Patents by Inventor Hirohiko Yanagawa

Hirohiko Yanagawa 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: 11863900
    Abstract: In an image generation apparatus, an image acquisition unit is configured to acquire, from at least one camera operable to capture an image of surroundings of a vehicle, a captured image. A bird's-eye view image generation unit is configured to generate a bird's-eye view image from the captured image. A three-dimensional object recognition unit is configured to recognize a three-dimensional object in the captured image. A superimposition-image acquisition unit is configured to acquire a superimposition image that represents the three-dimensional object recognized by the three-dimensional object recognition unit, by performing a process depending on a type of the three-dimensional object recognized by the three-dimensional object recognition unit. A superimposition unit is configured to superimpose, onto the bird's-eye view image, the superimposition image acquired by the superimposition-image acquisition unit, at a position where the three-dimensional object is present in the bird's-eye view image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shingo Imura, Hirohiko Yanagawa, Woocheol Shin
  • Patent number: 11750768
    Abstract: An image processing unit identifies the shape of an obstacle that is identified from an area that appears in a peripheral image based on an image captured by a camera. The shape of the obstacle includes at least a tilt of a section of the obstacle in a road-surface direction. The section of the obstacle faces a vehicle. The image processing unit generates a superimposed image in which a mark image that is generated as a pattern that indicates the identified obstacle is superimposed onto a position that corresponds to the obstacle in the peripheral image. At this time, the image processing unit variably changes properties of the mark image based on the tilt of the obstacle identified by an obstacle identifying unit. The image processing unit then displays the generated superimposed image on display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Maeda, Taketo Harada, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Hirohiko Yanagawa, Muneaki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11467281
    Abstract: In an object detection device to be installed to a vehicle and detect an object outside the vehicle, a position calculator sets multiple candidate points representing a candidate position of the object, based on positions of feature points extracted from a first image captured at a first time. The multiple candidate points are set to be denser within a detection range set based on a distance to the object detected by the ultrasonic sensor than outside the detection range. The position calculator estimates positions of the multiple candidate points at a second time which is after the first time, based on the positions of the multiple candidate points and movement information of the vehicle, and calculates the position of the object by comparing the estimated positions of the multiple candidate points at the second time and the positions of the feature points extracted from a second image captured at the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Suzuki, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Taketo Harada, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 11458892
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an image generation device including an image acquisition unit, a position recognition unit, a boundary line setting unit, and an image compositing unit. The image acquisition unit is mounted to a vehicle, and configured to acquire a plurality of captured images in which the periphery of the vehicle is imaged by a plurality of imaging units having an overlap region where imaging regions thereof partially overlap with each other. The position recognition unit is configured to recognize positions of specific obstacles which are one or more obstacles positioned in the overlap region. The boundary line setting unit is configured to set the boundary line so that each of the specific obstacles is contained in the image captured by the imaging unit which is closest in distance to the specific obstacle, among the plurality of imaging units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Omiya, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 11270133
    Abstract: An object detection device acquires a plurality of images captured by a camera mounted in a moving body and acquires movement information of the camera. The object detection device extracts an edge from a first image among the acquired images. The object detection device calculates a plurality of candidate points corresponding to the edge in a second image, based on the movement information and calculates candidate points corresponding to a plurality of heights as height candidates of the edge. The object detection device calculates a correlation index value between the edge and each of the plurality of candidate points and detects the candidate point with the largest correlation as a correspondence point of the edge. The object detection device detects an object at a position of the edge when the correlation index value of the detected correspondence point is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Shirai, Masayuki Imanishi, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 11258963
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is an image creation device installed in a vehicle. The image creation device includes an image capture section and a bird's-eye view image creation section. The image capture section acquires a captured image within a peripheral range around the vehicle. The bird's-eye view image creation section creates a bird's-eye view image. The bird's-eye view image creation section includes a contour extraction section, a region discrimination section, a first creation section, a second creation section, and an image combining section. The contour extraction section extracts the contour shape of an object in the captured image. The region discrimination section judges whether the contour region is a three-dimensional object region or a road surface region. The first creation section creates a stereoscopic image, and the second creation section creates a planar view image. The image combining section combines the stereoscopic image and the planar view image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ozaki, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Publication number: 20210321049
    Abstract: In an image generation apparatus, an image acquisition unit is configured to acquire, from at least one camera operable to capture an image of surroundings of a vehicle, a captured image. A bird's-eye view image generation unit is configured to generate a bird's-eye view image from the captured image. A three-dimensional object recognition unit is configured to recognize a three-dimensional object in the captured image. A superimposition-image acquisition unit is configured to acquire a superimposition image that represents the three-dimensional object recognized by the three-dimensional object recognition unit, by performing a process depending on a type of the three-dimensional object recognized by the three-dimensional object recognition unit. A superimposition unit is configured to superimpose, onto the bird's-eye view image, the superimposition image acquired by the superimposition-image acquisition unit, at a position where the three-dimensional object is present in the bird's-eye view image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Shingo IMURA, Hirohiko YANAGAWA, Woocheol SHIN
  • Publication number: 20210306590
    Abstract: An image processing unit identifies the shape of an obstacle that is identified from an area that appears in a peripheral image based on an image captured by a camera. The shape of the obstacle includes at least a tilt of a section of the obstacle in a road-surface direction. The section of the obstacle faces a vehicle. The image processing unit generates a superimposed image in which a mark image that is generated as a pattern that indicates the identified obstacle is superimposed onto a position that corresponds to the obstacle in the peripheral image. At this time, the image processing unit variably changes properties of the mark image based on the tilt of the obstacle identified by an obstacle identifying unit. The image processing unit then displays the generated superimposed image on display apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu MAEDA, Taketo HARADA, Mitsuyasu MATSUURA, Hirohiko YANAGAWA, Muneaki MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 11064151
    Abstract: An image processing unit identifies the shape of an obstacle that is identified from an area that appears in a peripheral image based on an image captured by a camera. The shape of the obstacle includes at least a tilt of a section of the obstacle in a road-surface direction. The section of the obstacle faces a vehicle. The image processing unit generates a superimposed image in which a mark image that is generated as a pattern that indicates the identified obstacle is superimposed onto a position that corresponds to the obstacle in the peripheral image. At this time, the image processing unit variably changes properties of the mark image based on the tilt of the obstacle identified by an obstacle identifying unit. The image processing unit then displays the generated superimposed image on display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Maeda, Taketo Harada, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Hirohiko Yanagawa, Muneaki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11014566
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus is provided with a distance measurement sensor that measures a distance to an object which exists in a surrounding area of a vehicle, by transmitting scanning waves to the surrounding of the vehicle and receiving reflection waves of the scanning waves, and an image acquiring section that is adopted to the vehicle, and is provided with an on-vehicle camera that captures images in the surrounding of the vehicle, the imaging acquiring section acquiring an image that is captured by the camera. The apparatus includes a determination section that determines whether, a predetermined object that is difficult to detect by the reflection waves of the distance measurement sensor is included in the object image, and a sensitivity control section that increases a sensitivity of the object detection by the distance measurement sensor and a vehicle control that is executed relative to the predetermined object as a target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Maeda, Hirohiko Yanagawa, Mitsuyasu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 10986286
    Abstract: An image creation device is provided with an image acquisition unit acquiring multiple captured images of a peripheral area, a detection unit detecting a three-dimensional object present in the peripheral area, a first conversion unit converting the multiple captured images into multiple individual overhead images to create a first conversion image by means of an overall overhead image, a second conversion unit creating a second conversion image in which an image captured from a virtual camera is converted in accordance with the conversion rule, the virtual camera being virtually arranged at a virtual position set on the vehicle such that a virtual optical axis direction faces the direction of the three-dimensional object, and a synthesis unit synthesizes the second conversion image on the first conversion image to create a synthesis image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Maeda, Hiroaki Takeda, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 10929695
    Abstract: An obstacle detection apparatus includes a distance measuring sensor, an imaging section, and a control section. Based on a reception result of reception waves obtained by the distance measuring sensor, the control section acquires an estimated reflection position in an illuminated region already irradiated with search waves. Based on the estimated reflection position, the control section recognizes an outer shape of an obstacle. Based on an imaging result obtained by the imaging section, the control section performs image recognition of the obstacle. Based on a recognition result of the outer shape of the obstacle and a result of the image recognition, the control section acquires a relative position, with respect to a vehicle, of a portion of the obstacle in an image captured by the imaging section included in a non-irradiated region ahead of the illuminated region in a vehicle traveling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Hideki Otsuka, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 10885354
    Abstract: A perimeter monitoring device is applied to a vehicle comprising a distance measuring sensor for transmitting a probing wave and receiving a reflected wave of the probing wave and an imaging device for capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle. The perimeter monitoring device comprises: an information acquisition unit for acquiring distance information, directional information, and object width information of an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle as detection information of the object provided by the distance measuring sensor; an area setting unit for setting an image processing area on which image processing is performed in the image captured by the imaging device based on the distance information, the directional information, and the object width information acquired by the information acquisition unit; and an object recognition unit for performing the image processing on the image processing area set by the area setting unit to recognize the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Maeda, Taketo Harada, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 10885356
    Abstract: A parking assisting apparatus includes an imaging unit acquiring image information corresponding to an image of surroundings of a vehicle, an image processing section recognizing a feature shape in the image by processing the image information, an obstacle detecting section acquiring positional-relationship information corresponding to a positional relationship between the vehicle and an obstacle present around a parking space, and a manner-of-parking selecting section selecting a manner of parking the vehicle in the parking space from manner candidates including perpendicular parking and parallel parking based on the feature shape and the positional-relationship information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Maeda, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Hirohiko Yanagawa, Hideki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 10875452
    Abstract: A driving assistance device converts an image captured by an in-vehicle camera configured to image the periphery of a vehicle into an image viewed from a virtual viewpoint. The driving assistance device combines, as a higher-level layer, a vehicle image indicating the position and shape of the vehicle with a converted target image. The driving assistance device adjusts the opacity of the vehicle image such that the target image as a lower-level layer is visible at a superimposed portion of the vehicle image and the target image. At this point, the opacity of the vehicle image is variably set according to at least one of an own vehicle surrounding condition or a vehicle running condition. The driving assistance device outputs, as a driving assistance image, the target image combined with the adjusted vehicle image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Omiya, Akihiro Sunasaka, Nobuyuki Yokota, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Publication number: 20200404191
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is an image creation device installed in a vehicle. The image creation device includes an image capture section and a bird's-eye view image creation section. The image capture section acquires a captured image within a peripheral range around the vehicle. The bird's-eye view image creation section creates a bird's-eye view image. The bird's-eye view image creation section includes a contour extraction section, a region discrimination section, a first creation section, a second creation section, and an image combining section. The contour extraction section extracts the contour shape of an object in the captured image. The region discrimination section judges whether the contour region is a three-dimensional object region or a road surface region. The first creation section creates a stereoscopic image, and the second creation section creates a planar view image. The image combining section combines the stereoscopic image and the planar view image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshinori OZAKI, Hirohiko YANAGAWA
  • Patent number: 10873725
    Abstract: An image processing unit repeatedly acquires a captured bird's-eye image which is obtained by bird's-eye conversion of a captured image of the surroundings of a vehicle. An image processing unit acquires a history image that is a bird's-eye image corresponding to a predetermined area in front in the traveling direction at each timing determined according to a predetermined condition. The image processing unit acquires a history image at every predetermined first cycle if an unstable condition related to a behavior of the vehicle is not satisfied. If an unstable condition is satisfied, the history image is acquired at a later timing than the first cycle. The image processing unit creates a bird's-eye image for display by extracting an area corresponding to a non-imaging area of the latest captured bird's-eye image from among the accumulated history images, and combining the extracted area with the non-imaging area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Kohara, Hirohiko Yanagawa, Akihiro Sunasaka, Satoshi Hoshi
  • Patent number: 10846840
    Abstract: An image recognition device includes an image acquisition unit, a moving object detection unit, and a pedestrian detection unit. The image acquisition unit acquires consecutive captured images of a surrounding of a vehicle from a camera mounted to the vehicle. The moving object detection unit calculates a moving amount based on consecutive captured images in time series acquired by the image acquisition unit to detect a moving object from the captured images. The pedestrian detection unit detects a pedestrian using an identifier for identifying a pedestrian from the captured images acquired by the image acquisition unit. The pedestrian detection unit relaxes a detection criterion for detecting a pedestrian using the identifier in a region of a captured image where the moving object is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ozaki, Hirohiko Yanagawa
  • Publication number: 20200361378
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an image generation device including an image acquisition unit, a position recognition unit, a boundary line setting unit, and an image compositing unit. The image acquisition unit is mounted to a vehicle, and configured to acquire a plurality of captured images in which the periphery of the vehicle is imaged by a plurality of imaging units having an overlap region where imaging regions thereof partially overlap with each other. The position recognition unit is configured to recognize positions of specific obstacles which are one or more obstacles positioned in the overlap region. The boundary line setting unit is configured to set the boundary line so that each of the specific obstacles is contained in the image captured by the imaging unit which is closest in distance to the specific obstacle, among the plurality of imaging units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Shogo OMIYA, Hirohiko YANAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200267353
    Abstract: In a display processing device, an acquisition section acquires a captured image of surroundings of the vehicle from at least one imaging device installed in a vehicle. A first generation section generates a first converted image that is an image as seen from a first viewpoint in the vehicle, based on the captured image at a latest imaging time point. A calculation section calculates displacement of the vehicle. A second generation section generates a second converted image that is an image as seen from the first viewpoint at the latest imaging time point and is an image of an area including under the vehicle, based on the captured image captured earlier than the latest imaging time point and the displacement. The display processing section causes a display device visible to an occupant of the vehicle to display a display image obtained by compositing the first and second converted images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISHIDA, Hirohiko YANAGAWA, Shusaku SHIGEMURA