Patents by Inventor Koji Kurata
Koji Kurata 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: 20180208196Abstract: There is provided a driving assistance device configured to be equipped in a subject vehicle. An imaging unit is configured to acquire an image of a preceding vehicle running in front of the subject vehicle equipped with the driving assistance device. A cargo-falling predicting unit is configured to predict whether a cargo loaded on a loading platform of the preceding vehicle will fall off, from change with time in an image of the cargo or an image of an accompanying object of the cargo on the basis of the image acquired by the imaging unit. An information providing unit is configured to provide information on falling of the cargo if the cargo-falling predicting unit predicts that the cargo will fall off.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2017Publication date: July 26, 2018Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji KURATA
-
Publication number: 20180197415Abstract: There is provided a driving assistance device. An imaging unit is configured to acquire an image of another vehicle running behind one vehicle which is equipped with the driving assistance device. A tailgating determining unit is configured to determine whether the another vehicle is tailgating the one vehicle on the basis of the image acquired by the imaging unit. A continuity determining unit is configured to determine whether tailgating determined by the tailgating determining unit has been performed continuously. An information providing unit configured to provide a driver of the one vehicle with information on the another vehicle, if the continuity determining unit determines that the tailgating has been performed continuously.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2017Publication date: July 12, 2018Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji KURATA
-
Publication number: 20180154870Abstract: There is provided a driving assistance device. A driving assistance unit is configured to output an alarm for a driver of a vehicle, if an object recognizing unit recognizes that there are two or more traffic lights in front of the vehicle, and a signal displayed by a traffic light of the two or more traffic lights closest to the vehicle indicates prohibition against going straight, and a signal displayed by at least one farther traffic light father than the closest traffic light as seen from the vehicle indicates permission to progress or permission to progress in a limited direction, and a speed of the vehicle detected by a vehicle speed detecting unit exceeds an upper limit for such speed that it is possible to safely stop the vehicle at a position where the vehicle should stop according to the signal displayed by the closest traffic light.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2017Publication date: June 7, 2018Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji KURATA
-
Publication number: 20180148116Abstract: A position lighting device is configured to be installed on a vehicle and configured to radiate a beam such that people outside the vehicle can recognize the vehicle. A lighting unit is configured to radiate a beam to a ceiling part or a side wall part of a tunnel-like structure which has at least a floor part, the ceiling part, and the side wall part. A position recognizing unit is configured to recognize that the vehicle is positioned in the tunnel-like structure. A radiation control unit is configured to control the lighting unit to radiate the beam if the position recognizing unit recognizes that the vehicle is positioned in the tunnel-like structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2017Publication date: May 31, 2018Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Kurata
-
Patent number: 9932036Abstract: There is provided a driving assistance device. When there is a possibility that weather influences a detection performance of a vehicle detection unit configured to detect a preceding vehicle traveling in front of a subject vehicle and to measure an inter-vehicular distance to the preceding vehicle, a speed reduction control assistance unit enables a speed reduction control unit to perform a primary speed reduction control at a predetermined distance ahead of an entry or an exit of a tunnel-shaped road structure. Thereafter, when the vehicle detection unit detects the preceding vehicle and the inter-vehicular distance is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the speed reduction control assistance unit enables the speed reduction control unit to perform a secondary speed reduction control.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Kurata
-
Publication number: 20180072314Abstract: There is provided a driving assistance device. When there is a possibility that weather influences a detection performance of a vehicle detection unit configured to detect a preceding vehicle traveling in front of a subject vehicle and to measure an inter-vehicular distance to the preceding vehicle, a speed reduction control assistance unit enables a speed reduction control unit to perform a primary speed reduction control at a predetermined distance ahead of an entry or an exit of a tunnel-shaped road structure. Thereafter, when the vehicle detection unit detects the preceding vehicle and the inter-vehicular distance is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the speed reduction control assistance unit enables the speed reduction control unit to perform a secondary speed reduction control.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji KURATA
-
Patent number: 9894284Abstract: To obtain an appropriate exposure condition even in second photographing when generating an image with an expanded dynamic range. An exposure control unit controls an imaging element including a normal pixel for generating an image signal and a low-sensitivity pixel for generating a low-sensitivity image signal and having lower photoelectric conversion sensitivity to visible light than the normal pixel under a predetermined exposure condition and causes the imaging element to output the image signal and the low-sensitivity image signal. A low-sensitivity histogram generating unit generates a low-sensitivity histogram indicating an appearance frequency distribution of the low-sensitivity image signal based on the low-sensitivity image signal. A short-time exposure condition calculating unit calculates a short-time exposure condition with an exposure time shorter than the exposure condition based on the generated low-sensitivity histogram.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Kurata
-
Publication number: 20180041719Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program that allow control of an invisible light component of a captured image without a mechanism that inserts and removes a filter that shields the invisible light component. A luminance composition unit combines a luminance signal of a visible light component of a pixel signal of a captured image including an invisible light component and the visible light component with the pixel signal. A chroma gain amplifier attenuates a chrominance signal of the visible light component. The present disclosure can be applied to an imaging apparatus and the like that include, for example, an optical filter that transmits visible light and infrared light, have pixels in an RGBW array, and perform a Bayer conversion process on a captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2016Publication date: February 8, 2018Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Koji Kurata, Yasushi Sato, Seiji Kayashima, Naoki Okamoto
-
Publication number: 20170366723Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program that enable exposure control on a captured image in a non-Bayer pattern by an exposure control method designed for captured images in Bayer patterns. When a Bayering process is performed on a captured image in an RGBW pixel array, a level correction unit corrects the signal level of the captured image so that an earlier level that is the signal level of each white pixel with the highest sensitivity in the captured image prior to the Bayering process becomes equal to a later level that is the signal level of each green pixel to be used in exposure control on an image in a Bayer pattern that is the RGB image after the Bayering process. The present disclosure can be applied to imaging apparatuses, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2015Publication date: December 21, 2017Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Koji Kurata, Yasushi Sato, Seiji Kayashima
-
Publication number: 20170355300Abstract: There is provided a position lighting device configured to emit at least one road irradiation beam from a vehicle onto a road, thereby making the other moving object which is positioned behind the vehicle or at a side of the vehicle recognize an existence of the vehicle. A lighting unit is configured to emit the at least one road irradiation beam onto at least a portion of areas on the road behind and at the side of the vehicle. A distance detecting unit is configured to detect a distance between the vehicle and the other moving object. A lighting control unit is configured to control the lighting unit on the basis of the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object detected by the distance detecting unit, thereby changing a state of the at least one road irradiation beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2017Publication date: December 14, 2017Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji KURATA
-
IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD
Publication number: 20170280122Abstract: To facilitate design and development of an apparatus that processes images. An image processing apparatus includes a separation unit, a Bayer image signal supply unit, and a signal processing unit. The separation unit separates and removes, in input image signals in which pixel signals each including an invisible light component are arranged in an array different from a Bayer array, the invisible light components from the pixel signals. The Bayer image signal supply unit arranges the pixel signals from which the invisible light components have been removed in the Bayer array and supplies the pixel signals as Bayer image signals. The signal processing unit subjects the Bayer image signals to predetermined signal processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2015Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Yasushi Sato, Koji Kurata, Yuta Okano, Shin Yoshimura, Tamaki Eyama, Ryuhei Hata, Masatsugu Fukunaga, Masahiro Ito -
Publication number: 20170270801Abstract: Motorcycles in a group action share group information to which each of motorcycles belongs and the motorcycles share information with a surrounding four-wheeled vehicle via a vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The information to be shared is the group information. Information from the motorcycle to the four-wheeled vehicle is transmitted when the four-wheeled vehicle is detected by an imaging unit included in the motorcycle or transmitted when a detection unit irradiated from the four-wheeled vehicle is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2017Publication date: September 21, 2017Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Koji KURATA
-
Publication number: 20170206789Abstract: A prevention safety device in course change of small-sized vehicle includes a rear vehicle detector, a detection state determining unit, and a vehicle's own information transmitting unit. The rear vehicle detector is configured to detect a rear vehicle travelling at a rear of one's own vehicle. The detection state determining unit is configured to determine whether the rear vehicle detects one's own vehicle or not when the rear vehicle detected by the rear vehicle detector is an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle's own information transmitting unit is configured to transmit vehicle's own information to the rear vehicle immediately before one's own vehicle changes a course when the detection state determining unit determines that the rear vehicle does not detect one's own vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2017Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi SHIMIZU, Koji KURATA
-
Publication number: 20170142311Abstract: To obtain an appropriate exposure condition even in second photographing when generating an image with an expanded dynamic range. An exposure control unit controls an imaging element including a normal pixel for generating an image signal and a low-sensitivity pixel for generating a low-sensitivity image signal and having lower photoelectric conversion sensitivity to visible light than the normal pixel under a predetermined exposure condition and causes the imaging element to output the image signal and the low-sensitivity image signal. A low-sensitivity histogram generating unit generates a low-sensitivity histogram indicating an appearance frequency distribution of the low-sensitivity image signal based on the low-sensitivity image signal. A short-time exposure condition calculating unit calculates a short-time exposure condition with an exposure time shorter than the exposure condition based on the generated low-sensitivity histogram.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: May 18, 2017Inventor: KOJI KURATA
-
Patent number: 7699341Abstract: A planing boat, particularly of a small size, is provided with an airbag system. The airbag system includes at least one bag-shaped airbag body, a housing which accommodates the airbag body, a detector for detecting a collision of the boat, an expanding unit which inflates the airbag body at the time of collision of the boat, and a controller for controlling the detector and the inflation of the airbag body. In a preferred embodiment, the airbag system includes a first airbag body in the handle cover which is blown up from the handle bar to a rear side of the boat and a second airbag body in the handle cover which is blown up toward a front side of knees of a rider.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuaki Yatagai, Takashi Shimizu, Koji Kurata
-
Patent number: 7661500Abstract: A snowmobile is provided with airbag systems including airbag bodies expanding from a portion near a steering handle bar respectively, one of the airbag bodies expanding rearward of a handle bar and outward of both the ends of the handle bar, and the other airbag body expanding toward a front side of rider's knees. Another airbag system includes an airbag body expanding from an upper surface of an engine hood on the front portion of a vehicle body frame and blowing up toward a windshield of the engine hood. The respective airbag systems are detachable from the vehicle body, and hence, can be stored indoors.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuji Sonoda, Takashi Shimizu, Koji Kurata
-
Publication number: 20090262466Abstract: Soft magnetic material elements are provided on both sides of each of magneto-resistance effect elements with a spacing therebetween. As a result, an external magnetic field generated from a magnet can be pulled to above a substrate on which the magneto-resistance effect element is provided, thereby making it possible to amplify the external magnetic field to be applied to the magneto-resistance effect element to more than in the related art. Since a bias magnetic field is applied to a free magnetic layer, a magnetic sensor is resistant to a disturbance magnetic field. Moreover, since the external magnetic field applied to the magneto-resistance effect element can be amplified, even if the bias magnetic field is applied to the free magnetic layer, the magnetic detection sensitivity can be apparently improved to more than in the related art, thereby increasing the output.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji KURATA, Ichiro TOKUNAGA
-
Publication number: 20090251830Abstract: Magnetoresistive elements each have a layered structure including a pinned magnetic layer having a magnetization direction pinned in one direction, a free magnetic layer with magnetization being variable by an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic material layer arranged therebetween. Assuming that a center distance between a N-pole and a S-pole of a permanent magnet is ?, the magnetoresistive elements connected in series are arranged in a direction parallel to a relative movement direction with a center distance ? arranged therebetween. Interfaces in the layers of the layered structure of each of the magnetoresistive elements are orthogonal to a facing surface of the permanent magnet, and are in the relative movement direction. The pinned magnetic layers of the magnetoresistive elements have magnetization directions, all the magnetization directions are orthogonal to the relative movement direction in a plane parallel to the interfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2009Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kurata, Ichiro Tokunaga
-
Patent number: 7581614Abstract: A planing boat, particularly of a small size, is provided with an airbag system. The airbag system includes at least one bag-shaped airbag body, a housing which accommodates the airbag body, a detector for detecting a collision of the boat, an expanding unit which inflates the airbag body at the time of collision of the boat, and a controller for controlling the detector and the inflation of the airbag body. In a preferred embodiment, the airbag system includes a first airbag body in the handle cover which is blown up from the handle bar to a rear side of the boat and a second airbag body in the handle cover which is blown up toward a front side of knees of a rider.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuaki Yatagai, Takashi Shimizu, Koji Kurata
-
Patent number: 7530594Abstract: A snowmobile is provided with airbag systems including airbag bodies expanding from a portion near a steering handle bar respectively, one of the airbag bodies expanding rearward of a handle bar and outward of both the ends of the handle bar, and the other airbag body expanding toward a front side of rider's knees. Another airbag system includes an airbag body expanding from an upper surface of an engine hood on the front portion of a vehicle body frame and blowing up toward a windshield of the engine hood. The respective airbag systems are detachable from the vehicle body, and hence, can be stored indoors.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuji Sonoda, Takashi Shimizu, Koji Kurata