Patents by Inventor Kentaro Ichikawa

Kentaro Ichikawa 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: 11971673
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit, a heating unit, and a controller unit. The process unit is configured to transfer an image onto a sheet. The heating unit is configured to fix the image transferred at the process unit onto the sheet, and to transfer a transfer layer onto an image formed on a sheet overlaid on a multilayer film. The controller unit is capable of operating in a first printing mode in which processes of transferring an image at the process unit, fixing the image at the heating unit, and transferring the transfer layer at the heating unit are executed, and a second printing mode in which processes of transferring an image at the process unit and fixing the image at the heating unit are not executed, and a process of transferring the transfer layer at the heating unit is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Ichikawa, Tomoya Yamamoto, Ryosuke Sakai, Kentaro Mori, Kyoko Sugiyama, Ayaka Ohira, Isami Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 11945342
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a seat in a vehicle includes adjusting the seat from an initial position to a passenger adjusted position based on receiving an input from a passenger. The method further includes determining the passenger exited the vehicle after adjusting the seat and predicting a likelihood of the passenger returning to the vehicle based on determining the passenger exited the vehicle. The method also includes adjusting the seat to the initial position based on the likelihood of the passenger returning is less than a passenger returning threshold. The method still further includes identifying a person approaching the vehicle after the passenger exited the vehicle based on information captured by one or more sensors of the vehicle. The method also includes adjusting the seat to a position associated with the previous passenger based on identifying the person approaching the vehicle as the previous passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20240067219
    Abstract: A method for controlling a mobile vehicle comprises the steps of selecting a control mode for autonomous driving of the mobile vehicle and transmitting information on the selected control mode to the mobile vehicle. The control mode includes a first mode and a second mode of which a restriction on a driving safety is stricter than that of the first mode. The step of selecting the control mode comprises the steps of determining whether a remote support for the mobile vehicle is required, and selecting the first mode as the control mode when it is determined that the remote support is not required whereas selecting the second mode as the control mode when it is determined that the remote support is required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Narihito YAMAZATO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Maiko HIRANO, Yoshitaka ADACHI, Koji TAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240034364
    Abstract: A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu URANO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Taisuke SUGAIWA, Toshiki KINDO
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11845473
    Abstract: A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Toshiki Kindo
  • Patent number: 11840264
    Abstract: A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20230376031
    Abstract: A method to perform remote operation of a mobile vehicle is provided. In this method, data of two types of camera images whose imaging ranges partially overlap each other and data of operation content in the remote operation are acquired. Further, based on the data of the operation content, the position in the vertical direction at which the two types of the camera images are combined is set. Further, at least one of the two types of the camera images is moved in the vertical direction such that the two types of the camera images are combined at the set position in the vertical direction, and the two types of the camera images are combined. Then, a composite image of the two types of the camera images is output from a display of a remote operation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Narihito YAMAZATO, Koji TAGUCHI, Maiko HIRANO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Yoshitaka ADACHI, Kentaro TAKEMURA, Toshiki HORITA
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20230339288
    Abstract: A method for controlling a comfort component of a vehicle includes setting a comfort component, while a passenger is occupying the vehicle, to an active state to adjust a temperature within the vehicle to a passenger desired temperature based on receiving an input from the passenger. The method further includes maintaining, after the passenger exited the vehicle, the comfort component in an active state based on a likelihood of the passenger returning to the vehicle satisfying an active state condition. The method still further includes capturing, after the passenger exited the vehicle, an image of a person approaching the vehicle via one or more sensors of the vehicle. The method also includes adjusting the comfort component from the active state to a default state based on an identity of the person being different from an identity of the passenger, the identity of the person being determined based on the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu URANO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Junya UENO
  • Patent number: 11794788
    Abstract: An automatic driving system includes an electronic control device configured to: detect a driving operation input amount during an automatic driving control for a vehicle; determine whether the driver is able to start manual driving during the automatic driving control for the vehicle; output a signal for performing switching from automatic driving to the manual driving based on a result of a comparison between the driving operation input amount and a driving switching threshold that is a threshold for the switching from the automatic driving to the manual driving; set the driving switching threshold to a first driving switching threshold when it is determined that the driver is able to start the manual driving; and set the driving switching threshold to a second driving switching threshold exceeding the first driving switching threshold when it is determined that the driver is not able to start the manual driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa
  • Publication number: 20230324908
    Abstract: An autonomous driving control device is capable of starting an autonomous driving control without an operation of a driver and reducing a possibility that the driver can not start manual driving. An autonomous driving control is switched to manual driving when a determination section determines that the amount of operation by the driver is equal to or greater than a first threshold, before a predetermined time elapses since the autonomous driving control is automatically started. An autonomous driving control is switched to a manual driving when the determination section determines that the amount of operation by the driver is equal to or greater than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, after the predetermined time elapses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Bunyo OKUMURA, Maiko HIRANO
  • Patent number: 11763694
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving the training of a driver during an automated driving system mode. In one embodiment, a method includes generating, in association with a maneuver by the driver that is a takeover of a vehicle, an automated motion plan associated with the maneuver. The method also includes determining if the automated motion plan is valid based, at least in part, on a condition that one or more parameters of a reliability model satisfy a threshold. The one or more parameters may be associated with the vehicle and a driving environment. The method also includes notifying the driver that the maneuver was unnecessary using a notification signal if the one or more parameters satisfy the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • Patent number: 11738779
    Abstract: A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20230259127
    Abstract: According to the remote assistance method of the present disclosure, first, a positional relationship between the vehicle having an autonomous traveling function and an object present around the vehicle at a future time beyond a current time is displayed spatially on a display device, the positional relationship being predicted based on a path plan for autonomous traveling created by the vehicle and information on the object. Next, assistance content input from a remote operator is transmitted to the vehicle. Then, remote assistance corresponding to the assistance content is executed in the vehicle in response to confirmation that the positional relationship between the vehicle and the object displayed on the display device when the assistance content is input is realized after the vehicle receives the assistance content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Maiko HIRANO, Yoshitaka ADACHI, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Koji TAGUCHI, Narihito YAMAZATO
  • Patent number: 11724565
    Abstract: A method for controlling a comfort component of a vehicle is presented. The method includes determining that the vehicle has arrived at a destination. The method also includes determining that the comfort component is activated. The method further includes deactivating the comfort component in response to determining that the comfort component is activated and the vehicle has arrived at the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • Patent number: 11703858
    Abstract: An autonomous driving control device is capable of starting an autonomous driving control without an operation of a driver and reducing a possibility that the driver can not start manual driving. An autonomous driving control is switched to manual driving when a determination section determines that the amount of operation by the driver is equal to or greater than a first threshold, before a predetermined time elapses since the autonomous driving control is automatically started. An autonomous driving control is switched to a manual driving when the determination section determines that the amount of operation by the driver is equal to or greater than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, after the predetermined time elapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Ichikawa, Bunyo Okumura, Maiko Hirano
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11685228
    Abstract: A method for vehicle selection performed by a user equipment (UE) associated with a customer includes transmitting, from the UE to a vehicle control system, customer location information identifying a location of the customer. The method also includes receiving, from the vehicle control system based on transmitting the customer location information, vehicle location information and a set of compartment climate values associated with each vehicle of a set of vehicles within a range of the location of the customer. The method further includes outputting the current compartment climate value and a location associated with the vehicle location information of each vehicle of the set of vehicles for display at the UE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno