Patents by Inventor Masahiro Harada

Masahiro Harada 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: 9626868
    Abstract: An object detection device can acquire information of an object in the vicinity of a host-vehicle for appropriate traveling assistance. An object detection device 1 includes a vehicle state detection section 2, an environmental situation acquisition section 3, a road information acquisition section 4, a detection control section 6, and a detection section 7. A host-vehicle state prediction section 61 acquires a target state of a host-vehicle 81. The detection section 7 detects an object. A parameter setting section 63 switches the detection characteristic of the object in the detection section 7 in accordance with the target state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Harada, Katsuhiro Sakai, Toshiki Kindo
  • Patent number: 9601020
    Abstract: A collision determination device determines the possibility of collision between a host vehicle and the other object on the basis of a shortest arrival time calculated by a shortest arrival time calculation unit and a passage time at each point of the host vehicle acquired by a vehicle route candidate acquisition unit. In this way, even if a locus to be taken by the other object is not generated, the shortest arrival time at which the other object can arrive at each point of the route candidate of the host vehicle with a predetermined first displacement is calculated, thereby determining the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and the other object. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a computational load for determining collision and to accurately determine collision between the host vehicle and the other object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Aso, Toshiki Kindo, Katsuhiro Sakai, Masahiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20160355180
    Abstract: Provided is a driving assist device 10 that recognizes an object in the vicinity of a moving body, and assists a driver in driving the moving body, the apparatus including: an object detecting unit 12 that detects the object in the vicinity of the moving body; a three dimensional object detecting unit 13 that detects a three dimensional object in the vicinity of the moving body; and an object recognition unit 18 that recognizes the object at a predetermined detection position as a non-obstacle when the object information storing unit 16 stores the position of the object, and the three dimensional object information storing unit 17 does not store the position of the three dimensional object at the predetermined position in which detection is performed by both of the object detecting unit 12 and the three dimensional object detecting unit 13.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu URANO, Katsuhiro SAKAI, Toshiki KINDO, Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Masahiro HARADA
  • Publication number: 20160358476
    Abstract: A collision determination device determines the possibility of collision between a host vehicle and the other object on the basis of a shortest arrival time calculated by a shortest arrival time calculation unit and a passage time at each point of the host vehicle acquired by a vehicle route candidate acquisition unit. In this way, even if a locus to be taken by the other object is not generated, the shortest arrival time at which the other object can arrive at each point of the route candidate of the host vehicle with a predetermined first displacement is calculated, thereby determining the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and the other object. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a computational load for determining collision and to accurately determine collision between the host vehicle and the other object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuaki ASO, Toshiki KINDO, Katsuhiro SAKAI, Masahiro HARADA
  • Publication number: 20160355192
    Abstract: Arrangements relating to the transitioning of a vehicle between operational modes are described. The vehicle can transition between a first operational mode and a second operational mode. The second operational mode has a greater degree of manual involvement than the first operational mode. For instance, the first operational mode can be an unmonitored autonomous operational mode, and the second operational mode can be a monitored autonomous operational mode or a manual operational mode. It can be determined whether an operational mode transition event has occurred while the vehicle is operating in the first operational mode. In response to determining that an operational mode transition event has occurred, a time buffer for continuing in the first operational mode before switching to the second operational mode can be determined. A transition alert can be presented within the vehicle. The transition alert can represent the determined time buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Michael R. James, Katsuhiro Sakai, Toshiki Kindo, Danil V. Prokhorov, Masahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 9495873
    Abstract: An other-vehicle detector 18 of an other-vehicle detection device 10a detects an other-vehicle VO around a host vehicle VM based on the predetermined feature amount. A detection reference value adjustment unit 16 of the other-vehicle detection device 10a, regarding the feature amount for detecting the other-vehicle VO around the host vehicle VM, changes a threshold value of the feature amount for detecting the other-vehicle VO, and detects the other-vehicle VO, based on a relative positional relationship between the other-vehicle VO and the host vehicle VM. In this way, it is possible to detect the existence of the other-vehicle VO according to the situation more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Katsuhiro Sakai, Toshiki Kindo, Kentaro Ichikawa, Masahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 9446711
    Abstract: Provided is a driving assist device 10 that recognizes an object in the vicinity of a moving body, and assists a driver in driving the moving body, the apparatus including: an object detecting unit 12 that detects the object in the vicinity of the moving body; a three dimensional object detecting unit 13 that detects a three dimensional object in the vicinity of the moving body; and an object recognition unit 18 that recognizes the object at a predetermined detection position as a non-obstacle when the object information storing unit 16 stores the position of the object, and the three dimensional object information storing unit 17 does not store the position of the three dimensional object at the predetermined position in which detection is performed by both of the object detecting unit 12 and the three dimensional object detecting unit 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Katsuhiro Sakai, Toshiki Kindo, Kentaro Ichikawa, Masahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 9429440
    Abstract: Arrangements relate to determining a driving action for an autonomous vehicle. An exit event along a current road of a travel route of the autonomous vehicle can be identified. At least one forward vehicle between the autonomous vehicle and the exit event can be detected. A driving action to take relative to the at least one forward vehicle can be determined based on one or more inputs. Such inputs can include a determined availability or unavailability of passing the at least one forward vehicle and/or a determined sufficiency or insufficiency of distance between the at least one forward vehicle and the exit event. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the determined driving action. The driving action can be, for example, remaining behind the at least one forward vehicle, passing the at least one forward vehicle or prompting an occupant of the autonomous vehicle to select a driving action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20160244054
    Abstract: A vehicle traveling controller performs emergency evacuation traveling in the case of an emergency. The vehicle traveling controller determines whether a vehicle traveling in accordance with a normal traveling rule is not dangerous and becomes proper traveling or not based on environmental information around the vehicle, when it is determined that the vehicle traveling in accordance with the normal traveling rule becomes proper traveling, executes normal traveling control for instructing the vehicle to travel in accordance with the normal traveling rule, and when the vehicle traveling in accordance with the normal traveling rule does not become proper traveling, executes emergency evacuation traveling control for instructing the vehicle to perform emergency evacuation traveling not in accordance with the normal traveling rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiki KINDO, Kazuaki ASO, Masahiro HARADA
  • Publication number: 20160221500
    Abstract: Arrangements related to operating an autonomous vehicle in view-obstructed environments are described. At least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle can be sensed to detect one or more objects located therein. An occupant viewable area of the external environment can be determined. It can be determined whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area. Responsive to determining that a detected object is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, one or more actions can be taken. For instance, the action can include presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the action can include causing a current driving action of the autonomous vehicle to be modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Danil V. Prokhorov, Bunyo Okumura, Naoki Nagasaka, Masahiro Harada, Nobuhide Kamata
  • Publication number: 20160161267
    Abstract: Arrangements relate to determining a driving action for an autonomous vehicle. An exit event along a current road of a travel route of the autonomous vehicle can be identified. At least one forward vehicle between the autonomous vehicle and the exit event can be detected. A driving action to take relative to the at least one forward vehicle can be determined based on one or more inputs. Such inputs can include a determined availability or unavailability of passing the at least one forward vehicle and/or a determined sufficiency or insufficiency of distance between the at least one forward vehicle and the exit event. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the determined driving action. The driving action can be, for example, remaining behind the at least one forward vehicle, passing the at least one forward vehicle or prompting an occupant of the autonomous vehicle to select a driving action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventor: Masahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 9352779
    Abstract: A vehicle traveling controller performs emergency evacuation traveling in the case of an emergency. The vehicle traveling controller determines whether a vehicle traveling in accordance with a normal traveling rule is not dangerous and becomes proper traveling or not based on environmental information around the vehicle, when it is determined that the vehicle traveling in accordance with the normal traveling rule becomes proper traveling, executes normal traveling control for instructing the vehicle to travel in accordance with the normal traveling rule, and when the vehicle traveling in accordance with the normal traveling rule does not become proper traveling, executes emergency evacuation traveling control for instructing the vehicle to perform emergency evacuation traveling not in accordance with the normal traveling rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiki Kindo, Kazuaki Aso, Masahiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20160139598
    Abstract: An autonomous driving vehicle system includes: a surrounding information detection unit that is configured to detect surrounding information on a vehicle; and at least one electronic control unit including: a travel plan generation unit configured to generate a travel plan along a pre-set target route based on the surrounding information and map information; a traveling control unit configured to autonomously control a traveling of the vehicle based on the travel plan; and a warning light control unit configured to turn on a warning light earlier than a start time of a braking of the vehicle in the travel plan, the warning light informing a following vehicle about the braking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro ICHIKAWA, Toshiki KINDO, Katsuhiro SAKAI, Masahiro HARADA, Hiromitsu URANO
  • Patent number: 9340207
    Abstract: A system, device, and methods of automated driving are disclosed. One example method includes determining one or more potential vehicle paths based on information specific to the environment surrounding a vehicle and receiving an indication classifying one or more objects proximate to the one or more potential vehicle paths as an object of interest based on input received from one or more sensors disposed on the vehicle. The method further includes selecting a preferred vehicle path from the one or more potential vehicle paths based on properties of the one or more objects of interest and sending a command, to one or more vehicle systems, to control the vehicle to follow the preferred vehicle path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Nagasaka, Katsuhiro Sakai, Bunyo Okumura, Masahiro Harada, Nobuhide Kamata
  • Patent number: 9298992
    Abstract: A system, device, and methods for autonomous navigation using geographic feature-based localization. An example method includes identifying one or more geographic features based on information received from one or more sensors disposed on a vehicle as the vehicle traverses a route and associating one of a horizontal space and a vertical space with each of the one or more geographic features. The example method further includes comparing the one or more geographic features to a geographic feature map and generating a localized vehicle position based on the comparison between the one or more geographic features and the geographic feature map. Comparing the one or more geographic features to the geographic feature map can include applying weights to the one or more geographic features based in part on the space association for each of the one or more geographic features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20150307092
    Abstract: Disclosed is a route evaluation device that enables traveling along a route in consideration of an operation of the driver of another vehicle, and can realize a safer traffic environment. A route evaluation device includes a route candidate generation section that generates route candidates of a host-vehicle, a route prediction section that predicts routes of another vehicle, a classification section that classifies the interference states of the route candidates of the host-vehicle and the predicted routes of another vehicle into a plurality of interference forms, and a route evaluation section that evaluates the routes of the host-vehicle on the basis of the interference forms classified by the classification section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Hiromitsu Urano, Kazuaki Aso, Masahiro Harada, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20150233720
    Abstract: A system, device, and methods for autonomous navigation using geographic feature-based localization. An example method includes identifying one or more geographic features based on information received from one or more sensors disposed on a vehicle as the vehicle traverses a route and associating one of a horizontal space and a vertical space with each of the one or more geographic features. The example method further includes comparing the one or more geographic features to a geographic feature map and generating a localized vehicle position based on the comparison between the one or more geographic features and the geographic feature map. Comparing the one or more geographic features to the geographic feature map can include applying weights to the one or more geographic features based in part on the space association for each of the one or more geographic features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 9109906
    Abstract: Disclosed is a route evaluation device that enables traveling along a route in consideration of an operation of the driver of another vehicle, and can realize a safer traffic environment. A route evaluation device includes a route candidate generation section that generates route candidates of a host-vehicle, a route prediction section that predicts routes of another vehicle, a classification section that classifies the interference states of the route candidates of the host-vehicle and the predicted routes of another vehicle into a plurality of interference forms, and a route evaluation section that evaluates the routes of the host-vehicle on the basis of the interference forms classified by the classification section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Hiromitsu Urano, Kazuaki Aso, Masahiro Harada, Toshiki Kindo
  • Publication number: 20150197246
    Abstract: A system, device, and methods of automated driving are disclosed. One example method includes determining one or more potential vehicle paths based on information specific to the environment surrounding a vehicle and receiving an indication classifying one or more objects proximate to the one or more potential vehicle paths as an object of interest based on input received from one or more sensors disposed on the vehicle. The method further includes selecting a preferred vehicle path from the one or more potential vehicle paths based on properties of the one or more objects of interest and sending a command, to one or more vehicle systems, to control the vehicle to follow the preferred vehicle path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Nagasaka, Katsuhiro Sakai, Bunyo Okumura, Masahiro Harada, Nobuhide Kamata
  • Publication number: 20150187214
    Abstract: A drive assist devices include a display that displays an image around a vehicle imaged by an imaging device installed on the vehicle, a setting unit that sets a target designated by a user on the image as a recognition target, a detection unit that detects a state change of the recognition target on the image in a case where the recognition target is set, and a notification control unit that controls a notification device to notify the user of the detection result in a case where the state change of the set recognition target is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Ichikawa, Toshiki Kindo, Katsuhiro Sakai, Masahiro Harada, Hiromitsu Urano