Patents by Inventor Hirotaka KOMURA

Hirotaka KOMURA 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: 20230286132
    Abstract: An automated conveyance system that enables an autonomous mobile robot having a width larger than a distance between the legs of a load carrier to enter under the load carrier is provided. The automated conveyance system is an automated conveyance system for conveying a load carrier by an autonomous mobile robot entering below the load carrier, in which the load carrier includes a plurality of leg parts on sides of a bottom surface thereof, and at least one of the plurality of leg parts includes a U-shaped member, and the U-shaped member is disposed so that two end parts of the U-shaped member on an opening side thereof are arranged in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta ITOZAWA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Hirotaka KOMURA
  • Publication number: 20230242387
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus capable of easily moving an object without the need for a precise alignment control for engaging an arm thereof with the object is provided. The conveyance apparatus includes: an arm that is movable in a horizontal direction; and a control unit configured to control a movement of the arm, in which the arm includes a ratchet claw, and the control unit moves the arm along a surface of an object, the surface including an engagement part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta ITOZAWA, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20230152804
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a movement of a carriage in which a load is housed includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an autonomous mobile robot is planned to move toward the carriage in a state in which the load is raised to a predetermined height or higher by a placement part, the autonomous mobile robot including the placement part having a changeable height and being configured to house the load placed on the placement part in the carriage, and a carriage control unit configured to control the carriage so that the carriage moves toward the autonomous mobile robot when it is determined that the autonomous mobile robot is planned to move toward the carriage in a state in which the load is raised to the predetermined height or higher by the placement part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA
  • Publication number: 20230152803
    Abstract: A delivery system including: a plurality of autonomously-moving-type delivery vehicles each including a battery and configured to deliver an article to a delivery destination by electric power the battery is charged with; and a transportation vehicle configured to carry and transport the plurality of the delivery vehicles. For each of the plurality of the delivery vehicles, based on a route for delivering the article and a remaining amount of charge of the battery, a surplus or shortfall in the remaining amount of charge of the battery required for traveling along the route is calculated, and based on the result of the calculation of the surplus or shortfall in the remaining amount of charge, surplus electric power is supplied from the battery of a delivery vehicle having a surplus remaining amount of charge to the battery of a delivery vehicle having a shortfall in the remaining amount of charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20230152808
    Abstract: A control system, a control method, and a program capable of lowering difficulty of a user's work on an autonomous mobile robot having a placement part are provided. A control system for controlling an autonomous mobile robot including a placement part on which a load is placed includes a user recognition unit configured to recognize a user of the placement part, a feature information acquisition unit configured to acquire feature information of the recognized user, and an operation control unit configured to control a height of the placement part based on the feature information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20230147126
    Abstract: To provide a transportation management system, a transportation management method, and a program each adapted to improve operational efficiency of an operation plan including a transportation route of a first transportation vehicle and a transportation route of a second transportation vehicle capable of accommodating the first transportation vehicle. A transportation management system manages transportation of a package by a plurality of first transportation vehicles and a second transportation vehicle capable of accommodating the plurality of the first transportation vehicles. The transportation management system includes a generation unit configured to generate an operation plan including a transportation route of each of the plurality of the first transportation vehicles and a transportation route of the second transportation vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA
  • Publication number: 20230143090
    Abstract: An article management system that manages a delivered article by using a computer is provided. The article management system stores identification information identifying an article to be delivered to a user thereof and use information about use of the article attached by a sender of the article while associating them with each other; and reads, when the user uses the article, the identification information attached to the article, and extracts and outputs the use information associated with the identification information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA
  • Publication number: 20230146237
    Abstract: It is possible to suppress increase in power consumption of a delivery vehicle within a transportation vehicle. A delivery system includes: an autonomously-moving-type delivery vehicle configured to deliver an article; and a transportation vehicle configured to carry and transport the delivery vehicle, in which after the transportation vehicle carrying the delivery vehicle travels toward a delivery destination of the article, the delivery vehicle gets out of the transportation vehicle and delivers the article to the delivery destination. The transportation vehicle includes an unloading mechanism for letting the delivery vehicle get out of the transportation vehicle and a control unit configured to control the unloading mechanism. The delivery vehicle receives a control signal for controlling the unloading mechanism output from the control unit and gets out of the transportation vehicle based on the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA
  • Publication number: 20230147506
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle management system, a vehicle management method, and a program each adapted to improve operational efficiency of a transportation work-purpose autonomous traveling vehicle. A vehicle management system includes: a matching unit configured to perform matching, by referring to a first database in which a personally owned vehicle and an operation schedule of the personally owned vehicle are registered and a second database in which a transportation work-purpose autonomous traveling vehicle and an operation schedule of the transportation work-purpose autonomous traveling vehicle are registered, of the personally owned vehicle with the transportation work-purpose autonomous traveling vehicle when the personally owned vehicle is able to tow the transportation work-purpose autonomous traveling vehicle on at least a part of a traveling route of the transportation work-purpose autonomous traveling vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20230145045
    Abstract: The lighting management system includes: a judgement unit configured to judge whether or not a lighting state around a vehicle based on a first lighting apparatus and a second lighting apparatus meets a first reference for a light amount and a second reference for at least one of a lighting range, a lighting color, and a flashing state; a first control unit configured to control the light amount of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus so that the lighting state is brought to meet the first reference; and a second control unit configured to control at least one of the lighting range, the lighting color, and the flashing state of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus so that the lighting state is brought to meet the second reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20230012502
    Abstract: An automated order processing for order items registered in advance as commodities targeted for automated order service is performed. In the automated order processing, it is determined whether any container/package for the order items exists in the disposal box, based on internal status data of a disposal box or identification data on the contents of the container/package existing in the disposal box. If it is determined that any container/package for the order items exists in the disposal box, the number of discarded containers/packages for the order items existing in the disposal box is calculated. Then, it is determined whether the number of discarded containers/packages is equal to or larger than an upper threshold set according to a sales mode of the order items. If it is determined that the number of discarded containers/packages is equal to or larger than the upper threshold, ordering data of the order items is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon LEE, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Kota OISHI
  • Publication number: 20230011955
    Abstract: This paper discloses a delivery system in which delivery of an object to an event is carried out by a mobile body which travels autonomously and can flexibly cope with the change without bothering a user even when a schedule for the event is changed in the middle of the delivery. The delivery system acquires the schedule of a target event to which the object is delivered from the database in which the event can be registered by the user. Then, it creates the delivery plan based on the acquired schedule. The mobile body travels according to the delivery plan. When the schedule is changed during the delivery, the delivery system modifies the delivery plan based on a changed schedule and a current position of the mobile body and moves the mobile body according to the modified delivery plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon LEE, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Kota OISHI
  • Patent number: 11544483
    Abstract: A detection system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of proximity sensors provided in a mounting portion of a transport robot; an information acquisition unit that is provided in the mounting portion of the transport robot and that acquires information from an integrated circuit (IC) tag provided in a standard object; and an estimation unit that estimates a placement status of the standard object based on detection results of the proximity sensors and an acquisition result of the information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaro Takagi, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Publication number: 20220405699
    Abstract: The order support system includes an information acquisition apparatus for acquiring position information, which is an indicator of a position of a target item whose remaining quantity gradually decreases due to repeated consumption, using near field communication, and at least one processor that is configured to perform support control for automatically ordering the target item based on the position information. The information acquisition apparatus includes an identification tag attached to the target item, and a reader to read the unique information stored in the identification tag. The at least one processor is configured to execute calculating a remaining quantity index value which is an index of the remaining quantity of the target item, based on the position information, and transmitting order information of the target item based on the remaining quantity index value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon LEE, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Kota OISHI
  • Publication number: 20220397901
    Abstract: A system includes a trash box, a data acquiring device, a computer of a facility, a mobile, and a management server. The trash box is placed in a space facing a road for the mobile in the facility. The data acquiring device acquires collection status data of a trash in the trash box. The management server or the computer of the facility determines whether a collection of the trash box is required based on comparing a judgment element calculated by using a collection status data with a judgment threshold. The management server transmits a collection order to the mobile if it is determined that the collection of trash box is required. The mobile comprises an automatic collection device. The automatic collection device performs an automated replenishment control of the trash box if the mobile receives the collection order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon Lee, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Kota Oishi
  • Publication number: 20220391834
    Abstract: A home delivery system delivering objects to a residence comprises a moving body configured to move autonomously or remotely, a plurality of sensors placed in the residence, and the processing apparatus. The processing apparatus is configured to execute observing status of a resident including whether or not the resident is in the residence based on detection information acquired from the plurality of sensors. Then, the processing apparatus is configured to execute instructing the moving body to start a delivery at least condition that the resident is in the residence and instructing the moving body to complete the delivery on condition that the resident is available to response after the moving body arriving at the residence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon LEE, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Kota OISHI
  • Patent number: 11509243
    Abstract: To make it possible to freely move a moving body between level surfaces located at different heights that are not connected by a vertical member. A moving body includes a movable moving part, an expansion/contraction part disposed in the moving part and configured to expand and contract in a vertical direction, a first engagement part disposed at a tip of the expansion/contraction part and configured to engage with a member located in a surrounding environment, and a control unit configured to control the moving part and the expansion/contraction part. The control unit moves the moving part to a target height position by engaging the first engagement part with a member located at the target height position and then expanding or contracting the expansion/contraction part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20220366747
    Abstract: A mobile body delivers a package to a designated destination by autonomous traveling. When the mobile body arrives at the destination, door status information including opening/closing status of an entrance door of the destination is acquired, and it is determined whether the entrance door of the destination has been opened based on the acquired door status information. When the entrance door has been opened, a delivery of the package to the destination is authenticated, and a locking device for regulating the delivery of the package from the mobile body is unlocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon Lee, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Kota Oishi
  • Patent number: 11486476
    Abstract: An extension/contraction mechanism in which an extension/contraction part is able to turn is provided. An extension/contraction mechanism according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first drive source connected to a sending/pulling part so as to be able to transmit a drive force, and a second drive source connected to the sending/pulling part and a turning part that rotatably supports the sending/pulling part so as to be able to transmit a drive force via a gear group. When a rotational speed transmitted to the sending/pulling part to rotate the sending/pulling part by the first drive source is equal to a rotational speed transmitted to the sending/pulling part to rotate the sending/pulling part by the second drive source, an extension/contraction part turns via the turning part. When the above rotational speeds are different from each other, the extension/contraction part is extended or contracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotaka Komura
  • Publication number: 20220299997
    Abstract: A staircase area at which a staircase is installed across a first floor and a second floor is provided in a building. A part of the staircase area is a non-installation space in which a staircase is not installed, and a lifting space through which a transport robot moves up and down between the first floor and the second floor is provided using the non-installation space. The lifting space and a staircase hall having a spandrel wall there between are adjacent to each other the second floor. An opening through which the transport robot moves between the lifting space and the staircase hall is provided in the spandrel wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nami MURAMATSU, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA