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).

  • Patent number: 10880459
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Patent number: 10800345
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Wato, Tatsuhiko Futamura, Shuuji Takamatsu, Takayoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10681250
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunya Kobayashi, Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20190387137
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventor: Koji WATO
  • Patent number: 10432829
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Patent number: 10266124
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama, Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20190104244
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Shunya KOBAYASHI, Koji WATO
  • Publication number: 20190100158
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Koji WATO, Tatsuhiko FUTAMURA, Shuuji TAKAMATSU, Takayoshi SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20190089874
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventor: Koji WATO
  • Patent number: 10154181
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20180295263
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventor: Koji WATO
  • Patent number: 10077008
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Wato, Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama
  • Patent number: 10027862
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Patent number: 9961240
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20170223240
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Koji WATO
  • Patent number: 9635229
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20160318458
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Koji Wato, Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama
  • Publication number: 20160318457
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nakano, Takeshi Kazama, Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20160119509
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventor: Koji Wato
  • Publication number: 20150256729
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventor: KOJI WATO