Patents by Inventor Akinobu Fujii

Akinobu Fujii 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: 11422562
    Abstract: A path generation device is configured to generate a path along which a mobile object is to travel. The device comprises a planner module configured to plan a steering angle and a steering angular velocity for the mobile object to travel from a start position to a goal position by generating first and second isosceles triangles connecting the start position and the goal position based on the start position of the mobile object, a start position traveling direction being a traveling direction of the mobile object at the start position, the goal position of the mobile object, and a goal position traveling direction being a traveling direction of the mobile object at the goal position. The device comprises a curved path applying module configured to apply a first curved path along legs of the first isosceles triangle and apply a second curved path along legs of the second isosceles triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yuuji Tsusaka, Akinobu Fujii, Minoru Tanaka, Shingo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20210109529
    Abstract: A path generation device is configured to generate a path along which a mobile object is to travel. The device comprises a planner module configured to plan a steering angle and a steering angular velocity for the mobile object to travel from a start position to a goal position by generating first and second isosceles triangles connecting the start position and the goal position based on the start position of the mobile object, a start position traveling direction being a traveling direction of the mobile object at the start position, the goal position of the mobile object, and a goal position traveling direction being a traveling direction of the mobile object at the goal position. The device comprises a curved path applying module configured to apply a first curved path along legs of the first isosceles triangle and apply a second curved path along legs of the second isosceles triangle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yuuji TSUSAKA, Akinobu FUJII, Minoru TANAKA, Shingo HATTORI
  • Patent number: 10850961
    Abstract: A forklift includes: a fork 22, a moving mechanism configured to move the fork in a first direction; a laser sensor 20 mounted on the fork, configured to scan laser light in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and measure a distance from the laser sensor to a surrounding object based on reflection of the scanned laser light; and a processor configured to generate a three-dimensional range image within an emission range to which the laser light is emitted based on distance data acquired when the laser sensor scans the laser light in the second direction while the moving mechanism moves the fork in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Minoru Tanaka, Akinobu Fujii, Yuuji Tsusaka, Makoto Ichinose, Makoto Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10414640
    Abstract: A forklift includes a vehicle body 30, a fork 22 mounted on the vehicle body, a controller configured to adjust a position and an orientation of the vehicle body, a laser sensor 20 configured to measure distance data from the laser sensor to an object existing in a space set forward of the fork, and a control commander configured to, when the distance data measured by the laser sensor includes a load or a pallet 100 to be lifted, generate track data for moving the vehicle body to a loading position of the load or the pallet based on the distance data, and provide a command to the controller using the generated track data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Minoru Tanaka, Akinobu Fujii, Mitsuo Koide, Yuuji Tsusaka, Makoto Ichinose, Makoto Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10248123
    Abstract: A mobile apparatus includes a main body, a range sensor, an operation device, and a mobile mechanism. The operation device includes a wide route data generation unit that generates a wide route data according to which the main body is moved from a first specified location to a second specified location, a determination unit that determines a location and a posture of a reference object, an approaching route data generation unit that generates an approaching route data according to which the main body is moved from the second specified location to a target location, and a route data switching unit that switches traveling route from the wide rote data to the approaching route data after the approaching route data is generated. The approaching route data generation unit generates the approaching route data while the main body is traveling according to the generated wide route data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Makoto Ichinose, Mitsuo Koide, Yuuji Tsusaka, Minoru Tanaka, Akinobu Fujii
  • Publication number: 20180155169
    Abstract: A forklift includes: a fork 22, a moving mechanism configured to move the fork in a first direction; a laser sensor 20 mounted on the fork, configured to scan laser light in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and measure a distance from the laser sensor to a surrounding object based on reflection of the scanned laser light; and a processor configured to generate a three-dimensional range image within an emission range to which the laser light is emitted based on distance data acquired when the laser sensor scans the laser light in the second direction while the moving mechanism moves the fork in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Minoru TANAKA, Akinobu FUJII, Yuuji TSUSAKA, Makoto ICHINOSE, Makoto HAYAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180134531
    Abstract: A forklift includes a vehicle body 30, a fork 22 mounted on the vehicle body, a controller configured to adjust a position and an orientation of the vehicle body, a laser sensor 20 configured to measure distance data from the laser sensor to an object existing in a space set forward of the fork, and a control commander configured to, when the distance data measured by the laser sensor includes a load or a pallet 100 to be lifted, generate track data for moving the vehicle body to a loading position of the load or the pallet based on the distance data, and provide a command to the controller using the generated track data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Minoru TANAKA, Akinobu FUJII, Mitsuo KOIDE, Yuuji TSUSAKA, Makoto ICHINOSE, Makoto HAYAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20170285643
    Abstract: A mobile apparatus includes a main body, a range sensor, an operation device, and a mobile mechanism, The operation device includes a wide route data generation unit that generates a wide route data according to which the main body is moved from a first specified location to a second specified location, a determination unit that determines a location and a posture of a reference object, an approaching route data generation unit that generates an approaching route data according to which the main body is moved from the second specified location to a target location, and a route data switching unit that switches traveling route from the wide rote data to the approaching route data after the approaching route data is generated, The approaching route data generation unit generates the approaching route data while the main body is traveling according to the generated wide route data,
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Makoto ICHINOSE, Mitsuo KOIDE, Yuuji TSUSAKA, Minoru TANAKA, Akinobu FUJII
  • Publication number: 20170285644
    Abstract: A forklift capable of carrying a load placed on a pallet having two openings into which a fork of the forklift is inserted is provided. The forklift includes a sensor configured to irradiate laser light toward a predetermined space forward of the fork, and measure a distance from the sensor to an object located in the predetermined space based on reflected light of the laser light reflected by the object; and a processor configured to identify positions of sidewalls of the two openings of the pallet that is to be lifted based on distance data measured by the sensor, the processor being further configured to identify a center of a front surface of the pallet based on the positions of the sidewalls of the two openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Makoto ICHINOSE, Minoru TANAKA, Yuuji TSUSAKA, Akinobu FUJII
  • Patent number: 9494809
    Abstract: A high-resolution sensor of magnetic field sensor system and materials for use in such a system are described. The sensor systems measure a magnetic field using inorganic and/or organic magneto-optically active materials, e.g. polymer material and have an interferometer based on Faraday rotation. The polymer material is preferably in the form of a film. The polymer material has an optical property that is sensitive to the magnetic field, e g the Faraday rotation effect. The present invention also provides a sensor head structure comprising the above polymer material. The sensor head may be designed for use with an optical fiber or with mirrors In particular the present invention provides a fiber Sagnac interferometer to measure the rotation of polarized plane of light. The present invention provides a fiber or mirror based Sagnac interferometer with passive phase bias applied to magnetic field sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Kazuhiro Shintani, Akinobu Fujii, Norio Sato, Thierry Verbiest, Andre Persoons, Pavel Polynkin, Nasser Peyghambarian
  • Publication number: 20140070802
    Abstract: A high-resolution sensor of magnetic field sensor system and materials for use in such a system are described. The sensor systems measure a magnetic field using inorganic and/or organic magneto-optically active materials, e.g. polymer material and have an interferometer based on Faraday rotation. The polymer material is preferably in the form of a film. The polymer material has an optical property that is sensitive to the magnetic field, eg the Faraday rotation effect. The present invention also provides a sensor head structure comprising the above polymer material. The sensor head may be designed for use with an optical fiber or with mirrors In particular the present invention provides a fiber Sagnac interferometer to measure the rotation of polarized plane of light. The present invention provides a fiber or mirror based Sagnac interferometer with passive phase bias applied to magnetic field sensing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicants: KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi YAMADA, Kazuhiro SHINTANI, Akinobu FUJII, Norio SATO, Thierry VERBIEST, Andre PERSOONS, Pavel POLYNKIN, Nasser PEYGHAMBARIAN
  • Patent number: 8575927
    Abstract: A high-resolution sensor of magnetic field sensor system and materials for use in such a system are described. The sensor systems measure a magnetic field using inorganic and/or organic magneto-optically active materials, e.g. polymer material and have an interferometer based on Faraday rotation. The polymer material is preferably in the form of a film. The polymer material has an optical property that is sensitive to the magnetic field, e.g. the Faraday rotation effect. The present invention also provides a sensor head structure comprising the above polymer material. The sensor head may be designed for use with an optical fiber or with mirrors. In particular the present invention provides a fiber Sagnac interferometer to measure the rotation of polarized plane of light. The present invention provides a fiber or mirror based Sagnac interferometer with passive phase bias applied to magnetic field sensing. This invention has the following three major aspects each being an embodiment of the present invention: 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Kazuhiro Shintani, Akinobu Fujii, Norio Sato, Thierry Verbiest, Andre Persoons, Pavel Polynkin, Nasser Peyghambarian
  • Publication number: 20120001625
    Abstract: A high-resolution sensor of magnetic field sensor system and materials for use in such a system are described. The sensor systems measure a magnetic field using inorganic and/or organic magneto-optically active materials, e.g. polymer material and have an interferometer based on Faraday rotation. The polymer material is preferably in the form of a film. The polymer material has an optical property that is sensitive to the magnetic field, e.g. the Faraday rotation effect. The present invention also provides a sensor head structure comprising the above polymer material. The sensor head may be designed for use with an optical fiber or with mirrors. In particular the present invention provides a fiber Sagnac interferometer to measure the rotation of polarized plane of light. The present invention provides a fiber or mirror based Sagnac interferometer with passive phase bias applied to magnetic field sensing. This invention has the following three major aspects each being an embodiment of the present invention: 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicants: KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Kazuhiro Shintani, Akinobu Fujii, Norio Sato, Thierry Verbiest, Andre Persoons, Pavel Polynkin, Nasser Peyghambarian