Patents by Inventor Naoko Ichikawa

Naoko Ichikawa 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: 11951984
    Abstract: An open vehicle includes a vehicle upper portion, a traveling device, an external sensor, and an ECU. The vehicle upper portion has a riding surface that forms a bottom surface of the riding space and is configured for a plurality of users to ride on. The ECU is configured to control the traveling device to cause the open vehicle to automatically travel. The ECU is configured to execute: a specific person recognition process to use the external sensor to recognize a specific person existing in an outside space; and an automatic travel control process to control the traveling device such that, when the specific person exists within a predetermined distance range, the traveling device executes at least one of moving the open vehicle away from the specific person and increasing a vehicle speed as compared to when the specific person does not exist within the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Watabe, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Yuta Maniwa, Naoko Ichikawa, Saki Narita, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11939011
    Abstract: A stand-up vehicle includes a vehicle upper portion, a handrail, one or more biometric information sensors, and one or more processors. The vehicle upper portion has a riding surface on which a user stands. The handrail is provided at an upper portion of the vehicle and is gripped by a user. The one or more biometric information sensors are at least one of a sensor provided on a handrail and a weight sensor provided below a riding surface and having the riding surface as a weight detection surface, and detect biometric information of the user. The one or more processors perform notification processing for notifying a user of biometric information detected by the one or more biometric information sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11938936
    Abstract: In a stand-up vehicle having a vehicle upper part having a riding surface configured for a user to stand on, one or more electronic control units execute emergency situation detection processing for detecting an emergency of the user when receiving notification from the user or based on information from one or more sensors, safety posture determination processing for determining whether or not the user takes a safety posture based on information from one or more sensors after detecting the emergency, and upper limit speed management processing executed when detecting the emergency and determining that the user takes the safety posture. The upper limit speed management process increases the upper limit speed to be higher than the basic upper limit speed selected when the safety posture determination process determines that the user is not in the safety posture, or cancels the upper limit speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta Maniwa, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Saki Narita, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11927958
    Abstract: An automatic traveling vehicle includes a vehicle structure including a first top plate, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a storage mode when a storage execution condition is satisfied. The storage mode includes a storage posture formation process of causing the vehicle to automatically travel so as to take a predetermined storage posture together with a counterpart automatic traveling vehicle. In the storage posture, the vehicle is in a superposition state in which the vehicle overlaps with the counterpart vehicle in a plan view, or a parallel state in which the vehicle is lined up with the counterpart vehicle while the first top plate and a second top plate of the counterpart vehicle are standing and facing each other so as to be parallel to or substantially parallel to a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta Maniwa, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Yuhei Katsumata, Daisaku Honda, Saki Narita, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11904897
    Abstract: The safety management apparatus comprises a protective shield with automatic opening and closing, a sensor configured to obtain physical information related to an occupant boarded an autonomous traveling cart, and a controller configured to control the opening and closing of the protective shield. The protective shield is configured to be normally open and, when closed, shield an occupant space of the cart from the outside. The controller includes at least one memory including at least one program, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor executes a first process and a second process upon execution of the at least one program. The first process is to determine whether the occupant is an infant based on the physical information. The second process, which is executed when the occupant is determined to be an infant, is to close the protective shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Sato, Daisuke Ishii, Hiroki Izu, Hiroki Morita, Kei Sato, Masaki Nanahara, Kazumi Serizawa, Hironobu Tanaka, Shunsuke Mogi, Takashi Hayashi, Akihiro Kusumoto, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Yuhei Katsumata, Daisaku Honda, Saki Narita, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11724644
    Abstract: A vehicle for transporting passengers include a floor board on which the passengers ride. The vehicle further includes a passenger distribution detection device that detects a passenger distribution that is a distribution of the passengers on the floor board. The vehicle further includes a control device that executes a passenger guidance control that guides the passengers on the floor board such that the passenger distribution approaches a target passenger distribution to increase a stability of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11718967
    Abstract: A guidance vehicle guides a dog for a walk, and includes a leash attachment, a distance sensor, and an electronic control unit. The leash attachment is configured to attach a leash that connects the dog. The distance sensor is configured to detect a dog-to-vehicle distance being a distance between the dog and the guidance vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a travel control of the guidance vehicle. The electronic control unit includes, as one of modes of the travel control, a walk guidance mode that causes the guidance vehicle to automatically travel along a walk route while guiding the dog to walk. The walk guidance mode executed by the electronic control unit includes a basic walk mode that controls the dog-to-vehicle distance so as to maintain a constant distance when the dog is moving along the walk route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa, Daisuke Ishii, Daisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 11687308
    Abstract: There is provided, in a vehicle capable of accommodating a plurality of passengers, a display system capable of providing a motivation to start a conversation among the passengers in view of conversation intentions of each passenger. The display system includes a control device, and at least one display device. The control device is configured to perform a conversation desire display process to display a conversation desire level of each of the passengers. Alternatively, the control device is configured to perform a conversation intention display process to display a conversation intention of each of the passengers for the other passengers. The conversation desire level and the conversation intention among passengers are input to the input device provided in the display system, by an operation of the passenger. Alternatively, they are estimated by the control device based on the passenger state information detected by the sensor provided in the display system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220153295
    Abstract: An operation management system includes an automatic traveling vehicle and a management server. The vehicle includes a first processor, and is configured to transport at least one of people or luggage. The management server includes a second processor, and is configured to communicate with the vehicle and manage the operation thereof. The first processor or second processor is configured to: determine whether there is a transport task in which the vehicle transports at least one of people or luggage; and, when there is no transport task, execute a task switching process of causing the vehicle to execute any one of a patrol task in which the vehicle performs a patrol of an operating area of the vehicle, a cleaning task in which the vehicle performs a cleaning of the operating area, and a patrol cleaning task in which the vehicle performs both the patrol and the cleaning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220153180
    Abstract: An automatic traveling cart includes a connecting arm that connects a wheelchair to a front portion or a rear portion of the automatic traveling cart. The automatic traveling cart transports the wheelchair while a user is placed on the wheelchair without intentionally placing the wheelchair on the cart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Yuhei Katsumata, Daisaku Honda, Saki Narita, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220129227
    Abstract: There is provided, in a vehicle capable of accommodating a plurality of passengers, a display system capable of providing a motivation to start a conversation among the passengers in view of conversation intentions of each passenger. The display system includes a control device, and at least one display device. The control device is configured to perform a conversation desire display process to display a conversation desire level of each of the passengers. Alternatively, the control device is configured to perform a conversation intention display process to display a conversation intention of each of the passengers for the other passengers. The conversation desire level and the conversation intention among passengers are input to the input device provided in the display system, by an operation of the passenger. Alternatively, they are estimated by the control device based on the passenger state information detected by the sensor provided in the display system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220104457
    Abstract: A guidance vehicle guides a dog for a walk, and includes a leash attachment, a distance sensor, and an electronic control unit. The leash attachment is configured to attach a leash that connects the dog. The distance sensor is configured to detect a dog-to-vehicle distance being a distance between the dog and the guidance vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a travel control of the guidance vehicle. The electronic control unit includes, as one of modes of the travel control, a walk guidance mode that causes the guidance vehicle to automatically travel along a walk route while guiding the dog to walk. The walk guidance mode executed by the electronic control unit includes a basic walk mode that controls the dog-to-vehicle distance so as to maintain a constant distance when the dog is moving along the walk route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa, Daisuke Ishii, Daisuke Sato
  • Publication number: 20220107639
    Abstract: An automatic traveling vehicle includes a vehicle structure including a first top plate, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a storage mode when a storage execution condition is satisfied. The storage mode includes a storage posture formation process of causing the vehicle to automatically travel so as to take a predetermined storage posture together with a counterpart automatic traveling vehicle. In the storage posture, the vehicle is in a superposition state in which the vehicle overlaps with the counterpart vehicle in a plan view, or a parallel state in which the vehicle is lined up with the counterpart vehicle while the first top plate and a second top plate of the counterpart vehicle are standing and facing each other so as to be parallel to or substantially parallel to a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Yuta Maniwa, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Yuhei Katsumata, Daisaku Honda, Saki Narita, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220080965
    Abstract: An open vehicle includes a vehicle upper portion, a traveling device, an external sensor, and an ECU. The vehicle upper portion has a riding surface that forms a bottom surface of the riding space and is configured for a plurality of users to ride on. The ECU is configured to control the traveling device to cause the open vehicle to automatically travel. The ECU is configured to execute: a specific person recognition process to use the external sensor to recognize a specific person existing in an outside space; and an automatic travel control process to control the traveling device such that, when the specific person exists within a predetermined distance range, the traveling device executes at least one of moving the open vehicle away from the specific person and increasing a vehicle speed as compared to when the specific person does not exist within the range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Takuya Watabe, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Yuta Maniwa, Naoko Ichikawa, Saki Narita, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220081046
    Abstract: A stand-up vehicle includes a vehicle upper portion, a handrail, one or more biometric information sensors, and one or more processors. The vehicle upper portion has a riding surface on which a user stands. The handrail is provided at an upper portion of the vehicle and is gripped by a user. The one or more biometric information sensors are at least one of a sensor provided on a handrail and a weight sensor provided below a riding surface and having the riding surface as a weight detection surface, and detect biometric information of the user. The one or more processors perform notification processing for notifying a user of biometric information detected by the one or more biometric information sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220063597
    Abstract: A vehicle for transporting passengers include a floor board on which the passengers ride. The vehicle further includes a passenger distribution detection device that detects a passenger distribution that is a distribution of the passengers on the floor board. The vehicle further includes a control device that executes a passenger guidance control that guides the passengers on the floor board such that the passenger distribution approaches a target passenger distribution to increase a stability of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Saki Narita, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220063619
    Abstract: In a stand-up vehicle having a vehicle upper part having a riding surface configured for a user to stand on, one or more electronic control units execute emergency situation detection processing for detecting an emergency of the user when receiving notification from the user or based on information from one or more sensors, safety posture determination processing for determining whether or not the user takes a safety posture based on information from one or more sensors after detecting the emergency, and upper limit speed management processing executed when detecting the emergency and determining that the user takes the safety posture. The upper limit speed management process increases the upper limit speed to be higher than the basic upper limit speed selected when the safety posture determination process determines that the user is not in the safety posture, or cancels the upper limit speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Yuta Maniwa, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Daisaku Honda, Yuhei Katsumata, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Saki Narita, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220055661
    Abstract: The safety management apparatus comprises a protective shield with automatic opening and closing, a sensor configured to obtain physical information related to an occupant boarded an autonomous traveling cart, and a controller configured to control the opening and closing of the protective shield. The protective shield is configured to be normally open and, when closed, shield an occupant space of the cart from the outside. The controller includes at least one memory including at least one program, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor executes a first process and a second process upon execution of the at least one program. The first process is to determine whether the occupant is an infant based on the physical information. The second process, which is executed when the occupant is determined to be an infant, is to close the protective shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Daisuke Sato, Daisuke Ishii, Hiroki Izu, Hiroki Morita, Kei Sato, Masaki Nanahara, Kazumi Serizawa, Hironobu Tanaka, Shunsuke Mogi, Takashi Hayashi, Akihiro Kusumoto, Tetsuya Kanata, Yozo Iwami, Yuhei Katsumata, Daisaku Honda, Saki Narita, Hideki Fukudome, Takuya Watabe, Naoko Ichikawa, Yuta Maniwa, Yuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20210271783
    Abstract: A design and construction assistance device includes a first acquirer configured to acquire first information including at least dimension data of a construction material to be attached to a target surface, a second acquirer configured to acquire second information indicating the type of attachment structure when the construction material is attached to the target surface, a production drawing generator configured to generate a production drawing for processing the construction material on the basis of the first information, the second information, and processing rules set for each type of attachment structure, and an output configured to output the production drawing generated by the production drawing generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru OKADA, Yosuke SHIRAKURA, Naoko ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210271788
    Abstract: A construction material arrangement processing device includes a first acquirer configured to acquire target surface data from a storage storing three-dimensional data including a plurality of target surfaces that are targets to which a construction material is to be attached, a receptioner configured to receive information regarding dimensions designated as reference dimensions of the construction material to be attached to the target surfaces, an arrangement information generator configured to generate arrangement information regarding the number, dimensions, and arrangement of the construction material to be arranged on the plurality of target surfaces according to predetermined arrangement rules on the basis of the three-dimensional data and the designated dimensions, and an output configured to output the arrangement information generated by the arrangement information generator, in which the arrangement information generator generates the arrangement information in which a specific construction material
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru OKADA, Yosuke SHIRAKURA, Naoko ICHIKAWA