Patents by Inventor Masaaki Uechi

Masaaki Uechi 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: 11130522
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention apparatus includes a driving support ECU configured to perform a lane departure prevention control. The driving support ECU performs the lane departure prevention control with vibrating a steering wheel when determining that a control performing condition becomes satisfied and a traveling lane is straight. The control performing condition becomes satisfied when a vehicle has a high probability of departing from the traveling lane. The driving support ECU performs the lane departure control without vibrating the steering wheel at least in a case where the vehicle has a high probability of departing from the traveling lane toward an outer side of the curved lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takenoshin Takahashi, Masaaki Uechi, Toshinori Esaka, Hidenobu Kinugasa
  • Patent number: 10864909
    Abstract: A vehicle control method of performing automatic braking for automatically braking a vehicle or alarm output, depending on a possibility of a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, includes: cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when an accelerator operation amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output, and cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when a given cancellation condition is satisfied under a situation where the accelerator operation amount of the vehicle is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Taki, Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo
  • Patent number: 10843688
    Abstract: A vehicle control method of performing automatic braking for automatically braking a vehicle or alarm output, depending on a possibility of a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, includes: cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when an accelerator operation amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output, and cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when a given cancellation condition is satisfied under a situation where the accelerator operation amount of the vehicle is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Taki, Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo
  • Publication number: 20200189578
    Abstract: A vehicle control method of performing automatic braking for automatically braking a vehicle or alarm output, depending on a possibility of a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, includes: cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when an accelerator operation amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output, and cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when a given cancellation condition is satisfied under a situation where the accelerator operation amount of the vehicle is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki TAKI, Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo
  • Publication number: 20200023899
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention apparatus includes a driving support ECU configured to perform a lane departure prevention control. The driving support ECU performs the lane departure prevention control with vibrating a steering wheel when determining that a control performing condition becomes satisfied and a traveling lane is straight. The control performing condition becomes satisfied when a vehicle has a high probability of departing from the traveling lane. The driving support ECU performs the lane departure control without vibrating the steering wheel at least in a case where the vehicle has a high probability of departing from the traveling lane toward an outer side of the curved lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takenoshin TAKAHASHI, Masaaki UECHI, Toshinori ESAKA, Hidenobu KINUGASA
  • Patent number: 10501075
    Abstract: A vehicular braking/driving-force control apparatus includes an accelerator operation detection part configured to detect an accelerator operation; a driving-force limiting apparatus configured to carry out driving-force limiting control of limiting driving force of an own vehicle in such a manner that an upper-limit speed that is set will not be exceeded; an automatic braking control apparatus configured to carry out automatic braking control of automatically generating braking force in the own vehicle based on a relative distance or a relative speed between an obstacle in front of the own vehicle and the own vehicle, and have a cancellation function of inhibiting a start of the automatic braking control based on the accelerator operation; and a control part configured to inhibit the cancellation function from being executed when the driving-force limiting apparatus is in an activated state where the driving-force limiting apparatus is allowed to carry out the driving-force limiting control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Harada, Naoki Taki, Masaaki Uechi, Kumiko Kondo, Hideaki Hayashi, Akio Kimura, Atsutoshi Sakaguchi, Toshifumi Kawasaki, Tomohiko Futatsugi
  • Patent number: 10232803
    Abstract: Groove formation portions that define insertion grooves are located in two opposing inner sides of an opening of a main cover. Engagement shafts are located on side portions of the sub-cover that oppose the inner sides. The engagement shafts are insertable into the insertion grooves from an outside and have a thickness that is larger than a groove width of the insertion grooves. The groove formation portions are elastic and deformable to allow insertion of the engagement shafts when the engagement shafts are inserted from the outside. The groove formation portions elastically return to their original forms after insertion of the engagement shafts to engage the engagement shafts and restrict separation of the engagement shafts in a reverse direction. The groove formation portions support the sub-cover to allow the sub-cover to open while engaged with the engagement shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ichihara, Nobuyoshi Imaeda, Shuuichi Satou, Masaaki Uechi, Hideaki Hayashi, Atsutoshi Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 10124776
    Abstract: A brake control device includes: an object detector; and an ECU configured to (a) determine, based on an output of the object detector, whether a predetermined condition that there is a possibility that the vehicle collides with the object, is satisfied; (b) apply an automatic brake when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and (c) stop applying the automatic brake when an operation amount of an accelerator operation unit of the vehicle becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold. The ECU also continues applying the automatic brake when a specified condition including a condition that an operation amount of a brake operation unit of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined amount is satisfied even when it has been determined that the operation amount of the accelerator operation unit becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaaki Uechi
  • Patent number: 10099688
    Abstract: A vehicle control method of performing automatic braking for automatically braking a vehicle or alarm output, depending on a possibility of a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, includes: cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when an accelerator operation amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output, and cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when a given cancellation condition is satisfied under a situation where the accelerator operation amount of the vehicle is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Taki, Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo
  • Publication number: 20180229722
    Abstract: A vehicle control method of performing automatic braking for automatically braking a vehicle or alarm output, depending on a possibility of a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, includes: cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when an accelerator operation amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output, and cancelling the automatic braking or the alarm output, when a given cancellation condition is satisfied under a situation where the accelerator operation amount of the vehicle is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, during the automatic braking or the alarm output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki TAKI, Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo
  • Patent number: 9908481
    Abstract: A vehicle forward information acquiring device includes a bracket fixed to a windshield, a cover mounted to the bracket by being moved along the bracket in one direction, and a vehicle forward information acquiring sensor accommodated between the bracket and the cover. The cover is mounted to the bracket while being pressed against the bracket by a first elastic force and a second elastic force generated when a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion formed on the cover are respectively engaged with a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion formed on the bracket. A position of the cover on the bracket when the first elastic force becomes a maximum value is different from a position of the cover on the bracket when the second elastic force becomes a maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Hayashi, Atsutoshi Sakaguchi, Tomohiko Futatsugi, Masaaki Uechi, Naoki Taki, Akio Kimura, Kumiko Kondo, Hiroshi Harada, Toshifumi Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20180043885
    Abstract: A vehicular braking/driving-force control apparatus includes an accelerator operation detection part configured to detect an accelerator operation; a driving-force limiting apparatus configured to carry out driving-force limiting control of limiting driving force of an own vehicle in such a manner that an upper-limit speed that is set will not be exceeded; an automatic braking control apparatus configured to carry out automatic braking control of automatically generating braking force in the own vehicle based on a relative distance or a relative speed between an obstacle in front of the own vehicle and the own vehicle, and have a cancellation function of inhibiting a start of the automatic braking control based on the accelerator operation; and a control part configured to inhibit the cancellation function from being executed when the driving-force limiting apparatus is in an activated state where the driving-force limiting apparatus is allowed to carry out the driving-force limiting control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi HARADA, Naoki TAKI, Masaaki UECHI, Kumiko KONDO, Hideaki HAYASHI, Akio KIMURA, Atsutoshi SAKAGUCHI, Toshifumi KAWASAKI, Tomohiko FUTATSUGI
  • Publication number: 20170320450
    Abstract: Groove formation portions that define insertion grooves are located in two opposing inner sides of an opening of a main cover. Engagement shafts are located on side portions of the sub-cover that oppose the inner sides. The engagement shafts are insertable into the insertion grooves from an outside and have a thickness that is larger than a groove width of the insertion grooves. The groove formation portions are elastic and deformable to allow insertion of the engagement shafts when the engagement shafts are inserted from the outside. The groove formation portions elastically return to their original forms after insertion of the engagement shafts to engage the engagement shafts and restrict separation of the engagement shafts in a reverse direction. The groove formation portions support the sub-cover to allow the sub-cover to open while engaged with the engagement shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroaki ICHIHARA, Nobuyoshi IMAEDA, Shuuichi SATOU, Masaaki UECHI, Hideaki HAYASHI, Atsutoshi SAKAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9751528
    Abstract: An in-vehicle control device includes a first sensor that acquires obstacle information in a first detection range, a second sensor that acquires obstacle information in a second detection range, the second detection range is nearer to a host vehicle than the first detection range, and a processor configured to perform predetermined control for preventing collision with an obstacle or for reducing damage at collision time based on the obstacle information received from the first sensor and the second sensor and, when the obstacle is not detected by the first sensor and the second sensor after starting the predetermined control based on the obstacle information received from the first sensor, uses positional relation information to determine whether the predetermined control is to be continued wherein the positional relation information indicates a height-direction positional relation between a predetermined part of the obstacle and the first detection range or the second detection range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo, Naoki Taki
  • Patent number: 9718467
    Abstract: An in-vehicle control device includes a first sensor that acquires obstacle information in a first detection range, a second sensor that acquires obstacle information in a second detection range, the second detection range is nearer to a host vehicle than the first detection range, and a processor configured to perform predetermined control for preventing collision with an obstacle or for reducing damage at collision time based on the obstacle information received from the first sensor and the second sensor and, when the obstacle is not detected by the first sensor and the second sensor after starting the predetermined control based on the obstacle information received from the first sensor, uses positional relation information to determine whether the predetermined control is to be continued wherein the positional relation information indicates a height-direction positional relation between a predetermined part of the obstacle and the first detection range or the second detection range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Uechi, Yoji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Harada, Kumiko Kondo, Naoki Taki
  • Publication number: 20170106839
    Abstract: A brake control device includes: an object detector; and an ECU configured to (a) determine, based on an output of the object detector, whether a predetermined condition that there is a possibility that the vehicle collides with the object, is satisfied; (b) apply an automatic brake when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and (c) stop applying the automatic brake when an operation amount of an accelerator operation unit of the vehicle becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold. The ECU also continues applying the automatic brake when a specified condition including a condition that an operation amount of a brake operation unit of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined amount is satisfied even when it has been determined that the operation amount of the accelerator operation unit becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaaki UECHI
  • Patent number: 9566971
    Abstract: In a hydraulic brake system including a cylinder device that includes a front chamber and a rear chamber located on front and rear sides of a pressurizing piston, respectively, presence or absence of liquid leakage from a brake line is detected based on a hydraulic pressure in the rear chamber. Where a state in which a subtraction value obtained by subtracting an actual rear hydraulic pressure from a target rear hydraulic pressure is larger than a first malfunction determination threshold value has continued for a time not shorter than a first malfunction determination time, and then an increase of the actual rear hydraulic pressure at a rate not lower than a set rate has caused the subtraction value to become smaller than a return determination threshold value, it is determined that the pressurizing piston has been bottomed due to liquid leakage from the front chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Okano, Yusuke Kamiya, Kiyoyuki Uchida, Akira Sakai, Hiroshi Ueno, Masaaki Uechi
  • Patent number: 9440648
    Abstract: When a pedestrian or the like in an area that is ahead in the direction of movement of a vehicle travelling on a road and is adjacent to the road is moving in an direction to cross the road, a system ECU varies the time of execution of a safety operation for ensuring the safety of the pedestrian in accordance with a road condition in the area where the pedestrian or the like is present. Specifically, the time of execution of the safety operation is delayed in the order of a first road condition, in which the area in which the pedestrian is present is not in a roadway, a second road condition, in which the area is in a roadway and not in an opposing traffic lane, and a third road condition, in which the area is in a roadway and in an opposing traffic lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Uechi
  • Publication number: 20160229355
    Abstract: A vehicle forward information acquiring device includes a bracket fixed to a windshield, a cover mounted to the bracket by being moved along the bracket in one direction, and a vehicle forward information acquiring sensor accommodated between the bracket and the cover. The cover is mounted to the bracket while being pressed against the bracket by a first elastic force and a second elastic force generated when a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion formed on the cover are respectively engaged with a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion formed on the bracket. A position of the cover on the bracket when the first elastic force becomes a maximum value is different from a position of the cover on the bracket when the second elastic force becomes a maximum value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki HAYASHI, Atsutoshi SAKAGUCHI, Tomohiko FUTATSUGI, Masaaki UECHI, Naoki TAKI, Akio KIMURA, Kumiko KONDO, Hiroshi HARADA, Toshifumi KAWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20160207533
    Abstract: An in-vehicle control device includes a first sensor that acquires obstacle information in a first detection range, a second sensor that acquires obstacle information in a second detection range, the second detection range is nearer to a host vehicle than the first detection range, and a processor configured to perform predetermined control for preventing collision with an obstacle or for reducing damage at collision time based on the obstacle information received from the first sensor and the second sensor and, when the obstacle is not detected by the first sensor and the second sensor after starting the predetermined control based on the obstacle information received from the first sensor, uses positional relation information to determine whether the predetermined control is to be continued wherein the positional relation information indicates a height-direction positional relation between a predetermined part of the obstacle and the first detection range or the second detection range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki UECHI, Yoji MIZOGUCHI, Hiroshi HARADA, Kumiko KONDO, Naoki TAKI