Patents by Inventor Koichiro Yamauchi

Koichiro Yamauchi 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: 12227193
    Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Sano, Koichiro Yamauchi, Takuya Sakata
  • Publication number: 20250029404
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification device detects an eye-closed state of a driver of a vehicle from each of face images; determines whether a first eye closure ratio of the number of face images with the eye-closed state to the number of the face images generated in a first period exceeds a first threshold; determines whether a second eye closure ratio of the number of face images with the eye-closed state to the number of the face images generated in a second period longer than the first period exceeds a second threshold less than or equal to the first threshold after determination that the first eye closure ratio does not exceed the first threshold; and notifies detection of a sign of drowsiness to the driver, when the first eye closure ratio exceeds the first threshold or that the second eye closure ratio exceeds the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Takuya SAKATA, Kimimasa TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20250029497
    Abstract: An exit assist device has a processor configured to estimate a direction of a line of sight of a driver based on an image in which the vicinity of the driving seat is represented, and to decide on an exiting direction in which the vehicle is to exit from a parking space, based on the direction of the line of sight of the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichiro Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20240326826
    Abstract: A driving support device includes a processor configured to detect a sign of sleepiness of a driver of a vehicle, based on a driver image representing the driver's head generated by a driver monitoring camera configured to take a picture of the driver's head, determine a response request to the driver, depending on environment around the vehicle or a travel condition of the vehicle, when a sign of the driver's sleepiness is detected, and notify the driver of the response request via a user interface provided in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Koichiro Yamauchi, Takuya Sakata
  • Patent number: 12029551
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system that gives a drowsiness sign notice to a driver that shows a drowsiness sign includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects the driver state being a state of the driver. The controller executes a drowsiness level estimation process in which a drowsiness level of the driver from a plurality of drowsiness levels based on the driver state. And, the controller executes an accumulation process in which a drowsiness point that is numerical value corresponding to the drowsiness level estimated in the drowsiness level estimation process is accumulated. Then, when an accumulation value of the drowsiness point calculated in the accumulation process exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller determines that the driver shows the drowsiness sign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Sakata, Koichiro Yamauchi, Masataka Sano, Hiromi Nemoto, Shunichiroh Sawai
  • Publication number: 20240123998
    Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Masataka SANO, Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Takuya SAKATA
  • Patent number: 11919522
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a state includes a processor configured to, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determine that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarge the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle. A method for determining a state includes, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determining that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarging the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro Yamauchi, Shunichiroh Sawai, Takuya Sakata, Masataka Sano
  • Patent number: 11897481
    Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Sano, Koichiro Yamauchi, Takuya Sakata
  • Publication number: 20240034331
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign and an activation condition is satisfied, the controller executes rest area informing process that informs the driver of a rest area. The activation condition of the rest area informing process is set from a viewpoint of a relationship between a location of the rest area and a target route of the vehicle, or an expected time required for the vehicle to reach the rest area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Kaori SAKAI, Takaaki ITO, Tetsu YAJIMA, Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Masataka SANO, Takuya SAKATA
  • Publication number: 20240029453
    Abstract: This paper discloses a careless driving determination apparatus. The careless driving determination apparatus captures a plurality of face images of a driver of a vehicle in a predetermined period using a driver monitor camera. Then, it determines whether each of the plurality of face images shows first status in which the driver wears a wearing object or second status in which the driver does not wear the wearing object, the wearing object covering a part of a face of the driver. Then, it calculates a distribution range of angles of face directions or angles of gaze directions of the driver. Then, it sets a threshold range based on ratio of face images that show the first status and ratio of face images that show the second status. Then, it determines that the driver is in a careless driving state when the distribution range is included in the threshold range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masataka SANO, Koichiro YAMAUCHI
  • Patent number: 11807246
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign and an activation condition is satisfied, the controller executes rest area informing process that informs the driver of a rest area. The activation condition of the rest area informing process is set from a viewpoint of a relationship between a location of the rest area and a target route of the vehicle, or an expected time required for the vehicle to reach the rest area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, CMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaori Sakai, Takaaki Ito, Tetsu Yajima, Koichiro Yamauchi, Masataka Sano, Takuya Sakata
  • Patent number: 11636749
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign, the controller executes a first drowsiness sign notification process that gives a first drowsiness sign notice to the driver through display or vibration without using audio. When it is determined again that the driver shows the drowsiness sign after the first drowsiness sign notification process, the controller executes a second drowsiness sign notification process that gives a second drowsiness sign notice to the driver through audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro Yamauchi, Shunichiroh Sawai, Masataka Sano, Takuya Sakata, Hiromi Nemoto
  • Patent number: 11462027
    Abstract: An eye opening degree calculation device includes: a processor configured to: calculate a degree of eye opening of a crew, based on an image in which a face of the crew appears; calculate a face direction angle of the crew with respect to a predetermined reference direction, based on the image; calculate a line-of-sight angle of the crew with respect to the predetermined reference direction, based on the image; correct the degree of eye opening or a threshold value which will be compared with the degree of eye opening, when a difference between the face direction angle and the line-of-sight angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and determine an eye opening state of the crew, based on the corrected degree of eye opening or a comparison result of the degree of eye opening with the corrected threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Sano, Yosuke Morino, Kimimasa Tamura, Koichiro Yamauchi, Takuya Sakata, Taku Mitsumori
  • Patent number: 11453401
    Abstract: A closed eye determination device includes an eye opening degree detection unit that detects a degree of eye opening of a driver from each of a series of face images of a driver in time series in a latest certain period of time being acquired by a driver monitor camera, a local minimum value extraction unit that extracts a local minimum value of the degree of eye opening from a change in time series of the degree of eye opening in the certain period of time, a reference lower limit value-setting unit that sets, as a reference lower limit value of the degree of eye opening, a local minimum value in order corresponding to a blinking number of the driver in the certain period of time in order from the smallest local minimum value among local minimum values of the degree of eye opening in the certain period of time, a threshold value setting unit that sets a closed eye determination threshold value, based on the reference lower limit value, and a closed eye determination unit that determines that an eye of the dr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro Yamauchi, Takuya Sakata, Taku Mitsumori, Kimimasa Tamura, Masataka Sano, Yosuke Morino
  • Publication number: 20220001875
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign and an activation condition is satisfied, the controller executes rest area informing process that informs the driver of a rest area. The activation condition of the rest area informing process is set from a viewpoint of a relationship between a location of the rest area and a target route of the vehicle, or an expected time required for the vehicle to reach the rest area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Kaori SAKAI, Takaaki ITO, Tetsu YAJIMA, Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Masataka SANO, Takuya SAKATA
  • Publication number: 20220001878
    Abstract: The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Masataka SANO, Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Takuya SAKATA
  • Publication number: 20220005339
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system applied to a vehicle includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects a driver state being a state of a driver of the vehicle. The controller executes a drowsiness sign determination process that determines whether or not the driver shows a drowsiness sign based on the driver state. When it is determined that the driver shows the drowsiness sign, the controller executes a first drowsiness sign notification process that gives a first drowsiness sign notice to the driver through display or vibration without using audio. When it is determined again that the driver shows the drowsiness sign after the first drowsiness sign notification process, the controller executes a second drowsiness sign notification process that gives a second drowsiness sign notice to the driver through audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Shunichiroh SAWAI, Masataka SANO, Takuya SAKATA, Hiromi NEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220000394
    Abstract: A drowsiness sign notification system that gives a drowsiness sign notice to a driver that shows a drowsiness sign includes a driver monitor and a controller. The driver monitor detects the driver state being a state of the driver. The controller executes a drowsiness level estimation process in which a drowsiness level of the driver from a plurality of drowsiness levels based on the driver state. And, the controller executes an accumulation process in which a drowsiness point that is numerical value corresponding to the drowsiness level estimated in the drowsiness level estimation process is accumulated. Then, when an accumulation value of the drowsiness point calculated in the accumulation process exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller determines that the driver shows the drowsiness sign.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Takuya SAKATA, Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Masataka SANO, Hiromi NEMOTO, Shunichiroh SAWAI
  • Publication number: 20210370956
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a state includes a processor configured to, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determine that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarge the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle. A method for determining a state includes, when a movement area in which movement values indicating looking directions or face orientations of a driver of a vehicle are distributed is included in a predetermined area, determining that the driver is in a state of careless driving, and enlarging the predetermined area in accordance with a road condition around the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Shunichiroh SAWAI, Takuya SAKATA, Masataka SANO
  • Publication number: 20210303889
    Abstract: An eye opening degree calculation device includes: a processor configured to: calculate a degree of eye opening of a crew, based on an image in which a face of the crew appears; calculate a face direction angle of the crew with respect to a predetermined reference direction, based on the image; calculate a line-of-sight angle of the crew with respect to the predetermined reference direction, based on the image; correct the degree of eye opening or a threshold value which will be compared with the degree of eye opening, when a difference between the face direction angle and the line-of-sight angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and determine an eye opening state of the crew, based on the corrected degree of eye opening or a comparison result of the degree of eye opening with the corrected threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Masataka SANO, Yosuke MORINO, Kimimasa TAMURA, Koichiro YAMAUCHI, Takuya SAKATA, Taku MITSUMORI