Patents by Inventor Hiromitsu Urano

Hiromitsu Urano 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: 20220253053
    Abstract: A remote operating system is equipped with an automatically operated vehicle and a remote operating device. A first processor of the automatically operated vehicle calculates a target steering angle of a first steering unit on the vehicle side during the performance of automatic operation control. A first communication device transmits the target steering angle to the remote operating device. A second processor on the remote operating device side controls an electric motor in such a manner as to generate a driving torque for making a steering angle of a second steering unit coincident with the target steering angle, during the execution of a cooperative mode in which a turning actuator on the vehicle side is controlled through cooperation between remote operation control for controlling the turning actuator based on the steering angle of the second steering unit steered by an operator and the automatic operation control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Niwa, Toru Takashima, Takashi Suzuki, Rio Suda, Hiromitsu Urano, Sho Otaki, Hiromitsu Kobayashi, Hojung Jung, Kosuke Akatsuka
  • Publication number: 20220242421
    Abstract: A remote driving device configured to remotely operate a vehicle includes a remote operation device, a reaction force unit, a receiver, and a processor. The remote operation device is operated by an operator in order to remotely operate the vehicle. The reaction force unit is configured to generate an operation reaction force to be applied to the remote operation device. The receiver is configured to receive a parameter affecting vehicle characteristics of the vehicle from the vehicle. The processor is configured to control the reaction force unit so as to generate a magnitude of the operation reaction force according to the received parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Kosuke Akatsuka, Toru Takashima, Satoru Niwa, Takashi Suzuki, Rio Suda, Hiromitsu Urano, Sho Otaki, Hiromitsu Kobayashi, Hojung Jung
  • Patent number: 11396305
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving driver warnings for automated driving by a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring a vehicle control system for driver feedback during the automated driving. The method also includes adapting a points value at a defined rate according to whether the driver feedback is present. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the points value satisfies a threshold before the driver feedback is present, generating a warning to a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • Publication number: 20220196842
    Abstract: In a vehicle sensor attaching structure in which a first sensor and second sensors for detecting an object outside a vehicle by sensor fusion are attached to the vehicle, the first sensor and the second sensors are disposed side by side in a uniaxial direction along a surface of the vehicle, and the one first sensor is disposed to be sandwiched between the two second sensors at equal intervals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Hokai, Shoichi Hayasaka, Hiromitsu Urano
  • Publication number: 20220185297
    Abstract: A sensor evaluation system includes an infrastructure device installed outside a vehicle, and an information processing device. The infrastructure device includes an infrastructure sensor that detects the environment around the infrastructure device, and an infrastructure information processing device that performs information processing. The infrastructure information processing device calculates first feature point position information indicating information on a position of a feature point in the environment around the infrastructure device, based on detection information of the infrastructure sensor. The information processing device calculates second feature point position information indicating information on a position of a feature point in the environment around the vehicle, based on the detection information of a sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hojung Jung, Hiromitsu Urano
  • Publication number: 20220176768
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an outside sensor configured to acquire information on an outside circumstance of the vehicle, a vehicle height adjusting device configured to adjust a vehicle height, and a control device configured to control the vehicle. The control device is configured to control the vehicle height adjusting device such that the vehicle height becomes a vehicle height corresponding to a platform condition at a predetermined stop position when the vehicle stops at the predetermined stop position. The control device is configured to control the vehicle height adjusting device based on a height of an obstacle such that the obstacle does not interfere with the vehicle when the obstacle is detected at the predetermined stop position by the outside sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Keisuke Hokai, Hiromitsu Urano, Kunihito Satou, Masahiro Harada, Hojung Jung, Shuichi Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20220171063
    Abstract: A target detection apparatus is configured to recognize a stationary object present within a detection range of an external sensor based on map information. Next, the target detection apparatus is configured to determine, by checking an image of the stationary object detected by the external sensor against the stationary object recognized from the map information, whether the image of the stationary object detected by the external sensor includes an undetected region. When the undetected region is identified, the target detection apparatus is configured to recognize an undetectable object present between the stationary object and a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Shoichi Hayasaka, Keisuke Hokai, Takuya Migishima
  • Publication number: 20220169238
    Abstract: An alerting system to be applied to a vehicle configured to execute driving assistance control based on a recognition result from a recognition sensor includes: one or more memories configured to store blind area information indicating a blind area around a recognition range recognized by the recognition sensor; and one or more processors configured to acquire a vehicle condition including at least one of a vehicle speed, or a door open or closed state of the vehicle, start a rendering process for rendering the blind area on a road surface around the vehicle in response to satisfaction of a start condition by the vehicle condition, and execute the rendering process by using a light emitting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Hokai, Hiromitsu Urano
  • Patent number: 11341866
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving the training of a driver during automated driving system mode. In one embodiment, a method includes generating, in association with a vehicle takeover and a maneuver by the driver, an automated motion plan associated with the maneuver. The method also includes determining if a difference parameter satisfies a threshold, wherein the difference parameter indicates a disparity between the maneuver by the driver in relation to the automated motion plan associated with the maneuver. The method also includes notifying, if the difference parameter does not satisfy the threshold, the driver that the vehicle takeover and the maneuver by the driver were unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • Patent number: 11328593
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating trajectories for a vehicle user interface showing a driver's perspective view. Methods include generating an ego-vehicle predicted trajectory for an ego-vehicle; and generating at least one road agent predicted trajectory for a road agent that is external to the ego-vehicle. After the predicted trajectories are generated, the method continues by determining that at least two predicted trajectories overlap when displayed on the user interface showing a driver's perspective view, when displayed on the user interface showing a driver's perspective view. The method includes modifying the at least one road agent predicted trajectory to remove the overlap. The method then proceeds with updating a display of the user interface to include any modified road agent predicted trajectory. Systems include a trajectory-prediction module to execute the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Maiko Hirano, Yusuke Sawamura
  • Publication number: 20220118978
    Abstract: A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu URANO, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20220113737
    Abstract: A vehicle remote assistance system including: a remote assistance example database in which a past assistance request situation and a remote assistance content made by a remote operator are stored in association with each other, and a server. The server is configured to, upon receipt of a remote assistance request from an autonomous vehicle, determine whether or not a remote assistance request situation of the autonomous vehicle is similar to the past assistance request situation stored in the remote assistance example database, based on a position of the autonomous vehicle transmitting the remote assistance request and an external environment around the autonomous vehicle; and the server is configured to, when the server determines that the remote assistance request situation is similar to the past assistance request situation, transmit the remote assistance content corresponding to the past assistance request situation to the autonomous vehicle in substitution for the remote operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu KOBAYASHI, Hiromitsu URANO, Sho OTAKI
  • Patent number: 11294382
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining routes to destinations for a vehicle may: generate output signals; obtain road information for a set of roads; determine presence information that indicates whether one or more passengers are present in the vehicle; determine the location information of the vehicle; obtain a target destination that represents a location the vehicle is intended to reach; determine a first route including a first subset of the set of roads; determine a second route including a second subset of the set of roads; and control the vehicle autonomously to traverse the vehicle along either the first route or the second route in accordance with whether one or more passengers are present in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • Patent number: 11292457
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating trajectories for a vehicle user interface showing a driver's perspective view. Methods include generating an ego-vehicle predicted trajectory for an ego-vehicle; and generating at least one road agent predicted trajectory for a road agent that is external to the ego-vehicle. After the predicted trajectories are generated, the method continues by determining that at least one road agent predicted trajectory both (1) exists behind an object, indicating travel behind the object, and (2) overlaps with the object, when displayed on the user interface showing a driver's perspective view. The method includes modifying the at least one road agent predicted trajectory to remove the overlap. The method then proceeds with updating a display of the user interface to include any modified road agent predicted trajectory. Systems include a trajectory-prediction module to execute the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Maiko Hirano, Yusuke Sawamura
  • Patent number: 11292458
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating trajectories for a vehicle user interface showing a driver's perspective view. Methods include generating an ego-vehicle predicted trajectory for an ego-vehicle; and generating at least one road agent predicted trajectory for a road agent that is external to the ego-vehicle. After the predicted trajectories are generated, the method continues by determining that at least one predicted trajectory overlaps either an object or another predicted trajectory, when displayed on the user interface showing a driver's perspective view. The method includes modifying the at least one road agent predicted trajectory to remove the overlap. The method then proceeds with updating a display of the user interface to include any modified road agent predicted trajectory. Systems include a trajectory-prediction module to execute the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Maiko Hirano, Yusuke Sawamura
  • Publication number: 20220081010
    Abstract: A vehicle dispatch system includes an dispatched candidate vehicle selection unit configured to select a plurality of dispatched candidate vehicles for the point of dispatch from the plurality of autonomous driving vehicles based on the point of dispatch and the positions of autonomous driving vehicles, a route search unit configured to search routes to the point of dispatch for the dispatched candidate vehicles based on the point of dispatch, the positions of dispatched candidate vehicles and the map information, a vehicle dispatch control unit configured to dispatch at least two or more of the dispatched candidate vehicles to the point of dispatch, when the dispatched candidate vehicles is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromitsu URANO
  • Publication number: 20220084412
    Abstract: A vehicle dispatch system for dispatching an autonomous driving vehicle capable of traveling with remote assistance by a remote operator. The vehicle dispatch system comprising: a required time prediction unit for predicting the required time until the autonomous driving vehicle arrives at a point of dispatch by a route, a remote assistance request number calculation unit for calculating the remote assistance request number on a route, and a vehicle dispatch determination unit for determining the vehicle dispatch route to the point of dispatch where the autonomous driving vehicle travels based on the required time for each route and the remote assistance request number for each route, when the route search unit searched for a plurality of the routes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu URANO, Sho OTAKI
  • Publication number: 20220076577
    Abstract: A drive assist device includes a display that displays an image around a vehicle imaged by an imaging device installed on the vehicle, a setting unit that sets a target designated by a user on the image as a recognition target, a detection unit that detects a state change of the recognition target on the image in a case where the recognition target is set, and a notification control unit that controls a notification device to notify the user of the detection result in a case where the state change of the set recognition target is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Ichikawa, Toshiki Kindo, Katsuhiro Sakai, Masahiro Harada, Hiromitsu Urano
  • Patent number: 11260868
    Abstract: A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20220058948
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicular environment estimation device capable of accurately estimating a travel environment around own vehicle on the basis of a predicted route of a mobile object or the like, which is moving in a blind area. A vehicular environment estimation device that is mounted in the own vehicle detects a behavior of another vehicle in the vicinity of the own vehicle, and estimates a travel environment, which affects the traveling of another vehicle, on the basis of the behavior of another vehicle. For example, the presence of another vehicle, which is traveling in a blind area, is estimated on the basis of the behavior of another vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to estimate a vehicle travel environment that cannot be recognized by the own vehicle but can be recognized by another vehicle in the vicinity of the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro SAKAI, Hiromitsu URANO, Toshiki KINDO