Patents by Inventor Masao Oooka

Masao Oooka 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: 10843695
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior deter miner deter mines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Takahiro Narita
  • Patent number: 10829124
    Abstract: An evacuation driving assistance apparatus capable of evacuation driving toward an appropriate evacuation location is provided. In the evacuation driving assistance apparatus, a driver determination unit determines whether or not a driver of an own vehicle is in a normal-driving enabled state. If it is determined by the driver determination unit that the driver of the own vehicle is in a normal-driving disabled state, a notification unit provides a notification of location information of the own vehicle to a center. The center is capable of determining an evacuation location based on the location information of the own vehicle, and transmitting the evacuation location. A reception unit receives the evacuation location transmitted by the center. An evacuation driving execution unit executes evacuation driving toward the evacuation location received by the reception unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Narita, Masao Oooka, Masuhiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 10538244
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus is mounted in an own vehicle and performs driving assistance for the own vehicle. The driving assistance apparatus determines a travel recommended lane in which the own vehicle is to travel, based on a comparison of a preset vehicle speed set in advance to allow the own vehicle to travel at a constant speed, to a travel state of a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle in a travel lane in which the own vehicle is traveling and a travel state of an adjacent vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle in an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the travel lane. The driving assistance apparatus performs output based on the travel recommended lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Aki Nagatomo
  • Patent number: 10486712
    Abstract: An evacuation control apparatus includes a decrease detecting unit, a rear monitoring unit, and an evacuation control unit. The decrease detecting unit detects decrease in a consciousness level of a driver of an own vehicle. The rear monitoring unit monitors a state behind the own vehicle. The evacuation control unit outputs control information for making the own vehicle perform an emergency evacuation based on monitoring results of the rear monitoring unit, when the decrease detecting unit detects decrease in the consciousness level of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Takeshi Miura, Hitoshi Wada
  • Patent number: 10392010
    Abstract: An evacuation travel assist apparatus includes a stop lane determination section that determines a stop lane and an evacuation place in the stop lane in which an own vehicle should be urgently stopped when the vehicle drive is detected to be in a state of being not able to drive the own vehicle properly, and a transverse position determination section that determines, as a stop transverse position, a position in a transverse direction of the evacuation place in the stop lane so as to ensure a space for the vehicle driver and passengers to get in and out of the own vehicle safely at a side of the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Miura, Masao Oooka, Hiroaki Niino
  • Patent number: 10332400
    Abstract: A traffic lane acquisition section obtains traffic lane information that includes the road shape of a host-vehicle lane, from road map information, based on the detected position of a host vehicle, expressed by position information obtained by a host vehicle position acquisition section. Based on detected positions of traffic lane identification-use objects, contained in object information obtained by an object acquisition section, a lane boundary line identification section identifies lane boundary lines. A region estimation section estimates a displacement-possible region of the host-vehicle lane ahead of the host vehicle, based on the lane boundary lines that are obtained by the lane boundary line identification section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Oooka
  • Publication number: 20190016336
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior deter miner deter mines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroaki NIINO, Masao OOOKA, Shotaro FUKUDA, Takahiro NARITA
  • Publication number: 20180327029
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes: a scheduled change detection section that detects a lane change schedule of a target vehicle; a competition detection section that detects a competing vehicle that is making lane change to the same lane as that to which the target vehicle is making lane change, while competing with the target vehicle, when the scheduled change detection section detects the lane change schedule; and a timing setting section that sets timing of lane change of the target vehicle depending on the competing vehicle when the competition detection section detects the competing vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONJP
    Inventors: Masao Oooka, Takahiro Narita, Kouji Fujiki
  • Patent number: 10127460
    Abstract: In a lane boundary line information acquiring device, a detection unit detects lane boundary lines. A driving environment acquiring unit acquires a driving environment. A probability information acquiring unit acquires probability information containing a probability of presence of a lane boundary line, etc. based on the detected lane boundary lines and the acquired driving environment. A position information acquiring unit acquires position information of the own vehicle. A memory unit associates the probability information with the position information of the own vehicle. Where the position information is acquired by the position information acquiring unit at a time when the probability information acquiring unit acquires the probability information, and stores the probability information associated with the position information into the memory unit. A readout unit reads out the probability information associated with the position information at a location in front of the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Okada, Naoki Kawasaki, Yusuke Ueda, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10099691
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior deter miner determines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Takahiro Narita
  • Patent number: 10071680
    Abstract: An evacuation travelling control device has an evacuation direction judgment section for detecting an evacuation direction of an own vehicle during an evacuation travelling mode of the own vehicle and a light switching pattern generation section for generating a light pattern which relates to one or more combinations of lit and unlit states of lamps including direction indicators mounted on the own vehicle when informing the evacuation direction of the own vehicle detected by the evacuation direction judgment section to drivers of other vehicles and pedestrians around the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Oooka
  • Patent number: 10053087
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes a position obtaining unit, an evaluation value obtaining unit, and a notifying unit. The position obtaining unit obtains a position of an own vehicle. The evaluation value obtaining unit obtains an evaluation value indicating a degree by which driving assistance can be suitably performed on the own vehicle in a travelling area through which the own vehicle is presumed to travel based on the position of the own vehicle obtained by the position obtaining unit. The notifying unit gives notification in advance to a notification apparatus, of the evaluation value obtained by the evaluation value obtaining unit before the own vehicle enters the travelling area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Oooka, Takahiro Narita, Noriyasu Noto
  • Publication number: 20180229736
    Abstract: An evacuation driving assistance apparatus capable of evacuation driving toward an appropriate evacuation location is provided. In the evacuation driving assistance apparatus, a driver determination unit determines whether or not a driver of an own vehicle is in a normal-driving enabled state. If it is determined by the driver determination unit that the driver of the own vehicle is in a normal-driving disabled state, a notification unit provides a notification of location information of the own vehicle to a center. The center is capable of determining an evacuation location based on the location information of the own vehicle, and transmitting the evacuation location. A reception unit receives the evacuation location transmitted by the center. An evacuation driving execution unit executes evacuation driving toward the evacuation location received by the reception unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Takahiro Narita, Masao Oooka, Masuhiro Kondo
  • Publication number: 20180197414
    Abstract: A traffic lane acquisition section obtains traffic lane information that includes the road shape of a host-vehicle lane, from road map information, based on the detected position of a host vehicle, expressed by position information obtained by a host vehicle position acquisition section. Based on detected positions of traffic lane identification-use objects, contained in object information obtained by an object acquisition section, a lane boundary line identification section identifies lane boundary lines. A region estimation section estimates a displacement-possible region of the host-vehicle lane ahead of the host vehicle, based on the lane boundary lines that are obtained by the lane boundary line identification section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventor: Masao OOOKA
  • Publication number: 20180099668
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior deter miner determines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroaki NIINO, Masao OOOKA, Shotaro FUKUDA, Takahiro NARITA
  • Publication number: 20180099662
    Abstract: An evacuation travel assist apparatus includes a stop lane determination section that determines a stop lane and an evacuation place in the stop lane in which an own vehicle should be urgently stopped when the vehicle drive is detected to be in a state of being not able to drive the own vehicle properly, and a transverse position determination section that determines, as a stop transverse position, a position in a transverse direction of the evacuation place in the stop lane so as to ensure a space for the vehicle driver and passengers to get in and out of the own vehicle safely at a side of the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Takeshi Miura, Masao Oooka, Hiroaki Niino
  • Patent number: 9902395
    Abstract: An evacuation travel assist apparatus includes a stop lane determination section that determines a stop lane and an evacuation place in the stop lane in which an own vehicle should be urgently stopped when the vehicle drive is detected to be in a state of being not able to drive the own vehicle properly, and a transverse position determination section that determines, as a stop transverse position, a position in a transverse direction of the evacuation place in the stop lane so as to ensure a space for the vehicle driver and passengers to get in and out of the own vehicle safely at a side of the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Miura, Masao Oooka, Hiroaki Niino
  • Publication number: 20180029604
    Abstract: An evacuation control apparatus includes a decrease detecting unit, a rear monitoring unit, and an evacuation control unit. The decrease detecting unit detects decrease in a consciousness level of a driver of an own vehicle. The rear monitoring unit monitors a state behind the own vehicle. The evacuation control unit outputs control information for making the own vehicle perform an emergency evacuation based on monitoring results of the rear monitoring unit, when the decrease detecting unit detects decrease in the consciousness level of the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroaki NIINO, Masao OOOKA, Takeshi MIURA, Hitoshi WADA
  • Patent number: 9878712
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior determiner determines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Takahiro Narita
  • Publication number: 20170313311
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus is mounted in an own vehicle and performs driving assistance for the own vehicle. The driving assistance apparatus determines a travel recommended lane in which the own vehicle is to travel, based on a comparison of a preset vehicle speed set in advance to allow the own vehicle to travel at a constant speed, to a travel state of a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle in a travel lane in which the own vehicle is traveling and a travel state of an adjacent vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle in an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the travel lane. The driving assistance apparatus performs output based on the travel recommended lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Aki Nagatomo