Patents by Inventor Kiichiro Sawamoto

Kiichiro Sawamoto 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: 20170080929
    Abstract: An assistive control means provided in a movement-assisting device has a probability determining unit for determining whether the detection probability according to a first detection signal is high, and a same-object-identifying unit for identifying whether other objects specified respectively by the first detection signal and a second detection signal are the same objects. The assistive control means controls the operation of an assistive means only when the detection probability is determined to be high and when the objects are identified as being the same object. Consequently, a behavior-stabilized assistive operation can be continued even if the detection probability of one of the detection signals is low when the other objects are detected on the basis of two types of detection signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kiichiro SAWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9409575
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a camera unit and a radar device that detect objects in front of the vehicle; and a travel control device that recognizes an object detected by the camera unit and the radar device as an object to be controlled, and performs travel control in accordance with the object to be controlled. The travel control device, when starting travel control from when the own vehicle is in a stopped state, recognizes the object to be controlled when a determination has been made that the own vehicle has moved from a stopped state to a travel state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Publication number: 20150258992
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a camera unit and a radar device that detect objects in front of the vehicle; and a travel control device that recognizes an object detected by the camera unit and the radar device as an object to be controlled, and performs travel control in accordance with the object to be controlled. The travel control device, when starting travel control from when the own vehicle is in a stopped state, recognizes the object to be controlled when a determination has been made that the own vehicle has moved from a stopped state to a travel state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Patent number: 8290698
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus including an object detector, a yaw-rate detector, a vehicle speed detector, a movement path estimator, a preceding vehicle assignment device, a travel controller, a still object determination device, and a stable-movement-state determination device, wherein the preceding vehicle assignment device avoids assigning the object as the preceding vehicle, or assigns the object as the preceding vehicle after waiting for a predetermined time, when: the present vehicle performs the follow-travel control targeting the preceding vehicle; the object detected at a position between the preceding vehicle and the present vehicle is determined to be the still object by the still object determination device; and the present vehicle is determined to be in the stable-movement-state by the stable-movement-state determination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Patent number: 8200409
    Abstract: A travel controller which controls the travel of a subject vehicle based on a distance to and a relative speed with respect to a control object determined by a control object determiner. If stoppage of the subject vehicle by a decelerating operation of a driver is detected by a manual stoppage detector and a comparator determines that a distance to the object in or on a travel locus is equal to or larger than a determination threshold value, the comparator excludes the object from being considered as a control object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Patent number: 8165797
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, locus correlation degree calculator calculates a degree of correlation between a future travel locus of a vehicle estimated by first travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by second travel locus estimator based on a past travel locus of the vehicle calculated by travel locus calculator. When control object determiner determines a control object based on the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator and predetermined control object determination conditions, the control object determination conditions are modified according to the degree of correlation, that is, the degree of reliability of the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator, thereby achieving both accuracy with which the control object is determined and determination of the control object at a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20110224862
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, locus correlation degree calculator calculates a degree of correlation between a future travel locus of a vehicle estimated by first travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by second travel locus estimator based on a past travel locus of the vehicle calculated by travel locus calculator. When control object determiner determines a control object based on the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator and predetermined control object determination conditions, the control object determination conditions are modified according to the degree of correlation, that is, the degree of reliability of the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator, thereby achieving both accuracy with which the control object is determined and determination of the control object at a distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7974778
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, locus correlation degree calculator calculates a degree of correlation between a future travel locus of a vehicle estimated by first travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by second travel locus estimator based on a past travel locus of the vehicle calculated by travel locus calculator. When control object determiner determines a control object based on the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator and predetermined control object determination conditions, the control object determination conditions are modified according to the degree of correlation, that is, the degree of reliability of the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator, thereby achieving both accuracy with which the control object is determined and determination of the control object at a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7966129
    Abstract: A vehicular control object determination system includes: a radar device for detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle; a travel locus estimator for estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle; a control object determiner for determining a control object based on a detection result obtained by the radar device, a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by the travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and predetermined control object determination conditions; and a swing rate detector for detecting a swing rate of side-to-side swing of the estimated travel locus. When the detected swing rate is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control object determiner excludes from determination of a control object an object that is further than a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Patent number: 7493218
    Abstract: A vehicular control object determination system includes: a radar device for detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle; a travel locus estimator for estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle; and a control object determiner for determining a control object based on a detection result obtained by the radar device, a travel locus estimated by the travel locus estimator. The control object determiner modifies the control object determination conditions when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value, and when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value, thereby preventing erroneous identification of a preceding vehicle traveling on an adjacent lane as a control object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Publication number: 20080249688
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus including an object detector, a yaw-rate detector, a vehicle speed detector, a movement path estimator, a preceding vehicle assignment device, a travel controller, a still object determination device, and a stable-movement-state determination device, wherein the preceding vehicle assignment device avoids assigning the object as the preceding vehicle, or assigns the object as the preceding vehicle after waiting for a predetermined time, when: the present vehicle performs the follow-travel control targeting the preceding vehicle; the object detected at a position between the preceding vehicle and the present vehicle is determined to be the still object by the still object determination device; and the present vehicle is determined to be in the stable-movement-state by the stable-movement-state determination device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Kiichiro SAWAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20080109120
    Abstract: A travel controller which controls the travel of a subject vehicle based on a distance to and a relative speed with respect to a control object determined by a control object determiner. If stoppage of the subject vehicle by a decelerating operation of a driver is detected by a manual stoppage detector and a comparator determines that a distance to the object in or on a travel locus is equal to or larger than a determination threshold value, the comparator excludes the object from being considered as a control object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Patent number: 7289017
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, the position of an object detected by a radar device is stored by a detection position memory, and a predetermined area having the position of the object as the center is set as the determination region by a determination region setter. When the determination region set for one of two objects is passed through by the other object, the passing direction is determined by a passing direction determiner. During this process, the direction in which a fixed object or an object dropped on the road moves relative to a preceding vehicle is a direction in which the fixed object or the dropped object on the road approaches the subject vehicle with the preceding vehicle as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7266453
    Abstract: An ACC system includes a radar device for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle, locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle, detection area setter for setting a predetermined detection area in front of the subject vehicle based on the travel locus of the subject vehicle, obstacle extractor for extracting a preceding vehicle based on a detection result of the radar device and the detection area, and acceleration/deceleration intention detector for detecting an intention of an occupant to accelerate or decelerate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Satoh
  • Patent number: 7206686
    Abstract: When a deceleration intention detector detects that an occupant has apprehension about a condition ahead of his own vehicle and attempts to decelerate the own vehicle, a detection area setter enlarges a detection area in which a control object is detected, upon a command from a control object determinator. Therefore, a new control object such as a cutting-in vehicle can be more reliably detected in accordance with an increase in an amount of attention which the occupant pays to the condition ahead of the own vehicle. As a result, a vehicle controller changes a vehicle control content of the own vehicle, thereby performing an appropriate vehicle control with respect to the newly detected control object to eliminate a sense of discomfort of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20060229793
    Abstract: In a vehicular travel control system, when tracking control for a preceding vehicle is being carried out, if a driver intention detector detects a driver's intention to decelerate, a travel path width detector of an external conditions detector detects a decrease in the width of a subject vehicle travel path, and a cutting-in vehicle detector detects a cutting-in vehicle, a control target value corrector increases a set inter-vehicle distance for the tracking control. Thus, it becomes possible to carry out vehicle control that reflects the driver's wish to let a cutting-in vehicle cut in smoothly by increasing the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle. On the other hand, if the cutting-in vehicle detector does not detect a cutting-in vehicle, the set vehicle speed of the constant speed travel control is decreased, so that it becomes possible to carry out vehicle control that reflects the driver's wish to drive safely when the width of the road in front has decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue
  • Patent number: 7103478
    Abstract: Whether or not a radar device detects an object is determined by a detection state determinator. Whether or not a time during which the object is not detected and which is measured by a clocking device becomes a determination threshold value or more, is determined by a non-detection determinator. Based on the determination results, an informing device informs an occupant that the object is not detected for a predetermined time or more. Therefore, a state in which the radar device does not detect an object due to absence of the object on a road in a desert or the like is prevented from being erroneously determined as a state caused by contamination of the radar device. Also, the occupant can easily determine whether the operation of the informing device is actually caused by absence of an object or contamination of the radar device, based on the environment around the road on which the own vehicle is traveling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto
  • Publication number: 20060149462
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, locus correlation degree calculator calculates a degree of correlation between a future travel locus of a vehicle estimated by first travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by second travel locus estimator based on a past travel locus of the vehicle calculated by travel locus calculator. When control object determiner determines a control object based on the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator and predetermined control object determination conditions, the control object determination conditions are modified according to the degree of correlation, that is, the degree of reliability of the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator, thereby achieving both accuracy with which the control object is determined and determination of the control object at a distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20060149452
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, the position of an object detected by a radar device is stored by a detection position memory, and a predetermined area having the position of the object as the center is set as the determination region by a determination region setter. When the determination region set for one of two objects is passed through by the other object, the passing direction is determined by a passing direction determiner. During this process, the direction in which a fixed object or an object dropped on the road moves relative to a preceding vehicle is a direction in which the fixed object or the dropped object on the road approaches the subject vehicle with the preceding vehicle as a reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20060136132
    Abstract: Whether or not a radar device detects an object is determined by a detection state determinator. Whether or not a time during which the object is not detected and which is measured by a clocking device becomes a determination threshold value or more, is determined by a non-detection determinator. Based on the determination results, an informing device informs an occupant that the object is not detected for a predetermined time or more. Therefore, a state in which the radar device does not detect an object due to absence of the object on a road in a desert or the like is prevented from being erroneously determined as a state caused by contamination of the radar device. Also, the occupant can easily determine whether the operation of the informing device is actually caused by absence of an object or contamination of the radar device, based on the environment around the road on which the own vehicle is traveling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto