Patents by Inventor Mitsuo Shimotani

Mitsuo Shimotani 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: 11227499
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving assistance apparatus. The driving assistance apparatus according to the present invention includes: a subject vehicle information acquisition unit to acquire subject vehicle information; a non-subject vehicle information acquisition unit to acquire non-subject vehicle information; an object generation unit to generate, based on the subject vehicle information and the non-subject vehicle information, a travel location object indicating at least one of a location where the subject vehicle is currently to travel and a location where the subject vehicle is currently not to travel when the subject vehicle merges or changes lanes from a lane in which the subject vehicle travels to a lane in which the non-subject vehicle travels; and a display controller to perform control to display, in accordance with travel of the subject vehicle, the travel location object superimposed on scenery around the subject vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruhiko Wakayanagi, Mitsuo Shimotani
  • Publication number: 20220012313
    Abstract: A preliminary operation detector in an in-vehicle information apparatus detects a preliminary operation of an operation performed by a passenger of a vehicle on a screen of a display, the screen being installed in the vehicle. An operator identifier identifies, as an operator, the passenger who has performed the preliminary operation. The controller identifies a mobile terminal of the operator, and displays, on the screen, a cooperation start icon corresponding to the mobile terminal of the operator. A controller starts a cooperative operation with the mobile terminal of the operator when an operation detector detects an operation performed by the operator on the cooperation start icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadashi MIYAHARA, Mitsuo SHIMOTANI
  • Publication number: 20220001900
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a driver abnormality response device determining, when an abnormality of a driver occurs, whether the driver has an intention to allow a service facility to perform remote operation on a vehicle. The driver abnormality response device includes a driver abnormality acquisition unit and a controller. The driver abnormality acquisition unit acquires an abnormal condition of the driver of the vehicle. Based on the abnormal condition of the driver, the controller performs an intention check sequence to check whether the driver has the intention to allow the service facility capable of performing the remote operation on control of driving of the vehicle to perform the remote operation. Based on a result of the intention check sequence, the controller authorizes the service facility to perform the remote operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo SHIMOTANI, Tadashi MIYAHARA
  • Patent number: 11173926
    Abstract: An operation authority management apparatus manages switching between automatic operation and manual operation of a plurality of actuators (a steering actuator, an accelerator actuator, and a brake actuator) of a subject vehicle. In the operation authority management apparatus, a subject vehicle behavior prediction unit predicts a behavior of the subject vehicle. A determination unit determines, for each individual actuator, whether or not to permit switching of the actuator during the automatic operation to the manual operation on the basis of the behavior of the subject vehicle predicted by the subject vehicle behavior prediction unit. A notification unit notifies a driver of the subject vehicle of a determination result made by the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadashi Miyahara, Mitsuo Shimotani, Naohiko Obata, Yoshitaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11175662
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to correct a travel plan of a vehicle so as to cause a self-vehicle to move to a relative position with lower travel risk. A travel plan correction device in accordance with the present invention includes a risk calculation section setting unit for setting a risk calculation section, a risk calculation unit for calculating a travel risk value, on the basis of a relative position between a target area and a surrounding vehicle and travel control information of the surrounding vehicle, a risk reduction section extraction unit for extracting a section whose travel risk value is lower than that at a traveling spot, out of the risk calculation section, as a risk reduction section, and a travel plan correction unit for correcting the travel plan so as to cause the self-vehicle to move to the risk reduction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kimihiko Izaki, Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Yoshinori Ueno, Tadashi Miyahara, Naohiko Obata
  • Publication number: 20210333123
    Abstract: The output timing of the guidance information about a guide point in which the occurrence of a light irradiation state in which the driver of a vehicle feels dazzled is predicted is changed to a second timing earlier than a first timing predetermined for the guide point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Ebina, Mitsuo Shimotani
  • Publication number: 20210284202
    Abstract: Included are: a timing determining unit for determining timing for preparing for transfer of driving authority to a driver on the basis of current position information of the vehicle, route information of the vehicle, and vehicle information of the vehicle; an awakening level calculating unit for calculating an awakening level of an occupant on the basis of occupant information; an authority transfer determining unit for determining whether the transfer of the driving authority is allowed on the basis of the calculated awakening level; and a vehicle state controlling unit for performing control to change a state of the vehicle before switching to the manual driving is announced to the occupant of the vehicle when it is determined that the transfer of the driving authority is not allowed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki FURUMOTO, Mitsuo SHIMOTANI
  • Patent number: 11084501
    Abstract: An automatic driving control plan creator creates a plan of an automatic driving section where a subject vehicle is automatically driven, and a plan of a driving switching preparation section for switching the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving. A driving load calculator predicts, for each point of the driving switching preparation section, a driving load applied to a driver when the driver manually drives the subject vehicle. A driving switching permission determiner extracts, from the driving switching preparation section, a switching-inhibited section that is a section where switching from automatic driving to manual driving is not permitted, on the basis of the predicted driving load at each point. A driving switching preparation section compensator changes a start point of the driving switching preparation section so as to lengthen the driving switching preparation section in accordance with the length of the switching-inhibited section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ueno, Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Naohiko Obata, Tadashi Miyahara, Tomohiro Shiino
  • Publication number: 20210216066
    Abstract: The present invention has an object of reducing the number of resident operators in a remote driving system. A driving plan generating apparatus includes: a section selector selecting, as a selected section, at least one incompletely automated driving section; a reservation unit sounding out on reservation of a remote operation of a vehicle in the selected section; and a drive planning unit generating, based on a result of the reservation, a driving plan specifying as a driving mode of the vehicle in the selected section one of a remote driving mode in which a driving control apparatus performs at least a part of driving tasks through the remote operation performed by an operator outside the vehicle and an incompletely automated driving mode in which the driving control apparatus performs at least the part of driving tasks through an operation of a passenger in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo SHIMOTANI, Tadashi MIYAHARA
  • Patent number: 11040722
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a technology of determining whether a driver is prepared for transfer of driving authorization, and then determining whether transfer of driving authorization is acceptable or unacceptable. The present invention is intended for a driving authorization transfer determination device. The device includes a task request part that makes an output device inside the vehicle output a request for a task involving continuous speech or body movement for a predetermined period of time, a task acquisition part that acquires an accomplishment result of the task from an input device inside the vehicle, a transfer determination part that determines whether the transfer is acceptable or unacceptable based on the accomplishment result of the task, and a determination result output part that outputs a determination result of the transfer determination part to the automated driving controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadashi Miyahara, Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Naohiko Obata
  • Publication number: 20210163013
    Abstract: In a peripheral-information determining apparatus, a peripheral-information acquiring unit acquires peripheral information indicating circumstances around a subject vehicle, from a peripheral-information detector that detects the circumstances around the subject vehicle. An intention estimating unit estimates, from person movement information, an intention of a person around the subject vehicle or an instruction of an indicator around the subject vehicle. The person movement information is included in the peripheral information, and is a piece of information that indicates a movement of the person, or a movement of the indicator that imitates a person's movement. A controller controls a travel controller or an outward-notification apparatus on the basis of the peripheral information and an estimated result that is obtained from the intention estimating unit. The travel controller controls the traveling of the subject vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori UENO, Naohiko OBATA, Mitsuo SHIMOTANI, Yoshitaka NAKAMURA, Tadashi MIYAHARA
  • Patent number: 11009873
    Abstract: An automatic driving control plan creation unit creates a plan of an automatic driving section in which a subject vehicle is automatically driven, and a plan of a driving switching preparation section for switching the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving. For each point in the driving switching preparation section, a driving load calculation unit calculates a driving load applied to a driver when the driver manually drives the subject vehicle. A driving switching permission determination unit permits switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the driving load is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and does not permit switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the driving load is equal to or larger than the threshold value. A permission standard relaxation unit makes the driving load difficult to exceed the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ueno, Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Naohiko Obata, Tadashi Miyahara, Tomohiro Shiino
  • Publication number: 20210129751
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to encourage a driver to visually recognize a direction from the side and rear of a vehicle and requiring visual recognition by the driver at a complicated intersection. A side and rear reflection controller of the present invention includes: a geometry recognition unit that recognizes the geometry of an intersection having same direction entry lanes; a position recognition unit that recognizes the position of the own vehicle relative to the intersection; a visibility direction setting unit that sets a part from the side and rear of the own vehicle as a recommended visibility direction on the basis of the position of the own vehicle relative to the intersection and the same direction entry lanes; and a control unit that controls the side and rear reflection display device so as to present an image in the recommended visibility direction to the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo SHIMOTANI, Yoshitaka NAKAMURA, Yoshiharu ASAGA
  • Patent number: 10974764
    Abstract: Disclosed is a parking assist device (100) including a parking assist control unit (5) that performs parking assist for a host vehicle (1) by using a first sensor (4) for parking assist disposed in the host vehicle (1), and a guide display control unit (25) that causes a display device (20) to display a guide display based on a first effective detection range (AL, AR) of the first sensor (4) in a state in which the guide display is superimposed on a front view with respect to the host vehicle (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Inoue, Mitsuo Shimotani, Tadashi Miyahara
  • Patent number: 10967879
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to implement, at a low hardware cost, a device that changes an autonomous driving control parameter whose step size is variably set. An autonomous driving control parameter changing device according to the present invention includes, a gesture operation acquisition unit that acquires information on a gesture operation for moving the operation target icon, a parameter changing unit that changes the autonomous driving control parameter in an increase or decrease direction defined in association with a movement direction in which the operation target icon is moved, and a step size setting unit that variably sets a step size based on a predetermined condition, the step size corresponding to an amount of change in the autonomous driving control parameter made by the parameter changing unit per occurrence of the gesture operation, and the change operation screen includes a display of the step size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Tadashi Miyahara, Naohiko Obata, Tsutomu Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20210094464
    Abstract: An object is to provide a light-irradiation technique that are capable of making the driver of a vehicle around a vehicle platoon aware of changes in the vehicle configuration of the vehicle platoon. During no changes in the vehicle configuration of a vehicle platoon, a controller performs control in such a manner that an irradiation device of the vehicle casts light in a steady-state mode common in the vehicle platoon. In a process where the vehicle merges with another of the vehicle alone or another of the vehicle platoon, the controller performs control in such a manner that the irradiation device of the merging vehicle casts light in a transition mode. In a process where the vehicle leaves the vehicle platoon, the controller performs control in such a manner that the irradiation device of the leaving vehicle casts light in the transition mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro AONO, Mitsuo SHIMOTANI
  • Publication number: 20210070175
    Abstract: In a display control unit, an information acquisition unit acquires first information and second information. A display processing unit causes a first display surface provided in a subject vehicle to display the first information, and causes a second display surface provided in the subject vehicle to display the second information. A lens control unit sets a virtual image distance of the first display surface by controlling a first liquid crystal lens arranged in front of the first display surface based on a type of the first information, and sets a virtual image distance of the second display surface by controlling a second liquid crystal lens arranged in front of the second display surface based on a type of the second information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo SHIMOTANI, Yoshitaka NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 10933745
    Abstract: A display control apparatus controls a display used in a vehicle which can travel with automatic driving. The display control apparatus includes an information acquirer and a controller. The information acquirer acquires information of a travel control plan generated by an automatic driving control device of the vehicle. The controller acquires a future position which is a position of the vehicle after an elapse of a predetermined time from a current position of the vehicle from a future movement of the vehicle planned by the travel control plan, and controls the display so that a user is visually provided with the future position of the vehicle by overlapping a vehicle object which is a display object imitating a vehicle shape with a landscape relating to the future position which is acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Tadashi Miyahara, Naohiko Obata
  • Patent number: 10885788
    Abstract: An object of the present invention to provide a notification control apparatus and a method for controlling notification that achieve display to a notification target with improved accuracy. A notification control apparatus in the present invention includes the following: an attribute detecting unit that detects an attribute of an object located around a subject vehicle; an input recognizing unit that recognizes an input message entered by the driver of the subject vehicle; a message converting unit that converts, in accordance with the attribute detected by the attribute detecting unit, the input message recognized by the input recognizing unit into a notification message indicating the same meaning as the input message; and a road projection controller that controls projection of the notification message converted by the message converting unit onto at least part of a road located around the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadashi Miyahara, Mitsuo Shimotani, Naohiko Obata, Yoshinori Ueno, Yuji Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10878772
    Abstract: Provided is a technique for preventing excessive determination that control in a display control apparatus is abnormal. A control test apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a controller. The controller determines, whenever necessary, on the basis of a second image that is output from the display control apparatus and first test data that is acquired in the acquisition unit, whether the control in the display control apparatus over the display apparatus is abnormal. The controller stops the determination until a predetermined time elapses from a first time point, the predetermined time being equal to or greater than a time from the first time point at which the first test data is input to the controller to a second time point at which the second image is input to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Tanaka, Haruhiko Wakayanagi, Mitsuo Shimotani