Patents by Inventor Katsuhiro Sakai

Katsuhiro Sakai 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: 20240101155
    Abstract: A route planner detects a pedestrian from surrounding data representing a situation of surroundings of a vehicle, identifies a position of a pause-by object in the surroundings of the vehicle prompting the pedestrian to pause, creating a travel route over which the vehicle will travel when the pedestrian is detected, assuming the pedestrian will enter a road on which the vehicle will travel when the identified position of the pause-by object is not in the vicinity of the pedestrian, and assuming the pedestrian will not enter the road when the identified position of the pause-by object is in the vicinity of the pedestrian.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Katsuhiro Sakai, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Naoki Nagasaka, Ray Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 11941985
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Hiromitsu Urano, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20240092399
    Abstract: A motion prediction device detecting, from surrounding data representing a situation in a predetermined range of surroundings of a vehicle, a traffic participant existing in the predetermined range, determining whether there is a blind area not represented in the surrounding data in the predetermined range, when it is determined that there is a blind area presuming that there is a virtual traffic participant in the blind area, and predicting motion of the traffic participant caused by the presence of the virtual traffic participant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ray KAWANISHI, Katsuhiro SAKAI, Taisuke SUGAIWA, Hiroshi NAKAMURA, Naoki NAGASAKA
  • Patent number: 11935401
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a plurality of autonomous driving vehicles configured to perform autonomous traveling, and a processor. The processor is configured to, when an abnormality occurs in or around at least one first autonomous driving vehicle among the plurality of autonomous driving vehicles, determine a travel instruction for controlling traveling of the first autonomous driving vehicle, transmit the travel instruction to the first autonomous driving vehicle via the communication unit, set a priority representing the degree of the priority in which an instruction operator is notified of the travel instruction in the order determined according to the content of the abnormality, notify any one of at least one instruction terminal of the determined travel instruction in the order of highest priority, and receive a result of checking the determined travel instruction from the instruction terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11919541
    Abstract: Automated drive system comprises a control device. The control device executes run control processing of the automated drive vehicle provided to a driverless transportation service. The run control processing includes carriage porch control processing. The carriage porch control processing is performed when a PUDO position of a user corresponds to a carriage porch of a facility including a zone for run and a zone for PUDO. In the carriage porch control processing, it is judged whether or not there is an empty space in the zone for PUDO. If it is judged that there is no empty space, it is judged whether or not a quick PUDO of the user in the carriage porch is expected. If it is judged that the quick PUDO is expected, a target PUDO position to perform a PUDO action of the automated drive vehicle is set to any position in the zone for run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Akihide Tachibana, Katsuhiro Sakai, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa
  • Patent number: 11912220
    Abstract: A vehicle is configured to transport a passenger through autonomous travel. The vehicle includes an in-vehicle camera configured to image the passenger to generate an image, a camera controller configured to control the in-vehicle camera, and a passenger information detection unit configured to detect information about the passenger. The passenger information detection unit measures the number of passengers and the camera controller stops an operation of the in-vehicle camera in a case where the number of passengers is one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11858534
    Abstract: A pick-up and drop-off area, which is a predetermined area in which an automated driving vehicle stops to pick up or drop off a user, includes a downstream area existing downstream of a standard stop space and an upstream area existing upstream of the standard stop space. An automated driving system controls the automated driving vehicle so as to stop in a target stop space in the pick-up and drop-off area. When the standard stop space is available, the standard stop space is set as the target stop space. When the standard stop space is not available for the automated driving vehicle to stop to drop off the user, the automated driving system searches for an upstream available space in the upstream area and preferentially sets the upstream available space as the target stop space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Akihide Tachibana, Katsuhiro Sakai, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa
  • Publication number: 20230410658
    Abstract: The driver assistance system of the present disclosure is configured to execute processing comprising following four processes. The first process is to extract risk target information related to a risk target that causes a collision risk to a vehicle from information related to a peripheral situation of the vehicle. The second process is to obtain natural phenomenon information related to a natural phenomenon that affects the risk target. The third process is to determine a risk parameter that quantifies the collision risk based on the risk target information and the natural phenomenon information. The fourth process is to determine a manipulated variable of an actuator for controlling movement of the vehicle to reduce the collision risk based on the risk parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ray KAWANISHI, Katsuhiro SAKAI, Taisuke SUGAIWA, Hiroshi NAKAMURA, Naoki NAGASAKA
  • Patent number: 11814068
    Abstract: An automated driving system controls an automated driving vehicle. A plurality of stop lots are virtually arranged in a pick-up and drop-off area in which the automated driving vehicle stops to pick up or drop off a user. An order of priority of the plurality of stop lots is set. The automated driving system selects a stop lot one by one in the order of priority and determines whether or not the selected stop lot is available for the automated driving vehicle to stop. When the selected stop lot is available for the automated driving vehicle to stop, the selected stop lot is set as a target stop lot. The automated driving system controls the automated driving vehicle so as to stop in the target stop lot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Akihide Tachibana, Katsuhiro Sakai, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa
  • Patent number: 11708041
    Abstract: A vehicle is configured to transport a passenger through autonomous travel. The vehicle includes an in-vehicle camera configured to image the passenger to generate an image, a camera controller configured to control the in-vehicle camera, and a passenger information detection unit configured to detect information about the passenger. The passenger information detection unit measures the number of passengers and the camera controller stops an operation of the in-vehicle camera in a case where the number of passengers is one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11688162
    Abstract: A method and device is provided for detecting a state change in an environment around a vehicle, and providing a notification in response to detecting a state change, wherein the detection involves determining a portion of the environment to capture, capturing a portion of the environment, detecting a state change in the captured portion, and the production of a notification in response to the change in the captured environment. Certain embodiments include traffic signal detection, vehicle detection, vehicle speed detection, and user adjustment of the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Ichikawa, Toshiki Kindo, Katsuhiro Sakai, Masahiro Harada, Hiromitsu Urano
  • Publication number: 20230137183
    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: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro SAKAI, Hiromitsu URANO, Toshiki KINDO
  • Publication number: 20230121464
    Abstract: A vehicle is configured to transport a passenger through autonomous travel. The vehicle includes an in-vehicle camera configured to image the passenger to generate an image, a camera controller configured to control the in-vehicle camera, and a passenger information detection unit configured to detect information about the passenger. The passenger information detection unit measures the number of passengers and the camera controller stops an operation of the in-vehicle camera in a case where the number of passengers is one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20230106791
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: a signal information acquisition unit that acquires signal information about at least one traffic light, from a server having signal information about a plurality of traffic lights provided at a plurality of intersections; and a vehicle control unit that controls the vehicle, based on the signal information acquired by the signal information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Kawaharada, Katsuhiro Sakai, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20230109606
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a plurality of autonomous driving vehicles configured to perform autonomous traveling, and a processor. The processor is configured to, when an abnormality occurs in or around at least one first autonomous driving vehicle among the plurality of autonomous driving vehicles, determine a travel instruction for controlling traveling of the first autonomous driving vehicle, transmit the travel instruction to the first autonomous driving vehicle via the communication unit, set a priority representing the degree of the priority in which an instruction operator is notified of the travel instruction in the order determined according to the content of the abnormality, notify any one of at least one instruction terminal of the determined travel instruction in the order of highest priority, and receive a result of checking the determined travel instruction from the instruction terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20230103492
    Abstract: A vehicle information processing apparatus includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a terminal of a first user, a storage unit configured to store an end-of-use position and an expected end-of-use time at which a second user of a vehicle ends use of the vehicle for each of a plurality of vehicles subjected to autonomous driving control and occupied by the second user, and a vehicle selection unit configured to acquire a boarding position and a boarding time at which the first user wants to get on a vehicle from the terminal via the communication unit and select at least one vehicle, of which the end-of-use position and the expected end-of-use time are in a predetermined relationship with the boarding position and the boarding time, from among the plurality of vehicles while referring to the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihide Tachibana, Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11615500
    Abstract: A vehicle information processing apparatus includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a terminal of a first user, a storage unit configured to store an end-of-use position and an expected end-of-use time at which a second user of a vehicle ends use of the vehicle for each of a plurality of vehicles subjected to autonomous driving control and occupied by the second user, and a vehicle selection unit configured to acquire a boarding position and a boarding time at which the first user wants to get on a vehicle from the terminal via the communication unit and select at least one vehicle, of which the end-of-use position and the expected end-of-use time are in a predetermined relationship with the boarding position and the boarding time, from among the plurality of vehicles while referring to the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihide Tachibana, Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11577751
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes an upper limit value setting unit configured to set an upper limit value of an acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, and a vehicle controller configured to control the vehicle such that the acceleration or deceleration does not exceed the upper limit value. The upper limit value setting unit is configured to change the upper limit value according to at least one predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11568740
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a plurality of autonomous driving vehicles configured to perform autonomous traveling, and a processor. The processor is configured to, when an abnormality occurs in or around at least one first autonomous driving vehicle among the plurality of autonomous driving vehicles, determine a travel instruction for controlling traveling of the first autonomous driving vehicle, transmit the travel instruction to the first autonomous driving vehicle via the communication unit, set a priority representing the degree of the priority in which an instruction operator is notified of the travel instruction in the order determined according to the content of the abnormality, notify any one of at least one instruction terminal of the determined travel instruction in the order of highest priority, and receive a result of checking the determined travel instruction from the instruction terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11568746
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Hiromitsu Urano, Toshiki Kindo