Patents by Inventor Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI

Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI 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: 11891043
    Abstract: A control system includes: a plurality of sub-power managers that control respective output power of a plurality of subsystems that actualize functions of the vehicle; and an integrated power manager that performs integrated control of output power in the overall vehicle by exchanging information with the plurality of sub-power managers. The information that is exchanged between the plurality of sub-power managers and the integrated power manager includes information that enables calculation of a physical quantity that is expressed by at least either of a power dimension and an energy dimension. The plurality of subsystems respectively corresponds to a plurality of domains that each include one or more apparatuses and a storage unit. The integrated power manager plans a stored energy quantity of the storage unit in each of the domains that respectively correspond to the plurality of sub-power managers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaro Ito, Mitsuharu Higashitani
  • Publication number: 20230316171
    Abstract: In an information device for providing information about one or more chargers for charging a rechargeable battery of a vehicle, a first acquisition unit configured to acquire a maximum amount of power chargeable to the rechargeable battery, and a second acquisition unit configured to acquire a specification of each of the one or more chargers in a vicinity of the vehicle. A selection unit is configured to select at least one recommended charger from the one or more chargers based on the maximum amount of power and the specification of each of the one or more chargers in the vicinity of the vehicle. A notification unit is configured to provide a notification of the selected at least one recommended charger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu SHIGYO, Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI, Noriaki IKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 11735947
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a generator, a battery, a detector, and a controller. The generator is configured to generate electrical power based on power transmitted from an engine of the vehicle. The battery is chargeable with the electrical power generated by the generator. The detector detects the state of charge of the battery. The controller is configured to perform autonomous driving control of the vehicle. The controller restricts operation of equipment of the vehicle when an error is detected in the detector, in comparison with when the detector is normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaro Ito, Mitsuharu Higashitani, Tomomi Hase
  • Publication number: 20230234476
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a storage battery that stores therein electric power that is supplied from an external power supply apparatus and a rotating electric machine that is driven by electric power from the storage battery. The control apparatus includes a temperature adjusting unit that adjusts a temperature of the storage battery. The temperature adjusting unit performs an internal temperature adjustment process that is a process for adjusting the temperature of the storage battery using energy other than the electric power supplied from the power supply apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI, Masakatsu SHIGYO, Noriaki IKEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230234467
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls charging of a vehicle from a power supply apparatus. The power supply apparatus is capable of simultaneously connecting a plurality of vehicles by at least one cable. The vehicle includes a storage battery that stores therein electric power that is supplied and a temperature regulator that adjusts a temperature of the storage battery. The control apparatus includes a power adjusting unit and a timing adjusting unit. The power adjusting unit adjusts electric power that is supplied to the vehicle. The timing adjusting unit adjusts each of a timing at which charging of each of the plurality of vehicles is performed and a timing at which the temperature regulator of each each of the plurality of vehicles is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu SHIGYO, Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI, Noriaki IKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 11708081
    Abstract: A control device of an automatic drive vehicle includes: an information acquisition unit that acquires power generator information as information on a power generator provided in the automatic drive vehicle; an operation control unit that switches between a first state in which automatic driving of the automatic drive vehicle is executed without restriction and a second state in which the automatic driving is partially or entirely restricted; and a determination unit that determines whether to perform switching to the second state by the operation control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto, Tomomi Hase
  • Patent number: 11625049
    Abstract: A control apparatus that controls a plurality of vehicles performing platoon travelling is provided. Each of the vehicles is provided with an inter-vehicle communication apparatus that performs an inter-vehicle communication with an other vehicle included in a column of the platoon travelling. At least some of the vehicles is provided with an external communication apparatus that performs an external communication based on own identification information given by a telecommunication company. The control apparatus is configured to control respective vehicles such that the number of vehicles capable of simultaneously performing the external communication is less than the number of vehicles included in the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Hase, Hirofumi Kano, Mitsuharu Higashitani
  • Patent number: 11603000
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus includes a processor programmed to detect a state of each of a plurality of power sources constituting a power source system, the power source system supplying power to the autonomous driving system, and set a fail operation mode corresponding to whether the detected state of each of the plurality of power source is a state configured to supply an amount of power necessary for a safety of autonomous driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Hase, Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 11590821
    Abstract: A temperature adjusting apparatus is provided in a vehicle capable of performing an automatic driving. The temperature adjusting apparatus includes: an automatic driving determination unit that determines whether or not an automatic driving control is operating in the vehicle; a cabin temperature acquiring unit that acquires a cabin temperature in a vehicle cabin of the vehicle; and a cabin temperature adjusting unit that adjusts the cabin temperature. The cabin temperature adjusting unit is configured to control, when the automatic driving determination unit determines that the automatic driving control is operating in the vehicle and the cabin temperature acquired by the cabin temperature acquiring unit exceeds a predetermined range, temperature adjusting means provided in the vehicle, thereby executing a temperature adjusting control to adjust the cabin temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto, Tomomi Hase
  • Patent number: 11520336
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic-driving vehicle includes a fall detecting unit and a collision preventing unit. The fall detecting unit detects that a load of the automatic-driving vehicle has fallen onto a road. The collision preventing unit performs a collision prevention process that is a process to prevent another vehicle from colliding with the load when the fall detecting unit detects that the load has fallen onto the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Hase, Noriaki Ikemoto, Mitsuharu Higashitani
  • Patent number: 11427212
    Abstract: An autonomous driving control system is configured to perform autonomous driving of a vehicle. The autonomous driving control system includes: an electric power supply circuit including a plurality of electric power supplies, electric power supply lines respectively belonging to a plurality of systems and a relay device; a fault detector configured to detect a fault state of the relay device; an electric power supply controller configured to control the electric power supply circuit; and an autonomous driving control unit provided to control the autonomous driving of the vehicle. The autonomous driving control unit is configured to perform, upon detection by the fault detector of occurrence of a fault corresponding to a specific fault pattern in the relay device, a restricted autonomous driving control in which part of a control function of the autonomous driving is restricted compared to when no fault corresponding to the specific fault pattern is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto, Tomomi Hase
  • Publication number: 20220258714
    Abstract: A control system controls power supply in a vehicle. The control system includes sub-power managers and an integrated power manager. The sub-power managers control respective output power of a plurality of subsystems that actualize functions of the vehicle. The integrated power manager performs integrated control of output power in the overall vehicle by exchanging information with the plurality of sub-power managers. The information that is exchanged between the plurality of sub-power managers and the integrated power manager includes information that enables calculation of a physical quantity that is expressed by at least either of a power dimension and an energy dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI, Noriaki IKEMOTO, Masakatsu SHIGYO, Yutaro ITO
  • Publication number: 20220258715
    Abstract: A control system includes: a plurality of sub-power managers that control respective output power of a plurality of subsystems that actualize functions of the vehicle; and an integrated power manager that performs integrated control of output power in an overall vehicle by exchanging information. The plurality of subsystems respectively corresponds to a plurality of domains that include one or apparatuses and a storage unit. Information that is exchanged between the plurality of sub-power managers and the integrated power manager is information that enables calculation of a physical quantity that is expressed by at least either of a power dimension and an energy dimension. The integrated power manager determines an input/output-power limit value of each subsystem by performing arbitration of requested power values that are received from the sub-power managers based on subsystem priority levels that are priority levels of the plurality of subsystems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu SHIGYO, Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI, Noriaki IKEMOTO, Yutaro ITO
  • Publication number: 20220258713
    Abstract: A control system includes: a plurality of sub-power managers that control respective output power of a plurality of subsystems that actualize functions of the vehicle; and an integrated power manager that performs integrated control of output power in the overall vehicle by exchanging information with the plurality of sub-power managers. The information that is exchanged between the plurality of sub-power managers and the integrated power manager includes information that enables calculation of a physical quantity that is expressed by at least either of a power dimension and an energy dimension. The plurality of subsystems respectively corresponds to a plurality of domains that each include one or more apparatuses and a storage unit. The integrated power manager plans a stored energy quantity of the storage unit in each of the domains that respectively correspond to the plurality of sub-power managers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaro ITO, Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI
  • Patent number: 11348346
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for an automated driving vehicle, a receiving unit receives an external start signal that is a signal for starting automated driving in the automated driving vehicle and is transmitted from outside the automated driving vehicle. A control unit performs processes required for automated driving. A person determining unit determines whether a person is present inside a vehicle cabin of the automated driving vehicle. An operating unit is provided inside the vehicle cabin and receives a single or a plurality of operations for starting automated driving in the automated driving vehicle. In response to the person determining unit determining that a person is present inside the vehicle cabin, the control unit does not start automated driving even when the receiving unit receives the external start signal and starts automated driving only when an operation on the operating unit is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto, Tomomi Hase
  • Publication number: 20220161667
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus includes a processor programmed to detect a state of each of a plurality of power sources constituting a power source system, the power source system supplying power to the autonomous driving system, and set a fail operation mode corresponding to whether the detected state of each of the plurality of power source is a state configured to supply an amount of power necessary for a safety of autonomous driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi HASE, Mitsuharu HIGASHITANI, Noriaki IKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 11325480
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus includes a state detection unit that detects whether each of at least three power sources of the autonomous driving system including one or more electricity storage devices and one or more power generators is in a normal state or in a malfunctioning state; and a mode setting unit that sets a fail operation mode corresponding to a type of at least one of the power sources upon determination that the at least one of the power sources is in the malfunctioning state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Hase, Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 11314257
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic-driving vehicle includes a load state detecting unit and a collision preventing unit. The load state detecting unit detects a load state of the other vehicle that is present in a periphery of the automatic-driving vehicle. The collision preventing unit performs a collision prevention process based on the load state detected by the load state detecting unit. The collision prevention process is a process for preventing, in advance, collision of an automatic-driving vehicle with a load that may fall onto a road from the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Hase, Noriaki Ikemoto, Mitsuharu Higashitani
  • Patent number: 11292441
    Abstract: An ECU operating as a vehicle control device, to be mounted on a truck tractor, has a hauling determination part and an automatic driving control part. The truck tractor is hauling/pulling a trailer. The hauling determination part detects whether the trailer is hauled by the truck tractor. The automatic driving control part switches an automatic driving mode between a first automatic driving mode and a second automatic driving mode on the basis of a detection result of the hauling determination part. The first automatic driving mode represents a situation in which the truck tractor is not hauling/pulling the trailer. The second automatic driving mode represents a situation in which the truck tractor is hauling/pulling the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto, Tomomi Hase
  • Patent number: 11279242
    Abstract: A travel control apparatus includes a state detection unit that detects whether each of at least three power sources of the autonomous driving system including one or more electricity storage devices and one or more power generators is in a normal state or in a malfunctioning state; and a mode setting unit that sets a fail operation mode corresponding to a type of at least one of the power sources upon determination that the at least one of the power sources is in the malfunctioning state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Hase, Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto