Patents by Inventor Michio Ikeda

Michio Ikeda 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).

  • Publication number: 20200148105
    Abstract: A vehicle information provision device includes a travel state detection unit, a surroundings situation detection unit, a potential hazard detection unit detecting a potential hazard based on the situation detected by the surroundings situation detection unit, a driver state detection unit detecting the driver state during self-driving of a vehicle; a driver state determination unit configured to determine whether or not the driver is observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings based on the state of the driver detected by the driver state detection unit, and an information control unit that provides information to the driver regarding the potential hazard in a case in which the driver is observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings, and restricts provision of information to the driver in a case in which the driver is not observing the situation in the vehicle surroundings during self-driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Michio Ikeda, Kazuhiro Matsui
  • Publication number: 20200143689
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle controls a vehicle configured to provide a ridesharing service by autonomous traveling. The control device for a vehicle includes: a first information acquiring unit configured to acquire first information of a passenger who is supposed to use the ridesharing service; a second information acquiring unit configured to acquire second information of a passenger who has entered the vehicle at a pickup point; a determination unit configured to determine whether the vehicle is to depart by comparing the first information with the second information; and a vehicle control unit configured to control the vehicle based on a determination result from the determination unit. The determination unit is configured to prohibit departure of the vehicle when the first information does not match the second information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Wasekura, Michio Ikeda, Shunsuke Tanimori
  • Publication number: 20200142496
    Abstract: A vehicle configured to provide a mobility service of transporting a passenger by autonomous traveling includes a gesture detecting device configured to detect a person's gesture outside the vehicle and a service end determining unit configured to determine whether the passenger has approved of an end of the mobility service. The service end determining unit determines that the passenger has approved of the end of the mobility service when the gesture detecting device has detected a specific gesture while the vehicle is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke TANIMORI, Michio IKEDA, Masaki WASEKURA
  • Publication number: 20200141744
    Abstract: A route information decision device includes: a route search unit that searches for a route along which a user moves from a first spot to a second spot; a partial route decision unit that decides a permissible route part of the route and a non-permissible route part of the route, the permissible route part being contained in a permissible region where a vehicle is permitted to be dispatched to the user, the non-permissible route part being contained in a non-permissible region where the vehicle is not permitted to be dispatched to the user, the vehicle being a vehicle for which an automatic driving control is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki WASEKURA, Michio Ikeda, Shunsuke Tanimori
  • Publication number: 20200143458
    Abstract: A receiving section configured to receive a usage application message containing use start time of a vehicle intended for car sharing and a rent-out place of the vehicle, an identification section configured to, based on a current position of a transporter vehicle that is able to transport the vehicle, identify the transporter vehicle that reaches the rent-out place by the use start time, a first sending section configured to send a move instruction message to the transporter vehicle identified by the identification section to instruct the transporter vehicle to move to the rent-out place, and a second sending section configured to send information on the vehicle that is being transported by the transporter vehicle identified by the identification section to a source from which the usage application message is sent, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michio IKEDA, Kohei UEZATO, Yoshihiro OHE, Masashi YAMADA, Kenichi KOMURO, Toshiaki NIWA
  • Publication number: 20200122639
    Abstract: A vehicle notification system performs audio notification regarding a driving status of a vehicle that is capable of self-driving, for an occupant of the vehicle at a predetermined timing during self-driving. The vehicle notification system includes a position identification section that is configured to identify a current position of the vehicle. Based on a destination and the current position, notification that the driving status is conforming to a plan is performed at regular intervals, and notification that the driving status is not conforming to the plan is performed if the driving status is no longer conforming to the plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Kihiro Kato, Michio Ikeda, Shotaro Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200117202
    Abstract: A traffic information determination device includes a server configured to acquire driving environment information that may affect safety of traveling of a vehicle to be subjected to autonomous driving control, determine a first allowable area in which traveling of the vehicle is allowed, and in which traveling of the vehicle is not allowed when a person gets on the vehicle, based on the driving environment information, and determine a second allowable area in which traveling of the vehicle is allowed, and in which traveling of the vehicle is allowed even when the person gets on the vehicle, based on the driving environment information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke TANIMORI, Michio IKEDA, Masaki WASEKURA
  • Publication number: 20200101936
    Abstract: A restraining device control system includes: a restraining device that is provided at a vehicle seat and that restrains an occupant seated in the vehicle seat; a surrounding environment detection unit that detects an environment surrounding a vehicle; and a control unit that increases a restraining force on the occupant by the restraining device in a case in which it has been predicted, from the surrounding environment of the vehicle, that vacillation of the vehicle while in an autonomous driving mode will exceed a threshold amount and that decreases the restraining force on the occupant by the restraining device in a case in which it has been predicted, from the surrounding environment of the vehicle, that the vehicle will maintain a state in which vacillation of the vehicle while in the autonomous driving mode is less than the threshold amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Ito, Hiroshi Hiraiwa, Michio Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20200073884
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including: a first memory; a first processor that is connected to the first memory; and a storage section that stores image data related to a position information-appended image that is appended with position information relating to an imaging location. The first processor searches for one or more items of the image data including the position information within a predetermined range of a current position of a vehicle, and selects a position information-appended image related to image data found by the searching as an image to be displayed in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshinori Yamada, Masaki Ito, Shotaro Inoue, Akihiro Muguruma, Michio Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20200073406
    Abstract: An accompanying vehicle selection system includes: a first vehicle that is provided with a driver's seat; a plurality of second vehicles that have different functions from the first vehicle, and that are configured to travel in accompaniment with the first vehicle; and a control unit that is provided in the first vehicle, and that determines, based on input information, which vehicle from among the plurality of second vehicles is to travel in accompaniment with the first vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshinori Yamada, Masaki Ito, Shotaro Inoue, Akihiro Muguruma, Michio Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20190265053
    Abstract: An information system comprises a selector configured to select one or more mobile shop vehicles each of which functions as a meeting place for users who utilize a shopping district composed of mobile shop vehicles, from a group of the mobile shop vehicles allowed to gather in a predetermined area in order to construct the shopping district composed of the mobile shop vehicles to provide services of different classifications in a composite manner; and a manager configured to instruct the one or more mobile shop vehicles each of which functions as the meeting place to cause a change into an appearance with which it is possible for the users to distinguish, in a differentiated manner, that each of the one or more mobile shop vehicles is the meeting place in the shopping district composed of the mobile shop vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Eiichi Ishii, Mitsugu Makita, Toru Yoshida, Gaku Itou
  • Publication number: 20190253851
    Abstract: The present disclosure makes it possible to properly arrange mobile shop vehicles. An apparatus for determining arrangement of mobile shop vehicles comprises a controller configured to set a user of a shop group formed by the plurality of mobile shop vehicles; and determine the arrangement of the plurality of mobile shop vehicles on the basis of information that represents at least one of an attribute, a taste, and a purchase history of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Eiichi Ishii, Mitsugu Makita, Toru Yoshida, Gaku Itou
  • Publication number: 20190250635
    Abstract: A mobile shop vehicle capable of opening a shop at a destination includes a movement control unit configured to cause the mobile shop vehicle to move autonomously along a predetermined path in a predetermined area while opening a shop and a vehicle distance control unit configured to control the distance to another mobile shop vehicle that is autonomously moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Eiichi Ishii, Mitsugu Makita, Toru Yoshida, Gaku Itou
  • Publication number: 20190242715
    Abstract: A mobile shop system including a plurality of mobile shop vehicles and a server device, where the server device includes at least one processor configured to acquire a desired shop which a user wishes to visit among shops carried by the plurality of mobile shop vehicles, and create an operation plan in such a way that the user and a mobile shop vehicle carrying the desired shop are enabled to gather together at a predetermined location, and each of the plurality of mobile shop vehicles, includes at least one processor configured to manage operation of a vehicle according to the operation plan that is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Eiichi Ishii, Mitsugu Makita, Toru Yoshida, Gaku Itou
  • Publication number: 20190235824
    Abstract: A mobile shop system includes a plurality of mobile shop vehicles and a server device, where the server device includes an instruction unit configured to transmit an image display instruction indicative of an image to be displayed on an outside display device, to the plurality of mobile shop vehicles, and each of the plurality of mobile shop vehicles includes the outside display device provided on an outside of a vehicle body, a receiver configured to receive the image display instruction from the server device, and a display controller configured to control display contents of the outside display device according to the image display instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Eiichi Ishii, Mitsugu Makita, Toru Yoshida, Gaku Itou
  • Publication number: 20190200166
    Abstract: A guidance information providing system includes a plurality of mobile shop vehicles and a server device. Each mobile shop vehicle of the mobile shop vehicles includes first circuitry and the server device includes second circuitry. The first circuitry is configured to acquire location information on the mobile shop vehicle and configured to send the location information on the mobile shop vehicle. The second circuitry is configured to acquire location information on the mobile shop vehicle, configured to generate map information indicating a layout of the plurality of mobile shop vehicles, and configured to output the map information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Eiichi Ishii, Mitsugu Makita, Toru Yoshida, Gaku Itou
  • Publication number: 20030032170
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of proliferating a microorganism capable of degrading a hard-to-degrade organic compound, comprising proliferating at least one microorganism capable of degrading a hard-to-degrade organic compound selected from the group consisting of Janibacter genus, Pseudomonas genus, Rhodococcus genus, Desulfomonile genus, Alcaligenes genus, Bacillus genus, Streptococcus genus, Acinetobacter genus, Achromobacter genus, Paracoccus genus, Rhodobacter genus, Rhodobacterium genus, Methylosinus genus, Mycobacterium genus, Nitrosomonas genus, Corynebacterium genus, and Methanotrophs, in a culture medium containing both a substance capable of inducing the degradation capability of the microorganism and Fe ions, under inorganic conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Keiko Ito, Michio Ikeda, Toshihiro Imada
  • Patent number: 5919696
    Abstract: The method of isolating organic compound-degradable microorganisms included in this invention is characteristic in that microorganisms in the organic compound contaminated sample, for example an environment sample, are cultured in a carbon-free medium, at the same time, are contacted with organic compounds mainly as the gas phase, and selected by the tolerance to the organic compounds as the index. Also, the method for biodegradation of organic compounds is characteristic in that the microorganism thus isolated, for example, Komagatella brevis, is contacted with contaminated soil or contaminated underground water, and without the addition of additives or inducing substances for organic compounds decomposing enzymes, may effectively biodegrade the organic compounds in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Takeshi Gotanda, Yuko Imamura, Chikako Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 5403611
    Abstract: An ice cream having a property of excellent meltdown in the mouth, a fat content of 5 to 18% by weight and an overrun of 10 to 150% by weight, containing air cells of 60 .mu.m or more in diameter at a ratio of at least 80% of the total air cells, is disclosed. Further, a process for producing an ice cream having a property of excellent softness even at a freezing temperature, which comprises incorporating air into an ice cream mix in a first cylinder of the cylinders of two linked continuous freezers to give an overrun, transferring the mix to a second cylinder at a specific temperature, and then mixing and kneading the mix in the second cylinder without giving any additional overrun. In the process for production, an apparatus characterized by having a pipeline linking an apparatus for supplying the rest of an ice cream mix to a pipeline linking the first cylinder and the second cylinder of the cylinders of 2 linked continuous freezers is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Tomita, Sadayuki Kokubo, Kazumi Sakurai, Michio Ikeda, Mizuo Tsuda, Tsutomu Kudo
  • Patent number: 5393394
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for decomposing organic halogen-containing compounds by using ultraviolet radiation. In the decomposition method, the organic halogen-containing compound is dissolved in a solvent to form a liquid, and the liquid is exposed to ultraviolet radiation in the substantial absence of alkaline material. Then, the liquid is treated with an alkaline material. The decomposition apparatus for the organic halogen-containing compound comprises: preparation means for preparing a liquid containing the organic halogen-containing compound and a solvent in which the organic halogen-containing compound can be dissolved; exposure means for exposing the liquid to light radiation of an effective wavelength for initiating decomposition of the organic halogen-containing compound in the substantial absence of an alkaline material; and treatment means for treating the liquid with an alkaline material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Michio Ikeda, Miho Suzuki, Norio Takeyama, Terunobu Hayata