Patents by Inventor Akiyoshi Mizutani
Akiyoshi Mizutani 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: 20220236402Abstract: An object tracking device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a detection unit, a prediction unit, a first region setting unit, an estimation unit, a registration unit, a prohibition region setting unit, and a registration prohibition unit. The registration prohibition unit prohibits observed values of at least one observed value detected by the detection unit and that are within a prohibition region set by the prohibition region setting unit from being registered as new targets by the registration unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Yusuke AKAMINE, Akiyoshi MIZUTANI
-
Publication number: 20220229168Abstract: An axial misalignment estimation apparatus, mounted in a moving body, acquires reflection point information for each of reflection points detected by a radar apparatus, extracts, from the reflection points, at least a single road-surface reflection point detected by reflection on a road surface, based on the reflection point information. Based on the reflection point information, the axial misalignment estimation apparatus identifies, for each road-surface reflection point, apparatus system coordinates based on coordinate axes of the radar apparatus, and estimates an axial misalignment angle and a height of the radar apparatus using a relational expression established between at least two unknown parameters and at least two elements included in the apparatus system coordinates of the road-surface reflection point. The unknown parameters include the axial misalignment angle being a misalignment angle of a coordinate axis of the radar apparatus around a target axis, and a mounting height of the radar apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Katsuhiko KONDO, Akiyoshi MIZUTANI, Takuya TAKAYAMA
-
Publication number: 20220228861Abstract: An estimation device mounted to a mobile object comprises an acquisition unit, an extraction unit, and an estimation unit. The acquisition unit acquires reflection point information for each of a plurality of reflection points detected by a radar device mounted to the mobile object. The extraction unit extracts, among the plurality of reflection points, at least one road surface reflection point detected by reflection on a road surface, based on at least the reflection point information. The estimation unit estimates a device height which is the height of the radar device mounted to the mobile object, based on at least a road surface reflection point distance which is the distance from the radar device to the road surface reflection point.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Katsuhiko KONDO, Akiyoshi MIZUTANI
-
Patent number: 10983195Abstract: A target detection apparatus includes a target detection section, a following section, a reception tendency determination section, and a target determination section. The reception tendency determination section determines a tendency of received electrical power of a reflected wave from the objective target relative to a distance from the vehicle to the objective target on the basis of a result of following the objective target by the following section. The target determination section determines the objective target as a high target allowing the vehicle to pass under, when the reception tendency determination section determines that the received electrical power has a tendency to be constant regardless of the distance to the objective target.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2017Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Tatsuya Shima, Akiyoshi Mizutani
-
Patent number: 10768293Abstract: An object detecting apparatus includes reflecting point detecting means, reflecting point setting means, rear-end positional information generating means and object detecting means. The reflecting point detecting means detects position and speed of reflecting point reflecting radar waves. The reflecting point setting means sets high and low level reflecting points, the high level reflecting point having reflection intensity higher first detecting threshold, and the low level reflecting point having reflection intensity higher than second detecting threshold and lower than the first detecting threshold. The rear-end positional information generating means checks whether or not a low level reflecting point is present satisfying a same object condition in a rear-end searching range, and correlates positional information of the low level reflecting point as rear-end positional information with the high level reflecting point used as reference of the searching range.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2015Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Ryusuke Uyama
-
Patent number: 10656247Abstract: A target detection apparatus includes a target detection means, a depth determination value calculation means, a crossing over determination means, an attention information setting means, a tracking means, a transfer determination value calculation means, and an attention information cancelling means. The depth determination value calculation means determines a depth determination value indicating the depth of a target. The crossing over determination means determines whether the target can be crossed over by the vehicle. The attention information setting means sets attention information indicating that the target needs to be paid attention. The tracking means determines a connection relationship between a current-cycle target and a previous-cycle target and cause the current-cycle target having a connection relationship, to adopt information relating to the previous-cycle target. The transfer determination value calculation means determines a transfer determination value, for each target.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2015Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Akiyoshi Mizutani
-
Patent number: 10649074Abstract: A radar device includes a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and a signal processor. The transmitting unit transmits a radar wave. The receiving unit mixes the received incoming wave with the radar wave to generate a beat signal. The signal processor executes a target detection process to detect a target having reflected the radar wave. In the target detection process, a signal value is extracted from the beat signal generated by the receiving unit for each of specified times, the specified time being a reciprocal of a DC component frequency, an approximation curve of a plurality of the signal values is calculated as a DC component signal, and the calculated DC component signal is subtracted from the beat signal to generate a target signal. Based on a result of frequency analysis performed on the target signal, a target that is a source of the incoming wave is detected.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2015Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kento Nakabayashi, Yasuyuki Miyake, Yoshie Samukawa, Akiyoshi Mizutani, Yosuke Ito, Kei Tamura
-
Publication number: 20190293759Abstract: A target detection apparatus includes a target detection section, a following section, a reception tendency determination section, and a target determination section. The reception tendency determination section determines a tendency of received electrical power of a reflected wave from the objective target relative to a distance from the vehicle to the objective target on the basis of a result of following the objective target by the following section. The target determination section determines the objective target as a high target allowing the vehicle to pass under, when the reception tendency determination section determines that the received electrical power has a tendency to be constant regardless of the distance to the objective target.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2017Publication date: September 26, 2019Inventors: Tatsuya SHIMA, Akiyoshi MIZUTANI
-
Patent number: 9891316Abstract: An on-vehicle target detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a radar sensing portion and a processing unit that processes information from the radar sensing portion. The processing unit detects a target that is present in the periphery of the vehicle based on detection results from the radar sensing portion, and determines a depth determination value indicating the depth of the target detected. The processing unit compares the depth determination threshold and a threshold set in advance and determines that the target is a low-lying target that is surmountable by the vehicle, when the depth determination value is determined to be less than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2014Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Yoshie Samukawa, Ryusuke Uyama
-
Publication number: 20170315224Abstract: An object detecting apparatus includes reflecting point detecting means, reflecting point setting means, rear-end positional information generating means and object detecting means. The reflecting point detecting means detects position and speed of reflecting point reflecting radar waves. The reflecting point setting means sets high and low level reflecting points, the high level reflecting point having reflection intensity higher first detecting threshold, and the low level reflecting point having reflection intensity higher than second detecting threshold and lower than the first detecting threshold. The rear-end positional information generating means checks whether or not a low level reflecting point is present satisfying a same object condition in a rear-end searching range, and correlates positional information of the low level reflecting point as rear-end positional information with the high level reflecting point used as reference of the searching range.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2015Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Akiyoshi MIZUTANI, Ryusuke UYAMA
-
Publication number: 20170146646Abstract: A radar device includes a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and a signal processor. The transmitting unit transmits a radar wave. The receiving unit mixes the received incoming wave with the radar wave to generate a beat signal. The signal processor executes a target detection process to detect a target having reflected the radar wave. In the target detection process, a signal value is extracted from the beat signal generated by the receiving unit for each of specified times, the specified time being a reciprocal of a DC lo component frequency, an approximation curve of a plurality of the signal values is calculated as a DC component signal, and the calculated DC component signal is subtracted from the beat signal to generate a target signal. Based on a result of frequency analysis performed on the target signal, a target that is a source of the incoming wave is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2015Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: Kento Nakabayashi, Yasuyuki Miyake, Yoshie Samukawa, Akiyoshi Mizutani, Yosuke Ito, Kei Tamura
-
Patent number: 9618608Abstract: A target detection apparatus counts the number of reflection points, taking a reflection point of interest as being a target reflection point, for each detected reflection point, the reflection points being present in a target area that is set with reference to the target reflection point and each having a difference in speed from the target reflection point, the difference being not more than a preset identical speed determination threshold, and extracts a parallel-running pair that is a pair of the reflection points that meet preset parallel-running conditions. The target detection apparatus determines that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair originate from an identical target, when a count value is not less than a preset size determination threshold, the count value being of at least either of the two reflection points configuring the extracted parallel-running pair and generates target information reflecting the determination results.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Keiji Matsuoka, Koji Shimizu
-
Publication number: 20170045610Abstract: A target detection apparatus includes a target detection means, a depth determination value calculation means, a crossing over determination means, an attention information setting means, a tracking means, a transfer determination value calculation means, and an attention information cancelling means. The depth determination value calculation means determines a depth determination value indicating the depth of a target. The crossing over determination means determines whether the target can be crossed over by the vehicle. The attention information setting means sets attention information indicating that the target needs to be paid attention. The tracking means determines a connection relationship between a current-cycle target and a previous-cycle target and cause the current-cycle target having a connection relationship, to take over information relating to the previous-cycle target. The transfer determination value calculation means determines a transfer determination value, for each target.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2015Publication date: February 16, 2017Inventor: Akiyoshi Mizutani
-
Patent number: 9540002Abstract: A target recognition apparatus includes a detecting unit and an estimating unit. The detecting unit detects an object that is present in a traveling direction of a vehicle, and acquires information for estimation that is used to perform an object type estimation to presume whether or not the detected object is an object to be used in control for enabling the vehicle to perform a predetermined operation. The estimating unit performs the object type estimation based on the information for estimation. When a predetermined first condition is met, the control for enabling the vehicle to perform a predetermined operation is prohibited or suppressed. The predetermined first condition indicates that erroneous estimation may occur in the object type estimation.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yosuke Ito, Akiyoshi Mizutani
-
Patent number: 9399397Abstract: The cruise control apparatus includes a headway control means for making a first determination as to whether or not at least one recognized front vehicle running ahead of an own vehicle is a preceding vehicle present in an own-vehicle lane in which the own vehicle is running, performing a headway control to cause the own vehicle to run following the preceding vehicle when the first determination is affirmative, and a vehicle type recognizing means for recognizing a type of the recognized front vehicle. The headway control means is configured to change a way to perform the headway control depending on the type (vehicle size, for example) of the recognized front vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2013Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Keiji Matsuoka, Koji Shimizu
-
Publication number: 20160084942Abstract: A target detection apparatus counts the number of reflection points, taking a reflection point of interest as being a target reflection point, for each detected reflection point, the reflection points being present in a target area that is set with reference to the target reflection point and each having a difference in speed from the target reflection point, the difference being not more than a preset identical speed determination threshold, and extracts a parallel-running pair that is a pair of the reflection points that meet preset parallel-running conditions. The target detection apparatus determines that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair originate from an identical target, when a count value is not less than a preset size determination threshold, the count value being of at least either of the two reflection points configuring the extracted parallel-running pair and generates target information reflecting the determination results.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2014Publication date: March 24, 2016Applicant: Denso CorporationInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Keiji Matsuoka, Koji Shimizu
-
Publication number: 20150362592Abstract: An on-vehicle target detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a radar sensing portion and a processing unit that processes information from the radar sensing portion. The processing unit detects a target that is present in the periphery of the vehicle based on detection results from the radar sensing portion, and determines a depth determination value indicating the depth of the target detected. The processing unit compares the depth determination threshold and a threshold set in advance and determines that the target is a low-lying target that is surmountable by the vehicle, when the depth determination value is determined to be less than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2014Publication date: December 17, 2015Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Yoshie Samukawa, Ryusuke Uyama
-
Patent number: 9134409Abstract: A vehicle-mounted radar apparatus for transmitting radar waves in a forward traveling direction of a vehicle mounting the apparatus thereon (radar-mounting vehicle) and receiving the radar waves reflected from an object to acquire information about the object. In the apparatus, a target detection unit transmits and receives the radar waves to detect positions of targets. A representative target selection unit selects a representative target from the targets detected by the target detection unit. A same-object target selection unit selects targets belonging to the same object as the representative target. An object position determination unit calculates a value of a predefined function of lateral positions of two or more targets of all the targets selected by the same-object target selection unit as a lateral position, along a vehicle-width direction of the radar-mounting vehicle, of the specific reflecting object.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Keiji Matsuoka, Koji Shimizu, Haruki Okazaki
-
Patent number: 9097796Abstract: A radar apparatus includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a signal processor. The transmitter outputs a radar wave. The receiver includes a plurality of receiving antennas and a plurality of receiving devices. Each of the receiving devices mixes a reception signal from the corresponding receiving antenna with a local signal and outputs a beat signal. The signal processor samples the beat signal while selecting one of the receiving devices in order with a selecting period that is less than a half of a sampling period. The signal processor samples the beat signal with the sampling period and derives position information of a target by pair matching of peaks of a rising-modulation signal and a falling-modulation signal of the beat signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2011Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Kazuma Natsume, Yoshihiro Abe
-
Patent number: 9075134Abstract: A radar system for detecting positions of targets using a high resolution algorithm is presented. The number of incorrect target detections due to incorrect estimation of the number of radar reflections is reduced. A two-dimensional (azimuth and distance) peak having maximum power is detected, and a virtual beam formed centering on that peak. If that two-dimensional peak is buried in the virtual beam it is assumed to be a noise peak and removed. This is repeated for all two-dimensional peaks, thereby removing noise peaks and reducing the number of unnecessary target detections. The system can also correctly detect peaks that are close together at a certain resolution but have a power larger than the virtual beam.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshihiro Abe, Akiyoshi Mizutani