Patents by Inventor Koji Taguchi

Koji Taguchi 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: 11611014
    Abstract: A light-emitting module includes (i) a board provided with: a circuit pattern and a plurality of bottomed holes in each of a set of wiring pads continuous with the circuit pattern on a first surface; electrically conductive paste extending over two or more of the bottomed holes; and an insulating resin covering the electrically conductive paste at a side close to the first surface, and (ii) a plurality of light-emitting segments connected to a second surface of the board with an adhesive sheet interposed therebetween. The light-emitting segments each include a plurality of light-emitting devices that are aligned. The electrically conductive paste includes a portion disposed on a portion of a surface of the wiring pad extending over two or more of the bottomed holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiko Minato, Koji Taguchi, Yumiko Kameshima, Masaaki Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11603006
    Abstract: The vehicle dispatching system accepts a dispatch request from a user, selects an autonomous vehicle matching with the dispatch request from among a plurality of autonomous vehicles, and dispatches a selected autonomous vehicle to the user. The plurality of autonomous vehicles include a plurality of battery-mounted vehicles having an in-vehicle battery capable of being charged externally as an energy source. Each of the plurality of battery-mounted vehicles performs charging at a charging station when a charging level of the in-vehicle battery decreases. The vehicle dispatching system comprises a management server including a processor for executing programs stored in memory, the management server programmed to act as a charging planning unit that changes an upper limit charging level of the in-vehicle battery when charging at the charging station according to a time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Taguchi, Makoto Morita
  • Patent number: 11605619
    Abstract: A surface-emitting light source includes a plurality of light-emitting modules each including an array of a plurality of light sources and a wiring board disposed on an array of the plurality of light-emitting modules with an adhesive interposed therebetween. The plurality of light-emitting modules to be disposed on the wiring board are arranged such that a space is left between adjacent ones of the light-emitting modules. The adhesive contains a thermosetting resin and includes a penetrating portion inside the space. The penetrating portion includes a gap detached from a lateral surface of the light-emitting modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Taguchi, Yumiko Kameshima, Masaaki Katsumata
  • Publication number: 20230042706
    Abstract: An autonomous running vehicle transmits a camera image around the vehicle photographed by a camera to a remote monitoring center. An obstacle is detected on the basis of information obtained from autonomous sensors including the camera. When an obstacle is detected, the autonomous running vehicle is automatically stopped. The remote monitoring center determines, when the autonomous running vehicle automatically stops, whether or not the run of the autonomous running vehicle is permitted to restart on the basis of the received camera video. When it is determined that the autonomous running vehicle can be restarted, a departure signal is transmitted to the autonomous running vehicle. When the departure signal is received from the remote monitoring center, the autonomous running vehicle restarts running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji TAGUCHI, Makoto MORITA
  • Patent number: 11511754
    Abstract: A seat determining apparatus includes a travel route determining unit configured to determine a travel route of a vehicle such that the travel route runs by way of a scheduled boarding point and scheduled alighting point of each of a plurality of users scheduled to ride the vehicle, the scheduled boarding point being a point at which the user is scheduled to get on the vehicle, the scheduled alighting point being a point at which the user is scheduled to get off the vehicle; a boarding and alighting order determining unit configured to determine alighting order, in which the users get off the vehicle, based on the travel route and the scheduled alighting point of each of the users; and a seat determining unit configured to determine a seat according to the alighting order for each of the users when each of the users rides the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiji Yamashita, Koichi Ikemoto, Koji Taguchi, Shin Sakurada, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11513516
    Abstract: An autonomous running vehicle transmits a camera image around the vehicle photographed by a camera to a remote monitoring center. An obstacle is detected on the basis of information obtained from autonomous sensors including the camera. When an obstacle is detected, the autonomous running vehicle is automatically stopped. The remote monitoring center determines, when the autonomous running vehicle automatically stops, whether or not the run of the autonomous running vehicle is permitted to restart on the basis of the received camera video. When it is determined that the autonomous running vehicle can be restarted, a departure signal is transmitted to the autonomous running vehicle. When the departure signal is received from the remote monitoring center, the autonomous running vehicle restarts running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Taguchi, Makoto Morita
  • Patent number: 11500381
    Abstract: A stopping position control device according to an embodiment includes a sitting position specifying unit configured to specify a sitting position of a user who gets off a vehicle next, the vehicle being subjected to automatic driving control, and a stopping position determination unit configured to determine a stopping position of the vehicle, at which the user gets off the vehicle, corresponding to the sitting position of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiji Yamashita, Koichi Ikemoto, Koji Taguchi, Shin Sakurada, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20220357738
    Abstract: A remote assistance management system is in communication with a plurality of autonomous traveling vehicles for letting an operator provide remote assistance in response to an assistance request from a vehicle. The system predicts, for each vehicle, an occurrence of an assistance request in future based on an operation state of each vehicle and calculates a predicted assistance period for each assistance request predicted to occur. When more than a predetermined number of overlapping assistance requests of which predicted assistance periods overlap at the same time are predicted to occur, the system instructs to excess vehicles a change of a traveling mode from a first traveling mode being a normal traveling mode to a second traveling mode for avoiding or delaying the occurrence of an assistance request, the excess vehicles being vehicles in excess of the predetermined number among vehicles from which the overlapping assistance requests are predicted to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka ADACHI, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Koji TAGUCHI, Maiko HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20220355827
    Abstract: A remote assistance management system is in communication with autonomous traveling vehicles for letting an operator provide remote assistance in response to an assistance request from a vehicle. The system predicts an occurrence of an assistance request in future based on operation states of the vehicles, and categorize a cause of an assistance request predicted to occur into a first category cause that lasts for a long time and a second category cause that lasts only for a short time. The system receives an assistance request from the vehicles. In response to acquiring a first assistance request of which the cause is the first category cause from a first vehicle, the system transmits a first command signal for the first vehicle that is decided by an operator to the first vehicle, and applies the first command signal to another vehicle from which the first assistance request is predicted to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Maiko HIRANO, Koji TAGUCHI, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Yoshitaka ADACHI
  • Patent number: 11465466
    Abstract: When receiving the transportation request from the user (step S200), the management center extracts the unoccupied vehicle according to the transportation request and selects it as a transportation vehicle (step S201). After selecting the transportation vehicle, the management center transmits to the transportation vehicle the transportation information including the instruction for start-up of air-conditioning (step S202). When receiving the drop-off completion information from the transportation vehicle (step S205), the management center selects the standby area (step S206) and transmits to the transportation vehicle standby information including the instruction for shut-down of air-conditioning (step S207).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Morita, Koji Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11437554
    Abstract: A light emitting module includes a first terminal part, a first light emitting device including a first electrode, a second light emitting device including a second electrode, a first conductive thin film including a first thin film region and a second thin film region, and a first conductive layer electrically connected to the first thin film region. The first thin film region electrically connects the first terminal part and the first electrode, and has a first current path length. The second thin film region electrically connects the first terminal part and the second electrode, and has a second current path length shorter than the first current path length. At least a portion of the first conductive layer overlaps with the first thin film region in a first direction that is perpendicular to a plane in which the first thin film region extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Taguchi, Masaaki Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11398592
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a light emitting module includes: providing light emitting devices each including a light emitting element having an upper surface, a lateral surface, and an electrode positioned on the upper surface, a first light reflective member arranged on the lateral surface of the light emitting element, and a metal film formed on upper surfaces of the electrode and the first light reflective member; placing the light emitting devices on a light guide plate with gaps between the light emitting devices, with the metal films of the light emitting devices facing upward; forming masks respectively covering the metal films; forming a second light reflective member in the gaps between the light emitting devices on the light guide plate; removing the masks; and forming, on the light emitting devices and on the second light reflective member, wiring segments that connect to the metal films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Taguchi, Masaaki Katsumata
  • Publication number: 20220232700
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light emitting element having element electrodes; a light guide member to receive incoming light from the light emitting element and to emit light spreading along a plane; and a substrate including a base substitute. Conductors are formed on a first surface of the base substrate. An adhesive member is formed on a second surface of the base substrate, and through-holes penetrating the substrate in a thickness direction of the substrate. The substrate is provided on the light emitting element via the adhesive member of the substrate such that a surface of the light emitting element is exposed through each of the through-holes to define a bottomed hole. Each of the element electrodes is connected to each of the conductors via a filler filling the bottomed hole. The filler has a lower surface than a surface carrying the conductors of the substrate in a cross-sectional view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiko MINATO, Yumiko KAMESHIMA, Koji TAGUCHI, Masaaki KATSUMATA
  • Patent number: 11363715
    Abstract: A lighting device including a light-emitter including light emitting elements, and a support having a first surface that carries a wiring line electrically connecting element electrodes of the light emitting elements and a light emitting surface, and a substrate including a base substrate, a conductor formed on a first surface of the base substrate, an adhesive member formed on a second surface of the base substrate, and a through-hole penetrating the substrate. A space is formed between the substrate and the light-emitter to communicate with a bottomed hole formed in a location of the through-hole as a result of adhering an adhesive surface of the adhesive member to a surface of the light-emitter having the wiring line formed thereon. The wiring line is connected to the conductor via a filler filling the bottomed hole, and the space is located outside an opening of the bottomed hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiko Minato, Yumiko Kameshima, Koji Taguchi, Masaaki Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11333523
    Abstract: A vehicle control device that controls a vehicle configured to transport a passenger to a destination by autonomous traveling, the vehicle control device includes a vehicle controller configured to control operation of the vehicle, an image display configured to display an image of a periphery of the destination to the passenger via an output device, and a getting-off position detector configured to detect a desired getting-off position designated by the passenger via an input device. The image shows a region where stopping is prohibited, and the vehicle controller is configured to cause the vehicle to stop at the desired getting-off position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiji Yamashita, Koichi Ikemoto, Koji Taguchi, Shin Sakurada, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20220149233
    Abstract: A light-emitting module includes (i) a board provided with: a circuit pattern and a plurality of bottomed holes in each of a set of wiring pads continuous with the circuit pattern on a first surface; electrically conductive paste extending over two or more of the bottomed holes; and an insulating resin covering the electrically conductive paste at a side close to the first surface, and (ii) a plurality of light-emitting segments connected to a second surface of the board with an adhesive sheet interposed therebetween. The light-emitting segments each include a plurality of light-emitting devices that are aligned. The electrically conductive paste includes a portion disposed on a portion of a surface of the wiring pad extending over two or more of the bottomed holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiko MINATO, Koji TAGUCHI, Yumiko KAMESHIMA, Masaaki KATSUMATA
  • Patent number: 11324117
    Abstract: A lighting device including a light-emitter including light emitting elements, and a support having a first surface that carries a wiring line electrically connecting element electrodes of the light emitting elements and a light emitting surface, and a substrate including a base substrate, a conductor formed on a first surface of the base substrate, an adhesive member formed on a second surface of the base substrate, and a through-hole penetrating the substrate. A space is formed between the substrate and the light-emitter to communicate with a bottomed hole formed in a location of the through-hole as a result of adhering an adhesive surface of the adhesive member to a surface of the light-emitter having the wiring line formed thereon. The wiring line is connected to the conductor via a filler filling the bottomed hole, and the space is located outside an opening of the bottomed hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiko Minato, Yumiko Kameshima, Koji Taguchi, Masaaki Katsumata
  • Publication number: 20220099883
    Abstract: A surface-emitting light source includes: a wiring substrate including a wiring layer on a base member; a light-guiding plate having a first primary surface and a second primary surface facing the wiring substrate; a light-reflective resin portion having an opening and being disposed between the light-guiding plate and the wiring substrate; and a light source portion including an element electrode on a first surface thereof and a light-extracting surface on a second surface thereof that faces the light-guiding place. The element electrode is electrically connected to the wiring layer via the opening, which is equal to or smaller than an area in which a side surface of the light source portion contacts the resin portion. The resin portion and the light-guiding plate face each other and are bonded to each other, and the resin portion and the wiring substrate face each other and are bonded to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji TAGUCHI, Masaaki KATSUMATA
  • Patent number: 11285996
    Abstract: A parking assist system is provided with: a first estimator configured to estimate a first time, which is a time required for a parking control preliminary operation of manually moving a vehicle to a position in which the parking control can be started; a second estimator configured to estimate a second time, which is a time required for a manual parking operation of manually parking the vehicle in a parking space; a determinator configured to determine whether or not it is in a situation to perform the manual parking operation rather than the parking control preliminary operation, on the basis of the first time and the second time; and a proposing device configured to propose performing the manual parking operation to an occupant of the vehicle if it is determined that it is in the situation to perform the manual parking operation rather than the parking control preliminary operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Issei Matsunaga, Koji Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11281215
    Abstract: An autonomous driving vehicle provides a driverless transportation service for a user. An alarming phenomenon is a natural phenomenon that potentially causes a disaster. The autonomous driving vehicle recognizes, based on driving environment information, the alarming phenomenon at a current location of the autonomous driving vehicle or on a planned travel route from the current location to a destination. When recognizing the alarming phenomenon, the autonomous driving vehicle determines whether to continue or halt vehicle travel control in accordance with a current travel plan. When determining to halt the vehicle travel control in accordance with the current travel plan, the autonomous driving vehicle sets an emergency plan depending on a type of the alarming phenomenon and controls the autonomous driving vehicle in accordance with the emergency plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasunao Yoshizaki, Koji Taguchi, Masaki Wasekura, Nobuhide Kamata