Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Niino

Hiroaki Niino 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: 20230174093
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes: a stoppage factor determination unit configured to determine whether to clear a stoppage factor of the own vehicle,; an interfering object determination unit configured to determine whether an interfering object is present that interferes with the starting of the own vehicle, based on object information of another object that has not been recognized as the stoppage factor; and a notification determination unit configured to: set, as a condition for permitting the provision of a notification for prompting the starting of the own vehicle being stopped, a determination that the stoppage factor is cleared made by the stoppage factor determination unit, and suppress the provision of the notification in response to the interfering object determination unit determining that the interfering object is present even if the stoppage factor determination unit determines that the stoppage factor is cleared during stoppage of the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Tomohiko INOUE, Youhei MASUI, Hiroaki NIINO, Toshihiro MARUYAMA, Shota KUROKI
  • Publication number: 20220289190
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a determination unit that determines whether a brake light of a preceding vehicle located in front of a vehicle is turned on, based on a lighting state of a headlight of the preceding vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the preceding vehicle, a calculation unit that calculates a target acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, based on a determination by the determination unit of whether the brake light of the preceding vehicle is turned on, and a control unit that controls the vehicle so that an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle corresponds to the target acceleration/deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Tomohiko INOUE, Youhei MASUI, Hiroaki NIINO, Yuki TEZUKA, Naoki KUSUMOTO, Yuuji KOSAKA
  • Patent number: 11068735
    Abstract: A reliability calculation apparatus calculates a reliability of a recognized object that is recognized as being present on a route on which a vehicle travels. The reliability of the recognized object is used for driving control of the vehicle. In the reliability calculation apparatus, a provisional reliability calculating unit determines a feature quantity of each of a plurality of recognized objects, selects a plurality of pairs of recognized objects from the plurality of recognized objects, determines a difference in feature quantity of each pair of recognized objects, and calculates a reliability that decreases as the difference in feature quantity increases as a provisional reliability of each pair of recognized objects. An integrated reliability calculating unit calculates an integrated reliability of each recognized object from the provisional reliabilities of the plurality of pairs of recognized objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Okada, Shunya Kumano, Hiroaki Niino, Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Takumi Uematsu
  • Patent number: 11014562
    Abstract: A detection unit detects one of a plurality of inter-vehicle areas as an area candidate where the own vehicle can perform lane change. A calculation unit calculates a required inter-vehicle distance which should be secured between the own vehicle and a nearby vehicle upon lane change to the area candidate. An extraction unit extracts, within preset allowable ranges, a standby time and a target speed used for estimating an estimated inter-vehicle distance as lane change conditions which are conditions for the estimated inter-vehicle distance to be equal to or more than the required inter-vehicle distance. When the lane change conditions are extracted, and a determining unit determines that lane change is possible, a setting unit sets the area candidate as the lane change area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shotaro Fukuda, Hiroaki Niino, Koji Fujiki
  • Patent number: 10908605
    Abstract: In a driving assist system, a driving assist device as a control device acquires driving control information to be used for performing a driving control process in which an own vehicle follows a preceding vehicle running on the same lane of the own vehicle in front of the own vehicle. The driving assist device performs the driving control process of the own vehicle based on the acquired driving control information. The driving assist device detects an interruption of a preceding-vehicle following of the own vehicle. In the preceding-vehicle following, the own vehicle follows the preceding vehicle running on the same lane. The driving assist device decelerates a vehicle speed of the own vehicle by using a predetermined braking force when detecting the interruption of the preceding-vehicle following of the own vehicle during the preceding-vehicle following.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masayoshi Ooishi, Hiroshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10896612
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lane change assistance device, including: a change time setting unit configured to set a change time required for the lane change; a yaw angle acquisition unit configured to acquire a yaw angle of an own vehicle before starting the lane change; and a steering control unit configured to control a steering unit of the own vehicle to perform the lane change in the change time set by the change time setting unit, wherein when the yaw angle acquired by the yaw angle acquisition unit is a yaw angle in a state where the own vehicle approaches a target lane designated during the lane change, the change time setting unit sets the change time shorter than in other states, and when the yaw angle acquired by the yaw angle acquisition unit is a yaw angle in a state where the own vehicle stays away from the target lane, the change time setting unit sets the change time longer than in the other states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Fujiki, Hiroaki Niino
  • Patent number: 10864915
    Abstract: A passing assist device includes a detection unit, a passing control unit, a speed setting unit, and a suspending unit. When the speed of an own vehicle set by the speed setting unit is lower than a preset speed when the own vehicle is traveling in a passing lane, the suspending unit suspends a lane change from the passing lane to a traveling lane by the passing control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Fujiki, Hiroaki Niino, Shotaro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10843695
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior deter miner deter mines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Takahiro Narita
  • Patent number: 10745014
    Abstract: An inter-vehicle calculation unit calculates a required inter-vehicle distance required between the own vehicle and forward/rear vehicles traveling in the lane to which the own vehicle moves during the lane change. The required inter-vehicle distance includes a first inter-vehicle distance and a second inter-vehicle distance. The first inter-vehicle distance is the distance required to allow the own vehicle or the forward/rear vehicles to adjust their velocity after the own vehicle changes lanes, and the first inter-vehicle distance is calculated by a first calculation unit. The second inter-vehicle distance is the distance required between the own vehicle and the forward/rear vehicles after the own vehicle or the forward/rear vehicles adjust their velocity, and the second inter-vehicle distance is calculated by a second calculation unit. A determination unit determines that the own vehicle can change lanes if the relative distance is equal to or greater than the required inter-vehicle distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shotaro Fukuda, Hiroaki Niino, Koji Fujiki
  • Patent number: 10689005
    Abstract: A traveling assist device includes a recognition unit, a traveling control unit, a sensor determination unit, and a control decision unit. The sensor determination unit determines whether surrounding detection sensors are normal or not. The control decision unit decides whether the traveling control unit controls a lane change based on the result of determination by the sensor determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayoshi Oishi, Koji Fujiki, Hiroaki Niino
  • Patent number: 10661794
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a recognition unit, a region setting unit, a travel setting unit, and a travel control unit. Based on the relative speed of a vehicle with respect to an object recognized by the recognition unit, the region setting unit sets a prohibited travel region where the vehicle is prohibited from entering around the object, and further sets a region of a travel path that excludes the prohibited travel region as a permitted travel region where the vehicle is to travel. The travel setting unit sets at least one of a target vehicle speed and a target travel trajectory of the vehicle that is to travel in the permitted travel region set by the region setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Ohoka, Takahiro Narita
  • Publication number: 20200139972
    Abstract: A passing assist device includes a detection unit, a passing control unit, a speed setting unit, and a suspending unit. When the speed of an own vehicle set by the speed setting unit is lower than a preset speed when the own vehicle is traveling in a passing lane, the suspending unit suspends a lane change from the passing lane to a traveling lane by the passing control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Koji FUJIKI, Hiroaki NIINO, Shotaro FUKUDA
  • Patent number: 10569787
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes a driving support unit, a switching control unit, a reliability detection unit, and a threshold lowering unit. The switching control unit ceases driving support by the driving support unit and switches a driving state from driving in which the driving support is performed to manual driving, according to input from an operation detection unit when operating force or an operation amount exceeds a threshold. The reliability detection unit detects degradation of reliability of the driving support by the driving support unit. The threshold lowering unit lowers the threshold when the reliability detection unit detects the degradation of the reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Miura, Masayoshi Oishi, Hiroaki Niino, Koji Fujiki, Shotaro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10538244
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus is mounted in an own vehicle and performs driving assistance for the own vehicle. The driving assistance apparatus determines a travel recommended lane in which the own vehicle is to travel, based on a comparison of a preset vehicle speed set in advance to allow the own vehicle to travel at a constant speed, to a travel state of a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle in a travel lane in which the own vehicle is traveling and a travel state of an adjacent vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle in an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the travel lane. The driving assistance apparatus performs output based on the travel recommended lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Aki Nagatomo
  • Patent number: 10486712
    Abstract: An evacuation control apparatus includes a decrease detecting unit, a rear monitoring unit, and an evacuation control unit. The decrease detecting unit detects decrease in a consciousness level of a driver of an own vehicle. The rear monitoring unit monitors a state behind the own vehicle. The evacuation control unit outputs control information for making the own vehicle perform an emergency evacuation based on monitoring results of the rear monitoring unit, when the decrease detecting unit detects decrease in the consciousness level of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Takeshi Miura, Hitoshi Wada
  • Publication number: 20190308627
    Abstract: An inter-vehicle calculation unit calculates a required inter-vehicle distance required between the own vehicle and forward/rear vehicles traveling in the lane to which the own vehicle moves during the lane change. The required inter-vehicle distance includes a first inter-vehicle distance and a second inter-vehicle distance. The first inter-vehicle distance is the distance required to allow the own vehicle or the forward/rear vehicles to adjust their velocity after the own vehicle changes lanes, and the first inter-vehicle distance is calculated by a first calculation unit. The second inter-vehicle distance is the distance required between the own vehicle and the forward/rear vehicles after the own vehicle or the forward/rear vehicles adjust their velocity, and the second inter-vehicle distance is calculated by a second calculation unit. A determination unit determines that the own vehicle can change lanes if the relative distance is equal to or greater than the required inter-vehicle distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Shotaro FUKUDA, Hiroaki NIINO, Koji FUJIKI
  • Patent number: 10392010
    Abstract: An evacuation travel assist apparatus includes a stop lane determination section that determines a stop lane and an evacuation place in the stop lane in which an own vehicle should be urgently stopped when the vehicle drive is detected to be in a state of being not able to drive the own vehicle properly, and a transverse position determination section that determines, as a stop transverse position, a position in a transverse direction of the evacuation place in the stop lane so as to ensure a space for the vehicle driver and passengers to get in and out of the own vehicle safely at a side of the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Miura, Masao Oooka, Hiroaki Niino
  • Publication number: 20190185005
    Abstract: A detection unit detects one of a plurality of inter-vehicle areas as an area candidate where the own vehicle can perform lane change. A calculation unit calculates a required inter-vehicle distance which should be secured between the own vehicle and a nearby vehicle upon lane change to the area candidate. An extraction unit extracts, within preset allowable ranges, a standby time and a target speed used for estimating an estimated inter-vehicle distance as lane change conditions which are conditions for the estimated inter-vehicle distance to be equal to or more than the required inter-vehicle distance. When the lane change conditions are extracted, and a determining unit determines that lane change is possible, a setting unit sets the area candidate as the lane change area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Shotaro FUKUDA, Hiroaki NIINO, Koji FUJIKI
  • Publication number: 20190171896
    Abstract: A reliability calculation apparatus calculates a reliability of a recognized object that is recognized as being present on a route on which a vehicle travels. The reliability of the recognized object is used for driving control of the vehicle. In the reliability calculation apparatus, a provisional reliability calculating unit determines a feature quantity of each of a plurality of recognized objects, selects a plurality of pairs of recognized objects from the plurality of recognized objects, determines a difference in feature quantity of each pair of recognized objects, and calculates a reliability that decreases as the difference in feature quantity increases as a provisional reliability of each pair of recognized objects. An integrated reliability calculating unit calculates an integrated reliability of each recognized object from the provisional reliabilities of the plurality of pairs of recognized objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya OKADA, Shunya KUMANO, Hiroaki NIINO, Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Takumi UEMATSU
  • Publication number: 20190118809
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a recognition unit, a region setting unit, a travel setting unit, and a travel control unit. Based on the relative speed of a vehicle with respect to an object recognized by the recognition unit, the region setting unit sets a prohibited travel region where the vehicle is prohibited from entering around the object, and further sets a region of a travel path that excludes the prohibited travel region as a permitted travel region where the vehicle is to travel. The travel setting unit sets at least one of a target vehicle speed and a target travel trajectory of the vehicle that is to travel in the permitted travel region set by the region setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroaki NIINO, Masao OHOKA, Takahiro NARITA