed by the operation input device, when the self-diagnostic mode is set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Shouji Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20090146403
    Abstract: A passenger-seat airbag (32) includes a left airbag (44), a right airbag (46), and a root portion (48). A strap (70) is provided in the root portion (48) that is inflated by gas injected from an inflator (28) when a passenger-seat airbag device (10) operates. The strap (70) connects the base-end portion (48B) of the root portion (48) to a connection root portion (48C). Further, the strap (70) is provided such that a peripheral length (L2) on a front side is longer than or equal to a peripheral length (L1) on a rear side in a lateral view showing the inflated root portion (48).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Seiji Yamada, Kenichi Takenaka, Shinya Suzuki, Satoru Hirai
  • Publication number: 20090071393
    Abstract: An onboard electronic device operating unit enables a needle calibration mode by performing a specified needle calibration enabling operation on part of multiple setup operation sections. The setup operation sections can change setting states of control contents for an onboard electronic device. In the needle calibration mode, part of the setup operation sections functions as a needle calibration section. Operating the needle calibration section can calibrate a needle position of a needle-type display apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi TAKENAKA, Manabu Ushida
  • Publication number: 20080264079
    Abstract: An operation unit for a vehicle air conditioner includes a display device, a setting input portion of a control parameter of the air conditioner other than a set temperature, an obtaining portion configured to obtain a present set value of the control parameter, and an operating state identification portion configured to identify whether an air-conditioning operating state is in a plurality of predetermined operating states of the air conditioner. In the operation unit, a moving pattern of a pointer of the display device is changed according to the operating state of the air conditioner. For example, a pointer operation control portion can be configured to control an operation of a pointer driving motor such that the pointer moves on a dial of the display device at different moving speeds according to the air-conditioning operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Kuniharu Kutsuna, Kazumutsu Azuma, Hiroki Iwashita, Yuji Kawamoto
  • Publication number: 20080122208
    Abstract: A passenger-seat airbag (32) includes a pair of left and right airbags (44, 46), and a root portion (48) that is connected to both of the left and right airbags (44, 46). When the passenger-seat airbag (32) is provided in a vehicle, an airbag folded portion (62) that forms the left and right airbags (44, 46) is positioned closer to the rear of the vehicle than the root portion (48) is, and a slack portion (49) that forms the root portion (48) is made upright along the airbag folded portion (62), and is positioned closer to the front of the vehicle than the airbag folded portion (62) is. Thus, the slack portion (49) is expanded and deployed toward a windshield earlier to form “a wall”. Then, the left and right airbags (44, 46) are stably deployed toward a passenger seat (toward the rear of the vehicle).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Seiji Yamada, Kenichi Takenaka, Shinya Suzuki, Satoru Hirai