Patents by Inventor Koji Wato
Koji Wato 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).
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Patent number: 10880459Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Wato
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Patent number: 10800345Abstract: In a vehicular camera apparatus, at least one imaging unit captures an image of a region located outside a vehicle, and a first housing configured to install the at least one imaging unit thereto. A housing assembly includes a second housing configured as a separate member from the first housing, and includes a vehicle attachment provided to the second housing and attached to a part of the vehicle. The housing assembly is configured to fixedly support the first housing between the part of the vehicle and the second housing while the vehicle attachment is attached to the part of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Koji Wato, Tatsuhiko Futamura, Shuuji Takamatsu, Takayoshi Shimizu
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Patent number: 10681250Abstract: An in-vehicle camera apparatus is provided for use in a vehicle. The in-vehicle camera apparatus includes at least one image capturing unit configured to capture an image of an external environment of the vehicle, at least one housing configured to have the at least one image capturing unit mounted thereto, and a mounting part via which the at least one housing is to be mounted to the vehicle. The mounting part is made of a material having a lower coefficient of linear expansion than the at least one housing. The mounting part has at least one first portion configured to be fixed to the vehicle and a plurality of second portions configured to be fixed to the at least one housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Shunya Kobayashi, Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20190387137Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventor: Koji WATO
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Patent number: 10432829Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2018Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Wato
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Patent number: 10266124Abstract: A camera apparatus is provided. A bracket is fixed to a windshield of a vehicle. A camera case is fixed to the bracket. A camera module is fixed to the camera case and includes a lens. A hood intercepts light. When the camera apparatus is fixed to the vehicle, an inclination angle of an optical axis of the lens with respect to the camera case is adjusted so that an object present ahead of the vehicle is captured within an angle of view of the camera module. The camera apparatus detects a position of the object. The object includes a lane and another vehicle. Information on the object is used for lane departure alarm control, light control, or collision avoidance control. The type of the inclination angle of the optical axis with respect to the camera case or the type of a shape of the hood is visually displayed.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama, Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20190104244Abstract: An in-vehicle camera apparatus is provided for use in a vehicle. The in-vehicle camera apparatus includes at least one image capturing unit configured to capture an image of an external environment of the vehicle, at least one housing configured to have the at least one image capturing unit mounted thereto, and a mounting part via which the at least one housing is to be mounted to the vehicle. The mounting part is made of a material having a lower coefficient of linear expansion than the at least one housing. The mounting part has at least one first portion configured to be fixed to the vehicle and a plurality of second portions configured to be fixed to the at least one housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Shunya KOBAYASHI, Koji WATO
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Publication number: 20190100158Abstract: In a vehicular camera apparatus, at least one imaging unit captures an image of a region located outside a vehicle, and a first housing configured to install the at least one imaging unit thereto. A housing assembly includes a second housing configured as a separate member from the first housing, and includes a vehicle attachment provided to the second housing and attached to a part of the vehicle. The housing assembly is configured to fixedly support the first housing between the part of the vehicle and the second housing while the vehicle attachment is attached to the part of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Koji WATO, Tatsuhiko FUTAMURA, Shuuji TAKAMATSU, Takayoshi SHIMIZU
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Publication number: 20190089874Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Inventor: Koji WATO
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Patent number: 10154181Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2018Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20180295263Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Inventor: Koji WATO
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Patent number: 10077008Abstract: A camera apparatus is provided. A bracket is fixed to a windshield of a vehicle. A camera case is fixed to the bracket. A camera module is fixed to the camera case and includes a lens. The camera apparatus detects a position of an object present ahead of the vehicle. The object includes a lane and another vehicle. Information on the object acquired by the camera apparatus is used for at least one of lane departure alarm control, light control, and collision avoidance control. The camera apparatus further includes an adjustment structure for completing adjustment of an inclination angle in a vertical direction of an optical axis of the lens with respect to the windshield by the time when the camera case is completely fixed to the bracket.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2016Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Wato, Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama
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Patent number: 10027862Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Wato
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Patent number: 9961240Abstract: A camera module captures an image of an area ahead of a vehicle. A control circuit board performs a recognition process to recognize conditions ahead of the vehicle, and performs at least two vehicle control processes from among a lane departure warning process, a headlight control process, and a forward collision avoidance process. A housing accommodates the camera module and the control circuit board. A bracket fixes the housing to the windshield of the vehicle, and has an opening permitting the housing and the windshield to face each other in a state where the housing is fixed to the windshield via the bracket. A hood covers the camera module. A first thermally conductive member is provided being in contact with the housing and the windshield in the opening formed on the bracket.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20170223240Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventor: Koji WATO
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Patent number: 9635229Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20160318458Abstract: A camera apparatus is provided. A bracket is fixed to a windshield of a vehicle. A camera case is fixed to the bracket. A camera module is fixed to the camera case and includes a lens. The camera apparatus detects a position of an object present ahead of the vehicle. The object includes a lane and another vehicle. Information on the object acquired by the camera apparatus is used for at least one of lane departure alarm control, light control, and collision avoidance control. The camera apparatus further includes an adjustment structure for completing adjustment of an inclination angle in a vertical direction of an optical axis of the lens with respect to the windshield by the time when the camera case is completely fixed to the bracket.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Koji Wato, Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama
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Publication number: 20160318457Abstract: A camera apparatus is provided. A bracket is fixed to a windshield of a vehicle. A camera case is fixed to the bracket. A camera module is fixed to the camera case and includes a lens. A hood intercepts light. When the camera apparatus is fixed to the vehicle, an inclination angle of an optical axis of the lens with respect to the camera case is adjusted so that an object present ahead of the vehicle is captured within an angle of view of the camera module. The camera apparatus detects a position of the object. The object includes a lane and another vehicle. Information on the object is used for lane departure alarm control, light control, or collision avoidance control. The type of the inclination angle of the optical axis with respect to the camera case or the type of a shape of the hood is visually displayed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama, Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20160119509Abstract: A camera module captures an image of an area ahead of a vehicle. A control circuit board performs a recognition process to recognize conditions ahead of the vehicle, and performs at least two vehicle control processes from among a lane departure warning process, a headlight control process, and a forward collision avoidance process. A housing accommodates the camera module and the control circuit board. A bracket fixes the housing to the windshield of the vehicle, and has an opening permitting the housing and the windshield to face each other in a state where the housing is fixed to the windshield via the bracket. A hood covers the camera module. A first thermally conductive member is provided being in contact with the housing and the windshield in the opening formed on the bracket.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2015Publication date: April 28, 2016Inventor: Koji Wato
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Publication number: 20150256729Abstract: In an optical device, a lens assembly includes a lens for receiving light and a holder for holding the lens. A circuit board performs at least one process based on the received light. A housing has an opening and is configured to house the lens assembly and the circuit board therein such that at least part of the circuit board faces the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is exposed via the opening. A mechanism for defining a passage located around the lens assembly to communicate with the opening. The passage guides air, entering an inside of the housing via the opening, so as not to be directed toward the circuit board.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventor: KOJI WATO