Patents by Inventor Kazuhisa Ishimaru

Kazuhisa Ishimaru 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: 20250206138
    Abstract: A display control device includes a display control unit that causes a marker to be displayed in a display area of a display device in a position corresponding to an object included in a foreground of a vehicle visible through the display area of the display device or in an image resembling the foreground of the vehicle displayed in the display area of the display device, and the marker comprising a plurality of partial images lined up next to and spaced apart from each other in a vehicle width direction and having sides along a lengthwise direction of the partial images that are not parallel to a vehicle vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki TSUDA, Go MATSUNOBU, Kazuhisa ISHIMARU
  • Publication number: 20250206140
    Abstract: A display ECU is configured to detect, from an image acquired by a camera, a vehicle to be followed that precedes a host vehicle, project a marker image, in the screen display frame, with any one of a display near the vehicle to be followed and a display on the vehicle to be followed in a superimposed manner, and control the AR-HUD such that the marker image exhibits, when the entire vehicle to be followed is in the screen display frame, a first shape in which the marker image is displayed at maximum size, and the marker image exhibits, when the vehicle to be followed deviates from the screen display frame, a second shape in which the marker image deforms in a state of being in contact with the screen display frame according to a position of the vehicle to be followed present outside the screen display frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki TSUDA, Go MATSUNOBU, Kazuhisa ISHIMARU
  • Publication number: 20250171045
    Abstract: A display control device including a display control section. In cases in which a change amount of a position of a target object as represented by position information output from a detection section for detecting target objects, or a physical quantity derived from this change amount, is a first specific value or lower, the display control section displays a mark in a display area of a display device at a position corresponding to a position of the target object as represented by the position information. In cases in which the change amount or the physical quantity has exceeded a second specific value that is the first specific value or greater, the display control section limits movement of a display position of the mark in the display area of the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2024
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki TSUDA, Kazuhisa ISHIMARU
  • Patent number: 12246598
    Abstract: A vehicle display control device includes at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: recognize an object ahead of a host vehicle; and cause display of respective superimposed images, having lengths in a vehicle vertical direction, at each side of the recognized object in a vehicle width direction, at a display area so as to be superimposed on a view ahead of the host vehicle, the superimposed images being spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Tsuda, Go Matsunobu, Kazuhisa Ishimaru
  • Publication number: 20240239195
    Abstract: A vehicle display control device includes at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: recognize an object ahead of a host vehicle; and cause display of respective superimposed images, having lengths in a vehicle vertical direction, at each side of the recognized object in a vehicle width direction, at a display area so as to be superimposed on a view ahead of the host vehicle, the superimposed images being spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki TSUDA, Go MATSUNOBU, Kazuhisa ISHIMARU
  • Patent number: 11928871
    Abstract: A vehicle position estimation device is configured to acquire a distance from a road edge to a subject vehicle using at least one of an imaging device or a distance measuring sensor, acquire position information of lane boundary lines detected by analyzing the images captured by the imaging device; acquire map information including a lane quantity of a traveling road of the subject vehicle from a map storage, calculate, as a roadside area width, a lateral direction distance between an outermost detection line, which is an outermost boundary line among the detected boundary lines, and the road edge, and specify a traveling lane of the subject vehicle based on (i) the distance from the road edge to the subject vehicle, (ii) the roadside area width, and (iii) the lane quantity included in the acquired map information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Shunya Kumano, Yuusuke Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20230122011
    Abstract: A vehicle position estimation device is configured to acquire a distance from a road edge to a subject vehicle using at least one of an imaging device or a distance measuring sensor, acquire position information of lane boundary lines detected by analyzing the images captured by the imaging device; acquire map information including a lane quantity of a traveling road of the subject vehicle from a map storage, calculate, as a roadside area width, a lateral direction distance between an outermost detection line, which is an outermost boundary line among the detected boundary lines, and the road edge, and specify a traveling lane of the subject vehicle based on (i) the distance from the road edge to the subject vehicle, (ii) the roadside area width, and (iii) the lane quantity included in the acquired map information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: KAZUHISA ISHIMARU, SHUNYA KUMANO, YUUSUKE MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220227392
    Abstract: In a vehicle control device, environmental information is acquired which is information about an environment in which a vehicle is placed. The environmental information precludes an obstacle around the vehicle. A possibility is estimated for potential proximity of the vehicle to the obstacle. A behavior of a predicted target moving object including the vehicle and at least one moving object around the vehicle is predicted based on the estimated possibility. A responsibility is determined for a potential accident that is assumed in response to the vehicle traveling on a candidate route that the vehicle travels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: KAZUHISA ISHIMARU, ATSUSHI BABA
  • Publication number: 20180295347
    Abstract: In a position measuring apparatus, a correspondence point detector detects, for each set of images at a respective one of time instants, correspondence points from the respective images of the set, where the correspondence points are points on respective image planes representing the same three-dimensional position. A projection point calculator calculates a projection point of each of the correspondence points detected at the respective time instants onto each of a plurality of common planes set at different depthwise positions in a world coordinate system using preset camera parameters. A reconstruction point calculator calculates a point at which distances to a plurality of rays each connecting the projection points of the correspondence point on a respective one of the image planes onto the plurality of common planes are minimized, as a reconstruction point representing a three-dimensional position of the correspondence point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Noriaki Shirai, Jun Sato, Fumihiko Sakaue
  • Patent number: 10060740
    Abstract: A distance detection device calculates a pixel cost, every reference pixel, based on a difference between reference pixel information in a reference image and comparative pixel information in a comparative image while switching the reference and comparative images. The device calculates a parallax cost, every reference pixel, representing a cost regarding a change-amount of the parallax as a coordinate difference between a reference pixel and a comparative pixel when the reference image is switched. The device calculates a combination of each reference pixel and a comparative pixel having a minimum total cost every reference pixel. The minimum total cost represents a sum of the pixel cost and the parallax cost. The device obtains a relationship of a corresponding point between each reference pixel and its corresponding comparative pixel, and calculates a distance to an object in each captured image based on the relationship of the corresponding point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Noriaki Shirai
  • Patent number: 10054421
    Abstract: A position measuring apparatus detects, from respective first and second imaging planes of first and second captured images, first and second corresponding points estimated to represent a common three-dimensional position. The apparatus calculates first to fourth projected points. Each of the first and second projected points represents a projected point of the first corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. Each of the third and fourth projected points represents a projected point of the second corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. The apparatus calculates a first beam connecting the first and second projected points, a second beam connecting the third and fourth projected points, and a point having a minimum square distance relative to each of the first and second beams as a restored point representing the three-dimensional position of the first and second corresponding points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NAGOYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Noriaki Shirai, Jun Sato, Fumihiko Sakaue
  • Patent number: 10043106
    Abstract: A corresponding point searching method searches corresponding points in plural images, acquired by in-vehicle cameras, for each pixel in a reference image by using a predetermined first method, for example, the Viterbi algorithm. The method searches corresponding points in the plural images for each pixel in the reference image by using a predetermined second method, for example, an optical flow method. The method detects whether or not a search accuracy of the corresponding points in each region divided in the reference image obtained by the predetermined first method is not less than a reference value. When not less than the reference value, the method selects the corresponding points obtained by the predetermined first method. When less than the reference value, the searching method selects the corresponding points obtained by the predetermined second method. The searching method provides the corresponding points between the plural images with a high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA SCHOOL FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Noriaki Shirai, Hossein Tehrani Niknejad, Seiichi Mita, Qiwei Xie, Qian Long
  • Patent number: 10033981
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an image acquiring unit acquires a first image and a second image that form stereoscopic images. A first sub-image extracting unit extracts first sub-images from the first image. A second sub-image extracting unit extracts second sub-images from the second image. A matching unit matches each pair of the first and second sub-images to determine a degree of similarity therebetween. A similar sub-image setting unit sets the second sub-image having a highest degree of similarity to the first sub-image to be a similar sub-image to the first sub-image. A brightness comparing unit compares in brightness each pair of the first and second sub-images. The matching unit is configured to, if a result of comparison made by the brightness comparing unit between a pair of the first and second sub-images is out of a predetermined brightness range, exclude such a pair of the first and second sub-images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiki Kawano, Masaki Masuda, Naoki Kawasaki, Kazuhisa Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 10012722
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is provided. When a determination process of determining whether or not the part of an object located in a search range is an airborne substance, a rangefinder measures a distance to the object located in the search range for each of a plurality of unit areas forming the search range, a variation measure calculator calculates a variance of the distances (individual distances) measured for the respective unit areas, a variable threshold setter variably sets a variation measure threshold based on the individual distances, and a determiner determines that at least part of the object is an airborne substance if the calculated variance exceeds the variation measure threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Kiyokazu Takagi, Naoki Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20170363416
    Abstract: A position measuring apparatus detects, from respective first and second imaging planes of first and second captured images, first and second corresponding points estimated to represent a common three-dimensional position. The apparatus calculates first to fourth projected points. Each of the first and second projected points represents a projected point of the first corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. Each of the third and fourth projected points represents a projected point of the second corresponding point on a corresponding one of the first and second common planes. The apparatus calculates a first beam connecting the first and second projected points, a second beam connecting the third and fourth projected points, and a point having a minimum square distance relative to each of the first and second beams as a restored point representing the three-dimensional position of the first and second corresponding points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhisa ISHIMARU, Noriaki SHIRAI, Jun SATO, Fumihiko SAKAUE
  • Publication number: 20170357863
    Abstract: In an object detection apparatus and an object detection method, as first and second images, captured images of an area ahead of a vehicle in a vehicle advancing direction are acquired from first and second imaging units provided in the vehicle. Based on the first and second images, whether or not an object is present in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle advancing direction is determined. When the object is determined to be present in the blind spot, the first and second images are held in time series. As first and second image differences, differences in a feature quantity between a previous image and a current image in the first and second images are acquired. Based on the first and second image differences, whether or not the object is approaching the area ahead of the vehicle is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Tomohiko TSURUTA, Naoki KAWASAKI, Kazuhisa ISHIMARU, Noriaki SHIRAI, Hirotake ISHIGAMI
  • Publication number: 20170201736
    Abstract: A range correction device includes an image acquiring unit, a collimating unit, a disparity calculating unit, and an updating unit. The image acquiring unit acquires stereo images formed of a plurality of simultaneously captured images. The collimating unit collimates the stereo images acquired by the image acquiring unit, using a correction parameter for correcting a vertical displacement between stereo images. The disparity calculating unit calculates a distribution of horizontal disparities between the stereo images from the stereo images collimated by the collimating unit. The updating unit calculates a distribution of vertical displacements between the stereo images on the basis of the stereo images and the distribution of horizontal disparities calculated by the disparity calculating unit and updates the correction parameter on the basis of the distribution of the calculated vertical displacements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Hossein Tehrani Niknejad, Seiichi Mita, Qian Long
  • Patent number: 9672429
    Abstract: This invention is provided with: a camera for capturing the image of a travel path; an edge point extraction unit for extracting edge points on the basis of the brightness of an image captured by the camera; a candidate line extraction unit for extracting, on the basis of the succession of the extracted edge points, a candidate line for a boundary line demarcating the travel path; a frequency calculation unit for calculating, on the basis of edge points belonging to the candidate line extracted by the candidate line extraction unit, the frequency distribution of the edge points for a parameter that specifies the width of the boundary line; a probability generation unit for calculating, on the basis of the frequency distribution calculated by the frequency calculation unit, the distribution for the probability that the candidate line at the parameter is the boundary line; and a boundary line recognition unit for recognizing the boundary line on the basis of the probability distribution calculated by the probab
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Shunsuke Suzuki, Tetsuya Takafuji
  • Patent number: 9626572
    Abstract: In vehicle-lane boundary line detection, low-luminance values are acquired from areas corresponding to below a tire and directly below a vehicle center based on a road surface image. A snow rut degree is calculated based on a luminance ration between the areas. A probability is calculated from a map based on the calculated snow rut degree. A parameter indicating the degree of snow rut likeness is calculated by a low-pass filtering process. A snow rut determination is made by the calculation result being compared with a predetermined threshold. A final determination of whether or not a snow rut is present is made, with reference to an outside temperature. When determined that a snow rut is present, a determination is made not to perform the detection. When determined that a snow rut is not present, a determination is made to perform the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Naoki Kawasaki, Shunsuke Suzuki, Tetsuya Takafuji
  • Patent number: 9626765
    Abstract: A position detection device obtains image coordinate groups representing a coordinate of a target object in each acquired image having first and second acquired image groups. The first acquired image group has acquired images obtained at an image acquiring timing in a reference period. The second acquired image group has acquired images obtained at an image acquiring timing in the reference period, which is delayed from the image acquiring timing of the first acquired image group by an asynchronous time. The device performs a Fourier transformation of each of a first locus and a second locus, and calculates a first frequency waveform based on the first locus and a second frequency waveform based on the second locus. The device calculates a position of the target object based on a relationship in which the frequency waveforms are delayed relative to each other by a phase corresponding to the asynchronous time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC., NAGOYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ishimaru, Masayuki Imanishi, Jun Sato