Patents by Inventor Munenori Matsumoto

Munenori Matsumoto 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: 11630194
    Abstract: A position determination system a determines whether a mobile terminal is present outside a vehicle compartment based on a reception strength of a radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal through a vehicle interior antenna and a reception strength of a radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal through a vehicle exterior antenna, and the vehicle exterior antenna is configured to be disposed in a predetermined region in a vicinity of a window of a vehicle in an outer surface portion of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Hidenori Osai, Kenichiro Sanji, Taichi Yamaguchi, Kazunari Nakamura, Munenori Matsumoto, Takashi Shinoda
  • Patent number: 11063347
    Abstract: An in-cabin communication system performs wireless communication between a vehicle and a portable terminal carried by an occupant. The in-cabin communication system includes: a vehicular device mounted to the vehicle; and a leaky coaxial cable that is connected to the vehicular device, and that outputs an electromagnetic wave having a predetermined wavelength according to a command from the vehicular device. The leaky coaxial cable is disposed inside a steel plate of a body of the vehicle. The leaky coaxial cable is disposed at a predetermined distance, which corresponds to an integer multiple of a half-wavelength of the predetermined wavelength, from the steel plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Munenori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11027701
    Abstract: A location determination system is provided. The location determination system includes a vehicle device mounted in a vehicle, and a mobile terminal provided as a communication terminal to be carried by a user of the vehicle and set to transmit a radio signal including transmission source information at least once within a predetermined period of time. The vehicle device may receive the radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal via an antenna disposed in the vehicle and detect a reception strength of the received radio signal. The vehicle device may determine, based on the reception strength of the radio signal detected by the reception portion, whether the mobile terminal is present inside a target area set in advance based on a position at which the antenna is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignees: SOKEN, INC., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro Sanji, Taichi Yamaguchi, Munenori Matsumoto, Noritaka Hirao
  • Patent number: 10893386
    Abstract: A reception strength detection unit is connected to reception antennas located in a vehicle compartment and detects a reception strength of a radio wave from a mobile terminal for each of the reception antennas. A reception determination unit is connected to an auxiliary antenna located at a predetermined position that is a blind spot of the reception antenna and determines whether the radio waves has been received by the auxiliary antenna. When the radio wave has not been received by the auxiliary antenna, an existence position calculation unit calculates an existence position of the mobile terminal based on the reception strength detected by the multiple reception antennas. When the radio wave is received by the auxiliary antenna, the existence position determination unit determines the predetermined position at which the auxiliary antenna receiving the radio wave is located as the existence position of the mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taichi Yamaguchi, Munenori Matsumoto, Kenichiro Sanji
  • Publication number: 20200233072
    Abstract: A position determination system a determines whether a mobile terminal is present outside a vehicle compartment based on a reception strength of a radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal through a vehicle interior antenna and a reception strength of a radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal through a vehicle exterior antenna, and the vehicle exterior antenna is configured to be disposed in a predetermined region in a vicinity of a window of a vehicle in an outer surface portion of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Hidenori OSAI, Kenichiro SANJI, Taichi YAMAGUCHI, Kazunari NAKAMURA, Munenori MATSUMOTO, Takashi SHINODA
  • Patent number: 10698075
    Abstract: A mobile-terminal detection apparatus that detects a location of a mobile terminal inside a vehicle cabin is provided. The mobile-terminal detection apparatus is configured to receive the radio wave through an interior antenna disposed inside the vehicle cabin; receive the radio wave through a leaky cable disposed inside the vehicle cabin; detect a time difference between a timing of reception of the radio wave from the mobile terminal through the interior antenna and a timing of reception of the radio wave through the leaky cable; and detect, based on the time difference, the location of the mobile terminal relative to a path over which the leaky cable is laid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Munenori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10604112
    Abstract: A control system includes: a transmission device that transmits a plurality of signals having different frequencies from one of a first communication unit mounted in a vehicle and a second communication unit mounted in a mobile device carried by a user in such a manner that the plurality of signals are combined to generate a predetermined composite signal in an area located at a distance from the first communication unit, the distance being not more than a predetermined distance; and a permission device that permits a predetermined action of the vehicle when the predetermined composite signal generated in the area from the plurality of signals transmitted by the transmission device is detected and an authentication signal transmitted by the second communication unit is authenticated as an authorized authentication signal for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Munenori Matsumoto, Yuki Tokunaga
  • Publication number: 20200036098
    Abstract: An in-cabin communication system performs wireless communication between a vehicle and a portable terminal carried by an occupant. The in-cabin communication system includes: a vehicular device mounted to the vehicle; and a leaky coaxial cable that is connected to the vehicular device, and that outputs an electromagnetic wave having a predetermined wavelength according to a command from the vehicular device. The leaky coaxial cable is disposed inside a steel plate of a body of the vehicle. The leaky coaxial cable is disposed at a predetermined distance, which corresponds to an integer multiple of a half-wavelength of the predetermined wavelength, from the steel plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventor: Munenori MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20190375372
    Abstract: A location determination system is provided. The location determination system includes a vehicle device mounted in a vehicle, and a mobile terminal provided as a communication terminal to be carried by a user of the vehicle and set to transmit a radio signal including transmission source information at least once within a predetermined period of time. The vehicle device may receive the radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal via an antenna disposed in the vehicle and detect a reception strength of the received radio signal. The vehicle device may determine, based on the reception strength of the radio signal detected by the reception portion, whether the mobile terminal is present inside a target area set in advance based on a position at which the antenna is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Kenichiro SANJI, Taichi YAMAGUCHI, Munenori MATSUMOTO, Noritaka HIRAO
  • Publication number: 20190363816
    Abstract: [Problem] A distance between one device and another device can be calculated without taking delay time on the other device into consideration by calculating an average value of propagation time between the two devices through bidirectional communication performed therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicants: QUADRAC Co., Ltd., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu Kusakabe, Fumio Kubono, Akihiko Yamagata, Munenori Matsumoto, Kazunari Nakamura, Taichi Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20190364391
    Abstract: A reception strength detection unit is connected to reception antennas located in a vehicle compartment and detects a reception strength of a radio wave from a mobile terminal for each of the reception antennas. A reception determination unit is connected to an auxiliary antenna located at a predetermined position that is a blind spot of the reception antenna and determines whether the radio waves has been received by the auxiliary antenna. When the radio wave has not been received by the auxiliary antenna, an existence position calculation unit calculates an existence position of the mobile terminal based on the reception strength detected by the multiple reception antennas. When the radio wave is received by the auxiliary antenna, the existence position determination unit determines the predetermined position at which the auxiliary antenna receiving the radio wave is located as the existence position of the mobile terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Taichi YAMAGUCHI, Munenori MATSUMOTO, Kenichiro SANJI
  • Publication number: 20190317181
    Abstract: A mobile-terminal detection apparatus that detects a location of a mobile terminal inside a vehicle cabin is provided. The mobile-terminal detection apparatus is configured to receive the radio wave through an interior antenna disposed inside the vehicle cabin; receive the radio wave through a leaky cable disposed inside the vehicle cabin; detect a time difference between a timing of reception of the radio wave from the mobile terminal through the interior antenna and a timing of reception of the radio wave through the leaky cable; and detect, based on the time difference, the location of the mobile terminal relative to a path over which the leaky cable is laid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventor: Munenori MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 9855917
    Abstract: A communication apparatus for communicating with both of a vehicle control device, which performs vehicle control preliminary set in a vehicle when authentication with an authentication device carried by a user is successful, and a portable device, which functions as the authentication device, the communication apparatus also functioning as the authentication device, the communication apparatus includes: a to-portable-device communicator that performs wireless communication with the portable device when performing authentication with the vehicle control device; and an authenticator that performs authentication with the vehicle control device when wireless communication with the portable device is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Katou, Munenori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9823335
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: an in-vehicle apparatus having a signal transmission unit that transmits different pulse pattern signals from multiple transmitting antennas; and a portable device having a receiving unit that receives the signals. The in-vehicle apparatus or the portable device includes a portable device position identification unit that identifies a position of the portable device according to the signals. The portable device includes a frequency-to-voltage conversion unit that outputs a voltage corresponding to a frequency of each signal. The portable device position identification unit includes: a first storage unit that preliminary stores voltage change patterns corresponding to the frequencies of the signals in relation to positions of the vehicle; and a first position estimation unit that compares the voltage change patterns of the frequency-to-voltage conversion unit with the voltage change patterns in the first storage unit, and estimates the position of the portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Munenori Matsumoto, Kouji Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9692133
    Abstract: In an antenna, a first element is connected to a GND of a feeder, on the same plane as a GND of a wireless circuit, and isolated from the GND of the wireless circuit. A second element is on the same plane as the GND of the wireless circuit and a first end connected to the first element and a second end as an open end. The third element has a first end connected to a power source of the feeder and located in a region occupied by the first element perpendicularly to the first element so that its first end source faces down. The fourth element has a first end connected to a second end of the third element and a second end as an open end, is parallel to the first element, and is perpendicular to a line connecting the first and second ends of the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Yuuji Kakuya, Munenori Matsumoto, Akira Takaoka, Toshifumi Shimoda, Takatoshi Sekizawa, Nobuya Watabe
  • Publication number: 20170144630
    Abstract: A communication apparatus for communicating with both of a vehicle control device, which performs vehicle control preliminary set in a vehicle when authentication with an authentication device carried by a user is successful, and a portable device, which functions as the authentication device, the communication apparatus also functioning as the authentication device, the communication apparatus includes: a to-portable-device communicator that performs wireless communication with the portable device when performing authentication with the vehicle control device; and an authenticator that performs authentication with the vehicle control device when wireless communication with the portable device is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Kenji KATOU, Munenori MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 9637086
    Abstract: In a smart system, an onboard system transmits a request signal. A portable device receives the request signal. An LF demodulation portion demodulates the request signal to acquire request data and returns an answer signal based on acquisition of the request data. The onboard system receives the answer signal and performs smart drive based on reception of the answer signal. The onboard system also transmits a specified counter-RA signal. A switching circuit of the portable device outputs the received counter-RA signal to a modulation portion while bypassing the LF demodulation portion. The modulation portion performs RF modulation using the counter-RA signal to acquire a counter-RA modulation signal and transmits the counter-RA modulation signal. When receiving the counter-RA modulation signal, the onboard system determines whether to allow or disallow the smart drive based on delay time of timing to receive the counter-RA modulation signal with reference to timing to transmit the counter-RA signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Sanji, Munenori Matsumoto, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 9599984
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle-mounted device mounted to a vehicle and a portable device portable by a user, and performs a control to the vehicle corresponding to a collation result performed based on a wireless communication established between the vehicle-mounted device and the portable device. The vehicle-mounted device includes a vehicle-mounted transmission unit which simultaneously transmits radio waves having a predetermined phase difference using at least two transmission antennas disposed orthogonal to each other. The portable device includes a triaxial reception antenna receiving the at least two radio waves, and a magnetic field strength detection unit detecting a magnetic field strength on each of three axes of the triaxial reception antenna. One of the vehicle-mounted device or the portable device includes an illicitness determination unit determining, based on the detected magnetic field strength, whether the wireless communication is established through an illicit repeater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Munenori Matsumoto, Koji Sakamoto, Kenji Katou, Yuki Tokunaga
  • Publication number: 20170008488
    Abstract: A control system includes: a transmission device that transmits a plurality of signals having different frequencies from one of a first communication unit mounted in a vehicle and a second communication unit mounted in a mobile device carried by a user in such a manner that the plurality of signals are combined to generate a predetermined composite signal in an area located at a distance from the first communication unit, the distance being not more than a predetermined distance; and a permission device that permits a predetermined action of the vehicle when the predetermined composite signal generated in the area from the plurality of signals transmitted by the transmission device is detected and an authentication signal transmitted by the second communication unit is authenticated as an authorized authentication signal for the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Munenori MATSUMOTO, Yuki TOKUNAGA
  • Patent number: 9531340
    Abstract: A communication device changes an applied voltage output from a voltage circuit, and allows a capacitance measuring device to measure the respective capacitance values of a variable capacitance element before and after a change in the applied voltage. The communication device calculates a voltage correction value for correcting an initial variation of the capacitance value of the variable capacitance element using the respective capacitance values of the variable capacitance element before and after the change in the applied voltage, and respective applied voltage values before and after the change, and a correction voltage for canceling the initial variation in the capacitance value of the variable capacitance element, and outputs the correction voltage from the voltage circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Saitou, Akira Takaoka, Nobuya Watabe, Takatoshi Sekizawa, Munenori Matsumoto