Patents by Inventor Akihiro Kida

Akihiro Kida 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: 20210110177
    Abstract: An obstacle recognition device of a vehicle provided with a camera capturing an image around the vehicle, includes an acquiring unit sequentially acquiring the image captured by the camera; a feature point extracting unit extracting a plurality of feature points of an object included in the image; a calculation unit calculating each motion distance of the plurality of feature points between the image previously acquired and the image currently acquired by the acquiring unit; a first determination unit determining whether each motion distance of the feature points is larger than or equal to a first threshold; a second determination unit determining whether each motion distance of the feature points is larger than or equal to a second threshold; and an obstacle recognition unit recognizing an obstacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Koki OSADA, Takayuki HIROMITSU, Tomoyuki FUJIMOTO, Takuya MIWA, Yutaka HAMAMOTO, Masumi FUKUMAN, Akihiro KIDA, Kunihiro SUGIHARA
  • Patent number: 10864907
    Abstract: A vehicle control ECU is configured to determine the presence or absence of an object ahead of a vehicle in its traveling direction. The vehicle control ECU is configured to, if an object has been detected, raise a driving force command value in the vehicle in a stepwise manner such that the driving force command value does not exceed a request value determined based on an accelerator position designated by a driver until the speed of the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed, and lower the driving force command value after the speed of the vehicle reaches the predetermined speed. The vehicle control ECU is configured to calculate the slope of a road on which the vehicle runs. The vehicle control ECU is configured to change the increase rate per time for raising the driving force command value based on the slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo Okuda, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10684369
    Abstract: A driving assistance device that detects an object around the own vehicle by using an ultrasonic sensor mounted on the own vehicle and performs driving assistance control of the own vehicle. The driving assistance device drives an oscillator of the ultrasonic sensor so that ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the oscillator. The driving assistance device acquires a duration and a frequency of reverberation occurring in association with driving of the oscillator. The driving assistance device determines, on a basis of the acquired duration and frequency of the reverberation, whether an oscillation characteristic of the reverberation has changed. The driving assistance device changes, on a basis of a result of determination of the oscillation characteristic of the reverberation, at least one execution mode of the driving assistance control and determination of abnormality in the driving assistance control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Nomura, Akihiro Kida, Motonari Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10661711
    Abstract: A warning output device includes a rear sensor unit and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to, when a shift position is an R range, based on information from the sensor unit indicating that a first obstacle is detected, output a warning for informing an occupant of the presence of the first obstacle, in a first state, output first predetermined warning display and first predetermined warning sound; and in a second state, output second predetermined warning display and second predetermined warning sound. The ECU is configured to, in the second state, output the second predetermined warning sound for a predetermined time, then stop the output of the second predetermined warning sound, and output the second predetermined warning display for a longer time than the second predetermined warning sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Ohtani, Masato Okuda, Akihiro Kida, Yuka Takagi, Toshihiro Takagi
  • Publication number: 20200074860
    Abstract: A collision determination apparatus includes: an own vehicle route estimating unit that estimates a route of an own vehicle; a target object route estimating unit that estimates a route of a target object; and a collision determining unit that performs a collision determination regarding the own vehicle and the target object. When the own vehicle route estimating unit estimates the route of the own vehicle to be circular arc-shaped, the collision determining unit divides a circular arc indicating the route of the own vehicle into a plurality of circular arcs, approximates each of the divided circular arcs as a straight line by connecting an end point and an end point of each of the divided circular arcs, and performs the collision determination based on whether any of the approximated straight lines and the route of the target object intersect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Shinji KITAURA, Takayuki HIROMITSU, Akihiro KIDA
  • Patent number: 10578736
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting an object around a moving object by transmitting a probe wave and receiving reflections of the probe wave from the object via the plurality of ranging sensors. In the apparatus, an interaction determiner is configured to, if an object position calculated by a position calculator is within a range of a moving-object's course, determine whether or not the detected object is likely to interact with the moving object based on a lateral position of the detected object and a degree of confidence of the object position calculated by the position calculator. The lateral position of the detected object is the object position calculated by the position calculator in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the moving object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Publication number: 20200064464
    Abstract: A collision determination apparatus includes an acquisition section, a filtering section, a target object information detection section, a target object path prediction section, an own vehicle path prediction section, a collision determination section, and a vehicle control section. The acquisition section (21) acquires detection information based on a reflected wave from a search device. The filtering section filters the detection information. The target object information detection section detects a position of a target object using the filtered detection information. The target object path prediction section predicts a path of the target object based on changes in the detected position of the target object. The own vehicle path prediction section predicts a path of an own vehicle. The collision determination section determines a risk of collision between the own vehicle and the target object. The vehicle control section executes a vehicle control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Takayuki HIROMITSU, Shinji KITAURA, Akihiro KIDA
  • Patent number: 10453343
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes a first detection unit that detects an object based on a reflected version of probing waves transmitted by a first distance sensor and received as direct waves by the first distance sensor, a second detection unit that detects the object based on a reflected version of the probing waves received as indirect waves by a second distance sensor, a position calculation unit that calculates position data of the object using a trilateration method, a counter update unit that updates a counter value of a reliability level determination counter by an update amount, and an update amount setting unit that variably sets the value of the update amount depending on which position within detection areas of the first and second distance sensors the position data calculated in the current detection cycle shows the object to be in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10451722
    Abstract: An in-vehicle object determining apparatus cooperates with an obstacle sensor unit, which detects an obstacle at a first time. An estimated detected state is calculated as a detected state of the obstacle estimated to be detected by the obstacle sensor unit at a second time after a lapse of a predetermined time period from the first time, on condition that the obstacle is assumed to be under stationary state, based on (i) a vehicle-relative position of the obstacle detected at the first time, (ii) a sensor position of the obstacle sensor unit, and (iii) a vehicle position change during a period from the first time to the second time. It is determined that the obstacle is a moving object based on a discrepancy between the estimated detected state of the obstacle and a real detected state of the obstacle actually detected by the obstacle sensor unit at the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidenori Tanaka, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10451734
    Abstract: An object detecting apparatus includes a distance calculator that calculates a distance to the object, a wave height acquirer that acquires a respective peak value of the plurality of reflected waves, and multiple reflection determiner. When a reflected wave for which a first distance to the object is calculated to be the smallest in the reflected waves is defined as a first wave, and another reflected wave to which a second distance is calculated as twice or more integer times the first distance calculated for the first wave and a difference of the peak value relative to the first wave which is larger than a predetermined value is present in the reflected waves, the multiple reflection determiner determines that multiple reflection is occurring in a second wave or thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10436899
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes a first acquisition unit that acquires, as a first direct wave group, reflected versions of first probing waves transmitted from and received at a first position, and acquires, as a first indirect wave group reflected versions of the first probing waves received at a second position, a second acquisition unit that acquires, as a second indirect wave group, reflected versions of second probing waves transmitted from the second position and received at the first position, and acquires, as a second direct wave group, reflected versions of the second probing wave received at the second position, and a determination unit that determines whether the object is a real object or a ghost in accordance with the receptions times of the first and second direct wave groups and the first and second indirect wave groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10436900
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus is applied to a movable body including an object detection sensor which transmits a search wave and receives a reflected wave of the search wave as detection information of an object, and detects the object present around the movable body based on the detection information. The apparatus includes a frequency detection section which detects an occurrence frequency of a disturbance signal at the same time within a predetermined transmission time period determined with reference to a transmission period of the search wave, and a disturbance determination section which determines presence or absence of occurrence of disturbance based on the occurrence frequency detected by the frequency detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10429506
    Abstract: A lateral distance sensor diagnosis apparatus cooperating with a lateral distance sensor in a vehicle includes a travel enabled distance acquisition section and a diagnosis test section. The travel enabled distance acquisition section determines whether the vehicle is estimated to have contact with an object detected by the lateral distance sensor, based on a distance detected by the lateral distance sensor and a present steering angle. When determining that the vehicle is estimated to have contact with the detected object, the travel enabled distance acquisition section acquires a travel enabled distance based on a distance detected by the lateral distance sensor. The diagnosis test section determines that the lateral distance sensor fails to operate normally when a movement distance becomes greater than the travel enabled distance under state where the steering angle is an angle causing the vehicle to have contact with an object detected by the lateral distance sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidenori Tanaka, Akihiro Kida
  • Publication number: 20190275993
    Abstract: In a vehicle control apparatus, an acquiring unit acquires detection information from a probe apparatus based on reflected waves thereof. A target object information detecting unit detects a position of a target object. A target object route estimating unit estimates a route of the target object. An own vehicle route estimating unit estimates a route of an own vehicle. A collision determining unit determines whether the own vehicle and the target object will collide. A vehicle control unit performs vehicle control of the own vehicle when the own vehicle and the target object are determined to collide. An area setting unit sets a non-operating area for vehicle control. The area setting unit sets, as the non-operating area, a predetermined area with reference to a position in which the target object is detected, in a lateral direction that is orthogonal to an advancing direction of the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Takayuki HIROMITSU, Shinji KITAURA, Akihiro KIDA
  • Publication number: 20190271777
    Abstract: A collision determination apparatus includes an acquisition section, a setting section, a target object information detection section, a target object path prediction section, an own vehicle path prediction section, and a collision determination section. The acquisition section acquires detection information based on a reflected wave from a search device. The setting section sets filter characteristics of a filtering process used when the detection information is filtered. The target object information detection section detects a position of a target object using the filtered detection information. The target object path prediction section predicts a path of the target object based on changes in the position of the target object detected by the target object information detection section. The own vehicle path prediction section predicts a path of an own vehicle. The collision determination section makes a determination of a collision between the own vehicle and the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Takayuki HIROMITSU, Shinji KITAURA, Akihiro KIDA
  • Patent number: 10210435
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting an object around a moving object carrying the apparatus by transmitting a probe wave and receiving reflections of the probe wave from the object via a plurality of ranging sensors attached to the moving object. In the apparatus, a tentative same-object determiner is configured to, if it is determined by a same-object determiner that the objects detected in the current and previous cycles are not the same, determine whether or not the objects detected in the current and previous cycles are likely to be the same. A determination suspender is configured to, if it is determined that the objects detected in the current and previous cycles are likely to be the same, suspend determining that the objects detected in the current and previous cycles are not the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Publication number: 20190041849
    Abstract: A monitor ECU 10 performs a support control based on a camera image photographed through a protection window by a camera 21. The ECU determines that a protection window state is an entire dirt state, when a first area index value calculated based on edge strength of pixels in a first area including a center of the camera image is smaller than a threshold dirt value. The ECU determines that the entire dirt state ends, when at least one of a first condition or a second condition is established. The first condition is established when the first area index value is equal to or greater than a first threshold end value. The second condition is established when a second area index value calculated based on the edge strength in a second area except the first area is equal to or greater than a second threshold end value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro KIDA, Tomoyuki TSURUBE, Nobuyuki HIROSE
  • Patent number: 10175354
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting objects around the apparatus by transmitting a probe wave and receiving reflections from the objects. If it is determined that both first and second object positions can be calculated using a combination of first direct and indirect waves and a combination of second direct and indirect waves, respectively, and at least one of third and fourth object positions can be calculated using a combination of the second direct wave and the first indirect wave and a combination of the first direct wave and the second indirect wave, only the first object position is calculated. The second direct wave is received at a first location after receipt of the first direct wave at the first location. The second indirect wave is received at a second location away from the first location after receipt of the first indirect wave at the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10175355
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting an object around a moving object carrying the apparatus by transmitting a probe wave and receiving reflections of the probe wave from the object via a plurality of ranging sensors attached to the moving object. In the apparatus, a position determiner determines whether or not a position of the object calculated by a position calculator based on the reflections received by a pair of adjacent ranging sensors, from one of which is the probe wave is transmitted, is out of an overlapping range of ranges of object detection for the respective adjacent ranging sensors. A position invalidator is configured to, based on the determination made by the position determiner, determine that the object position calculated by the position calculator is invalid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masumi Fukuman, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida
  • Patent number: 10106157
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus detects an object in a travel direction of a vehicle. The vehicle control apparatus restrains a drive force of the vehicle when an object is detected. The vehicle control apparatus acquires a jerk in a travel direction on the basis of a behavior of the vehicle. When an accelerator of the vehicle is actuated while the vehicle is in a state in which the drive force of the vehicle is restrained, and a speed of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined value. The vehicle control apparatus increases the drive force, and decreases a post-increase drive force on the basis of the acquired jerk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mototsugu Sawada, Motonari Ohbayashi, Akihiro Kida, Hironobu Ishijima