Patents by Inventor Kenjiro Yamamoto
Kenjiro Yamamoto 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).
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Patent number: 10061324Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an autonomous moving device or the like that estimates a self position based on an arrangement of landmarks in surrounding environment while suppressing the influence by external disturbances. In order to achieve the object described above, an external disturbance factor which becomes an external disturbance and a landmark used for the self position estimation when estimating a self position from an image captured by a wide angle camera are extracted, the landmark which is not affected by the external disturbance factor is selected from an image captured by the standard camera capable of controlling a posture using the extracted information, the posture of the standard camera is controlled so as to track the selected landmark, and the self position is estimated based on the arrangement of the landmarks captured by the tracking-controlled standard camera.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2014Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Taiki Iimura, Kenjiro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 10055694Abstract: Provided are: a use-assisting tool for an autonomous mobile device that enhances convenience for a user of the autonomous mobile device; an operation management center; an operation system; and an autonomous mobile device. The use-assisting tool for an autonomous mobile device provides assistance for using the autonomous mobile device, which travels autonomously along a route to a destination, and is characterized by: being provided with a communication means that communicates with an operation management center, an input means, and a display means; a destination to be visited using the autonomous mobile device being input by means of the input means; and the display means displaying cooperation information established at the destination that is transmitted from the operation management center. The cooperation information established at the destination includes information regarding securing a mobility means at the destination and establishing a reservation at the destination.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2012Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ryoko Ichinose, Takashi Sato, Ai Masuda, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yukihiko Ono, Akira Oshima
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Publication number: 20180150700Abstract: The reliability of detection of the traveling lane can be improved even in a case where an image capturing environment changes. The lane detection device includes a first image capturing device which is fixed to a moving body and periodically captures a first image under a predetermined first image capturing condition, a second image capturing device which is fixed to the moving body and periodically captures a second image under a second image capturing condition different from the predetermined first image capturing condition, and an operation device, regarding a traveling lane on which the moving body travels, which detects a first boundary line of the traveling lane on the first image, detects a second boundary line of the traveling lane on the second image, and estimates the position of the first boundary line on the first image based on a position of the second boundary line on the second image under a predetermined execution condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2016Publication date: May 31, 2018Inventors: Alex Masuo KANEKO, Kenjiro YAMAMOTO, Taiki IIMURA
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Patent number: 9921069Abstract: The invention is intended to be able to generate map data even if a location not suited for identification of a matching position exists. A map data creation device creates map data, the map data being used for autonomous movement by a vehicle (1a), a vehicle (1b) and/or other vehicles (1), based on a relative position of the vehicle (1b) which exists around the vehicle (1a), relative to the vehicle (1a), the relative position being measured by the vehicle (1a), and object shape data of an object which exists around the vehicle (1b), the object shape being measured by the vehicle (1b). Moreover, the relative position of the vehicle (1b) relative to the vehicle (1a) is calculated based on the object shape data measured by the vehicle (1a).Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2012Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Yukihiko Ono, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Ryoko Ichinose, Akira Oshima
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Publication number: 20170212518Abstract: An autonomous moving device includes a database that stores information on which objects are necessary to avoid and which are not necessary to avoid. When the autonomous object travels, an object detection unit detects an object on the road by using a sensor; a collation unit collates the detected object on a road surface with an object stored in the database; a determination input unit receives an input of an operator regarding whether or not to avoid the object where there is no data which is the same as or similar to the object in the database as a result of collation which is performed by the collation unit; and an operation generation unit commands the next operation of the moving object, based on the result of collation which is performed by the collation unit and the determination unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2014Publication date: July 27, 2017Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Taiki IIMURA, Kenjiro YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20170205832Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an autonomous moving device or the like that estimates a self position based on an arrangement of landmarks in surrounding environment while suppressing the influence by external disturbances. In order to achieve the object described above, an external disturbance factor which becomes an external disturbance and a landmark used for the self position estimation when estimating a self position from an image captured by a wide angle camera are extracted, the landmark which is not affected by the external disturbance factor is selected from an image captured by the standard camera capable of controlling a posture using the extracted information, the posture of the standard camera is controlled so as to track the selected landmark, and the self position is estimated based on the arrangement of the landmarks captured by the tracking-controlled standard camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2014Publication date: July 20, 2017Inventors: Taiki IIMURA, Kenjiro YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20170017237Abstract: An environment information acquisition unit acquires a signal state of a traffic light. A self-position estimation unit estimates a self-position of the autonomous moving object. A traveling route decision unit calculates a first time necessary to move along a first route from the self-position to an end point of a crosswalk and a second time necessary to move along a second route from the self-point to a start point of the crosswalk in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after a predetermined time or in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red, and selects a route corresponding to a time smaller between the first time and the second time. A vehicle control unit controls autonomous movement of the autonomous moving object so that the autonomous moving object moves along the selected route.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: January 19, 2017Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Mikio TOKUYAMA, Kenjiro YAMAMOTO, Taiki IIMURA, Azusa AMINO
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Publication number: 20160238394Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of reducing the processing load involved in estimating the position of a moving body. An upward-oriented camera is mounted to a top part of a moving body and an image of a periphery of the moving body is captured. A map management unit associates coordinates of a feature point extracted from the image taken of a peripheral environment with a map and manages the coordinates. A feature point tracking unit tracks a predetermined feature point selected by a predetermined reference from among feature points extracted from an image taken by an imaging unit. A feature point number management unit performs management so that the number of predetermined feature points tracked by the feature point tracking unit is a prescribed number. A position can be estimated from the coordinates of the predetermined feature point tracked by the feature point tracking unit and the map managed by the map management unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Taiki IIMURA, Ryoko ICHINOSE, Kenjiro YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20160224027Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of achieving an autonomous mobile system that is provided with a means for safe two-way traffic or overtaking if the crossing or approach of travel paths arises with respect to another party such as a pedestrian, bicycle or the like during autonomous travel over a designated reference path in an environment in which mobile obstacles such as pedestrians, bicycles and the like moving in free directions are present in public or in a facility. To solve this problem, in the present invention, it is necessary before an approach to induce circumstances such that mutual motion is defined and to obtain defining information of the movement of the other party, thereby maintaining uniform circumstances when passing nearby such that no large changes in course are performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2013Publication date: August 4, 2016Inventors: Kenjiro YAMAMOTO, Ryoko ICHINOSE
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Patent number: 9229450Abstract: A route decision system is provided to avoid an obstacle existing in a traceably moving direction for tracing a reference route from a current location of an autonomous movable body. The system computes traffic distance and a traffic width as a traffic region having a given traffic width and does not allow an obstacle to intrude in each of a plurality of moving The moving direction of the autonomous movable body is decided on the basis of the traceably moving direction and the traffic region. A speed decision device decides a moving speed allowing the autonomous movable body to stop before it collides with the obstacle in response to the braking condition of the autonomous movable body and the location and the speed of the obstacle.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2011Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Akira Oshima, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yukihiko Ono, Yoshitaka Hara
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Patent number: 9193243Abstract: To achieve a small and low power consumption suspension, which can be installed in a vehicle, such as a personal mobility vehicle, there is provided a vehicle suspension system including: a suspension that is connected to a vehicle body and a shaft mounted to wheels; an actuator that includes an output for vertically moving a suspension position of the suspension on the basis of inclination angle information of the vehicle; and a self-weight support mechanism that acts on the actuator to support vehicle weight. The self-weight support mechanism is composed of a spring mounted to the actuator, the actuator, and a link mechanism connected the suspension and the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yukihiko Ono, Kenjiro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9182235Abstract: Calculating a highly accurate locus is a goal.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2011Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Yoshitaka Hara, Akira Oshima, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yuji Hosoda
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Publication number: 20150199619Abstract: Provided are: a use-assisting tool for an autonomous mobile device that enhances convenience for a user of the autonomous mobile device; an operation management center; an operation system; and an autonomous mobile device. The use-assisting tool for an autonomous mobile device provides assistance for using the autonomous mobile device, which travels autonomously along a route to a destination, and is characterized by: being provided with a communication means that communicates with an operation management center, an input means, and a display means; a destination to be visited using the autonomous mobile device being input by means of the input means; and the display means displaying cooperation information established at the destination that is transmitted from the operation management center. The cooperation information established at the destination includes information regarding securing a mobility means at the destination and establishing a reservation at the destination.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2012Publication date: July 16, 2015Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ryoko Ichinose, Takashi Sato, Ai Masuda, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yukihiko Ono, Akira Oshima
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Patent number: 9062980Abstract: An autonomous mobile system for a mobile body which moves while localizing itself in a space includes a shape detector and travel distance detector for measuring whether objects are present in set regions determined by dividing a three-dimensional space into a plurality of segments, a storage device into which map data is stored that indicates a region of the set regions that has been set as having a stationary object in the region, a determining section that determines, from frequency of the object detection by the shape detector during a predetermined time for each of the set regions, whether the object that has been detected in each set region is a stationary object or a moving object, and a localizer that localizes a vehicle by matching the region that the determining section has determined to have a stationary object in the region, and the map data.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitaka Hara, Akira Oshima, Ryoko Ichinose, Kenjiro Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20150057871Abstract: The invention is intended to be able to generate map data even if a location not suited for identification of a matching position exists. A map data creation device creates map data, the map data being used for autonomous movement by a vehicle (1a), a vehicle (1b) and/or other vehicles (1), based on a relative position of the vehicle (1b) which exists around the vehicle (1a), relative to the vehicle (1a), the relative position being measured by the vehicle (1a), and object shape data of an object which exists around the vehicle (1b), the object shape being measured by the vehicle (1b). Moreover, the relative position of the vehicle (1b) relative to the vehicle (1a) is calculated based on the object shape data measured by the vehicle (1a).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2012Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: Yukihiko Ono, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Ryoko Ichinose, Akira Oshima
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Publication number: 20140309841Abstract: The invention includes a shape detector and travel distance detector for measuring whether objects are present in set regions determined by dividing a three-dimensional space into a plurality of segments, a storage device into which map data is stored that indicates a region of the set regions that has been set as having a stationary object in the region, a determining section that determines, from frequency of the object detection by the shape detector during a predetermined time for each of the set regions, whether the object that has been detected in each set region is a stationary object or a moving object, and a localizer that localizes a vehicle āvā by matching the region that the determining section has determined to have a stationary object in the region, and the map data. Thus, highly accurate detection of positions can be realized, even in an environment with moving objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2011Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Yoshitaka Hara, Akira Oshima, Ryoko Ichinose, Kenjiro Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20140095009Abstract: A route decision system is provided to avoid an obstacle existing in a traceably moving direction for tracing a reference route from a current location of an autonomous movable body. The system computes traffic distance and a traffic width as a traffic region having a given traffic width and does not allow an obstacle to intrude in each of a plurality of moving The moving direction of the autonomous movable body is decided on the basis of the traceably moving direction and the traffic region. A speed decision device decides a moving speed allowing the autonomous movable body to stop before it collides with the obstacle in response to the braking condition of the autonomous movable body and the location and the speed of the obstacle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2011Publication date: April 3, 2014Inventors: Akira Oshima, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yukihiko Ono, Yoshitaka Hara
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Publication number: 20140088863Abstract: Calculating a highly accurate locus is a goal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2011Publication date: March 27, 2014Inventors: Yoshitaka Hara, Akira Oshima, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yuji Hosoda
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Publication number: 20140049012Abstract: To achieve a small and low power consumption suspension, which can be installed in a vehicle, such as a personal mobility vehicle, there is provided a vehicle suspension system including: a suspension that is connected to a vehicle body and a shaft mounted to wheels; an actuator that includes an output for vertically moving a suspension position of the suspension on the basis of inclination angle information of the vehicle; and a self-weight support mechanism that acts on the actuator to support vehicle weight. The self-weight support mechanism is composed of a spring mounted to the actuator, the actuator, and a link mechanism connected the suspension and the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2011Publication date: February 20, 2014Inventors: Yukihiko Ono, Kenjiro Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20130258108Abstract: Disclosed is a road surface shape recognition system adapted to recognize a shape of a road surface and obstacles present thereupon, even when the road surface is illuminated with extraneous light of a plurality of wavelengths from illumination lamps, street lamps, electric signboards, and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2010Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yukihiko Ono, Ryoko Ichinose, Kenjiro Yamamoto, Yoshitaka Hara, Akira Oshima