Patents by Inventor Hidetada Tanaka

Hidetada Tanaka 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: 10180222
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a first light source, a second light source, a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source, and a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit. The second light source is disposed such that a second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector. The projection lens is configured to project the second light in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takayuki Yagi
  • Publication number: 20190009705
    Abstract: When forming a first light distribution pattern, the controller is configured to control the magnitudes of the drive currents of first light emitting element and the second light emitting element. When forming a second light distribution pattern, the controller is configured to control so that the magnitude of the drive current of the second light emitting element is smaller than when forming the first light distribution pattern and/or so that a time period in which the drive current is to be supplied to the second light emitting element is shorter than when forming the first light distribution pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada TANAKA, Kazutoshi SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20180335192
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a light source and a rotary reflector configured to reflect a light emitted from the light source and rotate around a rotation axis in one direction. The rotary reflector is provided with a reflective surface such that a desired light distribution pattern is formed by scanning a light of a light source reflected by the rotary reflector while the rotary reflector is rotated. The light source includes a first light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a first light distribution pattern that mainly illuminates a range lower than a horizontal line, and a second light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a second light distribution pattern that illuminates a range at least higher than the horizontal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Kazutoshi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10134283
    Abstract: In this invention, letters that can be seen by a pedestrian (101) are drawn on an intersection (103). A mark (MM2) that can be seen by the driver of the host vehicle (C) is drawn on the road (104) between the intersection (103) and the host-vehicle (C). The shapes of the letters (MO4) are corrected in accordance with the positional relationship between the pedestrian (101) and the intersection (103). The shape of the mark (MM2) is corrected in accordance with the positional relationship between the driver of the host-vehicle (C) and the road (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Michihiko Hayakawa, Yuichi Shibata, Takayuki Yagi, Misako Nakazawa, Toshiaki Tsuda, Hidetada Tanaka, Satoshi Yamamura
  • Patent number: 10082267
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light source configured to draw a road surface, a projection lens configured to transmit light emitted from the light source, and a movable shade disposed in the vicinity of a rear focal point of the projection lens. The movable shade includes at least one plate-shaped shade which has a light-shielding surface along a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection lens. The at least one plate-shaped shade is formed with at least one light-transmitting part having an enclosed shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takeshi Masuda, Yuichi Shibata, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Tsukasa Tokida, Kentaro Tani
  • Publication number: 20180112845
    Abstract: The control part controls a timing of changing the light emission intensity of the first light source and a timing of changing the light emission intensity of the second light source such that a first light-shielding portion is formed in a part of the first irradiation pattern, a second light-shielding portion is formed in a part of the second irradiation pattern so as to overlap with the first light-shielding portion, and a range of the first light-shielding portion and a range of the second light-shielding portion are deviated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Kentarou Murakami
  • Patent number: 9951920
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp control system is provided which can not only restrict a semiconductor light emitting element from being deteriorated or damaged by sunlight and but also maintain an illumination efficiency of the semiconductor light emitting element. The vehicle lamp control system includes a projection lens, semiconductor light emitting elements disposed near a rear focal point of the projection lens and emit light towards the projection lens, a movable shade which can move between a shading position where the movable shade cuts off light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting elements to be incident on the projection lens and a non-shading position where the movable shade does not cut off light emitting elements to be incident on the projection lens, and a headlamp control unit which executes a control in which the movable shade is moved to the shading position with the semiconductor light emitting elements left switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Michihiko Hayakawa, Takao Muramatsu, Misako Nakazawa, Hidetada Tanaka, Yuichi Shibata
  • Publication number: 20180106447
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a first light source, a second light source, a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source, and a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit. The second light source is disposed such that a second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector. The projection lens is configured to project the second light in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takayuki Yagi
  • Patent number: 9909731
    Abstract: An optics unit includes a light source and a rotary reflector that includes a rotation unit that rotates about an axis of rotation, and a blade mounted to the rotation unit, the blade including a reflective surface that reflects light emitted by the light source. The optics unit further includes a fan that includes a vane that rotates along with the rotation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamamura, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9878655
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a first light source that emits light of a first brightness, a second light source that emits light of a second brightness higher than the first brightness, an actuator that changes the direction of light emitted from the first light source and the second light source, and an ADB control device that controls the light output of the second light source and the actuator so as to be associated with each other in accordance with a driving condition of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Yuichi Shibata, Misako Nakazawa, Michihiko Hayakawa
  • Publication number: 20170337821
    Abstract: In this invention, letters that can be seen by a pedestrian (101) are drawn on an intersection (103). A mark (MM2) that can be seen by the driver of the host vehicle (C) is drawn on the road (104) between the intersection (103) and the host-vehicle (C). The shapes of the letters (MO4) are corrected in accordance with the positional relationship between the pedestrian (101) and the intersection (103). The shape of the mark (MM2) is corrected in accordance with the positional relationship between the driver of the host-vehicle (C) and the road (104).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi MASUDA, Michihiko HAYAKAWA, Yuichi SHIBATA, Takayuki YAGI, Misako NAKAZAWA, Toshiaki TSUDA, Hidetada TANAKA, Satoshi YAMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170282786
    Abstract: A blade receives light emitted from a light source and repeats a predetermined periodic motion to scan the front of a vehicle with reflected light of the emitted light. A position detector generates a position detection signal S4 indicating a timing at which a predetermined reference point of the blade passes a predetermined position. Based on the position detection signal S4, a period calculator calculates a period Tp of the periodic motion of the blade. A light intensity calculator receives light-distribution-pattern information S3 to be formed in front of the vehicle and calculates light intensity to be generated by the light source at each time based on the position detection signal S4 and the period Tp. A driver turns on a semiconductor light source so as to obtain the light intensity calculated by the light intensity calculator at each time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi TODA, Kentarou MURAKAMI, Masayasu ITO, Takao MURAMATSU, Hidetada TANAKA, Satoshi YAMAMURA
  • Patent number: 9776559
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the vehicular display system, the drawing unit operates when the vehicle speed is within a predetermined low speed area, starts an operation thereof when the vehicle speed becomes above a lower limit of the low speed area, and stops the operation thereof when the vehicle speed exceeds an upper limit of the low speed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Hayakawa, Takao Muramatsu, Naoki Sugiura, Syouhei Yanagidu, Satoshi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Hara, Takayoshi Ishizuka, Hidetada Tanaka, Takeshi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20170276312
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light source configured to draw a road surface, a projection lens configured to transmit light emitted from the light source, and a movable shade disposed in the vicinity of a rear focal point of the projection lens. The movable shade includes at least one plate-shaped shade which has a light-shielding surface along a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection lens. The at least one plate-shaped shade is formed with at least one light-transmitting part having an enclosed shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takeshi Masuda, Yuichi Shibata, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Tsukasa Tokida, Kentaro Tani
  • Publication number: 20170130924
    Abstract: A lamp unit includes a light-emitting element array composed by a plurality of light-emitting elements, having respective individual irradiation regions constituting a high-beam light-distribution pattern and configured to be capable of being turned on individually, mounted in array on a substrate, a projection lens disposed in front of the light-emitting element array, and a reflector disposed below the light-emitting element array. Inter-light-emitting-element spacing within the light-emitting element array widens the more separated the elements are from the projection lens' optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki KAWAI, Kenta OISHI, Naoki UCHIDA, Hiroyuki ISHIDA, Hidetada TANAKA, Noriko SATO, Ryuho SATO, Takatomo FUJIYOSHI
  • Patent number: 9616750
    Abstract: A vehicle display system displays information on a road surface. The vehicle display system includes an other-entity detector, an intersection detector, and a display device. The other-entity detector detects whether or not another entity approaches a vehicle mounted with the vehicle display system. The intersection detector detects whether or not the vehicle approaches an intersection. When the other-entity detector detects that said another entity approaches the vehicle or when the intersection detector detects that the vehicle approaches the intersection, the display device displays a predetermined shape in a predetermined region of a road surface ahead of the vehicle while moving the predetermined shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shibata, Takayuki Yagi, Hidetada Tanaka, Misako Nakazawa, Michihiko Hayakawa, Takeshi Masuda, Toshiaki Tsuda
  • Patent number: 9550448
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light distribution control method and a light distribution control device in which plural illumination regions are arranged in the left-right direction and illuminated by a headlamp in an ADB light distribution pattern, and vehicle positions of a vehicle ahead are detected and selected ones of the plural illumination regions are reduced in light quantity according to the detected vehicle positions. In this method and device, corrected vehicle positions are set that are obtained by adding margins to the detected vehicle positions in the left and right directions, respectively, and compared with the plural illumination regions. Illumination regions where the vehicle ahead exists are reduced in light quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takeshi Masuda, Motohiro Komatsu, Takao Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9517717
    Abstract: A light emitting lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a laser light source, a scanning unit, which scans the laser light emitted from the laser light source so as to form a visible light distribution pattern, an obstacle detector, which detects an obstacle, if any, in front of a driver's vehicle, and a control unit, which adjusts the intensity of the laser light irradiated to an obstacle existent region, according to the distance from the driver's vehicle to the obstacle, based on the detection result of the obstacle detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro Komatsu, Naoki Uchida, Takeshi Masuda, Yuji Yasuda, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20160341388
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a light source, a rotary reflector that rotates about an axis of rotation and includes a reflective surface that reflects light emitted by the light source, and a projection lens including an incident surface on which reflected light from the rotary reflector is incident. A shade is provided between the projection lens and the rotary reflector. The shade blocks at least a portion of light that has been incident on an emission surface of the projection lens at an angle within a predetermined range, that has been condensed by the projection lens, and that travels toward the reflective surface of the rotary reflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Hidetada TANAKA, Misako NAKAZAWA, Satoshi YAMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20160341390
    Abstract: An optics unit includes a light source and a rotary reflector that includes a rotation unit that rotates about an axis of rotation, and a blade mounted to the rotation unit, the blade including a reflective surface that reflects light emitted by the light source. The optics unit further includes a fan that includes a vane that rotates along with the rotation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi YAMAMURA, Hidetada TANAKA