Patents by Inventor Eiji Oba

Eiji Oba 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: 11528413
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided. An image photographed by a camera that photographs the surroundings of the vehicle is received. An overhead image, a vehicle travel direction image, and a vehicle lateral side image corresponding to a vehicle movement direction which is either left or right of the vehicle is generated based on the image. The generated image is displayed on a display unit. For example, a display image is generated or updated in accordance with a travel direction of the vehicle and direction-of-rotation information of a steering wheel. In a case where the vehicle is backed counter-clockwise, the overhead image, the vehicle rear image, and a vehicle left side image are generated and displayed. In a case where the vehicle is backed clockwise, the overhead image, the vehicle rear image, and a vehicle right side image are generated and displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Tomonori Agawa, Kyohei Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20220388518
    Abstract: An alertness level that is the consciousness level of the driver of a vehicle is determined, and the timing of a manual driving return request notification is controlled in accordance with the alertness level. A data processing unit determines the alertness level of the driver of the vehicle, and records evaluation data. The data processing unit acquires observation information about the driver, determines the alertness level of the driver, and evaluates and records the return rate at each time. The vehicle is a vehicle capable of switching between automatic driving and manual driving, and the data processing unit controls the timing of a manual driving return request notification for the driver's return from automatic driving to manual driving, in accordance with the alertness level of the driver. The observation information to be acquired by the data processing unit includes observation information about the driver both before and after the driver gets in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Patent number: 11516451
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor; a signal processing unit repeatedly performing processing different from each other in a given number of sequential frames to imaging signals obtained by the image sensor to thereby obtain image data of respective frame; and an image data output unit sequentially outputting the image data of respective frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Publication number: 20220358842
    Abstract: A first imaging section 201 captures an image of the vehicle exterior, and a second imaging section 202 captures an image of a driver. An image processing section 203 detects the driver's line of sight. An information acquisition section 205 acquires status information indicative of the surrounding environment. A driving parameter information generation section 206 generates driving parameter information by use of, as parameter information, the current position detected by a self-position detection section 204, travel control information generated by a travel control section, information indicative of the driver's line of sight, information indicative of the surrounding environment, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: KOHEI KADOSHITA, EIJI OBA
  • Patent number: 11479177
    Abstract: Vehicle display device (10) including a display unit (50), installed in a cabin of a vehicle and having a display face oriented in a different direction from a direction of a driver (DR), configured to display an image depicting a surrounding area of the vehicle, and a mirror unit (55) installed in the cabin of the vehicle and configured to reflect some or all of an image area displayed on the display unit (50). A visible range of the surrounding area visible to the driver through an image of the display unit (50) reflected in the mirror unit (55) changes according to movement of a viewing position of the driver (DR) with respect to the mirror unit (55).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Publication number: 20220289250
    Abstract: Individually-identifiable data included in observation information of a driver or the like of a vehicle or data for which recording processing is not permitted in a personal information protection regulation is abstracted or encrypted and recorded. A driver information acquisition unit that acquires the observation information of the driver of the vehicle and a data processing unit that inputs the observation information and executes data processing are included. The data processing unit divides the observation information into conversion unnecessary data and conversion necessary data, executes abstraction processing or encryption processing for the conversion necessary data, and stores conversion data such as abstraction data or encryption data in a storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventor: EIJI OBA
  • Patent number: 11420636
    Abstract: An alertness level that is the consciousness level of the driver of a vehicle is determined, and the timing of a manual driving return request notification is controlled in accordance with the alertness level. A data processing unit determines the alertness level of the driver of the vehicle, and records evaluation data. The data processing unit acquires observation information about the driver, determines the alertness level of the driver, and evaluates and records the return rate at each time. The vehicle is a vehicle capable of switching between automatic driving and manual driving, and the data processing unit controls the timing of a manual driving return request notification for the driver's return from automatic driving to manual driving, in accordance with the alertness level of the driver. The observation information to be acquired by the data processing unit includes observation information about the driver both before and after the driver gets in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Patent number: 11418752
    Abstract: A capturing device includes an image sensor that generates an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion for light from a subject, a control unit that generates a setting value for setting a range where an image resulting from the image signal is cut, based on a first instruction input from a user, a setting value storage unit that stores the setting value generated by the control unit, an image conversion unit that reads the setting value from the setting value storage unit, and cuts a specific region specified by the setting value from the image and enlarges the cut region, when there is a second instruction input from the user, and an output unit that converts a signal of the image cut and enlarged by the image conversion unit into an image signal of a predetermined format and outputs the converted image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignees: Sony Group Corporation, Sony Europe Limited
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Frederic Maire
  • Publication number: 20220212685
    Abstract: A configuration that receives an intention of a user as input thereto and executes automatic driving control in which the intention of the user is reflected is implemented. A data processing unit that executes automatic driving control receives an intention of a user as input thereto and executes automatic driving control in which the intention of the user is reflected. The data processing unit executes an adjustment process of travel priority between an own vehicle that is a control target by automatic driving and a different vehicle different from the own vehicle. The data processing unit determines, on the basis of analysis of a travel environment, whether or not conflict in the same travel interval is to occur between the own vehicle and the different vehicle and checks, in a case where it is determined that conflict is to occur, the transfer intention of travel priority with the user and then executes the adjustment process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Publication number: 20220161813
    Abstract: A configuration that generates driving zone display data that allows identification of at least an automated driving allowed zone and a manual driving zone on a driving route of a vehicle and that presents the driving zone display data to a user (driver) is provided. A data processing section that generates driving zone display data that allows identification of at least an automated driving allowed zone and a manual driving zone on a driving route of a vehicle is included. The data processing section generates time linear display data representing time (t) and a display position (h) in a proportional relation for a proximate zone and a remote zone. The data processing section generates display data in which a distance per unit display length of the remote zone is made longer than a distance per unit display length of the proximate zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Publication number: 20220081009
    Abstract: A configuration that decides whether or not a driver has alertness sufficient for manual driving by analyzing eye behaviors of the driver trying to solve a problem displayed on the display section is realized. It is made possible to decide whether or not the driver of a moving apparatus that can be driven in a driving mode that can be switched to automated driving and manual driving has alertness sufficient to return to manual driving on the basis of eye behaviors of the driver. An eye-behavior analyzing section that analyzes an eye behavior of the driver who observes a problem displayed on a display section and an alertness deciding section that decides alertness of the driver on the basis of a result of the analysis by the eye-behavior analyzing section are included. The alertness deciding section analyzes whether or not the driver executes an eye behavior such as a fixation or a microsaccade for solving the problem, and decides whether or not the driver has alertness sufficient to return to manual driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Kohei Kadoshita
  • Publication number: 20220055645
    Abstract: A method for decelerating a vehicle, a non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing the method, and reception apparatuses. The method includes monitoring a state of a driver of the vehicle, and causing a notification to be output based on the monitored state of the driver. The method further includes determining, by circuitry of an information processing apparatus and when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate after the notification is output. The vehicle is caused by the circuitry to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji OBA
  • Patent number: 11237388
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus that displays the camera captured image via the spin window on the display and the condition of the travel direction even in the bad weather can be more reliably checked. The image processing apparatus includes a camera that captures an image via the spin window, an image processor that generates a display image, and a display that displays the generated image by the image processor. The image processing apparatus further includes a pulse light output unit, and the camera includes a first camera and a second camera that capture images at timings after elapse of different times from a pulse light output timing of the pulse light output unit. The respective cameras capture images of different spaces, and the image processor generates a differential image between the images captured by the respective cameras and displays the differential image on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Tsuyoshi Toukairin
  • Publication number: 20220009524
    Abstract: Evacuation control such as deceleration or stop of a vehicle is executed in response to an application from a driver of the vehicle for refusal of switching to manual driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Patent number: 11214269
    Abstract: An in-vehicle information processing device according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a control unit. The control unit detects presence or absence of an abnormality of a first monitor that displays a first image captured by a first camera among a plurality of cameras that capture an image of a predetermined region including a rear side of a vehicle, and switches, when detecting the abnormality of the first monitor, from a first mode in which the first image is displayed on the first monitor to a second mode in which the first image is displayed on a second monitor different from the first monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Tomonori Agawa
  • Publication number: 20210407290
    Abstract: A system for an autonomous vehicle that receives driving environment information corresponding to a driving environment provided by another autonomous vehicle, and determines a navigation route based on a degree of reliability of the driving environment information provided by the another autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji OBA
  • Publication number: 20210370983
    Abstract: To implement a configuration to calculate a manual driving recoverable time required for a driver who is executing automatic driving in order to achieve a requested recovery ratio (RRR) for each road section, and issue a manual driving recovery request notification on the basis of the calculated time. A data processing unit is included, which calculates a manual driving recoverable time required for a driver who is executing automatic driving in order to achieve a predefined requested recovery ratio (RRR) from automatic driving to manual driving and determines notification timing of a manual driving recovery request notification on the basis of the calculated time. The data processing unit acquires the requested recovery ratio (RRR) for each road section set as ancillary information of a local dynamic map (LDM), and calculates the manual driving recoverable time for each road section scheduled to travel, using learning data for each driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventor: EIJI OBA
  • Publication number: 20210370773
    Abstract: Configuration, in which images output to a display unit are switched and displayed in accordance with the behavior of a driver, such as movements of the head of the driver, is achieved. Driver information indicating the behavior of the driver of a moving apparatus and images captured by a plurality of cameras that images a situation around the moving apparatus from different viewpoints are input. The images output to the display unit are switched in accordance with the driver information. The plurality of cameras is, for example, a plurality of rear cameras installed in the rear of the moving apparatus. For example, a direction of the face or line-of-sight of the driver is detected. An image in a direction corresponding to the detected direction of the face or line-of-sight of the driver is selected as an output image, and displayed on the display unit. Alternatively, an image in a direction indicated by a gesture of the driver is selected, and displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Oba, Mitsuharu Ohki, Shigeyuki Baba, Yoshikuni Nomura
  • Patent number: 11186296
    Abstract: A method for decelerating a vehicle, a non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing the method, and reception apparatuses. The method includes monitoring a state of a driver of the vehicle, and causing a notification to be output based on the monitored state of the driver. The method further includes determining, by circuitry of an information processing apparatus and when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate after the notification is output. The vehicle is caused by the circuitry to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Oba
  • Patent number: 11164455
    Abstract: A system for an autonomous vehicle that receives driving environment information corresponding to a driving environment provided by another autonomous vehicle, and determines a navigation route based on a degree of reliability of the driving environment information provided by the another autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Oba