Patents by Inventor Kentarou Shiota

Kentarou Shiota 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: 20220082407
    Abstract: A map system includes a vehicle apparatus that is mounted to a vehicle. The map system includes an imaging apparatus, a server, and an integrating unit. The imaging apparatus captures an image of a surrounding area of the vehicle. The server generates a map using data that corresponds to feature points extracted from the image captured by the imaging apparatus that is transmitted from the vehicle apparatus. The integrating unit weights the pieces of data that are transmitted from a plurality of vehicle apparatuses based on bias in the pieces of data and generates a map by integrating at least a portion of the plurality of pieces of data based on the weighting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Kentarou SHIOTA, Naoki NITANDA, Kazuma ISHIGAKI, Shinya TAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220044031
    Abstract: The travelling route recognition unit recognizes, based on an image captured by an imaging apparatus capturing an area in the vicinity of the vehicle, a travelling route where the vehicle travels. The classifying unit classifies the travelling route into at least one of a predetermined plurality of road models. The edge point extracting unit extracts edge points necessary for expressing the road model classified by the classifying unit among edge points indicating a boundary of the travelling route recognized by the travelling route recognition unit. The parameter generation unit correlates road model information indicating the road model classified by the classifying unit with the edge points extracted by the edge point extracting unit and generates a travelling route parameter indicating the travelling route recognized by the travelling route recognition unit. The transmission unit transmits the travelling route parameter generated by the parameter generation unit to the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Kentarou SHIOTA, Naoki NITANDA, Kazuma ISHIGAKI, Shinya TAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190351842
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Syo OKUDA, Toshikazu MURAO, Kentarou SHIOTA, Naoki SUGIYAMA, Takayuki KIMURA
  • Patent number: 10406994
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syo Okuda, Toshikazu Murao, Kentarou Shiota, Naoki Sugiyama, Takayuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 10377322
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syo Okuda, Toshikazu Murao, Kentarou Shiota, Naoki Sugiyama, Takayuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20180319351
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Syo OKUDA, Toshikazu MURAO, Kentarou SHIOTA, Naoki SUGIYAMA, Takayuki KIMURA
  • Patent number: 10046716
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syo Okuda, Toshikazu Murao, Kentarou Shiota, Naoki Sugiyama, Takayuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20170305361
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Syo OKUDA, Toshikazu MURAO, Kentarou SHIOTA, Naoki SUGIYAMA, Takayuki KIMURA
  • Patent number: 9690997
    Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Murao, Takayuki Kimura, Kentarou Shiota, Noriaki Shirai, Naoki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9626570
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a light-receiving section which has a plurality of filters having different pass bands, and a plurality of light-receiving elements, each of which receives incident light via any one of the filters; an image data generation section which, when receiving general image data which is an output of the light-receiving section, extracts outputs of the light-receiving elements correlated to the filters to generate discrete image data, which is image data for each of the filters; an image data processing section which detects at least one object, based on the discrete image data generated by the image data generation section or composite image data generated by combining the discrete image data; and a vehicle control section which performs vehicle control, according to the object detected by the image data processing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Murao, Kentarou Shiota, Naoki Sugiyama, Takayuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9493108
    Abstract: An on-vehicle apparatus detects other vehicle lights from an image picked up outside the vehicle. The apparatus acquires an image around the vehicle and extracts light sources from the image. The apparatus calculates a target area probability that is a probability of a light source in a target area being different vehicle light, in accordance with a probability that light-source feature quantities at least including either of a color of light source and a shape of light source coincide with target-area feature quantities, the target area indicating a preset site that is a part of an area indicating each of the light sources. The target-area feature quantities are prepared as feature quantities of vehicle light, being correlated to the position of a target area. The apparatus outputs information that a light source having the target area probability of not less than a preset threshold is different vehicle light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiji Morishita, Hironori Sato, Kentarou Shiota
  • Patent number: 9469242
    Abstract: In a headlamp light distribution control device, a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in a forward vehicle is extracted from an image of the forward vehicle if a distance to the forward vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and the number of the extracted light sources is judged. When the number of the extracted light sources is two, an irradiation direction of a headlamp is controlled such that a shielded area is set in an irradiation area to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated. When the number of the extracted light sources is one, the irradiation direction is controlled such that a shielded area is set in the irradiation area to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Imaeda, Kentarou Shiota
  • Publication number: 20160039358
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera is provide which has a case and a lens, and which is attached in a vehicle interior so that the lens is exposed at a top face of the case and the top face is opposed to a windshield or another window. The top face has an angular shape bent at a ridge line passing through the top face. The lens is positioned in the vicinity of the ridge line. The in-vehicle camera includes a hood attached to a front portion of the case, the front portion being positioned at a front side of the case with respect to the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Syo Okuda, Toshikazu Murao, Kentarou Shiota, Naoki Sugiyama, Takayuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20150117715
    Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Toshikazu MURAO, Takayuki KIMURA, Kentarou SHIOTA, Noriaki SHIRAI, Naoki SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150086079
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a light-receiving section which has a plurality of filters having different pass bands, and a plurality of light-receiving elements, each of which receives incident light via any one of the filters; an image data generation section which, when receiving general image data which is an output of the light-receiving section, extracts outputs of the light-receiving elements correlated to the filters to generate discrete image data, which is image data for each of the filters; an image data processing section which detects at least one object, based on the discrete image data generated by the image data generation section or composite image data generated by combining the discrete image data; and a vehicle control section which performs vehicle control, according to the object detected by the image data processing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Toshikazu MURAO, Kentarou SHIOTA, Naoki SUGIYAMA, Takayuki KIMURA
  • Patent number: 8953839
    Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Murao, Takayuki Kimura, Kentarou Shiota, Noriaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20150028742
    Abstract: In a headlamp light distribution control device, a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in a forward vehicle is extracted from an image of the forward vehicle if a distance to the forward vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and the number of the extracted light sources is judged. When the number of the extracted light sources is two, an irradiation direction of a headlamp is controlled such that a shielded area is set in an irradiation area to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated. When the number of the extracted light sources is one, the irradiation direction is controlled such that a shielded area is set in the irradiation area to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Koji IMAEDA, Kentarou SHIOTA
  • Publication number: 20140226349
    Abstract: An on-vehicle apparatus detects other vehicle lights from an image picked up outside the vehicle. The apparatus acquires an image around the vehicle and extracts light sources from the image. The apparatus calculates a target area probability that is a probability of a light source in a target area being different vehicle light, in accordance with a probability that light-source feature quantities at least including either of a color of light source and a shape of light source coincide with target-area feature quantities, the target area indicating a preset site that is a part of an area indicating each of the light sources. The target-area feature quantities are prepared as feature quantities of vehicle light, being correlated to the position of a target area. The apparatus outputs information that a light source having the target area probability of not less than a preset threshold is different vehicle light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiji Morishita, Hironori Sato, Kentarou Shiota
  • Publication number: 20130335601
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus detects and registers fixed-noise pixels as those pixels of the image sensor which produce fixed pattern noise, and includes an optical element which disperses light that is incident on the image sensor. The detection is performed by identifying isolated high-luminance pixels within captured images and, for each isolated high-luminance pixel, evaluating the luminance values of peripherally adjacent pixels. A judgement is made as to whether an isolated high-luminance pixel is a fixed-noise pixel based upon comparing luminance values of the peripherally adjacent pixels with a predetermined threshold value, the judgement preferably being performed only while images are captured during hours of darkness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Kentarou SHIOTA, Toshikazu MURAO, Takayuki KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20120308082
    Abstract: A recognition object detecting apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit which generates image data representing a taken image, and a detection unit which detects a recognition object from the image represented by the image data. The imaging unit has a characteristic in which a relation between luminance and output pixel values varies depending on a luminance range. The detection unit binarizes the output pixel values of the image represented by the image data by using a plurality of threshold values to generate a to plurality of binary images, and detects the recognition object based on the plurality of binary images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Murao, Takayuki Kimura, Kentarou Shiota, Noriaki Shirai