Patents by Inventor Kunihito Sato
Kunihito Sato 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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Publication number: 20180267530Abstract: An automated driving system includes at least one electronic control unit configured to: recognize at least one obstacles around a vehicle, based on ambient surroundings of the vehicle; create a traveling plan of the vehicle, based on the ambient surroundings and a result of recognition of the at least one obstacles; control the vehicle using an actuator installed on the vehicle, based on the traveling plan; and perform, according to input from a user of the vehicle, overwriting operation to change the result of recognition of the at least one obstacles used for creation of the traveling plan.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Taisuke SUGAIWA, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Hiromitsu URANO, Kunihito SATO, Maiko HIRANO
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Publication number: 20180210453Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a map database and at least one electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to calculate a reference arrival position based on a target time or a target distance. The at least one electronic control unit is configured to determine, according to the map information or the external situation at the reference arrival position, as a target arrival position, a position where the vehicle arrives on the potential route in a time different from the target time or over a distance different from the target distance. The at least one electronic control unit is configured to calculate a transition route from the road position to the target arrival position, and generate the target route by connecting the transition route and the potential route following the target arrival position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2018Publication date: July 26, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kunihito SATO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Maiko HIRANO, Bunyo OKUMURA
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Publication number: 20170334458Abstract: A vehicle includes an autonomous driving device that executes autonomous drive control; a track generation section that generates a travel track of the vehicle based on an estimation result by a self-position estimation section and a recognition result by an object recognition section; an actuator that moves the vehicle so that the vehicle travels along the travel track; a trigger input pedal disposed at a left side from an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal 102, seen from a driver; and an autonomous drive control start determination section that starts the autonomous drive control when an autonomous drive control start trigger is inputted via the trigger input pedal and it is determined that start of the autonomous drive control is possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Kunihito Sato, Kentaro Ichikawa, Taisuke Sugaiwa, Maiko Hirano, Bunyo Okumura
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Patent number: 9817346Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a first thermoelectric converter that converts thermal energy dissipated from a heat source into electrical energy, a second thermoelectric converter provided on a side of a low-temperature portion of the first thermoelectric converter and that converts electrical energy into thermal energy, and a power supply controller that controls supply of power to the second thermoelectric converter such that the low-temperature portion of the first thermoelectric converter is cooled or heated.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Takaki Saiki, Seiji Honda, Kunihito Sato, Junichi Iwasaki
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Publication number: 20170308093Abstract: An automatic operation control system of a mobile object includes an environment map storage unit configured to store environment map information and an electronic control unit configured to include an impassable region determining unit. The environment map information includes position information indicating a plurality of positions in a space and a state quantity variability of each of the plurality of positions, the state quantity variability is correlated with the corresponding position information, and the state quantity variability indicates a variation tendency of a state quantity of the corresponding position with respect to time. The impassable region determining unit is configured to determine an impassable region which is unsuitable for movement of the mobile object on the basis of the state quantity variability of the environment map information.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiromitsu URANO, Taisuke SUGAIWA, Kunihito SATO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Kohei OTSUKA, Bunyo OKUMURA, Maiko HIRANO
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Patent number: 9159227Abstract: A traffic congestion detection apparatus includes a traveling information acquisition unit for acquiring traveling information relating to a traveling state of a vehicle, and a traveling zone determination unit for determining which one of at least three zones including a central zone of a congestion area the vehicle is traveling in, based on current traveling information acquired by the traveling information acquisition unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20150261152Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a first thermoelectric converter that converts thermal energy dissipated from a heat source into electrical energy, a second thermoelectric converter provided on a side of a low-temperature portion of the first thermoelectric converter and that converts electrical energy into thermal energy, and a power supply controller that controls supply of power to the second thermoelectric converter such that the low-temperature portion of the first thermoelectric converter is cooled or heated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2015Publication date: September 17, 2015Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Takaki SAIKI, Seiji HONDA, Kunihito SATO, Junichi IWASAKI
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Patent number: 9014954Abstract: A traffic control system provides a driver of a vehicle, which runs in a predetermined running state among vehicles running on a road with information on the suppression of traffic congestion on the road. The predetermined running state is, for example, a running state constituting a cause of traffic congestion on the road. The information may be provided by urging the driver to perform a driving operation of at least one of acceleration and lane change.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2011Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Patent number: 8831820Abstract: A vehicle group control device for controlling the arrangement of vehicles within a vehicle group including plural vehicles, the vehicle group control device including: a periphery monitoring performance grasping unit which grasps a periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle constituting the vehicle group; and an arrangement determination unit which determines the arrangement of the vehicles within the vehicle group on the basis of the periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle. Accordingly, since the periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle within the vehicle group is grasped and the arrangement of the vehicles within the vehicle group can be determined on the basis of the periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle, it is possible to efficiently drive the entire vehicle group.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Patent number: 8775061Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a road-to-vehicle communication device which acquires information regarding the volume of traffic in a predetermined section on a road where a vehicle travels and which transmits the traffic volume information to a determination section; a deceleration acquisition section which acquires deceleration of a vehicle in front in the predetermined section and transmits information regarding the deceleration to the determination section; the determination section which determines whether or not a lane change is necessary on the basis of the traffic volume information acquired by the road-to-vehicle communication device and the deceleration acquired by the deceleration acquisition section; and an instruction section which instructs at least either the host vehicle or a vehicle behind to change lane when the determination section determines that a lane change is necessary.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2009Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20130325284Abstract: A traffic congestion detection apparatus includes a traveling information acquisition unit for acquiring traveling information relating to a traveling state of a vehicle, and a traveling zone determination unit for determining which one of at least three zones including a central zone of a congestion area the vehicle is traveling in, based on current traveling information acquired by the traveling information acquisition unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihito SATO
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Patent number: 8577586Abstract: Information for generating a target speed pattern is computed from information acquired from various sensors and a running mode input switch, so as to generate the target speed pattern (S16). A process for determining whether to form a vehicle group or not calculates the difference between the target vehicle pattern of the own vehicle and a target speed pattern of another vehicle or vehicle group obtained through inter-vehicle communication, so as to determine whether to form the vehicle group or not (S22, S28, S32). This can determine whether to run solo or form a vehicle group according to a driver's demand.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2007Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Keitaro Niki, Mitsuhisa Shida, Tomoyuki Doi, Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20130144516Abstract: A traffic control system provides a driver of a vehicle, which runs in a predetermined running state among vehicles running on a road with information on the suppression of traffic congestion on the road. The predetermined running state is, for example, a running state constituting a cause of traffic congestion on the road. The information may be provided by urging the driver to perform a driving operation of at least one of acceleration and lane change.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2011Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20120004835Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a road-to-vehicle communication device which acquires information regarding the volume of traffic in a predetermined section on a road where a vehicle travels and which transmits the traffic volume information to a determination section; a deceleration acquisition section which acquires deceleration of a vehicle in front in the predetermined section and transmits information regarding the deceleration to the determination section; the determination section which determines whether or not a lane change is necessary on the basis of the traffic volume information acquired by the road-to-vehicle communication device and the deceleration acquired by the deceleration acquisition section; and an instruction section which instructs at least either the host vehicle or a vehicle behind to change lane when the determination section determines that a lane change is necessary.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2009Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20110276220Abstract: A vehicle group control device for controlling the arrangement of vehicles within a vehicle group including plural vehicles, the vehicle group control device including: a periphery monitoring performance grasping unit which grasps a periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle constituting the vehicle group; and an arrangement determination unit which determines the arrangement of the vehicles within the vehicle group on the basis of the periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle. Accordingly, since the periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle within the vehicle group is grasped and the arrangement of the vehicles within the vehicle group can be determined on the basis of the periphery monitoring performance of each vehicle, it is possible to efficiently drive the entire vehicle group.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20090271050Abstract: Information for generating a target speed pattern is computed from information acquired from various sensors and a running mode input switch, so as to generate the target speed pattern (S16). A process for determining whether to form a vehicle group or not calculates the difference between the target vehicle pattern of the own vehicle and a target speed pattern of another vehicle or vehicle group obtained through inter-vehicle communication, so as to determine whether to form the vehicle group or not (S22, S28, S32). This can determine whether to run solo or form a vehicle group according to a driver's demand.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2007Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keitaro Niki, Mitsuhisa Shida, Tomoyuki Doi, Kunihito Sato
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Publication number: 20040140143Abstract: A follow distance control apparatus controls a follow distance without giving an uncomfortable feel to a driver during a deceleration control regardless of a selected control mode. A front-vehicle running ahead of an own-vehicle is detected by a sensor such as a radar. A deceleration apparatus, which decelerates the own-vehicle, is controlled by a controller based on an output signal of the sensor. The controller controls the deceleration apparatus according to selected one of a short distance control mode and a long distance control mode. In the short distance control mode, an actual value of the following distance is controlled to be shorter. In the long distance control mode, the actual value of the following distance is controlled to be longer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2003Publication date: July 22, 2004Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Minoru Saeki, Hironori Miyakoshi, Hiroaki Fujinami, Koichi Hara, Masato Seki, Kunihito Sato
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Patent number: 6554089Abstract: The vehicle deceleration control apparatus controls deceleration given to a vehicle according to a distance from a vehicle ahead, which is directly measured or estimated based on an accelerator operating condition, so that the smaller the distance from a vehicle ahead, the greater is an assist deceleration. The vehicle deceleration control apparatus is capable of giving an appropriate deceleration according to traffic conditions.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihito Sato, Nishiyama Keiichi
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Patent number: 6502028Abstract: The vehicular deceleration control apparatus applies deceleration to a vehicle in accordance with the amount of operation of an accelerator. The deceleration control apparatus determines whether there is an abnormality based on a deviation between a set target deceleration and a detected actual deceleration. If an abnormality of a system is detected, the apparatus discontinues the control, and transmits a system abnormality signal to indicate the abnormality to other systems and to an operator.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihito Sato
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Patent number: 6411870Abstract: During traveling of rolling stock on a route, running velocity of the rolling stock is detected. Vertical acceleration is also detected at a carbody above spring rigging of truck and a component is extracted in a predetermined frequency range from the vertical acceleration. When an absolute value of the vertical acceleration in the frequency range exceeds preset limit vertical acceleration corresponding to running velocity, the rolling stock is judged as being derailed. In another embodiment double integral of the vertical acceleration is carried out every predetermined evaluating time to calculate a vertical displacement amount. In the case that the vertical displacement amount is negative and an absolute value thereof is not less than a predetermined reference value, it is then determined that the rolling-stock is derailed.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2000Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Tokyu Car CorporationInventor: Kunihito Sato