Patents by Inventor Harunobu Horiguchi

Harunobu Horiguchi 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: 9764640
    Abstract: In a travel control apparatus for a vehicle, a travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information, and a travel information detector detects travel information relating to the vehicle. The apparatus executes automatic driving control based on such information pieces. A vehicle peripheral object detector detects an object around the vehicle, separately to the travel environment information acquisition unit. An environment information acquisition failure detector detects an acquisition failure in the travel environment information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Matsuno, Hajime Oyama, Yasushi Takaso, Masato Mizoguchi, Harunobu Horiguchi, Takayuki Nagase, Eiichi Shiraishi, Shiro Ezoe, Satoru Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20170259817
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus for a vehicle includes a travel environment information acquisition unit, a travel information detection unit, and a control unit. The acquisition unit acquires travel environment information of the vehicle, which is on a traveling environment of the vehicle. The detection unit detects travel information of the vehicle. The control unit performs self-driving control, on the basis the information. The control unit detects a relative distance between an oncoming vehicle and the vehicle, and performs turn control to cause the vehicle to make a turn while crossing ahead of the oncoming vehicle, in a case where the relative distance is not smaller than a preset threshold value. When the vehicle makes the turn, in a case where a traction control for preventing tire slippage by decreasing a drive torque is operated, the control unit increasingly corrects the preset threshold value in accordance with at least a tire grip state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Harunobu HORIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9637107
    Abstract: In a travel control apparatus for a vehicle, a travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information on a travel environment of the vehicle. A travel information detector detects travel information on the vehicle in order to execute automatic driving control based on such information pieces. A lateral force generator generates lateral force to be applied to the vehicle during the automatic driving control. A torsion bar is interposed on a torque transmission path of a steering system. A steering wheel angle detector detects a steering wheel angle. A lateral force detector detects the lateral force acting on the vehicle. An intervening steering operation determination unit determines that a driver has performed an intervening steering operation when a characteristic of the detected steering wheel angle and lateral force differs from a reference characteristic that varies univocally when the steering wheel is in a no load condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Matsuno, Satoru Akiyama, Takayuki Nagase, Eiichi Shiraishi, Shiro Ezoe, Hajime Oyama, Yasushi Takaso, Masato Mizoguchi, Harunobu Horiguchi
  • Publication number: 20170072963
    Abstract: A vehicle automatic driving control apparatus executes an automatic traveling control by performing setting on preset automatic-driving-required drive torque as target torque, and includes a traction-control-required drive torque setting unit that sets, when a preset operating condition of a traction control is satisfied, traction-control-required drive torque as the target torque to decrease drive torque and thereby suppress a drive wheel slip, an automatic-driving-required drive torque decreasing unit that gradually decreases, based on a preset amount, the automatic-driving-required drive torque when the traction control is operated, a torque comparing unit that compares the traction-control-required drive torque with the decreased automatic-driving-required drive torque, and an automatic-driving-required drive torque setting unit that completes the traction control and performs the setting again on the decreased automatic-driving-required drive torque as the automatic-driving-required drive torque for the
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu HORIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9586620
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus for a vehicle includes a frontward environment recognition unit, a map information storage unit, a vehicle position information obtaining unit, a traveling road information obtaining unit, a rut information detector, a first course setting unit, a second course setting unit, and a target course setting unit. A target course over a road surface on which a vehicle is to travel is set as a first course on the basis of map information, the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel is set as a second course or a third course on the basis of rut information, the first course is compared with the second and third courses, and the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel is set on the basis of traveling road information and the rut information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Matsuno, Harunobu Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 9499171
    Abstract: When a vehicle equipped with a driving support apparatus moves from an original traveling lane into a lane for passing in order to pass a preceding vehicle and an oncoming vehicle appears in the lane for passing, the safe passing of the preceding vehicle is determined to be impossible and the passing is interrupted even when the oncoming vehicle decelerates, in the case where a deceleration change amount of the oncoming vehicle is smaller than a threshold. On the other hand, when the deceleration change amount of the oncoming vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold, whereby safety with respect to surrounding vehicles can be confirmed, and it is determined the vehicle can be safely returned in front of the preceding vehicle, the passing of the preceding vehicle is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Nagase, Koji Matsuno, Shiro Ezoe, Harunobu Horiguchi, Hajime Oyama, Yasushi Takaso, Masato Mizoguchi, Osamu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9493163
    Abstract: When an oncoming vehicle in an oncoming lane is detected in the case where a vehicle equipped with a driving support apparatus moves to a position across a portion of a boundary between an original traveling lane of the vehicle and the oncoming lane in order to pass a preceding vehicle, passing control is interrupted. When the departure of the oncoming vehicle from the oncoming lane is confirmed, the interruption of the passing control is canceled and the passing is performed. When the oncoming vehicle does not depart, or when it the oncoming vehicle is determined to depart but a vehicle following the oncoming vehicle is detected, the interruption of the passing control is maintained and the vehicle is returned to behind the preceding vehicle in the original traveling lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shiro Ezoe, Takayuki Nagase, Osamu Takahashi, Koji Matsuno, Harunobu Horiguchi, Masato Mizoguchi, Yasushi Takaso, Hajime Oyama
  • Patent number: 9452760
    Abstract: During a self-driving control, when an acquisition failure occurs in traveling environment information acquisition required for performing self-driving, and a failure of a steering system of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle driving control apparatus is detected, a brake controller sets an evacuation course along which the vehicle is to travel safely within traveling environment, based on traveling environment information detected last time before the acquisition failure of the traveling environment information, and executes a deceleration of the vehicle and a yaw brake control that applies a yaw moment to the vehicle based on the evacuation course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hajime Oyama, Masato Mizoguchi, Yasushi Takaso, Koji Matsuno, Shiro Ezoe, Satoru Akiyama, Eiichi Shiraishi, Takayuki Nagase, Harunobu Horiguchi
  • Publication number: 20160272243
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus for a vehicle includes a frontward environment recognition unit, a map information storage unit, a vehicle position information obtaining unit, a traveling road information obtaining unit, a rut information detector, a first course setting unit, a second course setting unit, and a target course setting unit. A target course over a road surface on which a vehicle is to travel is set as a first course on the basis of map information, the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel is set as a second course or a third course on the basis of rut information, the first course is compared with the second and third courses, and the target course over the road surface on which the vehicle is to travel is set on the basis of traveling road information and the rut information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu HORIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160132055
    Abstract: In a travel control apparatus for a vehicle, a travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information on a travel environment of the vehicle. A travel information detector detects travel information on the vehicle in order to execute automatic driving control based on such information pieces. A lateral force generator generates lateral force to be applied to the vehicle during the automatic driving control. A torsion bar is interposed on a torque transmission path of a steering system. A steering wheel angle detector detects a steering wheel angle. A lateral force detector detects the lateral force acting on the vehicle. An intervening steering operation determination unit determines that a driver has performed an intervening steering operation when a characteristic of the detected steering wheel angle and lateral force differs from a reference characteristic that varies univocally when the steering wheel is in a no load condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Satoru AKIYAMA, Takayuki NAGASE, Eiichi SHIRAISHI, Shiro EZOE, Hajime OYAMA, Yasushi TAKASO, Masato MIZOGUCHI, Harunobu HORIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160121906
    Abstract: In a travel control apparatus for a vehicle, a travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information, and a travel information detector detects travel information relating to the vehicle. The apparatus executes automatic driving control based on such information pieces. A vehicle peripheral object detector detects an object around the vehicle, separately to the travel environment information acquisition unit. An environment information acquisition failure detector detects an acquisition failure in the travel environment information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Hajime OYAMA, Yasushi TAKASO, Masato MIZOGUCHI, Harunobu HORIGUCHI, Takayuki NAGASE, Eiichi SHIRAISHI, Shiro EZOE, Satoru AKIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160114811
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a travel environment information acquisition unit that acquires travel environment information on a travel environment where the vehicle travels; a travel information detector that detects travel information on the vehicle; and an overtaking controller that detects an overtaking target vehicle ahead of the vehicle in an identical travel lane on the basis of the travel environment information and the travel information, and overtakes the overtaking target vehicle using automatic driving control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu HORIGUCHI, Hajime OYAMA, Yasushi TAKASO, Masato MIZOGUCHI, Takayuki NAGASE, Eiichi SHIRAISHI, Shiro EZOE, Satoru AKIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160090100
    Abstract: During a self-driving control, when an acquisition failure occurs in traveling environment information acquisition required for performing self-driving, and a failure of a steering system of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle driving control apparatus is detected, a brake controller sets an evacuation course along which the vehicle is to travel safely within traveling environment, based on traveling environment information detected last time before the acquisition failure of the traveling environment information, and executes a deceleration of the vehicle and a yaw brake control that applies a yaw moment to the vehicle based on the evacuation course.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Hajime OYAMA, Masato MIZOGUCHI, Yasushi TAKASO, Koji MATSUNO, Shiro EZOE, Satoru AKIYAMA, Eiichi SHIRAISHI, Takayuki NAGASE, Harunobu HORIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150375748
    Abstract: When a vehicle equipped with a driving support apparatus moves from an original traveling lane into a lane for passing in order to pass a preceding vehicle and an oncoming vehicle appears in the lane for passing, the safe passing of the preceding vehicle is determined to be impossible and the passing is interrupted even when the oncoming vehicle decelerates, in the case where a deceleration change amount the oncoming vehicle is smaller than a threshold. On the other hand, when the deceleration change amount of the oncoming vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold, whereby safety with respect to surrounding vehicles can be confirmed, and it is determined the vehicle can be safely returned in front of the preceding vehicle, the passing of the preceding vehicle is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Takayuki NAGASE, Koji MATSUNO, Shiro EZOE, Harunobu HORIGUCHI, Hajime OYAMA, Yasushi TAKASO, Masato MIZOGUCHI, Osamu TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20150367854
    Abstract: When an oncoming vehicle in an oncoming lane is detected in the case where a vehicle equipped with a driving support apparatus moves to a position across a portion of a boundary between an original traveling lane of the vehicle and the oncoming lane in order to pass a preceding vehicle, passing control is interrupted. When the departure of the oncoming vehicle from the oncoming lane is confirmed, the interruption of the passing control is canceled and the passing is performed. When the oncoming vehicle does not depart, or when it the oncoming vehicle is determined to depart but a vehicle following the oncoming vehicle is detected, the interruption of the passing control is maintained and the vehicle is returned to behind the preceding vehicle in the original traveling lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Shiro EZOE, Takayuki NAGASE, Osamu TAKAHASHI, Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu HORIGUCHI, Masato MIZOGUCHI, Yasushi TAKASO, Hajime OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150360684
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus for a vehicle detects a vehicle to be passed that is an target of passing and is located in front of a vehicle equipped with the travel control apparatus in a traveling lane thereof on the basis of peripheral environment information and travel information, detects a following vehicle that is behind the vehicle in the traveling lane thereof as a following vehicle in the original lane on the basis of the peripheral environment information, monitors the vehicle to be passed and the following vehicle in the original lane, and variably controls a passing maneuver with respect to the vehicle to be passed on the basis of a monitoring result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu HORIGUCHI, Shiro EZOE, Takayuki NAGASE, Hajime OYAMA, Yasushi TAKASO, Masato MIZOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150360721
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus for a vehicle detects a vehicle to be passed that is a target of passing and is in front of the vehicle equipped with the apparatus in the traveling lane thereof, detects a parallel traveling vehicle that is traveling in a lane that is adjacent to a lane to which the vehicle performs lane changing to pass the vehicle to be passed and is located on the opposite side of the lane which the vehicle to be passed is traveling, monitors the vehicle to be passed and the parallel traveling vehicle, and variably controls a passing maneuver with respect to the vehicle to be passed on the basis of a monitoring result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu HORIGUCHI, Shiro EZOE, Takayuki NAGASE, Hajime OYAMA, Yasushi TAKASO, Masato MIZOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150002284
    Abstract: A control unit of an assist controller for a vehicle estimates the visibility of a driver, calculates a visibility degradation ratio as a temporal change amount of the visibility, compares the visibility degradation ratio with a warning threshold that has been set in advance according to a vehicle speed, determines whether to warn the driver with a warning device, compares the visibility degradation ratio with a control characteristic change threshold that has been set in advance according to a vehicle speed, determines changes in control characteristics of the ABS function, skid preventing control function, and brake assist control function, compares the visibility degradation ratio with a deceleration control actuation threshold that has been set in advance according to a vehicle speed, and determines whether to execute automatic braking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Koji MATSUNO, Harunobu Horiguchi