Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Hiraiwa

Hiroshi Hiraiwa 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: 11498517
    Abstract: A restraining device control system includes: a restraining device that is provided at a vehicle seat and that restrains an occupant seated in the vehicle seat; a surrounding environment detection unit that detects an environment surrounding a vehicle; and a control unit that increases a restraining force on the occupant by the restraining device in a case in which it has been predicted, from the surrounding environment of the vehicle, that vacillation of the vehicle while in an autonomous driving mode will exceed a threshold amount and that decreases the restraining force on the occupant by the restraining device in a case in which it has been predicted, from the surrounding environment of the vehicle, that the vehicle will maintain a state in which vacillation of the vehicle while in the autonomous driving mode is less than the threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Michio Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11433808
    Abstract: A vehicle information provision device includes a travel state detection unit, a surroundings situation detection unit, a potential hazard detection unit detecting a potential hazard based on the situation detected by the surroundings situation detection unit, a driver state detection unit detecting the driver state during self-driving of a vehicle; a driver state determination unit configured to determine whether or not the driver is observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings based on the state of the driver detected by the driver state detection unit, and an information control unit that provides information to the driver regarding the potential hazard in a case in which the driver is observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings, and restricts provision of information to the driver in a case in which the driver is not observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings during self-driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Michio Ikeda, Kazuhiro Matsui
  • Patent number: 11242966
    Abstract: A built-in illumination apparatus according to the present technology includes a light fixture unit and a light source unit. The light fixture unit includes an outer contour portion to be built in a wall portion including a ceiling, and a first fitting portion. The light source unit includes a light source section, an additional functional section, and a second fitting portion, the light source section emitting light for illumination, the additional functional section having an additional function other than the illumination, the second fitting portion detachably fitting with the first fitting portion, the light source unit being disposed in the outer contour portion by the fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Yotsumoto, Takashi Sato, Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 11216010
    Abstract: A leader movable body includes a degree of freedom setting unit configured to set a degree of freedom relevant to movement of a follower movable body, and a transmitter configured to transmit the set degree of freedom to the follower movable body. The follower movable body is configured to perform group travel with respect to the leader movable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Kama, Yusuke Hara, Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Takahiro Shiga
  • Patent number: 11209136
    Abstract: A built-in illumination apparatus according to the present technology includes a light fixture unit and a light source unit. The light fixture unit includes an outer contour portion to be built in a wall portion including a ceiling, and a first fitting portion. The light source unit includes a light source section, an additional functional section, and a second fitting portion, the light source section emitting light for illumination, the additional functional section having an additional function other than the illumination, the second fitting portion detachably fitting with the first fitting portion, the light source unit being disposed in the outer contour portion by the fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Yotsumoto, Takashi Sato, Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 11040658
    Abstract: A vehicle obstacle informing device includes: an obstacle detection section configured to detect an obstacle in surroundings of a vehicle; a gaze detection section configured to detect a gaze direction of an occupant seated in a driving seat; and an informing section configured to make the occupant aware of the obstacle using at least one of display or audio in cases in which the gaze of the occupant as detected by the gaze detection section is directed toward the obstacle during self-driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Yasue, Kihiro Kato, Satoshi Yamamichi, Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 10922048
    Abstract: A sound input/output device for a vehicle includes: sound collecting portions that are provided within a vehicle cabin and that collect voices of vehicle occupants; outputting portions that are provided within the vehicle cabin, and that output sound or images to respective seats; an awakeness degree judging section that judges degrees of awakeness of the vehicle occupants; and an output control section that, in a case in which it is judged, based on a voice collected by the sound collecting portion, that content relating to the vehicle or a vehicle periphery has been spoken, causes information relating to the vehicle or the vehicle periphery to be outputted from each outputting portion that corresponds to a seat in which a vehicle occupant, whose degree of awakeness is higher than a predetermined value, sits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20200224838
    Abstract: A built-in illumination apparatus according to the present technology includes: a light fixture unit; and a light source unit. The light fixture unit includes an outer contour portion to be built in a wall portion including a ceiling, and a first fitting portion. The light source unit includes a light source section, an additional functional section, and a second fitting portion, the light source section emitting light for illumination, the additional functional section having an additional function other than the illumination, the second fitting portion detachably fitting with the first fitting portion, the light source unit being disposed in the outer contour portion by the fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: NAOKI YOTSUMOTO, TAKASHI SATO, HIROSHI HIRAIWA
  • Publication number: 20200148105
    Abstract: A vehicle information provision device includes a travel state detection unit, a surroundings situation detection unit, a potential hazard detection unit detecting a potential hazard based on the situation detected by the surroundings situation detection unit, a driver state detection unit detecting the driver state during self-driving of a vehicle; a driver state determination unit configured to determine whether or not the driver is observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings based on the state of the driver detected by the driver state detection unit, and an information control unit that provides information to the driver regarding the potential hazard in a case in which the driver is observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings, and restricts provision of information to the driver in a case in which the driver is not observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings during self-driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Michio Ikeda, Kazuhiro Matsui
  • Publication number: 20200150688
    Abstract: A movable body moves with a user allowed to ride the movable body, and includes: an image display unit that displays an image received from a guide terminal; a sound output unit that outputs a sound received from the guide terminal; a sound acquisition unit that acquires a sound around the movable body; and a sound information transmission unit that transmits the acquired sound to the guide terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke HARA, Takeshi KAMA, Hiroshi HIRAIWA, Takahiro SHIGA
  • Publication number: 20200142429
    Abstract: A leader movable body includes a degree of freedom setting unit configured to set a degree of freedom relevant to movement of a follower movable body, and a transmitter configured to transmit the set degree of freedom to the follower movable body. The follower movable body is configured to perform group travel with respect to the leader movable body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi KAMA, Yusuke HARA, Hiroshi HIRAIWA, Takahiro SHIGA
  • Publication number: 20200130580
    Abstract: A vehicle obstacle informing device includes: an obstacle detection section configured to detect an obstacle in surroundings of a vehicle; a gaze detection section configured to detect a gaze direction of an occupant seated in a driving seat; and an informing section configured to make the occupant aware of the obstacle using at least one of display or audio in cases in which the gaze of the occupant as detected by the gaze detection section is directed toward the obstacle during self-driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Satoshi Yasue, Kihiro Kato, Satoshi Yamamichi, Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20200133626
    Abstract: A sound input/output device for a vehicle includes: sound collecting portions that are provided within a vehicle cabin and that collect voices of vehicle occupants; outputting portions that are provided within the vehicle cabin, and that output sound or images to respective seats; an awakeness degree judging section that judges degrees of awakeness of the vehicle occupants; and an output control section that, in a case in which it is judged, based on a voice collected by the sound collecting portion, that content relating to the vehicle or a vehicle periphery has been spoken, causes information relating to the vehicle or the vehicle periphery to be outputted from each outputting portion that corresponds to a seat in which a vehicle occupant, whose degree of awakeness is higher than a predetermined value, sits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Publication number: 20200134922
    Abstract: A movable body configured to travel with a rider on board includes a control device, and a display device. The control device is configured to acquire a current position of the movable body and acquire a current traveling direction of the movable body. The display device is installed such that the rider is able to see the display device. The control device is configured to execute control such that the display device displays a performance image corresponding to the current position and the current traveling direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi KAMA, Yusuke HARA, Hiroshi HIRAIWA, Takahiro SHIGA
  • Publication number: 20200129359
    Abstract: A mobile inverted pendulum includes a step on which a foot of a rider is placed, a vibration applying device that applies vibration to the step, and a vibration control unit that controls operation of the vibration applying device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi HIRAIWA, Takeshi KAMA, Yusuke HARA, Takahiro SHIGA
  • Publication number: 20200101936
    Abstract: A restraining device control system includes: a restraining device that is provided at a vehicle seat and that restrains an occupant seated in the vehicle seat; a surrounding environment detection unit that detects an environment surrounding a vehicle; and a control unit that increases a restraining force on the occupant by the restraining device in a case in which it has been predicted, from the surrounding environment of the vehicle, that vacillation of the vehicle while in an autonomous driving mode will exceed a threshold amount and that decreases the restraining force on the occupant by the restraining device in a case in which it has been predicted, from the surrounding environment of the vehicle, that the vehicle will maintain a state in which vacillation of the vehicle while in the autonomous driving mode is less than the threshold amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Michio Ikeda