Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Tokimasa

Mitsuhiro Tokimasa 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: 10392015
    Abstract: A vehicle control device mounted on the own vehicle and configured to control the own vehicle according to the position of another vehicle ahead of the own vehicle. The vehicle control device comprises an estimated course calculation means calculating an estimated course of the own vehicle; a setting means setting a parameter indicating whether the other vehicle is in the path of the own vehicle based on the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle in a lateral direction orthogonal to the estimated course of the own vehicle; a determination means determining whether the other vehicle is a leading vehicle in the path of the own vehicle based on the parameter; and a changing means changing the likelihood of being determined as the leading vehicle when the estimated course is a curve, based on the estimated course and the position of the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jin Kurumisawa, Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Toyoharu Katsukura, Yoshihisa Ogata, Takeshi Nanami, Takashi Nishida
  • Patent number: 10380424
    Abstract: Provided is an object detection device (13) using a detection means (11) to transmit probe waves, receive reflected waves from an object (50) in a detection range, and acquire, as first detection information on the object, a position based on the reflected waves, to detect the object. The device includes an image information acquisition means, determination region setting means, and an object locating means. The image information acquisition means acquires, as second detection information on the object, a position based on an image of an area within the detection range, the image being captured by an image capturing means (12). The determination region setting means sets a determination region in the detection range. The object locating means locates the object, based on the first detection information, if pieces of the first and second detection information are present in the determination region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Toyoharu Katsukura, Yoshihisa Ogata, Youhei Masui, Taku Sakima, Takeshi Nanami, Takashi Nishida
  • Patent number: 10343696
    Abstract: Travel control of vehicle is performed in a state where the axis deviation of radar device has occurred, is avoided. A travel control restriction-use ECU is for restricting or prohibiting execution of travel control of vehicle based on detection result obtained by radar device, travel control restriction-use ECU includes a determining unit configured to determine whether an axis deviation has occurred in the radar device based on detection result obtained by radar device, when detection device, which is configured to detect switch on operation and switch off operation with respect to activation switch of vehicle, detects switch on operation with respect to activation switch of vehicle; and restricting unit configured to restrict or prohibit execution of travel control, during period from when switch on operation is performed with respect to activation switch of vehicle to when determination of whether axis deviation has occurred is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Nishida, Takeshi Nanami, Youhei Masui, Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Toyoharu Katsukura
  • Publication number: 20190193739
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus performs during-following control in which, when a direction indicator of an own vehicle is operated during traveling in which a preceding vehicle is followed, the own vehicle is accelerated in conjunction with the operation of the direction indicator. An adjacent vehicle selecting unit selects, from other vehicles present ahead of the own vehicle, an adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the own vehicle based on a lateral position that is a relative position relative to the own vehicle in a direction orthogonal to a travelling direction of the own vehicle and a relative distance to the own vehicle in the travelling direction. An acceleration control unit performs acceleration of the own vehicle by the during-following control based on whether or not the adjacent vehicle is selected when the direction indicator is operated during following-traveling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Takuma SUDO, Takashi MAEDA, Takeshi NANAMI, Minoru NAKADORI
  • Publication number: 20190180117
    Abstract: A roadside object recognition apparatus recognizes a roadside object that is present on a travel route on which an own vehicle travels. The roadside object is used for driving control of the vehicle. In the roadside object recognition apparatus, a reflection point acquiring unit acquires, using a radar that emits electromagnetic waves, a reflection-point group of reflection points of the electromagnetic waves reflected by an object that is present on the travel route. An image acquiring unit acquires an image of the travel route using a camera. A reflection point correcting unit corrects the reflection-point group by removing an erroneous reflection point that is determined to be highly likely not to be a reflection point of a roadside object from the reflection-point group through image processing of the image. A shape recognizing unit recognizes a shape of the roadside object using the corrected reflection-point group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya OKADA, Shunya KUMANO, Takumi UEMATSU, Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA
  • Publication number: 20190171896
    Abstract: A reliability calculation apparatus calculates a reliability of a recognized object that is recognized as being present on a route on which a vehicle travels. The reliability of the recognized object is used for driving control of the vehicle. In the reliability calculation apparatus, a provisional reliability calculating unit determines a feature quantity of each of a plurality of recognized objects, selects a plurality of pairs of recognized objects from the plurality of recognized objects, determines a difference in feature quantity of each pair of recognized objects, and calculates a reliability that decreases as the difference in feature quantity increases as a provisional reliability of each pair of recognized objects. An integrated reliability calculating unit calculates an integrated reliability of each recognized object from the provisional reliabilities of the plurality of pairs of recognized objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya OKADA, Shunya KUMANO, Hiroaki NIINO, Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Takumi UEMATSU
  • Publication number: 20190168757
    Abstract: When a turn signal of an own vehicle is operated when following a preceding vehicle, a vehicle control device performs a preceding vehicle following control to accelerate the own vehicle interlocking with the operation of the turn signal. The vehicle control device includes: an adjacent vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires adjacent vehicle information as information on an adjacent vehicle running in front of the own vehicle in an adjacent lane next to a running lane of the own vehicle; and an acceleration control unit that, when the turn signal of the own vehicle is operated, controls acceleration of the own vehicle based on the adjacent vehicle information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Takuma SUDO, Takashi MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20180178793
    Abstract: A driving control device has a target-following driving control part performing a target-following driving control of a preceding vehicle in front of a vehicle, and a target acceleration setting part setting a target acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle to maintain a inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle within a target inter-vehicle distance during the target-following driving control. The target acceleration setting part increases the target deceleration of the vehicle according to increasing of a difference between the inter-vehicle distance and the target inter-vehicle distance. A deceleration correction part increases the target deceleration when a period during which the preceding vehicle has been continuously recognized is more than a predetermined period and the inter-vehicle distance is less than a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Takuma Sudo, Takashi Maeda, Naoki Kusumoto
  • Publication number: 20180050705
    Abstract: Travel control of vehicle is performed in a state where the axis deviation of radar device has occurred, is avoided. A travel control restriction-use ECU is for restricting or prohibiting execution of travel control of vehicle based on detection result obtained by radar device, travel control restriction-use ECU includes a determining unit configured to determine whether an axis deviation has occurred in the radar device based on detection result obtained by radar device, when detection device, which is configured to detect switch on operation and switch off operation with respect to activation switch of vehicle, detects switch on operation with respect to activation switch of vehicle; and restricting unit configured to restrict or prohibit execution of travel control, during period from when switch on operation is performed with respect to activation switch of vehicle to when determination of whether axis deviation has occurred is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi NISHIDA, Takeshi NANAMI, Youhei MASUI, Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Toyoharu KATSUKURA
  • Publication number: 20180015923
    Abstract: A vehicle control device mounted on the own vehicle and configured to control the own vehicle according to the position of another vehicle ahead of the own vehicle. The vehicle control device comprises an estimated course calculation means calculating an estimated course of the own vehicle; a setting means setting a parameter indicating whether the other vehicle is in the path of the own vehicle based on the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle in a lateral direction orthogonal to the estimated course of the own vehicle; a determination means determining whether the other vehicle is a leading vehicle in the path of the own vehicle based on the parameter; and a changing means changing the likelihood of being determined as the leading vehicle when the estimated course is a curve, based on the estimated course and the position of the other vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Jin KURUMISAWA, Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Toyoharu KATSUKURA, Yoshihisa OGATA, Takeshi NANAMI, Takashi NISHIDA
  • Patent number: 9868441
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target that is a reflecting portion of the preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, a controller is configured to implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on an inter-vehicle distance between a rear end of the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle acquired from the detected distance. A control switcher is configured to, when target information for identifying the rear end of the preceding vehicle becomes unacquirable during implementation of the inter-vehicle distance control, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control and make a switch to the direct operation by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Publication number: 20170330033
    Abstract: Provided is an object detection device (13) using a detection means (11) to transmit probe waves, receive reflected waves from an object (50) in a detection range, and acquire, as first detection information on the object, a position based on the reflected waves, to detect the object. The device includes an image information acquisition means, determination region setting means, and an object locating means. The image information acquisition means acquires, as second detection information on the object, a position based on an image of an area within the detection range, the image being captured by an image capturing means (12). The determination region setting means sets a determination region in the detection range. The object locating means locates the object, based on the first detection information, if pieces of the first and second detection information are present in the determination region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Toyoharu KATSUKURA, Yoshihisa OGATA, Youhei MASUI, Taku SAKIMA, Takeshi NANAMI, Takashi NISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170326980
    Abstract: A cruise control apparatus controls travel of an own vehicle based on a predicted course which is a future travel course of the own vehicle. The cruise control apparatus includes a first predicted course calculating unit and a second predicted course calculating unit, as a plurality of course prediction means for calculating a predicted course, and is provided with a course change determination unit for determining whether a change in the course is to be performed and a prediction switching unit which performs switching to enable one of a first predicted course calculated by the first predicted course calculating unit and a second predicted course calculated by the second predicted course calculation unit, the switching being based on a result of determination made by the course change determination unit as to whether a change in the course is to be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Youhei MASUI, Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Toyoharu KATSUKURA, Takeshi NANAMI, Takashi NISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170327123
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted to an own vehicle to control the own vehicle according to the position of other vehicle ahead of the own vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a setting means setting a parameter indicating whether the other vehicle is in the path of the own vehicle, based on the position of the other vehicle relative to the own vehicle in a lateral direction perpendicular to the path of the own vehicle, a determining means determining whether the other vehicle is in the path of the own vehicle, based on the parameter, an acquisition means acquiring a lane width that is the width of the lane the own vehicle is traveling, and an adjustment means changing the correspondence between the relative position and the parameter, based on the lane width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Toyoharu KATSUKURA, Yoshihisa OGATA, Youhei MASUI, Taku SAKIMA, Takeshi NANAMI, Takashi NISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170327115
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted to an own vehicle to control the own vehicle according to a position of other vehicle ahead of the own vehicle is provided. The device includes a setting means setting a parameter indicating a position of the other vehicle relative to the own vehicle in a lateral direction perpendicular to the path of the own vehicle, a determination means determining whether the other vehicle is in the path of the own vehicle based on the parameter, a detection means detecting whether a relative movement has been made in the lateral direction by at least one of the own vehicle and the other vehicle, and a correction means correcting the parameter when a relative movement has been made in the lateral direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOKIMASA, Toyoharu KATSUKURA, Yoshihisa OGATA, Youhei MASUI, Taku SAKIMA, Takeshi NANAMI, Takashi NISHIDA
  • Patent number: 9783196
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, an offset storage is configured to calculate an offset that is a difference between detected distances to first and second targets, and store the offset associated with the first target forward of the second target. The inter-vehicle distance control may be implemented based on a distance calculated by subtracting the offset from the detected distance to the first target. An offset updater is configured to determine whether or not a relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, and when the relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, update the offset stored by the offset storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Patent number: 9266534
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target of the preceding vehicle. A target-pair distance is a distance between the target and a non-target reflection point that is closer to the subject vehicle than the target. A corrected distance calculator is configured to, in the presence of the target-pair distance being recognized, calculate a first corrected distance by subtracting the target-pair distance from a detected distance between the target and the subject vehicle, and in the absence of the target-pair distance being recognized, calculate a second corrected distance by subtracting an offset that is the previously set target-pair distance from the detected distance. A controller is configured to implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on the first or second corrected distance depending on the presence or absence of the target-pair distance being recognized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignees: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Patent number: 9260115
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target that is a reflecting portion of the preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, a distance estimator is configured to calculate an estimated distance as an inter-vehicle distance between a rear end of the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle based on an inter-vehicle distance variation calculated based on a relative speed of the target. A target determiner is configured to determine whether or not the target is displaced forward of the rear end of the preceding vehicle. A controller is configured to, when the target of the preceding vehicle is displaced forward of the rear end of the preceding vehicle, implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on the estimated distance calculated by the distance estimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Patent number: 9260114
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, an offset storage is configured to calculate an offset that is a difference between detected distances to first and second targets, and store the offset associated with the first target forward of the second target. The inter-vehicle distance control may be implemented based on a distance calculated by subtracting the offset from the detected distance to the first target. An offset eraser is configured to, based on the presence or absence of relative displacement between the first and second targets, determine whether or not the first and second targets belong to different vehicles, and when the first and second targets belong to different vehicles, erase the offset stored by the offset storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Publication number: 20160009284
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, an offset storage is configured to calculate an offset that is a difference between detected distances to first and second targets, and store the offset associated with the first target forward of the second target. The inter-vehicle distance control may be implemented based on a distance calculated by subtracting the offset from the detected distance to the first target. An offset updater is configured to determine whether or not a relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, and when the relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, update the offset stored by the offset storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori