Patents by Inventor Kohei Tochigi

Kohei Tochigi 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: 20200231156
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus is provided with: a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a host vehicle; a controller programmed to execute a deceleration assistance control of assisting in decelerating a host vehicle when a predetermined condition is satisfied; a determinator configured to determine whether or not the host vehicle is traveling on a roadway on the basis of the recognized surrounding situation; and a restraining device configured to restrain execution of the deceleration assistance control by a controller if it is determined that the host vehicle is not traveling on a roadway, in comparison with a situation in which it is determined that the host vehicle is traveling on a roadway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Ito, Hirotada Otake, Kohei Tochigi, Yuta Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20200231172
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus is configured to perform an assistance control of assisting in driving a vehicle, when a first condition and a second condition are satisfied, in a situation in which a target is recognized. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: a determinator configured to determine a state of the assistance control. The determinator is configured (i) to determine that the state of the assistance control is a standby state if a standby condition is satisfied, wherein the standby condition requires that the first condition is satisfied, but the second condition is not satisfied, in the situation in which the target is recognized, and (ii) to determine that the state of the assistance control is an interruption state if an interruption condition is satisfied, wherein the interruption condition requires that the first condition is no longer satisfied while the satisfaction of the standby condition is continued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Tochigi, Shogo Ito, Yuta Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20200223410
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus can execute deceleration assistance of decelerating a host vehicle independently of an operation by a driver. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: an acquirer configured to obtain surrounding information associated with a surrounding situation of the host vehicle; and a controller programmed to reduce a deceleration assistance amount associated with the deceleration assistance when execution of the deceleration assistance is released. The controller is programmed to quickly reduce the deceleration assistance amount when execution of the deceleration assistance is released, if a surrounding situation indicated by the obtained surrounding information is a first situation in which the host vehicle can be required to accelerate, in comparison with a second situation in which the host vehicle cannot be required to accelerate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuta Ikezawa, Kohei Tochigi, Shogo Ito
  • Publication number: 20200207347
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a host vehicle; a controller programmed to perform a deceleration control when a deceleration target is recognized by the recognizer; and a detector configured to detect a slip of the host vehicle. The controller sets a first controlled variable, which is a controlled variable associated with the deceleration control when the slip of the host vehicle is detected without execution of the deceleration control, so as to suppress an extent of deceleration of the host vehicle, in comparison with a second controlled variable, which is the controlled variable when the slip of the host vehicle is not detected without execution of the deceleration control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Ito, Masahiko Adachi, Kohei Tochigi, Yuta Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20200198600
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus is configured to provide deceleration assistance of decelerating a host vehicle, and is configured to end the deceleration assistance on condition that a pedal operation is performed by a driver while the deceleration assistance is provided. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: an estimator configured to estimate an operation intention of the driver associated with an operation of a brake pedal, on condition that the brake pedal is operated by the driver while the deceleration assistance is provided; and a controller programmed to delay timing in which a deceleration assistance amount associated with the deceleration assistance becomes zero at, the end of the deceleration assistance, if the estimated operation intention is caused by the target, in comparison with that if the estimated operation intention is not caused by the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Ito, Kohei Tochigi, Yuta Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20200189576
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus can provide deceleration assistance of decelerating a host vehicle independently of an operation by a driver. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: a specifier configured to specify a type of a target associated with the deceleration assistance, wherein the target is ahead of the host vehicle on a course thereof and requires the host vehicle to decelerate or stop; and a controller programmed to change an end condition associated with deceleration assistance, in accordance with the specified type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuta Ikezawa, Kohei Tochigi, Masahiko Adachi, Shogo Ito, Shuichi Yamaki
  • Publication number: 20200156642
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a specifier configured to specify an object toward which a host vehicle goes; an arithmetic operator configured to arithmetically operate an erroneous stepping risk on the basis of a type of the object; and a suppressor configured to perform a suppression control of suppressing a driving force of the host vehicle when an operation amount condition determined in accordance with the erroneous stepping risk is satisfied. An upper limit of the erroneous stepping risk for an object which do not collide with the host vehicle is set small in comparison with an upper limit of the erroneous stepping risk for an object which may collide with the host vehicle. The suppressor moderates an extent of suppression of the driving force in the suppression control when the erroneous stepping risk is low, in comparison with when the erroneous stepping risk is high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei TOCHIGI, Shogo ITO, Yuta IKEZAWA, Hirotada OTAKE
  • Publication number: 20200139966
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus performs a stop control of stopping a host vehicle so that a following distance between the host vehicle and a stopped vehicle, which is ahead in a course of the host vehicle, approaches a target following distance. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: a setting device configured to set the target following distance smaller, if an operation speed is less than a predetermined speed, in comparison with that if the operation speed is greater than the predetermined speed when one of an acceleration off operation and a brake off operation is performed, or when one of an accelerator opening degree corresponding to an operation amount of an accelerator pedal and a brake opening degree corresponding to an operation amount of a brake pedal is less than or equal to a predetermined opening degree, while the stopped vehicle is recognized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shogo ITO, Kohei Tochigi, Yuta Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 10597013
    Abstract: In a driving assist device, an electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a target position is able to be decided from a predetermined object indicating that a vehicle needs to be decelerated, when recognizing the predetermined object, to perform a first assist by which the vehicle is decelerated at a first deceleration that is changed based on a brake operation by a driver, when determining that the target position is not able to be decided, and to perform a second assist by which the vehicle is decelerated at a second deceleration that is equal to or higher than a predetermined deceleration necessary to decelerate the vehicle to the target velocity before the vehicle reaches the target position decided from the predetermined object, when determining that the target position is able to be decided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Adachi, Kohei Tochigi, Shin Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10562530
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus (12) performs a second support after forbidding acceleration by a first support, keeps forbidding the acceleration by the first support after the second support is completed and before a predetermined acceleration allowing condition is satisfied, and allows the acceleration by the first support after the acceleration allowing condition is satisfied, if both of an execution condition for the first support and an execution condition for the second support are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miyuki Kamatani, Minami Sato, Kohei Tochigi
  • Patent number: 10539111
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine for executing idling stop. The control device includes a threshold setting unit and an execution prohibition unit. The threshold unit sets a threshold of a charging rate of a battery and sets the threshold when the battery temperature is low smaller than that when the battery temperature is high. The threshold is used for determining whether execution of the idling stop is permitted. The execution prohibition unit prohibits execution of the idling stop when the charging rate of the battery is less than the threshold. The threshold is set by the threshold setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Tochigi
  • Patent number: 10436128
    Abstract: A control system of a vehicle includes: an engine; a plurality of accessories including an air conditioner; a battery; a generator; and an ECU configured to automatically stop the engine, control the generator to charge or discharge the battery, inhibit the engine from being automatically stopped, calculate a first stop time as a length of time for which the engine can be automatically stopped, during operation of the air conditioner, calculate a first electric quantity as an estimated quantity of electricity consumed, calculate a second stop time as a length of time for which the vehicle is predicted to be stopped in the future, calculate a second electric quantity as an estimated quantity of electricity consumed, and determine the SOC target value, based on the first electric quantity and the second electric quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Shinohara, Kohei Tochigi
  • Publication number: 20190299990
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: an acquirer configured to obtain an expected end timing of a first deceleration support control, which is a deceleration support control for a first target, and an expected start timing of a second deceleration support control, which is the deceleration support control for a second target, if there is the first target as a deceleration target ahead of a host vehicle in the traveling direction and if there is the second target as the deceleration target ahead of the first target; and a controller programmed or configured to perform an interpolation deceleration support control of interpolating the first deceleration support control and the second deceleration support control, in a predetermined period including at least a part of an interval between the expected end timing and the predicted start timing, if the interval is less than a first time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Tochigi, Shin Tanaka, Masahiko Adachi, Shogo Ito
  • Publication number: 20190299995
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a calculator configured to calculate a plurality of controlled variables for decelerating a host vehicle, if there are a plurality of deceleration targets ahead in a traveling direction of the host vehicle, in association with the plurality of deceleration targets; an output device configured to select and output one controlled variable from the plurality of controlled variables; and a controller programmed to perform the deceleration support control on the basis of the one controlled variable. When a deceleration support control is performed on the basis of a first controlled variable as the one controlled variable, the output device outputs a second controlled variable, which is different from the first controlled variable out of the plurality of controlled variables, instead of the first controlled variable as the one controlled variable, on condition that the second controlled variable is greater than a switching controlled variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Tochigi, Shin Tanaka, Masahiko Adachi, Shogo Ito
  • Publication number: 20190031163
    Abstract: In a driving assist device, an electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a target position is able to be decided from a predetermined object indicating that a vehicle needs to be decelerated, when recognizing the predetermined object, to perform a first assist by which the vehicle is decelerated at a first deceleration that is changed based on a brake operation by a driver, when determining that the target position is not able to be decided, and to perform a second assist by which the vehicle is decelerated at a second deceleration that is equal to or higher than a predetermined deceleration necessary to decelerate the vehicle to the target velocity before the vehicle reaches the target position decided from the predetermined object, when determining that the target position is able to be decided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko ADACHI, Kohei TOCHIGI, Shin TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20180170381
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus (12) performs a second support after forbidding acceleration by a first support, keeps forbidding the acceleration by the first support after the second support is completed and before a predetermined acceleration allowing condition is satisfied, and allows the acceleration by the first support after the acceleration allowing condition is satisfied, if both of an execution condition for the first support and an execution condition for the second support are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miyuki KAMATANI, Minami SATO, Kohei TOCHIGI
  • Patent number: 9963128
    Abstract: A travel assistance device includes an actuator and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to predict a future position of a vehicle and an object, set an assistance range around the vehicle, determine whether an avoidance start condition is satisfied and in which of a first roadway area, a second roadway area, and a sidewalk area the object is positioned, set the avoidance start condition and a movement range of the object, so that the avoidance start condition is more easily determined to be satisfied when the object is in the first roadway area than when the object is in the second roadway area, and more easily determined to be satisfied when the object is in the second roadway area than when the object is in the sidewalk area, and perform a collision avoidance operation when the avoidance start condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Tochigi, Kazuyuki Fujita, Shinichi Nagata, Minami Sato
  • Publication number: 20180022328
    Abstract: A travel assistance device includes an actuator and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to predict a future position of a vehicle and an object, set an assistance range around the vehicle, determine whether an avoidance start condition is satisfied and in which of a first roadway area, a second roadway area, and a sidewalk area the object is positioned, set the avoidance start condition and a movement range of the object, so that the avoidance start condition is more easily determined to be satisfied when the object is in the first roadway area than when the object is in the second roadway area, and more easily determined to be satisfied when the object is in the second roadway area than when the object is in the sidewalk area, and perform a collision avoidance operation when the avoidance start condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei TOCHIGI, Kazuyuki FUJITA, Shinichi NAGATA, Minami SATO
  • Patent number: 9742218
    Abstract: A charging control unit is used in a system having an engine, an electric power generator, and a battery charged by electric power generated by the electric power generator and being capable of executing stop control for prohibiting the engine from restarting in a state where the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Tochigi, Koji Ito, Michihiro Miyashita
  • Patent number: 9586588
    Abstract: A power supply control apparatus is provided with: a first calculating device configured to calculate a vehicle stop time rate on the basis of a travel history of the vehicle; a second calculating device configured to calculate a stoppable time rate on the basis of the travel history, and an estimating device configured to estimate an electric power amount associated with the idling stop control, on the basis of the calculated stoppable time rate if the idling stop control is allowed when the vehicle decelerates, and to estimate the electric power amount, on the basis of the calculated vehicle stop time rate if the idling stop control is not allowed when the vehicle decelerates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Shinohara, Kohei Tochigi, Tomoharu Maeda