Patents by Inventor Toshihisa Hayami

Toshihisa Hayami 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: 20220390568
    Abstract: A sensor system to be mounted on a vehicle includes a LiDAR, a camera, a housing that accommodates the LiDAR and the camera and a cleaner that is attached to the housing and has at least one nozzle configured to clean a first cleaning target surface corresponding to the LiDAR and a second cleaning target surface corresponding to the camera at the same time using a cleaning medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Taishi HACHIYA, Masaaki SATO, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Toshihisa HAYAMI, Yusuke TOTSUKA, Masayuki MIWA
  • Publication number: 20220348168
    Abstract: A sensor system equipped with a vehicular cleaner comprising: a sensor configured to operate in a normal mode and a standby mode; a cleaner unit configured to clean the sensor in response to an operation signal output in accordance with a dirt determination result of the sensor; and a control unit configured to control the sensor and the cleaner unit. The sensor is configured to operate in the normal mode, in which the sensor is operated at a predetermined cycle, and in the standby mode, in which the sensor is operated at a cycle longer than in the normal mode. The cleaner unit is configured to operate in a regular mode in which the cleaner unit operates in response to the operation signal and to operate in a block mode in which the cleaner unit does not operate even when the operation signal is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Yusuke FUNAMI, Toshihisa HAYAMI
  • Patent number: 11408579
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus generates illumination light. A patterning device includes a digital micromirror device (DMD) configured to spatially modulate and reflect the illumination light according to a pattern signal. A DMD controller generates the pattern signal. The DMD controller generates a refresh pattern signal for repeatedly turning on and off micromirrors in a period in which the DMD is set to the enable state and the illumination light is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hayami, Yuki Usuda
  • Publication number: 20220227333
    Abstract: A vehicular air curtain device configured to send continuously, based on an operation signal, air to a sensor or a sensor cover mounted on a vehicle at a predetermined wind speed or a predetermined air flow rate in order to prevent dirt from adhering to the sensor or the sensor cover, the vehicular air curtain device includes: an air blowing mechanism; a motor configured to drive the air blowing mechanism; and an air curtain control unit configured to change a drive voltage or a drive current of the motor in accordance with a predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro MATSUNAGA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaaki SATO, Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Yusuke FUNAMI, Toshihisa HAYAMI
  • Publication number: 20220097658
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system according to the present invention includes: cleaner units that eject cleaning fluid to on-vehicle objects to be cleaned; motor pumps that supply the cleaning fluid to the cleaner units; normally closed solenoid valves provided between the cleaner units and the motor pumps to switch between allowance and disallowance of the transfer of the cleaning fluid from the motor pumps to the cleaner units; and a cleaner control unit that controls the motor pumps and the solenoid valves. The cleaner control unit sets an operation stop time t2, for which at least one of a motor pump and a solenoid valve is stopped, and stops, on the basis of a predetermined condition, the operation of the at least one of the motor pump and the solenoid valve for the duration of the operation stop time t2 after the cleaning fluid is ejected to the object to be cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hikaru NAGAI, Akinobu KUBOTA, Kazuki KAWAMURA, Toshihisa HAYAMI, Yusuke FUNAMI, Yoshio ITO, Kazuhiro SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11208031
    Abstract: A control device that includes a plurality of input ports, each of which receives a binary signal including a first level and a second level, and a setting unit, which sets a numerical value related to control based on the binary signal input to each of the input ports, is disclosed. The input port is configured to be at the second level when a failure occurs, and the setting unit associates different binary signal arrays with a plurality of the numerical values, respectively, and sets a binary signal array corresponding to a numerical value equivalent to a reference value among the plurality of numerical values as an array in which the number of the second level is the largest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hayami, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Yusuke Funami
  • Publication number: 20210278057
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus generates illumination light. A patterning device includes a digital micromirror device (DMD) configured to spatially modulate and reflect the illumination light according to a pattern signal. A DMD controller generates the pattern signal. The DMD controller generates a refresh pattern signal for repeatedly turning on and off micromirrors in a period in which the DMD is set to the enable state and the illumination light is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa HAYAMI, Yuki USUDA
  • Publication number: 20200047662
    Abstract: A control device that includes a plurality of input ports, each of which receives a binary signal including a first level and a second level, and a setting unit, which sets a numerical value related to control based on the binary signal input to each of the input ports, is disclosed. The input port is configured to be at the second level when a failure occurs, and the setting unit associates different binary signal arrays with a plurality of the numerical values, respectively, and sets a binary signal array corresponding to a numerical value equivalent to a reference value among the plurality of numerical values as an array in which the number of the second level is the largest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hayami, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Yusuke Funami
  • Patent number: 10449891
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes a comparison unit and a clock control unit. The comparison unit is configured to compare a signal level of a transmission signal and a signal level of a monitoring signal that has received the transmission signal with each other at a timing synchronized with a clock signal. The clock control unit is configured to detect the signal level of the monitoring signal and synchronize the clock signal with a timing when the signal level of the monitoring signal changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hayami, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Yusuke Funami
  • Publication number: 20180354407
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes a comparison unit and a clock control unit. The comparison unit is configured to compare a signal level of a transmission signal and a signal level of a monitoring signal that has received the transmission signal with each other at a timing synchronized with a clock signal. The clock control unit is configured to detect the signal level of the monitoring signal and synchronize the clock signal with a timing when the signal level of the monitoring signal changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihisa HAYAMI, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Yusuke FUNAMI
  • Patent number: 7501767
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp is provided with a lamp unit, a first actuator for controlling the irradiation direction within the horizontal plane, a second actuator for controlling the irradiation direction within the vertical plane. A communication unit transmits and receives a signal between the actuators and a controller provided outside of the lamp body via a communication line. A glare preventing unit detects an abnormality or a failure of the actuators, the controller, and the communication line, without using the communication unit. The irradiation direction or the lighting state is changed in accordance with a portion where the abnormality or the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Publication number: 20060139938
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus is provided with a swivel device, a leveling device, a distribution light changeover device for switching the light distribution between a main-beam and a sub-beam, and a controller coupled to the devices via signal transmission paths. The controller controls the devices in accordance with a traveling condition of a vehicle. When an abnormality of the swivel device, the leveling device or the signal transmission paths is detected, the controller forcedly switches the light distribution to the sub-beam. The light distribution is also switched to the sub-beam when the swivel device or the leveling device stops at the dazzling position, thereby preventing the dazzling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Publication number: 20060133100
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp is provided with a lamp unit, a first actuator for controlling the irradiation direction within the horizontal plane, a second actuator for controlling the irradiation direction within the vertical plane. A communication unit transmits and receives a signal between the actuators and a controller provided outside of the lamp body via a communication line. A glare preventing unit detects an abnormality or a failure of the actuators, the controller, and the communication line, without using the communication unit. The irradiation direction or the lighting state is changed in accordance with a portion where the abnormality or the failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Patent number: 7057504
    Abstract: In a headlamp apparatus comprising a sub-CPU integrally provided on a headlamp for controlling an optical axis direction changing operation and a main CPU for sending out to the sub-control circuit a control signal for changing the direction of the optical axis, the sub-CPU comprises a power-on resetting circuit of a simple configuration comprising a capacitor and a resistor. When the main CPU detects an abnormality in the sub-CPU, a power supply is temporarily cut off by a power supply control means, and the sub-CPU is reset by a power-on resetting circuit. An abnormality triggered by a runaway of the sub-CPU can be resolved so that the sub-CPU can be restored to a normal condition as quickly as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Patent number: 6874918
    Abstract: A headlamp device for a vehicle includes a first light distribution controlling portion moving light irradiated forward from a light source in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and a second light distribution controlling portion moving the light irradiated forward from the light source in a vertical direction of the vehicle. A light distribution is controlled in response to a signal sent from the first light distribution controlling portion to the second light distribution controlling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Tawa, Masaaki Ishikawaa, Toshihisa Hayami, Atsushi Sugimoto, Hideki Uchida
  • Patent number: 6761473
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting apparatus includes lamp deflection angle controlling means for controlling the change of a deflection angle of a lamp. The vehicle lighting apparatus further includes a reference angular position setting means for setting the deflection angle of the lamp to a predetermined reference angular position when a deflection angle detecting means for detecting the deflection angle of the lamp is broken down. When the deflection angle of the lamp cannot be detected in an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS), and thus the AFS lapsed into malfunction, the deflection angle of the lamp is fixed to a reference position obtained by rotating a motor for deflecting the lamp in one direction to the locked state, and from this locked state, rotating by the given amount in the reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Publication number: 20040085780
    Abstract: In a headlamp apparatus comprising a sub-CPU integrally provided on a headlamp for controlling an optical axis direction changing operation and a main CPU for sending out to the sub-control circuit a control signal for changing the direction of the optical axis, the sub-CPU comprises a power-on resetting circuit of a simple configuration comprising a capacitor and a resistor. When the main CPU detects an abnormality in the sub-CPU, a power supply is temporarily cut off by a power supply control means, and the sub-CPU is reset by a power-on resetting circuit. An abnormality triggered by a runaway of the sub-CPU can be resolved so that the sub-CPU can be restored to a normal condition as quickly as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Patent number: 6652110
    Abstract: An adaptive front-lighting system includes lamp deflection angle controlling means having a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering direction of a vehicle and supplying a signal and controlling a deflection angle of a lamp based on sensor outputs from the steering angle sensor. The lamp deflection angle controlling means includes an arithmetic control means for calculating a time series moving average of the output from the steering angle sensor. Averaging the output from the steering angle sensor on the time axis in the arithmetic circuit means enables to obtain outputs having smaller step widths than step widths of the outputs from the steering angle sensor, and controlling the deflection angle of the lamp based on the output enables to control the deflection angle of the lamp with the minute step widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Patent number: 6634773
    Abstract: An adaptive front-lighting system includes a lamp deflection angle controlling means for controlling a deflection angle of an auxiliary lamp that is attached to a main lamp corresponding to a traveling state of a vehicle. The system is provided with vehicle halting state detecting means for detecting a halted state in which the vehicle is halted or traveling at a very low speed, and illumination controlling means for turning off or dimming an auxiliary lamp when the halted state is continued for more than a prescribed time period. When the vehicle is halted with the auxiliary lamp deflected, and the halted state is continued for more than the prescribed time period, the auxiliary lamp is turned off or dimmed, and thus other cars and pedestrians are prevented from being dazzled by the auxiliary lamp, and the trailing car may be prevented from having a sense of insecurity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Hayami
  • Patent number: 6623147
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting apparatus includes abnormality detecting means for detecting abnormality in the AFS of the vehicle lighting apparatus, and means for adjusting optical axis of the lamp in the vertical direction for setting the angle of the optical axis of the lamp downward in the vertical direction in comparison with the reference angle upon receipt of abnormality-detected signal from the abnormality detecting means. When the vehicle lighting apparatus lapsed into malfunction, by tilting the optical axis of the lamp in the deflected state downward in the vertical direction, the lamp is prevented from dazzling oncoming cars even when the lamp is in the deflected state toward the oncoming cars, thereby realizing failsafe which is preferable in terms of traffic safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hayami, Tetsuya Ishida