Patents by Inventor Akio Sumizawa

Akio Sumizawa 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: 10982961
    Abstract: This vehicle control system (1) is configured from a vehicle control device (2) installed in a vehicle and a server (40) connected to the vehicle control device (2) via a network. The server (40) is equipped with: a virtual lane generation section which generates virtual lane information relating to a virtual lane virtually set on a road on the basis of at least the travelling locus of another vehicle other than the vehicle; and a server communication section (42) which transmits, to the vehicle control device, the virtual lane information generated by the virtual lane generation section. The vehicle control device (2) is equipped with: a vehicle communication section (14) which receives the virtual lane information from the server (40); a target course generation section (28) which generates a target course of the vehicle on the basis of the virtual lane information; a vehicle control section (39) which causes the vehicle to move along the target course generated by the target track generation section (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignees: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD., CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Patent number: 10845205
    Abstract: A guide route matching with the characteristic of vehicle control is searched to reduce the frequency at which re-search of a guide route is executed. A navigation device includes an information input unit for acquiring a control condition for controlling the traveling of the vehicle as control characteristic information from an autonomous driving control device, and a route searching unit for searching a guide route for the vehicle satisfying the control condition based on the control characteristic information acquired by the information input unit. Accordingly, the guide route matching with the control characteristic of the vehicle can be searched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Takeuchi, Akio Sumizawa
  • Patent number: 10697790
    Abstract: To make it possible to execute processing taking into account the fact that a plurality of lanes are provided in a road. An automatic driving support device 500 includes a map database 541 including lane information concerning lanes of a road, a position specifying section 173 that specifies a present position of a vehicle, and a recommended-lane selecting section 171 that calculates, on the basis of the lane information, a recommendation degree of each of lanes of a road on which the vehicle is traveling and selects, on the basis of the calculated recommendation degree, a lane in which the vehicle travels. Therefore, it is possible to select a recommended lane taking into account the fact that a plurality of lanes are provided in a road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20190107403
    Abstract: A guide route matching with the characteristic of vehicle control is searched to reduce the frequency at which re-search of a guide route is executed. A navigation device includes an information input unit for acquiring a control condition for controlling the traveling of the vehicle as control characteristic information from an autonomous driving control device, and a route searching unit for searching a guide route for the vehicle satisfying the control condition based on the control characteristic information acquired by the information input unit. Accordingly, the guide route matching with the control characteristic of the vehicle can be searched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke TAKEUCHI, Akio SUMIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20190078897
    Abstract: This vehicle control system (1) is configured from a vehicle control device (2) installed in a vehicle and a server (40) connected to the vehicle control device (2) via a network. The server (40) is equipped with: a virtual lane generation section which generates virtual lane information relating to a virtual lane virtually set on a road on the basis of at least the travelling locus of another vehicle other than the vehicle; and a server communication section (42) which transmits, to the vehicle control device, the virtual lane information generated by the virtual lane generation section. The vehicle control device (2) is equipped with: a vehicle communication section (14) which receives the virtual lane information from the server (40); a target course generation section (28) which generates a target course of the vehicle on the basis of the virtual lane information; a vehicle control section (39) which causes the vehicle to move along the target course generated by the target track generation section (28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicants: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD., CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio SUMIZAWA
  • Patent number: 10184801
    Abstract: A guide route matching with the characteristic of vehicle control is searched to reduce the frequency at which re-search of a guide route is executed. A navigation device includes an information input unit for acquiring a control condition for controlling the traveling of the vehicle as control characteristic information from an autonomous driving control device, and a route searching unit for searching a guide route for the vehicle satisfying the control condition based on the control characteristic information acquired by the information input unit. Accordingly, the guide route matching with the control characteristic of the vehicle can be searched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Takeuchi, Akio Sumizawa
  • Patent number: 10157187
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technology capable of allowing a user to search and retrieve facilities in an appropriate manner. An information terminal includes a facility storage unit for storing information on facilities, a first facility search unit for searching and retrieving the facilities stored based on a designated search condition, and a second facility search unit for requesting, via a network, a facility information providing device for providing the information on the facilities to provide facility information based on the designated search condition. It is determined which of the first and second facility search units is to be used to search and retrieve the facilities, and the results retrieved by the first or the second unit are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20180058865
    Abstract: A guide route matching with the characteristic of vehicle control is searched to reduce the frequency at which re-search of a guide route is executed. A navigation device 50 includes an information input unit 582 for acquiring a control condition for controlling the traveling of the vehicle 2 as control characteristic information from an autonomous driving control device 30, and a route searching unit 583 for searching a guide route for the vehicle 2 satisfying the control condition based on the control characteristic information acquired by the information input unit 582. Accordingly, the guide route matching with the control characteristic of the vehicle 2 can be searched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke TAKEUCHI, Akio SUMIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20180045516
    Abstract: To calculate a position of a vehicle on a road with a higher accuracy. An in-vehicle navigation device 1 is provided with a control portion 10 acquiring photographed image data obtained by photographing an outside of the vehicle, calculating, when object image data that is image data of a road sign is included in the photographed image data, a relative position of the vehicle relative to the road sign on the basis of the object image data, and detecting a position of the vehicle on a road on the basis of the calculated relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio SUMIZAWA
  • Patent number: 9816825
    Abstract: Provided are navigation technologies capable of preferentially guiding a vehicle to a route of a driving lane that can be available if given conditions are met. A navigation device is provided with a storage unit adapted to store lane information including the presence or absence of a driving lane that can be available if given conditions are met (hereinafter referred to as a conditional lane), a conditional-lane determining unit adapted to determine whether a vehicle equipped with the navigation device meets the conditions for driving in the conditional lane, and a route searching unit adapted to search a recommended route to a destination, wherein said route searching unit uses lane information to preferentially search for a route which utilizes a road including the conditional lane, when the conditional-lane determining unit determines that the aforementioned conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Arata Hayashi, Hideo Fujiwara, Satoshi Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20170082452
    Abstract: To make it possible to execute processing taking into account the fact that a plurality of lanes are provided in a road. An automatic driving support device 500 includes a map database 541 including lane information concerning lanes of a road, a position specifying section 173 that specifies a present position of a vehicle, and a recommended-lane selecting section 171 that calculates, on the basis of the lane information, a recommendation degree of each of lanes of a road on which the vehicle is traveling and selects, on the basis of the calculated recommendation degree, a lane in which the vehicle travels. Therefore, it is possible to select a recommended lane taking into account the fact that a plurality of lanes are provided in a road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio SUMIZAWA
  • Patent number: 9316504
    Abstract: Disclosed is navigation technology for providing guidance for HOV lanes in a more readily understandable manner. A navigation device is provided with: a storage unit adapted to store lane information including the set-up of lanes which can be used when a predetermined condition is fulfilled (hereafter referred to as conditional lanes); a route guidance unit adapted to provide guidance for a recommended route to a destination; and a guidance unit adapted to provide guidance for entrances and exits for conditional lanes. If travelling along a conditional lane makes it impossible to continue without deviating from the recommended route, the guidance unit provides guidance that the conditional lane should not be entered from an entrance to the conditional lane or inhibits guidance on the presence of an entrance to the conditional lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Satoshi Kurihara, Hideo Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9239241
    Abstract: A navigation system includes: a storage unit having stored therein roadmap data, first statistical traffic information data pertaining to a first area which are created based upon a first standard related to a time applicable to the first area, and second statistical traffic information data pertaining to a second area which are created based upon a second standard related to a time applicable to the second area; a search unit that searches for a recommended route; and an estimated time of arrival calculation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival based upon the roadmap data, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data. The estimated time of arrival calculation unit executes calculation processing of the estimated time of arrival in compliance with the first standard and the second standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Patent number: 9171466
    Abstract: An on-vehicle information terminal includes a traffic information obtaining unit that obtains traffic information through wireless communication, a telematics information obtaining unit that obtains telematics information provided from a distribution server via a mobile communication network, a selection unit that selects either the traffic information or the telematics information when contents of the traffic information and contents of the telematics information are different, and a traffic condition indicating unit that indicates road traffic conditions based upon either the traffic information or the telematics information having been selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20140280076
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a technology capable of allowing a user to search and retrieve facilities in an appropriate manner. An information terminal according to the present invention includes: facility storage means for storing information on facilities; a first facility search means for searching and retrieving the facilities stored in the facility storage means based on a designated search condition; a second facility search means for requesting, via a network, a facility information providing device for providing the information on the facilities to provide facility information based on the designated search condition; search method determination means for determining which of the first facility search means and the second facility search means is to be used to search and retrieve the facilities; and result displaying means for displaying results retrieved by the first facility search means or the second facility search means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Patent number: 8825349
    Abstract: An on-vehicle information terminal includes a traffic information obtaining unit that obtains traffic information including at least either weather information or event information through wireless communication, a decision-making unit that makes a decision, based upon at least either the weather information or the event information, as to whether or not telematics information provided by a distribution server via a mobile communication network is to be downloaded, and a download unit that downloads the telematics information via the mobile communication network if the decision-making unit has determined that the telematics information is to be downloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20140100772
    Abstract: A navigation system includes: a storage unit having stored therein roadmap data, first statistical traffic information data pertaining to a first area which are created based upon a first standard related to a time applicable to the first area, and second statistical traffic information data pertaining to a second area which are created based upon a second standard related to a time applicable to the second area; a search unit that searches for a recommended route; and an estimated time of arrival calculation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival based upon the roadmap data, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data. The estimated time of arrival calculation unit executes calculation processing of the estimated time of arrival in compliance with the first standard and the second standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Patent number: 8634984
    Abstract: A navigation system includes: a storage unit having stored therein roadmap data, first statistical traffic information data pertaining to a first area which are created based upon a first standard related to a time applicable to the first area, and second statistical traffic information data pertaining to a second area which are created based upon a second standard related to a time applicable to the second area; a search unit that searches for a recommended route; and an estimated time of arrival calculation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival based upon the roadmap data, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data. The estimated time of arrival calculation unit executes calculation processing of the estimated time of arrival in compliance with the first standard and the second standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20130035858
    Abstract: Disclosed is navigation technology for providing guidance for HOV lanes in a more readily understandable manner. A navigation device is provided with: a storage unit adapted to store, for each predetermined segment of road, lane information including whether or not it is possible to enter or exit lanes which can be used when a predetermined condition is fulfilled (hereafter referred to as conditional lanes); a route search unit adapted to search for a recommended route to a destination; and a lane guidance unit adapted to provide entry/exit guidance in a road segment where a conditional lane can be entered or exited. If a segment where a conditional lane can be exited and a segment where the conditional lane can be entered, which is before the segment which can be exited, are on the recommended route, the lane guidance unit provides entry guidance in the segment where the lane can be entered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Hideo Fujiwara, Satoshi Kurihara, Arata Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20130030691
    Abstract: Disclosed is navigation technology for providing guidance for HOV lanes in a more readily understandable manner. A navigation device is provided with: a storage unit adapted to store lane information including the set-up of lanes which can be used when a predetermined condition is fulfilled (hereafter referred to as conditional lanes); a route guidance unit adapted to provide guidance for a recommended route to a destination; and a guidance unit adapted to provide guidance for entrances and exits for conditional lanes. If travelling along a conditional lane makes it impossible to continue without deviating from the recommended route, the guidance unit provides guidance that the conditional lane should not be entered from an entrance to the conditional lane or inhibits guidance on the presence of an entrance to the conditional lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Satoshi Kurihara, Hideo Fujiwara