Patents by Inventor Makoto Oshitani

Makoto Oshitani 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: 11726485
    Abstract: This autonomous work vehicle travel system is provided with: a satellite positioning module 80 that outputs positioning data indicating a vehicle position of a work vehicle 1; an area setting unit that sets an area CA to be worked in a work site; a route managing unit that calculates a travel route element set, which is an aggregate of multiple travel route elements constituting a travel route that covers the area CA to be worked, and storing the travel route element set so as to be readable; a route element selecting unit that selects a next travel route element to be traveled in sequence from the travel route element set; and an autonomous travel controlling unit that causes the work vehicle 1 to travel autonomously on the basis of the next travel route element and the vehicle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11320279
    Abstract: A travel route management system includes an area setting unit that sets a work site to an outer peripheral area SA and an area CA to be worked on an inner side of the outer peripheral area SA, and a route element selecting unit that sequentially selects a next travel route element to be traveled on next, from among multiple mutually-parallel travel route elements, the travel route elements constituting a travel route that covers the area CA to be worked. The route element selecting unit selects a U-turn travel route for moving from a travel route element serving as a movement origin to a next travel route element serving as a movement destination, the selection being made on the basis of an interval between the movement origin and the movement destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11300976
    Abstract: A work vehicle automatic traveling system includes a route element selecting unit that, on the basis of state information, sequentially selects a next travel route element on which a work vehicle is to travel next, from a travel route element set and a circling route element set. The route element selecting unit includes a cooperative route element selection rule, which is employed when a plurality of work vehicles carry out work travel cooperatively in an area CA to be worked, and an independent route element selection rule, which is employed when a single independent work vehicle among the work vehicles carries out work travel independently in the area CA to be worked. Also described is selecting the next travel route element based on the independent route element selection rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20200064144
    Abstract: A travel route management system includes an area setting unit that sets a work site to an outer peripheral area SA and an area CA to be worked on an inner side of the outer peripheral area SA, and a route element selecting unit that sequentially selects a next travel route element to be traveled on next, from among multiple mutually-parallel travel route elements, the travel route elements constituting a travel route that covers the area CA to be worked. The route element selecting unit selects a U-turn travel route for moving from a travel route element serving as a movement origin to a next travel route element serving as a movement destination, the selection being made on the basis of an interval between the movement origin and the movement destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20200064863
    Abstract: A work vehicle automatic traveling system includes a route element selecting unit that, on the basis of state information, sequentially selects a next travel route element on which a work vehicle is to travel next, from a travel route element set and a circling route element set. The route element selecting unit includes a cooperative route element selection rule, which is employed when a plurality of work vehicles carry out work travel cooperatively in an area CA to be worked, and an independent route element selection rule, which is employed when a single independent work vehicle among the work vehicles carries out work travel independently in the area CA to be worked. When the independent work vehicle is carrying out independent work travel in the area CA to be worked, and a work vehicle aside from the host vehicle is carrying out circling travel based on the circling route element or is stopped, the next travel route element is selected on the basis of the independent route element selection rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20190146513
    Abstract: This autonomous work vehicle travel system is provided with: a satellite positioning module 80 that outputs positioning data indicating a vehicle position of a work vehicle 1; an area setting unit that sets an area CA to be worked in a work site; a route managing unit that calculates a travel route element set, which is an aggregate of multiple travel route elements constituting a travel route that covers the area CA to be worked, and storing the travel route element set so as to be readable; a route element selecting unit that selects a next travel route element to be traveled in sequence from the travel route element set; and an autonomous travel controlling unit that causes the work vehicle 1 to travel autonomously on the basis of the next travel route element and the vehicle position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida