Patents by Inventor Kazunori Nimura

Kazunori Nimura 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: 11932213
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling one or more brakes of the vehicle. The system may include a processor and a memory in communication with the processor with a brake control module. The brake control module includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the one or more brakes of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a first mode using a brake-by-wire system. When the vehicle is in a second mode, control the brake-by-wire system such that the one or more brakes of the vehicle are controlled using a mechanical braking system and the brake-by-wire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Ming Jonathan Goh, Alexander R. Green, Michael Thompson, Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20230322273
    Abstract: A method for managing autonomous operation of a vehicle includes detecting, while the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode, an assistance condition that triggers activation of an assistance component of a set of assistance components associated with a driver assistance system. The method also includes determining whether the operation of the vehicle in the autonomous mode satisfies a safety condition associated with the assistance component. The method further includes adjusting an activation signal that triggers the activation of the assistance component based on determining the operation of the vehicle in the autonomous mode satisfies the safety condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Yiting LIU, Hirofumi YAMAMOTO, Chen BAO, Thomas JOHNSTON, Kazunori NIMURA
  • Patent number: 11492835
    Abstract: A vehicle cargo area door control system for a vehicle including at least one cargo area and at least one cargo area door. The control system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the processors for storing a cargo area door control module. The door control module operates to, responsive to the generation or receipt of an instruction which will cause the vehicle to start moving, determine if all vehicle cargo area doors are closed. If at least one cargo area door is not closed, command(s) are generated to close the at least one cargo area door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20220306064
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling one or more brakes of the vehicle. The system may include a processor and a memory in communication with the processor with a brake control module. The brake control module includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the one or more brakes of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a first mode using a brake-by-wire system. When the vehicle is in a second mode, control the brake-by-wire system such that the one or more brakes of the vehicle are controlled using a mechanical braking system and the brake-by-wire system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Yan Ming Jonathan Goh, Alexander R. Green, Michael Thompson, Kazunori Nimura
  • Patent number: 11338856
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a steering wheel configured to output an output based on an input from a user, and a controller configured to: determine a target orientation of front wheels of a vehicle based on vehicle environment information, determine whether an orientation of the front wheels of the vehicle based on the output from the steering wheel deviates from the target orientation, disengage the steering wheel from the front wheels in response to determination that the orientation of the front wheels deviates from the target orientation, adjust the orientation of the front wheels to the target orientation and provide a feedback in response to adjusting the orientation of the front wheels to the target orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen McGill, Luke Fletcher, Kazunori Nimura, John Leonard, Gill Pratt
  • Patent number: 11158147
    Abstract: A cargo area door control system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes at least one cargo area and at least one cargo area door configured to be movable to enable physical access to the at least one cargo area, and movable to block physical access to the at least one cargo area. The control system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores a cargo area door control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to determine if the vehicle currently resides at a selected destination and, responsive to a determination that the vehicle currently resides at the selected destination, operate a cargo area door unlocking mechanism to unlock the at least one cargo area door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20210005032
    Abstract: A cargo area door control system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes at least one cargo area and at least one cargo area door configured to be movable to enable physical access to the at least one cargo area, and movable to block physical access to the at least one cargo area. The control system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores a cargo area door control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to determine if the vehicle currently resides at a selected destination and, responsive to a determination that the vehicle currently resides at the selected destination, operate a cargo area door unlocking mechanism to unlock the at least one cargo area door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20210002943
    Abstract: A vehicle cargo area door control system for a vehicle including at least one cargo area and at least one cargo area door. The control system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the processors for storing a cargo area door control module. The door control module operates to, responsive to the generation or receipt of an instruction which will cause the vehicle to start moving, determine if all vehicle cargo area doors are closed. If at least one cargo area door is not closed, command(s) are generated to close the at least one cargo area door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20200198701
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a steering wheel configured to output an output based on an input from a user, and a controller configured to: determine a target orientation of front wheels of a vehicle based on vehicle environment information, determine whether an orientation of the front wheels of the vehicle based on the output from the steering wheel deviates from the target orientation, disengage the steering wheel from the front wheels in response to determination that the orientation of the front wheels deviates from the target orientation, adjust the orientation of the front wheels to the target orientation and provide a feedback in response to adjusting the orientation of the front wheels to the target orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen McGill, Luke Fletcher, Kazunori Nimura, John Leonard, Gill Pratt
  • Patent number: 10633025
    Abstract: A vehicle system for operating a vehicle is provided. The vehicle system includes a first output device configured to output a first output, and a second output device configured to output a second output. The vehicle system operates the vehicle based on the first output from the first output device while obtaining vehicle environment information, determines whether an autonomous take-over event occurs based on the vehicle environment information, operates the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode in response to determining that the autonomous takeover event occurred, determines whether the vehicle system receives a take-over signal from the second output device, and operates the vehicle based on the second output from the second output device in response to determining that the vehicle system received the take-over signal from the second output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen McGill, Luke Fletcher, Kazunori Nimura, John Leonard, Gill Pratt
  • Patent number: 10272902
    Abstract: A brake control system includes: a friction brake unit configured to generate a friction braking force; a regenerative brake unit configured to generate a regenerative braking force; and a brake control unit configured to control the regenerative brake unit and the friction brake unit based on a regenerative target value and a friction target value based on a target braking force, which is a target of the braking force to be provided to a wheel. The brake control unit controls the regenerative brake unit based on a second regenerative target value larger than a first regenerative target value that has been defined based on the target braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyazaki, Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20190092389
    Abstract: A vehicle system for operating a vehicle is provided. The vehicle system includes a first output device configured to output a first output, and a second output device configured to output a second output. The vehicle system operates the vehicle based on the first output from the first output device while obtaining vehicle environment information, determines whether an autonomous take-over event occurs based on the vehicle environment information, operates the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode in response to determining that the autonomous takeover event occurred, determines whether the vehicle system receives a take-over signal from the second output device, and operates the vehicle based on the second output from the second output device in response to determining that the vehicle system received the take-over signal from the second output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen McGill, Luke Fletcher, Kazunori Nimura, John Leonard, Gill Pratt
  • Patent number: 9776605
    Abstract: A brake control device includes a pilot-type pressure-increasing device. A pilot unit of the pressure-increasing device is connected to a power hydraulic pressure generating device via a pilot input passage. A linear control valve that is also used for adjusting a hydraulic pressure of a wheel cylinder is provided on the pilot input passage. A brake ECU checks whether the pressure-increasing device is normally activated or not based on a hydraulic pressure outputted from the pressure-increasing device when the linear control valve is energized for an activation check. Thus, the brake ECU can perform the activation check of the pressure-increasing device without requiring a driver's operation on a brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyazaki, Kazunori Nimura
  • Patent number: 9586488
    Abstract: A first ECU estimates whether the operation of a second actuator has been started, based on the variation of the hydraulic pressure with respect to the flow rate of hydraulic fluid outputted from a first actuator. Even in a case where the operation information of the second actuator is not received, the first ECU sets the control mode to a simultaneous operation mode, when it is estimated that the operation of the second actuator has been started. In the simultaneous operation mode, a controlled parameter of linear control valves on assumption that the second actuator is operating is set up, and a stop instruction of regenerative braking is transmitted to a hybrid ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakaoka, Kei Sato, Kazunori Nimura, Kentaro Oya, Takeshi Ishida, Masaki Nanahara, Tsuyoshi Yamasaki, Yoshito Tanaka, Masayasu Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 9533665
    Abstract: A master cylinder includes pressurizing chambers and atmospheric pressure chambers which are in communication with a reservoir provided upstream. The pressurizing chambers of the master cylinder are connected to a brake fluid pressure control valve device through master pressure pipes provided with master cut valves. The atmospheric pressure chambers of the master cylinder bypass the master cut valves and are connected to the brake fluid pressure control valve device through bypass pipes provided with check valves. A pump constituting a brake fluid pressurizing section of the brake hydraulic control valve device suctions the brake fluid from the reservoir preferentially through the bypass pipes provided with the check valves and pressurizes the brake fluid to supply a brake fluid pressure to brake fluid pressure adjust sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori Nimura, Hiroshi Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 9517759
    Abstract: A brake control device includes a front-wheel left-right communication passage that allows communication between wheel cylinders for a front-left wheel and a front-right wheel via a front-wheel communication on-off valve, and a rear-wheel left-right communication passage that allows communication between wheel cylinders for a rear-left wheel and a rear-right wheel via a rear-wheel communication on-off valve. The brake control device executes a hydraulic control by keeping the front-wheel communication on-off valve and the rear-wheel communication on-off valve opened. The front-wheel communication on-off valve is a normally closed type, and the rear-wheel communication on-off valve is a normally opened type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyazaki, Kazunori Nimura
  • Patent number: 9352730
    Abstract: When a brake pedal is slowly depressed, a brake ECU sets a target current iFL* of a pressure-increasing linear control valve for a front-left wheel to increase from a current value lower than a valve-opening current i open by a decrease set value i1, and sets a target current iFL* for a pressure-increasing linear control valve for a front-right wheel to increase from a current value lower than a valve-opening current i open by a decrease set value i2 (<i1). This prevents a timing at which the pressure-increasing linear control valve is closed and a timing at which the pressure-increasing linear control valve is closed from matching, whereby a variation in a vehicle deceleration G can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunori Nimura
  • Publication number: 20160121868
    Abstract: A master cylinder includes pressurizing chambers and atmospheric pressure chambers which are in communication with a reservoir provided upstream. The pressurizing chambers of the master cylinder are connected to a brake fluid pressure control valve device through master pressure pipes provided with master cut valves. The atmospheric pressure chambers of the master cylinder bypass the master cut valves and are connected to the brake fluid pressure control valve device through bypass pipes provided with check valves. A pump constituting a brake fluid pressurizing section of the brake hydraulic control valve device suctions the brake fluid from the reservoir preferentially through the bypass pipes provided with the check valves and pressurizes the brake fluid to supply a brake fluid pressure to brake fluid pressure adjust sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori NIMURA, Hiroshi NAKAOKA
  • Publication number: 20160096434
    Abstract: A first ECU estimates whether the operation of a second actuator has been started, based on the variation of the hydraulic pressure with respect to the flow rate of hydraulic fluid outputted from a first actuator. Even in a case where the operation information of the second actuator is not received, the first ECU sets the control mode to a simultaneous operation mode, when it is estimated that the operation of the second actuator has been started. In the simultaneous operation mode, a controlled parameter of linear control valves on assumption that the second actuator is operating is set up, and a stop instruction of regenerative braking is transmitted to a hybrid ECU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi NAKAOKA, Kei SATO, Kazunori NIMURA, Kentaro OYA, Takeshi ISHIDA, Masaki NANAHARA, Tsuyoshi YAMASAKI, Yoshito TANAKA, Masayasu OHKUBO
  • Publication number: 20160082937
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake system includes a first actuator for a regeneration coordination brake control and a second actuator for maintaining the stability of a vehicle in a hydraulic pressure passage between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder. The first actuator is controlled by a first ECU, and the second actuator is controlled by a second ECU. When a failure occurs in the first actuator or the first ECU, the second ECU operates the second actuator according to the amount of a brake operation, and assists braking of a wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi NAKAOKA, Kentaro OOYO, Kazunori NIMURA