Patents Assigned to Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
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Patent number: 11655968Abstract: A light-emitting module includes: a semiconductor light-emitting element; a circuit board on which a lighting control circuit configured to perform control to turn on and off the semiconductor light-emitting element is provided; and an element metal plate on which the semiconductor light-emitting element is mounted. The circuit board is a resin substrate in which a wiring portion connecting the semiconductor light-emitting element and the lighting control circuit is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tetsuya Suzuki, Tomoyuki Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20230156341Abstract: A gated camera divides a depth direction into a plurality of ranges and generates a plurality of slice images corresponding to the plurality of ranges. An illumination device radiates probe light. A controller controls a light emission timing of the illumination device and an exposure timing of an image sensor. An image processing device generates a slice image based on a sensor image transmitted from the image sensor. The image processing device selects M (M ? 2) pixel values in ascending order of pixel values for each line of the sensor image, calculates an average value of the M pixel values, and subtracts the average value from each pixel value of the corresponding line.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Daiki KATO, Masayuki TAKAHASHI, Koji ITABA, Shun TANEMOTO
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Publication number: 20230151942Abstract: A vehicle headlight (10) includes a light source unit (30) including a plurality of light emitting elements (35), a reflector (39) that scans light from the plurality of light emitting elements (35) to form a light distribution pattern (350), and a control unit (60). The control unit (60) controls the light source unit (30) such that the light amount of light emitted from some light emitting elements to a predetermined region (AR) overlapping a target object does not change and the light amount of light emitted from other some light emitting elements to the predetermined region (AR) overlapping the target object changes among the light emitting elements that emit light to the predetermined region (AR) overlapping the target object in the superimposition region (PA).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuta MARUYAMA, Hidetada TANAKA
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Patent number: 11648870Abstract: A vehicle headlamp (1) includes a lamp fitting (10), and a control unit (CO) configured to, when a signal indicating detection of a preceding vehicle (80) is input, control the lamp fitting (10) such that a total luminous flux amount of light emitted to a first region (211) and a second region (212), and widths (W211 and W212) in the first region (211) and the second region (212) change according to a position of the preceding vehicle (80) with respect to a vehicle (100), in which the first region (211) overlaps a whole of a visual recognition unit of the preceding vehicle (80), and edges (212R and 212L) of the second region (212) on both sides in the left-right direction are located on a preceding vehicle (80) side with respect to edges (211R and 211L) of the first region (211) on both sides in the left-right direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Yuta Maruyama
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Patent number: 11653434Abstract: A lighting circuit turns on a plurality of semiconductor light sources. Multiple current sources are each coupled to a corresponding semiconductor light source. A switching converter supplies a driving voltage VOUT across each of multiple series connection circuits each formed of the semiconductor light source and the current source. A converter controller employing a ripple control method turns on a switching transistor of the switching converter in response to a voltage across any one of the multiple current sources decreasing to a bottom limit voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Ryosuke Matsuhana, Satoshi Kikuchi, Naoki Kawabata, Norito Takahashi
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Patent number: 11651684Abstract: A vehicle lighting system provided in a vehicle includes: a lighting unit configured to emit light toward outside of a vehicle; and a lighting control unit configured to control the lighting unit such that the lighting unit visually presents, to an oncoming vehicle present ahead of the vehicle, predetermined information on traveling support of the oncoming vehicle, based on a vehicle width of the oncoming vehicle and a road width in a lateral region of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2018Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Naoki Takii, Misako Kamiya, Norihisa Sutou, Masao Okawa
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Publication number: 20230142677Abstract: A vehicle headlight (1) includes a first lamp unit (10), a second lamp unit (20), a region determination unit (55), and a control unit (CO). A first irradiation spot (S1f) overlaps with a second irradiation spot (S2). The control unit (CO) controls the first lamp unit (10) so that an amount of the light of a light emitting element (13f) corresponding to the first irradiation spot (S1f) overlapping with a predetermined region (80) is reduced, and controls the second lamp unit (20) so that an amount of the light of a light emitting element (23) corresponding to the second irradiation spot (S2) overlapping with the predetermined region (80) is reduced or becomes 0, and light is emitted from the light emitting element (23) corresponding to the second irradiation spot (S2) overlapping with the first irradiation spot (S1f) and not overlapping with the predetermined region (80).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2021Publication date: May 11, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Atsushi SUGIMOTO
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Publication number: 20230141840Abstract: A light distribution controller includes a computation unit that extracts an index value from a predetermined region to be processed within an image, a pattern determiner that determines a light distribution pattern such that the index value approaches a maximum value, and a lamp controller that controls a light distribution variable lamp so as to form the light distribution pattern. The index value is at least one of a mean intensity of HOG feature values of a plurality of pixels of the region to be processed or an edge gray level proportion indicating, in a local binary pattern (LBP) histogram of the plurality of pixels, a proportion of the number of pixels belonging to a gray level of an edge portion to a total number of the plurality of pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2023Publication date: May 11, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Yoshinori SHIBATA
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Patent number: 11644174Abstract: To improve design characteristics when the light fixture is turned on in a vehicle light fixture including a plate-shaped light guide. The plate-shaped light guide (32) is configured such that light from five light sources (40A1, 40A2, 40A3, 40A4 and 40A5) is totally reflected by a plurality of reflective elements (32s) formed on a first plate surface (32a) on a rear surface side of the plate-shaped light guide, and then emitted forward of a light fixture unit from a second plate surface (32b) of the plate-shaped light guide. At that time, five light emitting regions (32A1, 32A2, 32A3, 32A4 and 32A5) are arranged at intervals in a horizontal direction in the plate-shaped light guide (32), and then the reflective elements (32s) are arranged in a state of being continuously side by side along a line L extending in a direction intersecting the horizontal direction in each of the light emitting regions (32A1 to 32A5). Each reflective element (32s) is formed in a substantially concave spherical surface shape.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2020Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Akihito Horikawa
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Publication number: 20230132583Abstract: There is provided a nozzle of a cleaner device that cleans an object to be cleaned having a convex surface. The nozzle comprises: a spray orifice that is positioned outside the convex surface and from which a fan-shaped layer of a cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the convex surface. The spray orifice is shaped such that the sprayed fan-shaped layer of the cleaning fluid is convexly curved toward the same direction as the convex surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Takahiro MATSUNAGA
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Patent number: 11639138Abstract: A display system is provided in a vehicle and includes: an HUD positioned inside the vehicle and configured so as to display, on the vehicle window, a surrounding environment video indicating the environment surrounding the vehicle; and a display control unit controlling the HUD such that the surrounding environment video is displayed on the window in accordance with prescribed conditions associated to the vehicle or the environment surrounding the vehicle and configured so as to reduce the transmittance of the window.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2019Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Misako Kamiya, Naoki Takii, Masaaki Nakabayashi, Yoshiaki Fushimi
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Publication number: 20230130713Abstract: A vehicle communication system installed in a vehicle includes: a lamp for illumination, a display or signal; a display that is configured by a planar light emitter and has an information display function; and a control unit that is capable of controlling turning-on of the lamp and of the display. The control unit is configured to control the lamp and the display in a linked manner, and present vehicle information indicating a condition of the vehicle by combining light emission of the lamp with information display of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2022Publication date: April 27, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenji NOBUHARA, Yosuke SAKAUCHI, Hiroya KOIZUMI
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Patent number: 11638343Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a turn signal lamp, a daytime running lamp, and a position lamp. A first driving circuit drives a first light source that is the turn signal lamp. A second driving circuit drives a second light source that serves as both the daytime running lamp and the position lamp. A signal processing device executes a software program to control the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit based on the turn synchronization signal, the first switch-on request, and the second switch-on request.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Yuichi Miyashita
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Patent number: 11628762Abstract: A vehicle detecting device includes: a camera that includes an image sensor and a first filter, the image sensor including a plurality of imaging elements including a first imaging element group and a second imaging element group, the first filter keeping an amount of light entering the first imaging element group lower than an amount of light entering the second imaging element group; an image generating unit that generates a first image based on information obtained from the first imaging element group and a second image based on information obtained from the second imaging element group; and a detecting unit that detects a front vehicle based on the first image and the second image.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2022Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Takehito Iriba
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Patent number: 11623558Abstract: A left front camera (11) is adapted to be mounted on a left front lamp (1LF) of a vehicle to obtain external information of at least ahead of the vehicle. A right front LiDAR sensor (12), a type of which is different from the camera (11), is adapted to be mounted on a right front lamp (1RF) of the vehicle to obtain external information of at least ahead of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshiaki Fushimi, Takashi Hori, Teruaki Yamamoto, Yusuke Kasaba
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Publication number: 20230105832Abstract: A sensing system provided in a vehicle capable of running in an autonomous driving mode, includes: a LiDAR unit configured to acquire point group data indicating surrounding environment of the vehicle; and a LiDAR control module configured to identify information associated with a target object existing around the vehicle, based on the point group data acquired from the LiDAR unit. The LiDAR control module is configured to control the LiDAR unit so as to increase a scanning resolution of the LiDAR unit in a first angular area in a detection area of the LiDAR unit, wherein the first angular area is an area where the target object exists.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Shuki YAMAMOTO, Toru NAGASHIMA, Misako KAMIYA, Shunsuke OKAMURA
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Publication number: 20230104593Abstract: A first light emitting unit includes M (M?2) first light emitting elements provided in series. A second light emitting unit including N (N<M) second light emitting elements and a switching transistor are provided on a path parallel to the first light emitting unit. A constant-current driver is connected in series to both the first light emitting unit and the second light emitting unit, and generates a drive current. A drive circuit includes a capacitor provided between a gate and a drain of the switching transistor, and causes the gate of the switching transistor to generate a drive signal according to a switching signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki ICHIKAWA, Toru ITO, Atsushi OZAWA
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Publication number: 20230104439Abstract: An LED string includes a plurality of LEDs connected in series, and is divided into a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. An LED driver circuit receives a power supply voltage according to a battery voltage, and supplies a drive current stabilized at a target current to the LED string. A first bypass circuit is provided in parallel to the first portion and generates a bypass current having a current amount according to the power supply voltage. A second bypass circuit includes a bypass switch provided in parallel to the first portion and the second portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki ICHIKAWA, Ryota FUWA, Atsushi OZAWA
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Publication number: 20230108612Abstract: An array-type light-emitting device includes multiple pixel circuits electrically coupled in parallel and spatially arranged in a matrix. A power supply circuit supplies electric power to the array-type light-emitting device. A DC/DC converter has an output coupled to a power supply terminal of the array-type light-emitting device via a power supply line. A power supply control circuit sets a target value that corresponds to a light distribution pattern, and controls the DC/DC converter such that the control target voltage approaches the target value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yu OTA, Masashi KATO, Shohei YANAGIZU, Satoshi KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20230094075Abstract: A sensor system includes a first sensor, a second sensor, a cover, and a control device. The first sensor detects, with first light, a state of a first area located outside a vehicle and outputs first detecting information corresponding to the state. The second sensor detects, with second light, a state of a second area located outside the vehicle and at least partially overlapping with the first area, and outputs second detecting information corresponding to the state. The cover covers at least one of the first and second sensors while forming a part of an outer face of the vehicle and allows passage of at least one of the first and second light. The control device detects an abnormality of the cover based on an inconsistency between the first and second detecting information that are outputted for an area where the first area and the second area overlap.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2021Publication date: March 30, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Yusuke Totsuka